Confessions of a real-life shopaholic

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I’m Claudia. I’m a shopaholic.

I’m also an entertainment business reporter for The Times who wrote a recent article about Disney’s wacky new comedy “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” which opens in theaters today. Based on Sophie Kinsella’s bestselling series of chick-lit books, the film stars Isla Fisher as a financial journalist and retail addict who shops her way into some serious credit card debt. She’s hopelessly in love with designer clothes and heels -- and has stacks of bills to prove it.

When my precious mother read the piece, she left me an endearing message on my voicemail at work: “Congratulations on your autobiography darling!”

Wow. The truth bites! Hey, who needs a 12-step program when you can get an unsolicited dose of Jewish guilt from your biggest fan?

So, here it is. Confessions of a real-life shopaholic:

-- I can’t resist a sale at Barneys New York.

-- I’m addicted to flea markets (well, there’s no such thing as having too many vintage watches or another cool black-and-white photo of strange people).

-- Finding a new pair of Converse sneakers in a color I don’t already have is, well ... thrilling.

-- You can never own enough U.S.A.-made pottery from the ‘30s and ‘40s -- especially if it’s white.

-- It’s really hard to go more than five days without buying a little something.

All that said, after seeing “Shopaholic” I decided to enroll myself into my own self-help recovery program. And, thanks to my loving, nagging mom, I’m in the throes of trying to pay down all that horrific credit card debt.

But let me be perfectly clear about something. Even though I’m admittedly a pretty hopeless shopaholic, I’m not nearly as pathetic as Fisher’s character Rebecca Bloomwood in the Disney movie. I mean, in one scene she actually goes so far as to get into a physical brawl with another customer over a pair of half-priced Gucci boots!

Now, a pair of black Prada loafers? Well, that’s a different story. I’d kill for those. (I hope my mom’s not reading this!)

-- Claudia Eller

/ Disney via Associated Press