Strollerderby : celebrity parents

Vote on Jon and Kate's Divorce Goes Too Far

JeanneSager — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:01:00 GMT

With the reports of Jon and Kate Plus 8 and their potential demise coming fast and furious, I wasn't surprised to find a poll over at Extra's Website about whether or not the Gosselins should just call it quits.

Not surprised, but a little digusted.

Sure, it's just an informal poll. But it seems to fall dangerously close to laying bets. Laying bets on the fate of eight kids.

It's true that Jon and Kate Gosselin have brought this type of frenzy upon themselves. They signed up to do a national TV show. They invited cameras into their living room. They let us see their kids struggle with potty training and sibling rivalry. We're going to speculate. We're going to write about it (I know I have), and we're going to talk about it. As a willing participant in that frenzy, I can't criticize the rest of the group for doing it.

And I wouldn't - they've put themselves in the public domain (hence all that talk about how they are fame whores exploiting their kids!).

This poll, however, asks "Are the Gosselins headed for divorce?" with the choices:

A. Yes, it's better for them to break up

B. No, they will stay together for the kids.

Perhaps it's no different than any other piece that's appeared on the internet. I haven't seen them all; and I'd wager Extra isn't the first to bust out something of this sort. But this isn't talk about what is actually going on in their marriage or even weighing in on WHY we do or do not like Jon and Kate Plus 8.

I just can't get past the ick factor of actually laying wagers (albeit with no financial gain) on someone's marriage. I'd have the same problem with a poll on Brad and Angelina. Or Michelle and Barack. This is not some misguided loyalty toward the Gosselins. There are times where I'd even say it IS better for a couple to get divorced, despite the presence of children.

But where I can criticize the Gosselins for being famewhores, for what's seen on TV, even what's reported by sponsors of Kate at speaking engagements, I wouldn't tell my best friend to divorce her husband. I can't well see telling the parents of eight kids who I've never met to do it. Or laying bets on it.

What do you think Babble readers? Would you feel icky taking that kind of poll? If not - go for it.

Image: Extra

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Confirmation: Jon Gosselin of “Jon and Kate Plus Eight” Cheated

SunnyChanel — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:40:00 GMT

Following in the footsteps of oodles of TV reality star couples before them, it appears that Jon and Kate of Jon and Kate Plus Eight fame may be even further on the road to marital ruin. According to US Weekly, there is truth to the rumor that Jon Gosselin is stepping out on the mother of his eight children.

The tabloid reported in this weeks’ issue that for the last three months Gosselin has been having an affair with a 23-year-old third grade teacher Deanna Hummel (no relation to the figurine). This is fresh on the heels of Jon being caught leaving a bar at 2am with Deanna but no wedding ring. The magazine got confirmation of the hot and heavy action from five people “close to the situation.” Both Deanna and Jon have denied the affair. Deanna recently told People Magazine that "We're just friends…it's absurd that anyone would think otherwise." And Jon released a statement that they were just friends and going for a ride in her car at 2am was “in poor judgment.”

Deanna’s brother, one of those who confirmed the affair, did an over share with the mag and said in regards to Jon and Deanna’s rendezvous’ at the house, "A lot of the time, it was pretty, um, gross listening to her, you know, um — how do I say this? The walls are thin. Let’s just say that. I mean, no one wants to hear his sister having sex, let alone with a married dude who's, like, almost twice her age and who has eight kids and a maybe-crazy wife. Ick. Nast."

For more details from US Weekly check it out here (and more of the story will be revealed when the issue hits the stands) and they also claim to have obtained a video of Jon leaving Deanna’s home at 7:30 in the morning.

Regardless of if the affair is fact or fiction, do you think having a camera crew in your homes and airing your life for the world to see would ruin a marriage? Or do you think there has to be deeper issues at play?

Source

Possible Father of Malawian Orphan Opposes Madonna Adoption

Brett Singer — Sun, 03 May 2009 19:00:00 GMT

James Kambewa might be the father of Chifundo "Mercy" James, the girl that Madonna wants to adopt. And he's decided that he can take care of her. He feels that his little girl should be "raised as a Malawian", according to BBC News. So Madonna should step off.

I say "might" because it's not clear that the man is, in fact, Mercy's dad. In an interview with 'The Early Show' on CBS, he said that "he wore a necklace bearing his daughter's name around his neck, even though he had never seen her in person." He said that he wants "to take care of her, and I'm capable to take care of my baby." A big question, of course, is why Mercy was in an orphanage if she had a parent "capable" of raising her.

