Friday, September 3, 2010

Palin's Performance Review

Pop Quiz! What do the following people have in common: Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Snooki, Bristol Palin? (Cue Jeopardy music….)….Dum da dum dumdum Dum da dum….Give up? They are all famous for being…well, themselves.

That’s right, the four ladies mentioned above are not famous for their singing voices, their acting, or even their philanthropy. They are famous because for some reason, the world thinks their lives are more interesting than the average person’s. There is one out of the bunch that stands out though, and no, it isn’t Snooki (although where would she blend in?). Bristol Palin isn’t famous for being a socialite on the party circuit or for any night vision video. She is famous for being pregnant as a teen and becoming a teen mom.

Teen pregnancy isn’t rare, it isn’t funny, and it isn’t the stuff for reality TV however, Bristol has become a household name because she “embraced” her situation and had her child. However, she comes from a nice home where her family supports her decisions, along with her baby, Tripp. Now America wants to see if she can dance, but has anyone checked to see if she can parent?

We have seen a lot of Bristol over the last few years. She has been in PSA’s for the Candies Foundation, been featured by countless news shows, and has even participated in a few cover stories about her situation with her “baby daddy”, Levi Johnston (that’s a story for another blog!). Bristol Palin has started her career in being famous, but what has happened to baby Tripp?

Wouldn’t it be amazing if all young mothers and fathers had the opportunities that Bristol Palin has? But instead of flying off to California, they are working two or three jobs, trying to keep a roof over their heads, trying to keep themselves and their babies fed for another day. The young people may not have adults to help them out, and many may be trying to reconnect with family and friends that may have disappeared because they had their baby so young. These young people are never going to be on TV, because the reality for most teen parents is not fun or entertaining. Their lives are hard as they struggle to make ends meet. When a mother chooses formula over food for herself, that’s not Hollywood’s version of reality, that’s life. The teen moms and dads make mistakes and have setbacks, but no one is docking points-because there is no trophy at the end. So when we make young people famous, let’s make them famous for making it in the real “reality” first. Give Bristol a chance to prove herself as a mother, and then on the dance floor.

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