Fans of ABC’s hit TV show “Scandal” have been in withdrawal as the last two weeks have been repeats. But their patience will be rewarded tonight when an all-new episode, “Top of the Hour,” will hit the airwaves. When we left off, President Grant and his lover Washington fixer Olivia Pope were trying to work out their issues and did so in a steamy, sexy scene in a supply closet.
Yes, people, Olivia got down with the Prez in a closet. Such are the wild goings on on “Scandal.” As superfans know, their relationship has taken a turn for the worse since Prez found out that Olivia was part of a fraudulent voting scheme that stole the White House for him. But that hasn’t helped his relationship with the First Lady much, as she was part of the scheme as well.
Washington fixer Judy Smith, the woman who the show is based on, doesn’t have that kind of scandal in her life, but she can fix yours should you be in the need. She’s worked with NFL star Michael Vick, NBA star Kobe Bryant, and Monica Lewinsky, the former White House intern who was the subject of one of the biggest scandals in presidential history. Smith, author of the book “Good Self, Bad Self: “Transforming Your Worst Qualities Into Your Biggest Assets” talked to the Tom Joyner Morning Show about all things “Scandal-ous.”
Tom Joyner: The real life person of Olivia Pope played by Kerry Washington is Judy Smith. Judy Smith is the CEO of a crisis management firm. The whole “Scandal” story is based around the story of Judy Smith and how she wheels and deals in Washington, D.C.
Sybil: With fictional enhancements.
Tom: Does your office look anything like the office on “Scandal?” Do you have a big boardroom and broken glass where you put everyone’s pictures up?
Judy Smith: Good morning everybody. We have a murder board. That’s what we call it in our office. Not real murder. But we put up the clients and we try to map out the strategy, and all that good stuff.
Tom: Yeah, yeah. What about your staff? How many people on your staff?
Judy Smith: We have about seven folks –
Tom: That’s about the same as Olivia Pope. Do you have a Huck?
Judy: Our Huck doesn’t beat information out of people, but yes, we do have a Huck.
(Laughter)
Tom: Like Olivia Pope, are you single?
Judy: No, I’m not, I’m not.
Tom: Were you single when you were serving the Bush administration?
Judy: Uh, Tom, I know where you’re trying to go with that, now…
(Laughter)
Tom: Just answer the question, Judy.
Judy: No, I did not sleep with the President.
Tom: I didn’t ask that question.
Judy: But I know where you’re going.
(Laughter)
Tom: What about a Black senator on a very special Congressional committee? No?
Judy: No. You can just blank all of Congress and all of any sort of President.
Tom: Okay, here’s a question, here’s a question. Everybody always said that Bush stole the second election. My question is, just like Olivia Pope and Fitz, did you Barbara Bush – who was the Chief of Staff – and Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas, fix the election like Olivia Pope did on “Scandal.”
Judy: No, no, no Tom, I didn’t rig the election. That was just one that happened now it was going to happen. Olivia lives much more of an exciting life than I do.
Sybil: That was my point, Judy. Tom and people who are heavily invested in “Scandal” don’t recognize the line of demarcation between Judy Smith and Olivia Pope so you’ve got to have questions like this thrown at you every day these days now that people know who you are and what your business is.
Judy Smith: I do, I do. Yesterday I had a question when I said I didn’t have sex with the President. I did not, no. Then another kid got up and said, “Well I’m going to Olivia Pope you. What about President Carter? They went through five presidents!
(Laughter)
Tom: Do you think you can find the President a Black cabinet member?
Judy: I can help any President do anything.Olivia Pope and Judy Smith are fearless. So we can do that.
Sybil: Would you be interested in going back into politics? I know you have your great career but would you be interested in going back in and serving this President’s administration?
Judy: Well, you know what? I feel like I’ve sort of done that already. I like to try to look forward. The other thing that I know your listeners can see and hear is that politics is a very complicated thing. There are a lot of compromises that one has t to make.
Sybil: Not to mention the skeletons that one has to keep.
Judy: Exactly and that can be a full-time job!
Sybil: That’s your job!
Chris Paul: Do you only offer your services for major crises or can a brother coming home at 3 o’clock in the morning call you and get some alibi help with his old lady?
Judy: You can call me and I’ll help you out. And don’t forget to tune in tonight.
Tom: Yeah, we have our Facebook party tonight. Do you want to participate in our Facebook party?
Judy: Sure, tweet me @JudySmith_and I’ll tweet you back.
Here’s what you guys are going to see tonight. You’re going to see a little betrayal, a little sex – what a surprise there – you’re going to see forgiveness and you’re going to see something about family.
An all-new episode of “Scandal” airs tonight at 10 p.m. EST on ABC.