The whole thing is getting somewhat silly. Personally, I think Madonna should be able to adopt Mercy James, because that would mean a much better life for the girl. A court ruled that the adoption wasn't legal (Madonna's appeal will be heard on Monday), but if that's true, how was she able to adopt David Banda?

I'm not going to get into a debate about Malawian legal matters. I just think that it would be too bad if this little girl is forced to live in an orphanage when she could have moved into the lap of luxury. Especially if the only reason her dad came forward is because there were TV cameras around.

Source: BBC

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Ten of the Best Lines from Kiddie Lit

JeanneSager — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:27:00 GMT

Be it a movie or a book, there's always one line that stands out in the good ones. Hence that dorky guy at the office who answers everything question with a movie quote.

So what's the kiddie lit version of "I'll be back?" The Associated Press got a series of celebrity parents to dish on their favorites,but we were suprised which of our favorites were skipped. So we're bringing them up here.

So who was talking? Maria Canals-Barrera of Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place" hit on that old Dr. Seuss classic: "a person's a person no matter how small" from Horton Hears a Who and Poppy Montgomery of Without a Trace hit upon Seuss' Oh the Places You'll Go. Soprano Renee Fleming and fashion designer Cynthia Rowley paid tribute to those mommy and baby lovefest features Guess How Much I Love You and Love You Forever. You can check out the rest of the list via the AP . . . or read a collection of Strollerderby's favorites:

Another Dr. Seuss fave: "Truffula Trees are what everyone needs. Plant a new Truffula. Treat it with care. Give it clean water. And feed it fresh air. Grow a forest. Protect it from axes that hack.Then the Lorax and all of his friends may come back."
And one more from the Seuss: " "on those wild screaming beaches..." (from The Sneetches)
What's the use of having a trained balloon if it won't do what you want?"- The Red Balloon by A. LaMorisse
"I am a nuisance in the lobby. Mr Salamone said so." - Eloise by Kay Thompson
"Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe." - The Polar Express by Chris VanAllsburg
"I don't want to be sensible," said Ramona. "I HATE being sensible." - Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
"In my experience, well-read people are less likely to be evil." - Lemony Snicket (not sure which one)
"It's my ponytail and I like it!" - Stephanie's Ponytail by Robert Munsch
"...and an ocean tumbled by with a private boat for Max and he sailed off through night and day and in and out of weeks and almost over a year to where the wild things are." - Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
"And the music was sad and joyous and it filled the quiet street and went out over the darkling trees and the whole world." - from Dudley Pippin and the Principal in Free to Be You and Me

We could probably fill Strollerderby up with this list, but we'd like to hear yours. What are the lines your family repeats ad infinitum?

Image: Amazon

Ali Landry: Goodnight Doritos Girl, Spotlight on Mom

JeanneSager — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:01:00 GMT

If you've ever been embarrassed by your taste for celebrity parent news (admit it, Babble's Famecrawler the first place you visit), you're going to get a kick out of Ali Landry.

Once a member of the People's Fifty Most Beautiful People List and the famous "Doritos girl" from the late nineties, Landry now has a weekly Webcast that's allowing every day parents (us) instant access to celebrity parents. And Landry, ahem, is just as interested as the rest of us.

Landry sat down with Babble to talk about her new show, Spotlight to Nightlight, and parenting daughter Estela (twenty months).

First way she won us over? She admitted her twenty-month-old has already hit the terrible twos. Yes, that's a real mom talking there!

Babble: What got you into actually talking about motherhood and doing Spotlight to Nightlight?

Landry: I am a researcher. Yes, I am a little bit of a Type A personality. If I'm going to do something, I want to do it as close to perfection as possible. (laughing). Even through the birth and the pregnancy, I researched everything. I don't buy one thing without researching it. Everybody I meet, I ask them questions. I'm in the aisles at Babies R Us . . . when I was trying to figure out what bottle to give the baby (you know, I nursed for a long time, but I also supplemented with bottles), I probably asked fifteen women which bottle they used. I was driving them all nuts! I love researching the products, and I read every book... you study so much in school and in college but no one really prepares you for being a mom.

Babble: Did you find the internet really helped you with your research?

Landry: The internet was really my go-to. People today ask me about Estela, where did you get that for her? And I tell them, I got it online. I go to all the parent reviews, I look at everyting. I compare notes. I look at probably fifteen sites on the same thing. I'm a little crazy on those kind of things! I'm the go-to person for getting the shower list together for everbody, the products they're going to register for. My friends, before they buy anything, they call me! So, anyway, I was sort of dabbling, writing my own show which was going to be a talk show for moms . . . and this opportunity came up online. I thought this could be a perfect accompaniment to the television show. No one has ever addressed that on televison. I think they're all afraid that moms are not their target audience which I think is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Who do they think is watching daytime television?

