With the news that Nadya Suleman, the “octuplets mom,” is giving her first big interview to NBC’s Today Show and Ann Curry next Monday, you gotta wonder: Does this woman realize what she’s in for? Not from Curry, who specializes in soothing ooze, as is evident from the preview clip The Today Show aired this morning:
My first two reactions: 1. Wow, does this woman radiate a sense of, yes, Angelina Jolie-like, Zen calm, complete with spiritual-babble about wanting to “be present with” her kids. (You better be present, sister—you got a lotta diapers to change!) 2. Wow, could Matt Lauer be any more ditheringly delighted about this scoop, saying “Congratulations!” to Ann Curry twice, as though she had just given birth… which she did, in a sense: birth to a ratings bonanza for NBC.
But even before Suleman hired L.A. publicists to handle her story, the hostility started streaming out of our TV screens about this single mother of now 14 children…
Bill O’Reilly went ballistic.
O’Reilly goes so far as to say these birth amount to “child abuse,” because these kids can’t possibly receive the care they need. (Then he goes off on a rant about how we’re not “living in America anymore” because of these births—what, Bill? What country do you think you’re in now? Babypukeistan?)
I think one posting to an L.A. Times story on this subject summed up a lot of people’s feelings. The post read:
“What trash!! I certainly hope the media isn’t enticed to follow up with any offers.
Let the Jolie-Pitt gang adopt them, they’re looking …. at least they can afford them.”
Which, in its own sarcastic way, cuts to the heart of it: Suleman has turned herself into a media figure by seeking out interviews, so she doesn’t get the right to pursue a quiet, unexamined private life anymore. But many people think it’s OK for Angelina and Brad to adopt lots of kids, because they have the dough to keep the kiddies in mink swaddling blankets, while the apparently lower-middle-class Suleman gets grief because she’s not rich—indeed, the kids are viewed as her meal-ticket to wealth. I’m leery of trying to divine anyone’s motives, but right now, I mostly feel sorry for all 14 kids caught in this crossfire.
How do you feel about the octuplets mom, and the coming avalanche of media coverage?
Bill O’Reilly went ballistic.
O’Reilly goesso far as to say these birth amount to “child abuse,” because thesekids can’t possibly receive the care they need. (Then he goes off on arant about how we’re not “living in America anymore” because of thesebirths—what, Bill? What country do you think you’re in now?Babypukeistan?)
I think one posting to an L.A. Times story on this subject summed up a lot of people’s feelings. The post read:
"What trash!! I certainly hope the media isn’t enticed to follow up with any offers.
Let the Jolie-Pitt gang adopt them, they’re looking …. at least they can afford them."
Which, in its own sarcastic way, cuts to the heart of it:Suleman has turned herself into a media figure by seeking outinterviews, so she doesn’t get the right to pursue a quiet, unexaminedprivate life anymore. But many people think it’s OK for Angelina andBrad to adopt lots of kids, because they have the dough to keep thekiddies in mink swaddling blankets, while the apparentlylower-middle-class Suleman gets grief because she’s notrich—indeed, the kids are viewed as her meal-ticket to wealth. I’mleery of trying to divine anyone’s motives, but right now, I mostlyfeel sorry for all 14 kids caught in this crossfire.
How do you feel about the octuplets mom, and the coming avalanche of media coverage?
Well, the Pitt-Jolie brood isn’t taking money from the state, so yes, there is a difference. The medical expenses alone for these children is already in the millions. And this woman is misguided enough to say she can support them after she gets her degree. How does she really believe she can go back to school with that many children requiring her time?
the medical expenses “are” in the millions. Sorry — didn’t proofread.
No. She’s not only “not rich” but she’s living with her parents and doesn’t work. It would be different if she were proven to be an independent woman, a single mother raising her children. Instead, she claims that she would be hard pressed to accept help when she’s been accepting it most of her life. And she plans on finishing school and then the kids are provided for? What is she going to do in the meantime? Oh yeah, let her parents take care of them like they’ve been doing for the other kids. And Bill shouldn’t really talk about child abuse considering their sector of the world, Fox News, probably doesn’t believe in reduction either.
This woman should not be getting any press, and the babies should be taken away from her. How is the completion of her education going to make having FOURTEEN children possible? Not buying it…
Well, lookie here! Another reference to Bill O’Reilly. You people are really obsessed with that man. He’s right about that nutcase. I wish there was a law to lock her up. She has no job, no husband and collects $165,000 in disability over 6 years while popping out 14 babies. That is child abuse. How many of these kids might have life threatening disabilities? She sounds as sane as Andrea Yates.
This woman is appalling, and if I didn’t believe she’d just have a litter of more – I’d say the state (who paid for the invitro and the 5 1/2 million dollar birth) should take all 14 children.
For the record, I don’t think Angelina Jolie is a saint or should be praised, but she can afford a nanny for each of her children, whom I presume will raise that child. Also, Angelina Jolie doesn’t solicit People for million dollar payments – the offers just come as a side benefit/curse of her profession.
The most appalling thing about this woman is her solicition of million-plus payments for delibrate, state-supported reckless behavior. I hope no respectable media outlet gives this woman cash she demands. Her children are not ATMs.
I hope people look away from this freakshow and stop watching any show (the whole TLC channel) that rewards such insanity.
The children are innocent victims, and I don’t know what will become of them.
This woman is an absolute idiot.
If I pop out a bunch of kinds I know I can’t afford to have, will I get lots of book and TV offers? Can I actually call myself a “childcare specialist?”
That woman makes my skin crawl. She sees her babies as a meal ticket and nothing more.
I don’t think people should have kids that they can’t afford to care for. Suleman could not afford the 6 kids she already had. I don’t understand how she could afford the IVF. I don’t live in CA so I can’t be sure, but someone has said that the state paid for the IVF? If that’s true it is ridiculous and I would be appalled and furious if I were a CA resident.
I think all of her kids should be taken away and allowed to be adopted by loving couples who haven’t been able to conceive and didn’t have the money to do what she did. Not everyone can bilk insurance companies out of fraudulent disability money. This woman is an abomination and should be arrested for child abuse and insurance fraud!
bottom line, this woman needs some help – and not just with those kids. She told Anne Curry that she wanted alot of kids because she was raised as an only child! So she has 14??? I think she is having kids because she feels unloved, which is the WRONG reason to have them.
Ang and Brad have kids because they enjoy them and have the resources to raise them. Which the octo-mom definately does NOT.
Where is the doc that impregnated this woman? He or she should step up and explain the ethics behind this.
The woman is trying to look like Angelina Jolie too. She has long black hair and looks like she had surgery on her lips. I think she may be obsessed with Angelina and may be trying to emulate her.
This is creepy. She looks like she has had a nose job and lip enhancement. She is trying to be Angelina Jolie. She is obviously obsessed and when the limelight fades and reality sets in as she tries to care for 14 kids under 7, with a history of depression, what will happen to these children?
What is most disturbing is the crass commercialism of this woman – kids for profit. Why does she need a publicist if this were about the children? Her selfishness has now affected 14 children for life. She’s only speaking about it now for damage control. Well she can have her kids, I truly hope the best for them – but don’t take a dime out of my pocket to support this circus. She deserves no show and no freebies! Her choice, her kids, her responsibility…..period!
Your comments and comparision to Jolie Pitt are ridiculous. 14 kids brought into this world through artificial methods to a single mom who was supposedly in too much pain to work. And is unable to support those she has already. HELLO!!!!! I read this earlier. “A uterus is not a clown car”. And what kind of degree will afford her the $ to raise 14 children? A degree in multimillionaire?