We here at Scallywag and Vagabond do love to terrorize. So we sat down with the impossibly lovely“How to Get a Rich Man” author (former Playboy model) Donna Spangler to see what this so-called trophy business is all about. Biological or sociological? Indentured servitude or a glamorous free ride? Disdainfully wrong or deliciously right. You may not agree with Mrs Spangler but that’s okay…..after all there are many ways to kill a bird or as in Mrs Spangler’s case land a very shiny and plump one
SCV: What are the resume requirements for being a trophy wife?
Donna Spangler: There aren’t any complete resume requirements but you need to be the best you can be in order to attract the best.
SCV: So if all the beautiful women are out there hunting the same rich prey, how does one go about making the capture?
Donna Spangler: Don’t go out looking fat and sloppy. And don’t sleep with your prince too quickly. The man will think less of you if you do that right off the bat.
SCV: How did we end up with the concept of trophy wives?
Donna Spangler: The male nature is to try to get the best that they possibly can. No matter if he’s fat or ugly. You know that a guy isn’t going to feel good about a girl who’s toothless, smells bad, is extremely overweight. I mean you know that.
SCV: So it’s anthropological? Did they exist in Ancient Rome?
Donna Spangler: If you go back and time and you look at like arranged marriages, the parents have always tried to get their daughters with the most financially stable men. They would even give dowries to give them the best social standing possible so they could have the best life. I’ve been with a lot of poor guys and rich guys as well. Even if the poor guys were great in bed you always feel cheated because they can’t do jack diddly squat for you. When they have social pull there are more fun. You get tired of going to a picnic in the park. Who’s gonna pay your light bill?
SCV: In the age of emancipated woman, why does one still aspire to be a trophy wife?
Donna Spangler: If you look at a feminist and they say being a model or a playboy person isn’t good because it’s taking away from us, well, no, we should be able to do whatever it is that we want.
SCV: How rich is rich? What type of income or assets should a man have before an aspiring trophy wife pounces?
Donna Spangler: If you lived in the Midwest, for example, your local ice cream owner might be something that you would consider. One girl might want to live in New York in a penthouse, whereas one girl might want to live in the Midwest and raise her horses.
SCV: Why would a man want a trophy wife? And why would a woman want a man who wants a trophy wife?
Donna Spangler: Ok. All women don’t wake up and think, “Oh God I want to marry someone who can’t pay the bills”. Whether we want to admit it or not, we’re all attracted to power and wealth and things that will give us the best. And men too. In a different way. For men, they want the thing that visually and sexually pleases them. But it’s very important to develop your personality. They don’t want someone who just smiles and stays home and bakes cookies.
SCV: Do trophy men exist?
Donna Spangler: (Sighs) They do… They do exist. For men it’s different because traditionally women really look for a man that’s at least equal to them, if not more than them. In our society I think we perceive trophy men as… emasculated, less than whole, it’s not good for the man, it’s hard for them.
SCV: What would an aspiring trophy wife do if she had her own money? Would she still look for a trophy husband?
Donna Spangler: I think that women want to have a strong man. I don’t think it’s always necessarily about the guy having to be a super guy or something, although it never hurts. Although if they were divorced and they had their own money, they would want to have a guy who makes them feel good.
SCV: Why are trophies so important in our culture? Can we live without them?
Donna Spangler: Trophies are important because they are something we aspire to. Anybody who isn’t aspiring to get the best things out of life and the happiest most wonderful experiences out of life is someone who’s not motivated and who has no hope.
SCV: What does a trophy wife do all day?
Donna Spangler: They’re not just sitting around eating bon bons. That’s just very boring. These days it’s very exciting to have your own business, to have your own thing going on. For example, I love animals and I do a lot of things with animals, particularly cats.
SCV: If you are a trophy wife must you oblige when your husband summons you for sex, even if you’re not in the mood?