The show is cut into three- to five-minute interviews with celebrity moms (most recently Sarah Clarke of 24) interspersed with interviews with experts on parenting-related topics. In other words - it's not just the celebrity parents themselves. It's the whole world. And that means nannies, bailouts and more.

Landry: People in general are fascinated with the whole celebrity baby thing, but to me the show is not truly about that. It's about being a mom, period. Whether you're a celebrity or not, I'm trying my hardest to get that relatability factor between celebrity moms and every mom whose out there. Truly, yes, they might be a little more glamorous. Yes, they might be getting their hair and make-up done and walking on a red carpet. But at the end of the day, they're a parent first. We're all going through the same thing, the same struggle. We're all trying to be a good mom, a good wife, a good daughter, a good friend. That's why I'm really trying to accomplish, to get these women to let their guard down and talk about what really matters to them.

Babble: What makes you relatable? You're this girl from Louisiana, but you're also the Doritos girl . . .

Landry: I don't even see that side of me. That's what I do, but that's not even at all who I am as a person. So, anybody who talks to me or meets me forgets about that. That's also what I really want to do with the show - to show we're all moms, we're all going through the same thing. We're all women first.

The shows are short, but Landry makes us feel a little better about our obsessions. And, hey, a celebrity mom who can admit she's got a terrible toddler on the loose? Someone we can totally relate to! Catch the show - also available in Spanish over at Yahoo's OMG.

When a Sitcom Actress Gets Pregnant

JeanneSager — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:22:00 GMT

The problem with hit television shows for the actors can be trying to live their lives around their TV schedule. And for actresses, that means trying to make sure their pregnancies don't intervene with shooting.

But CBS's How I Met Your Mother has taken the pregnancies of two of its main actresses (Alyson Hannigan and Cobie Smulders) in stride. They worked around the burgeoning bellies - as most sitcoms do these days - and they played off of them.

In the past, TV shows have taken one of two tacks. They've completely hidden women's growing bellies by shooting from the chest up, making their characters do a lot more sitting or having them tote large handbags or stand behind counters - like Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz. Or they've written pregnancy into the show - most famously when Lucille Ball was expecting her second child with co-star and husband Desi Arnaz, and suddenly their characters on I Love Lucy, the Ricardos, were expecting too. More recently, Without a Trace's Poppy Montgomery had a similar go as TV mom-to-be and pregnant chick, and the baby's daddy was the same onscreen and off.

The folks on How I Met Your Mother have taken another road entirely. They've made catching sight of the actresses' bellies a sight gag. When Hannigan's character took part in an eating contest, she lept up to show off her overextended tummy - supposedly from all that extra food . . . but not really. Other times, they've had her stand near a globe or rack of basketballs, the round shapes mimicking her real stomach.

The show's executive producer has said they figured they might as well play up the pregnancies for extra laughs, and it's been working.

I do tend to notice more when an actress seems to be spending a lot of time hiding behind baskets of fruit or sitting at a desk, even those whose pregnancies I missed hearing about in the news (or on Famecrawler!). It's a goofy game, but I love trying to catch the director out, see if they miss a second of covering the bump.

Do you notice or do most of your favorite stars do a pretty good job of keeping their pregnancy off camera?

Image: Chicago Tribune

Does Madonna Spank Her Kids?

Brett Singer — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Somewhat buried in the news about Madonna's adopted son David Banda meeting up with his biological father in Malawi was this little tidbit (this is David's dad Yohane talking about his chat with David):

He told me his mum likes riding horses and that he too rides horses. Then he told me a story when one day he and his brother, Rocco, rode horses and fell. He told me his mum spanked him because they are not supposed to ride horses on their own. (Emphasis added)

Whoa, Nellie! Hang on a minute. Madonna spanked him?

Well, maybe. When I first saw this, Shannon pointed out that sometimes little kids exaggerate. I've never hit either of my children but my oldest once informed someone that I had. Somewhat out of the blue, I might add. Luckily it was a person who was inclined to take my word for it (a relative). But if it had been a teacher, I don't know how that would have gone over.

Still, it's interesting to think about. Do you think Madonna spanks her kids? Or maybe she has the nanny do it? Or is David just a little kid exaggerating?

Source: PerezHilton

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Madonna Adoption Denied, Appeal Filed

Brett Singer — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

A Malawi court ruled on Friday that Madonna could not adopt 4-year-old Mercy James because she had not been a resident of the country for 18 months.

As my son sometimes says, "I didn't see that coming."

