Being a journalist, I always wonder what people are thinking and generally never hesitate to ask, and I was very curious about what people thought about Erin Andrews recently winning a $55 million lawsuit after being secretly videotaped in her birthday suit at a hotel with it that video later going viral on the Internet.

A man filmed Andrews through hotel room peepholes while she was in Nashville and Milwaukee, and one hit the Internet in 2009. He was charged in 2009, did prison time and was released in 2012. However, Andrews sued him, Marriott International, Radisson Hotels and five other entities for negligence and invasion of privacy.

Andrews, 37, is most likely known by those who watch television, given she currently hosts “FOX College Football” for Fox Sports and has previously been an on-air presence for sporting events. After the video of her in a hotel sans clothes hit the World Wide Web, she performed on “Dancing with the Stars” on ABC.

The reactions from folks run the gamut on what they think about Andrews getting so much money.

Most guys I ask say that is a ton of money and they are disappointed they didn’t get to see the video before it was taken offline.

Another guy I asked for an opinion said the monetary value was completely justified because her rights were violated in an extreme way.

I asked a friend who was in hotel management her entire career what she thought, and she said that was a lot of money and she was miffed that someone was able to get through a hotel peephole. She said they are next to impossible to get out of a door and are actually really sturdy. She suggested it was all a set-up. Whether it was or not, Andrews’ stalker admitted in court he used a hacksaw and pulled the peephole out through the threads.

How did nobody hear or notice him doing that?

Another friend was critical of the entire situation, saying Andrews wasn’t that upset or ashamed of everything that went down if she went on “Dancing with the Stars.” She also pointed out how unjust it is that Andrews won $55 million but yet women who are raped often don’t even get justice and live with the pain daily, unlike a video that can be deleted.

Until I started reading up on the case, I didn’t realize Marriott, after Andrews sued, filed a subpoena seeking her payroll records, contacts, performance reviews, disciplinary reports, physician letters, notes, annual physicals and medical records.

Why is any of that any of Marriott’s business? That would be enough to send me over the edge, more than a leaked video, actually.

I do hope that Andrews does something impactful with the millions she will take home. Maybe she can think of those women who have been victims of hidden cameras and just aren’t as successful, pretty or well-known as her and did not get justice — or those women who are physically violated and their rapist walks free. Her career is pretty successful and stable without the extra millions.

Her true colors will come out for sure.

Stephanie Rebman is editor of The Oxford EAGLE. Contact her at stephanie.rebman@oxfordeagle.com.