Mary Starkey, sans controversy, hits 20/20

Ready for your close-up, Jeeves? 20/20 delved into the cushy, diamond-encrusted worlds of America’s super-rich last week and, as is usually the case with such "Lifestyles of the Rich and Richer" pieces, the story included an obligatory interview with America’s number-one butler teacher: Denver’s own Mary Louise Starkey, head of...

By Joel Warner

September 15, 2008

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Ready for your close-up, Jeeves?

20/20 delved into the cushy, diamond-encrusted worlds of America’s super-rich last week and, as is usually the case with such "Lifestyles of the Rich and Richer" pieces, the story included an obligatory interview with America’s number-one butler teacher: Denver’s own Mary Louise Starkey, head of the Starkey International Institute for Household Management. The ABC show made no mention of the many former teachers and students who’ve come forward alleging abuse and misconduct at the school, however. Or that this summer Starkey pled guilty to assaulting one of her students in 2007. Or that she was arrested again in May on domestic violence charges, a case that should be going to jury trial on September 17.

Oh, well – guess all that isn’t glamorous enough for 20/20. -- Joel Warner

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Joel Warner is a former staff writer for Westword and International Business Times. He's also written for WIRED, Men's Journal, Men's Health, Bloomberg Businessweek, Popular Science, Slate, Grantland and many other publications. He's co-author of the 2014 book The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things Funny, published by Simon & Schuster.

Contact: Joel Warner