Why do I say that? Well, here's the thing. She already adopted a kid from Malawi. David Banda. Remember him? Cute kid, rides horses, visited his hometown with Madge so he could hang with his biological dad?

According to the Telegraph, the rule about adoptive parents being residents of Malawai for 18-24 months was waived back in 2006 to allow Madge to adopt David. Now a local judge is concerned about setting a "dangerous precedent" if she is allowed to adopt again.

Except that the precedent was already set! You let her do it before! When you train puppies, or discipline children, you try to be consistent. I know that's an oversimplification, but isn't it silly to talk about "dangerous precedents" when you already did the thing that you now say you are worried about?

That could be why Madonna has decided to appeal the ruling. I don't know much about the law, and I know even less about Malawian legal issues (to be fair, I probably know more about brain surgery than I do about Malawian legal issues), but it seems to me that she's got a pretty good case. Because they let her adopt David Banda in 2006. Did I mention that?

It's possible that the adoption was denied because of Madonna's recent divorce from Guy Ritchie. The Telegraph quotes a government official as saying that, "Our official policy is that we do not encourage our children to be sent into broken homes." Because being raised by a single parent is clearly much worse than living in an orphanage. Never mind the fact that this particular single parent is wealthier than most of the people on the planet. And while I agree in general with human rights groups who have been saying that "whisking a single child off to a fairytale lifestyle in Hollywood" is not the answer to the world's problems, it's also not the worst thing that could happen to a kid from an impoverished country. (It's also worth noting that Madonna lives in England, not Hollywood. But whatever.)

I should point out that this is not, in my opinion, a major issue in our world today. But everything Madonna does is news, and while I don't care much about her music (or her movies, which, except for "Desperately Seeking Susan" are considerable unwatchable), I have to give her credit for commanding attention with every move she makes. I'll also give her props for starting a charity, Raising Malawi, to help other orphans in Malawi. According to the Telegraph, "She has already built a multi-purpose community centre at Mphandula village, 30 miles from Lilongwe, which looks after more than 8,000 orphans from scores of villages in the area." That's a lot of kids. So, in the language of her adopted British homeland, good on ya, mate. (Or something like that.) Of course, as Shannon pointed out, it's fine for Angelina Jolie to adopt a kid every other week, but Madonna we have a problem with. That's another topic, but one worth mentioning.

What do you think? Should Madonna be allowed to adopt Mercy James?

Source: Telegraph

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NBA's Eddie House and Son Hoop it Up at Cartoon Network

JeanneSager — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:59:00 GMT

Think being a celebrity gets you all the cool perks? Try being his son.

Jaelen House's dad Eddie is the back-up guard for the 2008 World Champion Boston Celtics. Like seven-year-olds everywhere, Jaelen is also a big fan of the Cartoon Network.

Now the two are coming together - Jaelen House is getting his own Cartoon Network show about being the son of Eddie House and living the day-to-day life of a sports superstar's son. One of House and wife Charlsie's three kids (including a set of twins), Jaelen is a regular on the sidelines at Celtics games, cheering for his dad, who serves as back-up guard to Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. House was a member of the championship winning team last year, coming off the bench to help boost the team. He scored nine points in the crucial game 4 comeback that helped the Celtics secure their victory.

According to Turner Broadcasting, which owns Cartoon Network, My Dad is a Pro is "the first series of the recently announced multifaceted partnership between Cartoon Network and the NBA." The channel will also be launching extensive basketball-related content on its Website.

The kid's eye view of the game sounds like it will help launch a new generation of fans, but we won't know for awhile what the Jaelen-Eddie dynamic will do for mini point guards everywhere. My Dad is a Pro will begin airing this fall.

Image: Boston Celtics

Britney Spears Will Cancel Tour If Kids Can't Come

Brett Singer — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Famecrawler and TMZ are reporting that Britney Spears says that she won't tour if her kids can't join her.

When I first saw this I thought, "Oh good. Another loony celeb mom who wants to drag her young'uns around the globe. What's wrong with these people?"

Upon further reading, it seems that Brit wants to set things up so that Sean Preston and Jayden James would stay put at three different "bases" in New Jersey, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. Mama Britney would "commute" from her shows to the home bases, thereby enabling her to tour and see the boys.

Why is this even a story? Because Britney, her family Jamie Spears (not to be confused with Jamie LYNN Spears, Britney's sister) and Kevin Federline (K-Fed) worked out this deal on their own. Without the lawyers. And that, my friends, is a veddy bad idea.

According to TMZ, K-Fed's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan says that the situation, "could have been handled better if Jamie and company would have 'manned up' and had Kevin got the benefit of his lawyers to protect his position." K-Fed's attorney will present his own version of the deal, thereby justifying his existence and removing a roadblock to the deal going through – his ego.

