Famed 'Belle de Jour' Sex Blogger Reveals I.D. -- and Ph.D.
For six years, a wildly popular blogger and author has remained anonymous to her public. Known only by her pen name, Belle de Jour, this London-based woman has captivated millions with her 'Diary of a London Call Girl' blog and her books, and even had an entire TV series based on her tales. The primary reason for such a rabid following? Belle de Jour was writing about her experiences as a call girl. And now, after fervent speculation, she's finally revealed her true identity to the world. Meet Dr. Brooke Magnanti, the woman behind the Belle de Jour brand. As the Times Online recounts, Magnanti had apparently had enough of being anonymous, and that frustration -- coupled with the likelihood that an ex-boyfriend might beat her to the punch -- led to her decision to come clean. From 2003 to 2004, she worked as a prostitute for a London escort agency as a means to finance her way through school. She began blogging shortly after her career began, inspired by an incident she found hilarious enough to document. Thus began what would grow into a bona fide franchise. As her popularity grew, media outlets and readers alike speculated ad nauseum about the real woman behind the pseudonym, taken from the classic Luis Buñuel film that portrayed a bored housewife who turns to prostitution for entertainment.
Now, of course, everyone knows. And some may be surprised by her impressive pedigree; she has her Ph.D. in informatics, epidemiology, and forensic science, and now works at a child health research institute. The efforts to safeguard Magnanti's identity have been extensive, to say the least; her agent didn't even know her real name, and she's planning on telling her own mother soon.
And while this revelation may slightly lessen the allure of her blog, given the fascinating personality that has emerged in place of her pseudonym, we're pretty sure Magnanti's writings will only continue to intrigue her devoted readers. [From: Times Online]
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