"Ex-cop says impromptu attempt at comedy overshadowed her positive message"
By of the Journal Sentinel
"A former Racine police officer who touts herself as a nationally renowned motivational speaker has been barred from appearing at state correctional facilities after one of her presentations included a demonstration of a lap dance and a joke that the female inmates could make a living as prostitutes
"The speaker, Julia Witherspoon, says part of her March 13 talk at the Robert E. Ellsworth Correctional Center in Union Grove was an impromptu comedy routine. Some inmates say they were shocked and disgusted by the sexually explicit presentation. Witherspoon visited the minimum-security facility after receiving a donation from an inmate-led fundraiser.
"A group of inmates raised a few hundred dollars for Cops 'N Kids Reading Center, a nonprofit organization founded and run by Witherspoon that describes itself as an organization dedicated to getting books in the hands of children.
"After receiving the donation, Witherspoon offered to speak at the correctional center, where she was promoted as a motivational speaker, according to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. More than 100 people attended the presentation, which was mandatory for inmates in a program meant to help participants recover from drug addiction.
"Before the presentation started, Witherspoon said she got permission from a correctional center official to tell jokes that included cursing, and told the inmates the speech would have some vulgarities in it. After the jokes, Witherspoon said she delivered a more conventional motivational speech, encouraging inmates to stay positive about their futures.
"Several former inmates told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Witherspoon started off with a slew of sexually explicit jokes some detailing preferred sexual positions.
"Inmates said the event became particularly outrageous when Witherspoon approached one of the correctional center's older teachers and demonstrated a lap dance on him while explaining with explicit language how she would have sex with him and a security officer."
Read more: http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/explicit-presentation-gets-motivational-speaker-barred-from-speaking-to-inmates-b99552530z1-321755431.html
Edit: Julia Witherspoon started the Cops 'n Kids program in Racine.
Now isn't that something! What the heck? We had a presentation at work one time (large audience) that included a speaker whose language was ridiculously shocking and sexual. I should have gotten up and walked out like some of the inmates did. Totally not appropriate in either situation. You have to ask yourself, what were these people thinking?
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