Regarding that last paragraph: I'm not sure that I'm correct about that analysis, but I think I am.

Here's what I have a problem with here. As a parent, I would think that Britney and K-Fed would want to keep the details of their custody battle private. If Britney's dad can work out a deal with them, why is K-Fed's lawyer jumping in and mucking up the works, and possibly leaking the information to the press? Again: I need to say that I don't know if Mr. Kaplan, K-Fed's attorney, leaked anything. But he did provide a quote to TMZ about Jamie Spears "manning up". What kind of language is that? Why not keep things as cordial as possible? I understand him wanting to look for K-Fed's interests. But why insult the kids' grandfather, who is also in charge of Britney's interests at the moment?

As for Britney touring or not, I think that she's entitled to go out on the road since that's her job. If it were Federline who had a successful career (or any career at all, frankly), I seriously doubt that anyone would be concerned with what happens to the kids, despite that fact that he has custody. I don't think it's a great idea for kids to be schlepped all over the globe while mom prances around in stadiums wearing Spandex. But if they can work out a way to do it so that the kids aren't overly inconvenienced, what's wrong with that? Anglina Jolie and Brad Pitt bring those kids all over the place and nobody seems to mind.

I have to admit that reading this story, my eyes started to roll back in my head. Even keeping straight which Jamie Spears they're talking about – the father or the sister – starts to get difficult after awhile. Maybe I need to read more gossip magazines.

Source: Famecrawler, TMZ

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Angelina and Brad are Christmas Crafters!

SunnyChanel — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:00:00 GMT

Are you wondering what Angelina, Brad or their brood will be getting for Christmas? Well get out the yarn, the popsicle sticks and the glittered pipe cleaners because, according to Hello! Magazine, the Jolie-Pitt family prefers a thoughtfully handmade gift as opposed to a extravagant present.

Pitt told the magazine, "We do exchange gifts, although we don't feel any pressure to make them big or expensive gifts… the kids don't ask for big gifts for the reason that they don't see a lot of the American cartoon television, which is packed with all those manipulative commercials for big toys that look so fantastic.”

With their gift giving, they try too not overdo it and spend a lot of money on the family presents. “The rule is that everyone's got to make something for someone else, you got to put time into it," Pitt said.

I’d love a gift made by Angelina or Brad…hello eBay! It is sweet that they are on a quest to satisfy the family thirst for presents with items of the home made variety. I know that the kids in my life, who do happen to watch ‘American cartoon television’, would be none too pleased with such gifts. I wish they would. But really, who am I kidding, I don’t even have the time to do the laundry let alone craft something meaningful and majestic enough to pass as a decent Xmas present.

Do you give your kids handmade gifts? And do they like them?

Source

Photo: W Magazine

Will Madonna Have a Baby With A-Rod?

JeanneSager — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:43:00 GMT

She's divorcing her husband (and natural father of one of her kids), accusing him of saying she looked like a "granny," but Madonna says she's ready to have another child. With New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez.

Say what? OK, try to keep up people.

A-Rod and Madonna denied they were having an affair back in July when he and wife Cynthia split. Rumors swirled Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie were splitting then, but they insisted it was all speculation. Fast forward to this month and, surprise, surprise, Madonna and Guy are getting a divorce (shocking, I know). Oh, and she allowed herself to be seen in public with Stray-Rod. Now Guy's dad is calling her beastly, her adopted son's father says she's not doing a good job parenting his kid, and the Daily Mail of London says she's ready (at 50) to have Alex's baby. Phewww.

That would make Madonna mom to four (five if you count the daughter she's in the process of adopting from Malawi) and Rodriguez a father of three. Setting aside the fact that she's 50 and might not be able to conceive (the material girl's got the money to make medical miracles happen people), does she really think this is the best parenting move? She's got three kids who have had to endure publicity of their births, clothes, and mother's sex life (very graphic sex life), and now she wants to add a baby brother or sister into the mix? With a guy she's dated for, oh, four months (sorry, I don't believe for a second that they were "just friends" back in July)?

Or is this just more Madonna, pushing everything over the borderline?

Image: New York Post (Madonna at a Yankees game with son David)

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Angelina Buys Her Kid a Knife. What's Next, Maddox Jolie, Tomb Raider?

JeanneSager — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 02:27:00 GMT

I had to read it twice myself. Angelina, the super celebrity mommy who even gets away with feeding the kids Cheetos because, well, she's the uber mommy, not only breastfeeds on the cover of the upcoming W Magazine but chats about knife shopping with her 7-year-old.

