Friendo: Here’s a sexist comment for you, and one that the mainstream media would never touch. Do you think perhaps that George and Amal Clooney get along as well as they do (George claims they’ve never had an argument) because Amal was raised within a very traditional, patriarchal, Lebanese-Muslim family culture? Raised in England but still. I would never say this out loud.

HE: I suspect that’s probably one of the reasons they get along. She doesn’t do hissy fits, doesn’t challenge too strongly, doesn’t throw china and in all likelihood doesn’t occasionally moan and deride like a typically liberated American wife or girlfriend. Plus, being the brainy and studious type, she’s probably too smart to get into squabbles.

Friendo: Despite the British upbringing family ties and traditions are strong, and women raised by a Middle Eastern family tend to absorb “good wife” values in the Middle Eastern sense, and I don’t necessarily think that’s entirely a bad thing.

HE: That said, anyone will tell you that fighting is a fairly normal and persistent thing within marriages these days. Women are not going to back off and show obeisance just to get along. Those days are long gone.

Friendo: But the feminist movement…I know because I was part of it…was ME ME ME ME…my needs, my career, my pleasure, my empowerment, etc. If you have that mindset you’re never going to be happy in a marriage. The list is too lengthy and the collected angers are too great.

HE: Yup.

Friendo: This interview is just pablum. But Amal is very beautiful.