I Took a Nap and the Teen Moms Became Celebrities?

By Jo Piazza Posted Oct 8th 2010 04:00PM

The stars of MTV's reality show 'Teen Mom' are gracing the cover of US Weekly again this week as well as the cover of OK! magazine. I must have blinked or taken a nap for a few minutes because I missed out on the moment when the teenage mothers from the doc-style show about women who became pregnant before finishing high school turned into famous people.

I understand that the celebrity news hole is a bottomless pit, requiring more and more reality television stars and mistresses to feed its giant maw, but when I first watched 'Teen Mom' last year, I never imagined that Amber, Maci and Farrah would be as big as Spencer and Heidi.

It's been a long time coming, but reality stars have finally completed their body snatch of Hollywood.

Take a look at the top four USmagazine.com stories from Thursday, Oct. 7.

1. EXCLUSIVE: Angelina: 'Jersey Shore' Stars Put "Olive Oil, Grated Cheese" on My Bed
2. 'DC Housewife' Michaele Runs Out of Room Over White House Question
3. EXCLUSIVE: 'Teen Mom's' Amber Opens Up About Attacking Baby's Father
4. EXCLUSIVE: 'Teen Mom's' Maci Denies Ex's Cheating Claims

'Jersey Shore,' 'Real Housewives,' 'Teen Mom,' 'Teen Mom.' Nary a Jennifer Aniston or Jolie-Pitt in site. Imagine their relief.

So, what's the appeal of the teen moms? I decided to ask US Weekly senior editor Ian Drew.

"The ratings were big before we started covering them and they were hitting a note with our readers. Several of our staff members, including myself, are obsessed," Drew said. "The show consistently brings in around 4 million viewers and that number is growing every week."

Drew insists that the teen moms aren't merely the latest iteration of homely nobodies to become celebritized. He believes they are still real enough to be relatable to viewers and readers.

"There is no artifice with these women. There is no glam. It's one of the few reality shows where their celebrity doesn't encroach on it. I think MTV has been very careful not to make them into celebrities," Drew explained.

And the reason they keep making the cover of US? They're a money maker.

"The sales, of course, have been very high and the response has been great. Everyone knows someone in the situation like this," Drew said.

They do still seem to be almost like "real" or "regular" people, but that can't last for much longer. Amber already did her very star-like weight loss unveiling and it's only a matter of time before someone starts dating The Situation.

All that's really certain is that the people who star in actual movies and make music are off the hook for another weekly news cycle.

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Tags: teen mom

Comments

(56)

Saturday 09 October

By Frank

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You are wrong You are a joke

By Pamela

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Donna, you are so right.

Pamela Prove it

By Ty

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What's next? A reality TV show about middle school Iv drug users? How about real life meth cookers.

By Jeff Holt

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Ha...luv it! Here's the under-educated, over-opinionated "Generation duh!" on display for the world to see. It took years of effort by America's wonderful teachers unions to get the public dumbed-down this low...but they've finally succeeded.

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Prove it

Frank, I think it was also the welfare system. An amazing amount of kids live off having babies and getting that welfare check. I've seen it and it is disgusting. They also talk about their 'baby daddies' like they are heros. Oh,no, not just one, but several babies and baby daddies. Very sad.

Pamela The biggest welfare is the rich

Don't forget about the government mandated and edited textbooks.

By barbie

I watched the show 16 and pregnant. This is a spin-off of that show and it wasn't glamourized. It was reality. This new show Teen Mom should be shown as a follow-up, this is a teachable moment to all parents with teenage children. Most of it is raw and real and you can see the immaturity of these young girls with all the decisions they make.

The one girl on this show is just terrible. Amber, she was nothing more than a fat girl when she got together with Gary and then got pregnant. But in all honesty when she got herself down to a regular weight she actually became ugly. She should be so lucky if Gary were to ever consider going back with her. He's too good for her. But he really needs to get custody of his daughter because it's more than obvious that she really doesn't take care of her baby and is an abuser of Gary. It won't be long before she starts abusing her daughter.

Catelynn & Tyler did the right thing by giving their daughter up for adoption. But they have a long way to go before they can do something good with their lives and get away from their own dysfunctional families. I'm not sure of this, but they need to move on. I get the impression that they think once they are mature enough they will get their daughter back, almost like they just lent the baby to this family. I hope they realize that what they did was for the best for their child, but they can never go back and reclaim her.

Farrah is doing a great job raising her daughter. Sorry to say this but the babies father treated Farrah badly and his unexpected death kinda leaves her stuck in the good memories rather than the truth of what he really was. But she has a good head on her shoulder's and a very supportive family and I think she will be okay. Her daughter is very lucky to have her as her mom.

Maci is a good mother also but still immature. It was a very teachable moment for her when she moved so far from her family for a guy who wound up being a jerk. He was ugly too eck! Obviously she is young and will bounce back from that relationship and so will her son. He will forget that guy in a hot minute. Maci learned I hope, that she should never base any decisions she makes on a relationship but rather based on what's best for Bentley.

By Cindy

What the heck kind of message is sending out the young people.
Some body make this stop!!!!!!!

Sunday 10 October

By Hannah

Well Well Well.... These young ladies are celebrated...I do not agree with trashing them in any form or fashion. So Why All The HATE WITH BRISTOL PALIN??? HYPOCRISY. HYPOCRISY. HYPOCRISY. Bristol Palin Is Not Her Mother. SSShhhh... The Liberal's Double Standard Is Showing...

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