Yes, 7-year-old Maddox has been such a good big brother, he earned himself his own dagger. WTF??

Angelina says she thinks it's "important he learns about the dangers and benefits of daggers." Sure. And I think my daughter should learn about the dangers and benefits of guns. It doesn't mean I'm going to buy her one!!

Angelina told W she got her first knife at 11. Maybe it was the one she used to use to cut herself with during sex? This was back when she was the OTHER Angelina, she of the vial of Billy Bob blood and making out with her brother. How soon we forget. I've been rooting for the growing ~~Brady~~ Jolie-Pitt bunch since Angelina and Brad started to put a little bit of down-home parenting into celebrity, but I confess I never drank the Kool-Aid. I was waiting for something like this to crop up.

Last time I checked, the 7-year-old eldest brother to a whole brood of kids is not the prime candidate for a knife. A. He's 7. B. He's 7 and C. He's . . . wait for it . . . 7.

I don't care how much time you've spent discussing "safe play" and how much you've dulled that thing down (which, I will say, she was very clear about doing), knives aren't toys. And as I don't see the Jolie-Pitts out hunting for dinner and skinning their kill, I have yet to see how this gift could be construed as anything but by a 7-year-old boy (or girl for that matter). What was the purpose of this? Is she planning on sending him off into the wild on their next trip to Africa? Are they worried about the way the Germans are taking to the new kids on the block?

I don't care how far she's climbed up the parenting ladder, Angelina just proved she's as screwed up as the rest of us. (By the way - to everyone who reports on the Jolie-Pitt clan, can we stop referring to those of her children who are not biological as her "adopted" son Maddox, etc? Once adopted, they're her kids - enough already.)

Image: Celeste

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Is it fair to take pictures of Britney's kids?

Brett Singer — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:53:00 GMT

You may have heard about the photographs of Britney Spears smoking while 2-year-old Sean Preston was playing with her cigarette lighter. Well, the actual photo doesn't quite show that. Here it is:

Now, far be it from me to disagree with the celebrity media machine, but this doesn't look as bad as it sounds. In this pic she looks to be taking the cigarettes away from her child. That would be the right thing to do. The better thing to do would be to not smoke at all, and especially not in front of your kids. Second-hand smoke is very dangerous, especially to little lungs. It also makes me wonder if she was smoking while pregnant, which would be much worse. My guess – and I have nothing to back this up – is that she probably was. As a former smoker, I know how hard it is to quit, and it looks to me like the Britster is quite the nicotine addict.

Here's the part that gets me: the photos were taken at her house. Why? Presumably a photog with a mega-ultra-zoom lens – a "Pavarotti", as El Federline famously referred to them on his ill-fated rap album – was suspended from a helicopter or something and took the shot through her window or on her balcony.

She's a celebrity, and over 18 (although emotionally she might be, like, 12, but let's not go there). But her kids aren't. Not to sound like a celebrity defending dipstick ("LEAVE...BRITNEY...ALONE!"), but maybe there should be a law that prevents the kids from being photographed, at least when they're at home. As someone points out over at MomLogic, they didn't ask to be in this bizarre situation.

There are celebrities whose children you almost never see candid pictures of – Madonna, Howard Stern, Christie Brinkley, and I'm sure there are dozens more that I can't think of at the moment. Of course, those people aren't the unbelievable mess that Brit appears to be. At best, this photo shows poor judgment on her part, not only the smoking but also hanging out with her kid in front of an open window where a sleazoid photographer can get a clear shot. Um, curtains? A really high hedge? Move someplace else?

Of course, if nobody wanted to see the pictures, they wouldn't be worth anything, and photographers wouldn't take them. But that's a different topic.

Here are the rest of the photos. Hey, at least she looks pretty good in her bikini.

images: popsugar.com

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Celebrity Baby Naming Hits New Low

Reese Witherspoon=Uber-Mom?

Brett Singer — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 22:10:00 GMT

Towards the end of the press release for a recent survey published by Coldwell Banker and BabyCenter ("Moms Today"), we are told the following: "13 percent of moms think Reese Witherspoon is the quintessential Modern Mom."

I have no problem with Reese Witherspoon, but what exactly makes her a "quintessential Modern Mom"? (For the record, I didn't add the emphasis on the word "quintessential.") The fact that she's divorced? Rich? Won an Oscar? Of the next two famous moms mentioned, Jennifer Garner (12 percent) has spent a lot of time in public with her offspring. But Brooke Shields (10 percent) had a very public thing with Tom Cruise when he got mad at her for having the nerve to take anti-depressants to treat post-partum depression. (To be fair, Tommy C did eventually apologize for that.) So I would have thought Brooke would've taken the top mom spot, but no.

