TV Heroes: CJ Cregg
Keris Stainton continues her look at the TV women we love...
We’re introduced to White House Press Secretary Claudia Jean Cregg as she falls off a treadmill while flirting with a handsome man and answering her pager. It's a great introduction to a character whose work has become her life and who is, yes, a bit of klutz (she falls in a pool, she walks into walls...).
Although her daily “me time” consists of one hour between 5 and 6am, CJ is always stylish and put together. She is in control and confident in the White House Press room, managing to make the press conferences look effortless. It’s only when you see Josh Lyman’s attempt at controlling the press corps (in my favourite episode Celestial Navigation), that you appreciate CJ’s charm under pressure.
In one flashback episode we learn that CJ previously worked as a Hollywood publicist. It’s not just her perm and loose, bright clothing that are so wrong - it’s simply impossible to imagine CJ doing such a frivolous job. So we're not surprised when she's fired for telling the truth and refusing to buy into the foolishness.
As the series drew to a close, I found I’d lost interest in the Josh and Donna love story, but I desperately wanted CJ and Danny to make it work (CJ had too much integrity to really make a go of it with Danny while Danny was a political correspondent and CJ was a member of the Administration).
Plus she’s a feminist, she's witty, sexy, vulnerable and insecure and ... is she sounding like a real woman yet? CJ is the most believable and fully-realised character in a cast of believable and fully-realised characters. She’s a strong woman in a position of power without being a ballbreaker or losing her femininity. How often do you see that on TV (or, to be fair, in reality).
Oh and her rendition of The Jackal has to be seen to be believed!
Keris co-edits Shiny Media’s fabulous women’s fiction blog, Trashionista and contributes to TV Scoop and The Bag Lady. She also writes young adult fiction, which just means she can watch The O.C. and call it research.