Statements that rank parents using words like "quintessential" always seem strange to me. "Who would you most like to be for a day?" or "Which mother do you think is a good role model?" -- neither question is Earth-shaking but at least they make sense.

One positive thing I suppose is that none of the celeb-mothers listed are train wrecks, a la Britney. Which celebrity parent(s) do you like?

image: Wikipedia

JLo, Do You Need Better Baby Names?

Kelly Mills — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:31:00 GMT

I guess Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's baby name choices got leaked, and a baby name book author takes them to task for their choices (they are having twins, which you probably know unless you abstain from all celeb news, and if so, stop reading right now and maintain your vows, cheater.) I could've told JLo that the minute you tell the wrong person your choice they say something like, "Oh no, not Lucius, a kid named that used to steal my lunch money in grade school!" Or other peeps just get pursed lips and say, "Oh, how...lovely." In this case, the flack is because the chosen monikers don't fit the proper career trajectory.

See, JLo and MA are going with Max and Emme, and Xtina Aguilera already got Max (name-stealing is another problem) while Emme is almost as common as, well, Jennifer was a while back. So the baby namer thinks the celeb couple should go with something more befitting a celebrity, like Rufus and Octavia or Tango and Cadenza. (Not Tango and Cash? Ahem.) I think she's missing something here though: By choosing not-unusual names, JLo-MA are actually breaking ground amongst celebs, and perhaps igniting a trend of giving children common names. It's so ordinary it's different! Perhaps Gwyneth will be racing off to change Apple's name to Anne any minute now, and Suri will be known as Susie.

Do Celeb Moms Get a Worse Rap Than Celeb Dads?

Kelly Mills — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:31:00 GMT

You know how all the news sources cover celebrity parenting like we'll just die if we don't know who held their baby over a pit of wild vipers and paparazzi and which celeb doesn't even know how to install a child safety seat? Well, when I saw this bit on how women celebs get more media focus for their antics than the dudes, I wondered if the same held true for celebrity parenting. After all, two of the examples given--Britney Spears and Heath Ledger--fit the parent bill as well. (And let me just say for the record that when the author of that bit says "It's time to bring some quality journalism attention to both sides of this equation and highlight these struggles before anyone else dies unexpectedly" I groan "Puhleeze". The media is gonna save lives by reporting early on the fact that so-and-so is depressed or a drug addict? Quick, get photos of him taking his anti-anxiety meds, before it's too late!)

I'm usually the first person to hammer about gender inequity, and how women often get flack for the same behaviors guys get a pass on. But in the case of many celebrities, I have to say that outlandishness trumps the male-female thing most often. Michael Jackson and Steve Irwin both received criticism for holding their babies in unsafe ways, and the Hoff was slammed when his kids videotaped him drunk. And who could forget Alec Baldwin's insane phone conversation with his child? I think Britney has gotten more crap than Heath Ledger ever did because she and her crew have always courted the tabloids. Now some sexist notions may still apply, like the fact that everyone questions Brit's custody issues while male stars may never even see their kids, but for the most part, I think star power and the perceived level of the crime against kids play a bigger role than whether the parent in question is mom or dad.

But please, tell me if I'm wrong, before I lose my women's studies badge.

Strollerderby Playdate: The Awful Blog I Can't Stop Reading

Madeline Holler — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:32:00 GMT

How can it be that I am a regular reader of this blog? I mean, you could hardly call it a blog -- she posts only once or twice a month, it's not terribly interesting, it's surrounded by ads for gentle yet overpriced baby laundry detergent that you don't even need.

And it's her! Her! I don't even like her! I am not interested in her! I do nothing but criticize and disagree with her. I didn't watch her on TV before and, now that she's back, I still don't. I won't! Yet, I read her blog. I check it for updates, feel let down when there are none. I find myself identifying with her truly mundane stories and smiling at -- and I mean this in the rudest ways -- the very unfunny funny things she strains to write. Please, what is wrong with me?

Somehow, I have let Elisabeth Hasselbeck get under my skin and into the heart of my web browser. Bafflingly, I don't consider the three minutes I put in each month checking out her posts -- she doesn't even have links or games or a photo album to look through! -- wasted time. How could I? I love reading it! But shouldn't I hate myself a little more for loving it? Shouldn't I want to soak in a tub of scalding hot water and gentle Dreft soap bubbles?

It's like the playgroup I go to again and again. The membership is dwindling, the only mom who shows up is the one you have nothing in common with. Nothing! But I keep going -- once or twice a month -- to not connect, to not agree, to not enjoy. Why go? Why not.

Jessica Alba Pregnant: "Dark Angel" Fans Beweep Their Outcast State

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 13:28:00 GMT

Well, one of them anyway ...

Jessica Alba's publicist confirmed that the "Fantastic Four" star and her producer boyfriend Cash Warren are expecting. And already the questions are coming in.

Will she be a prego slob? (Yikes, this is going to be a longgggg nine months.)

Best of Famecrawler: Heidi Klum Shows Her (Not So) Good Side

Kelly Mills — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:30:00 GMT

Posted by HerBadMother

Heidi Klum's good side: hot.

Heidi Klum's backside: NOT HOT.

Droopy butt cleavage and back wrinkles? I hope that those are just the result of the way that she's standing, and not the consequence of trying to lose too much baby weight too fast. Either way: Heidi, put a shirt on.

See the darker side of celebrity parents on these Famecrawler posts:

Best of Famecrawler: David Beckham Happy To Bare Butt Cheeks For Gay Fans

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:27:00 GMT

Posted by HerBadMother

Wow. Just, wow.

I've worried, in the past, about the consequences on the psyches of Hollywood offspring from being exposed to hypersexualized parents. You know, moms who don't wear underpants, moms who inflate their boobs and wear see-through shirts, that kind of thing. Which all seems pretty tame, now, when considered against the sprawling butt cheeks of David Beckham, exposed for all the world - above, on the cover of the magazine, Attitude - like the firmest of melons, begging to be violated in the most fruit-mashing ways. Butt-cheeks spread brazenly across bedsheets, with - do I even need to point this out? - the tattooed name of his firstborn child emblazoned above them, so that whomever it is that imagines the violation of said butt will have something to read.

I think that it's great that David likes being a gay icon. I think that the world needs more gay icons. But in the pursuit of iconic gay status, David might want to consider the possibility that exploiting one's child's name as an iconic ass-garnish is maybe stepping over a line or two.

Other celebs exposed on Famecrawler:

Which Celeb Parenting Style Matches Yours?

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:32:00 GMT

Whatever you think of celebrity parents these days, there are many who seem quite lovely (Jennifer Garner and Angelina Jolie, for example). Of course, Britney makes us collectively cringe, but what about Kate Moss?

Pick which style most matches yours here...

Celebrity Baby Boom: What Happened 9 Months Ago?

MetroDad — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 16:43:00 GMT

My internet girlfriends over at Jezebel are wondering what the hell is causing this month's celebrity baby boom. On June 12, tennis player Lindsay Davenport, model Eva Herzigova and TV "personality" Nancy O'Dell all gave birth. Three days later, it was WNBA star Lisa Leslie's turn. And three days after that, Kevin James, Tiger Woods, Keri Russell and Julia Roberts all became proud parents.

Being inquisitive anthropologists, the Jezebel crew went back in time 9 months ago (to the time of conception) to see if there was any triggering factor that may have caused all of these celebrities to be especially frisky. What happened in Oct/Nov 2006 that led so many celebs into conubial bliss? Was it the Eritrean War? Election night screwing? Late summer vacations? President Bush's signing of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Act? The rise in the Dow?

Readers over at Jezebel are giving their own opinions. Go over and join in on the fun!

Paris Hilton's Parents Get Special Jail Treatment, Too?

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:54:00 GMT

Maybe I'm alone in the world, but I actually felt really bad for Paris Hilton when she started screaming for her mom in the courthouse. It's such a visceral emotion -- to want your mommy, no matter your age or predicament, that I couldn't help but feel a twinge of remorse and sadness for her.

Then I remembered "House of Wax" and thought the better of it.

As Paris Watch enters its 90th day or whatever it is, news comes that her parents might also be receiving special privileges at the jail, and other inmates and visitors are ticked off.

You'd think with the entire attraction of this story being that no one deserves special privileges, they'd learn. Guess not. Her parents just better slip her a file in a cake or something, because you know all the other parents are sneaking in shivs.

Access Motherhood: Nancy O'Dell Gives Birth!

Alisyn — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 21:56:00 GMT

Access Hollywood host Nancy O'Dell gave birth to her first child today in L.A., a 7lb., 9oz. little girl named Ashby Grace (dad is husband Keith Zubchevich).

"We are beyond elated and look forward to appreciating today and every beautiful day to come with our new daughter," the new mama said in a statement. "It is even more special given she is named after her great-grandfather and was born on my father's birthday. She made for quite a birthday present to her new grandfather."

She then added: "Also, I love epidurals."

Amen, sister! Don't we all? Congratulations to the new family, on a job well done, and a baby well named.