Mommie Dearest: The Worst Celebrity Parents in History

By Justine Goodman Posted Mar 30th 2011 03:00PM

Last week, the blogs were aflutter with the news that Katy Perry's evangelical mother is trying to sell a book about her daughter, and it got us thinking about other parents who have displayed questionable judgment when it comes to their famous offspring. Read on for a roundup of Hollywood's most notoriously unfit parents, from the Lohans to Joe Jackson.

Dina and Michael Lohan

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With role models like these two, it's no wonder things turned out the way they did for Lindsay "Lindsay" Lohan. Michael is the only Lohan with a longer rap sheet than his daughter's, with charges ranging from insider trading to driving under the influence and attempted assault. And he manages to do it all while still talking to the press ad nauseam about Lindsay, even though she wants him out of her life so badly she is reportedly contemplating dropping her last name. Meanwhile, Dina seems desperate to be a pseudo-celebrity in her own right, and conceived that god-awful reality show 'Living Lohan' as a way to capitalize on her daughter's fame. Parents of the year, we think not.

Joe Simpson

Hollywoods Most Embarrassing Parents

Anyone who willingly adopts the moniker "Papa Joe" is an automatic creep. Case in point: Jessica Simpson's dad-slash-manager. Before he became his daughter's manager and a reality television "star," Joe Simpson was a Southern minister and psychologist -- looks like they'll give a Ph.D. to just about anyone in Texas -- with the good fortune to produce two pretty, moderately talented daughters. Now, Joe is best known for having made an inappropriate remark about his daughter's boobs. Straight from Papa Joe's lips: "Jessica never tries to be sexy. She just is sexy. If you put her in a T-shirt or you put her in a bustier, she's sexy in both. She's got double D's! You can't cover those suckers up!" So, um, that happened.

Ryan O'Neal

The only thing worse than talking about your daughter's boobs is letting your drug dealer touch them, and that's what actress Tatum O'Neal alleges in her 2005 autobiography, 'A Paper Life.' Tatum, who has a well-documented drug problem, blames a lot of her troubles on a tumultuous upbringing that allegedly included persistent molestation at the hands of her father's drug dealer, neglect, beatings, underage drinking and drug use. Ryan has denied those allegations, but he was arrested in 2007 for assaulting Tatum's brother, Griffin. He was also arrested the following year when a healthy supply of methamphetamines were discovered in his home during a probation check on his other son, Redmond.

Joe Jackson

Joe Jackson blames Katherine

For proof that Joe Jackson is a terrible father, you need only ask at any one of his 500 children. OK, nine children. But still. From the disturbing (alleged) body dysmorphic disorder that plagued Michael, who admitted that he would often become ill or vomit upon seeing his father, to the countless allegations of physical and psychological abuse perpetrated against his talented clan, Joe Jackson has to be one of the worst parental figures in history.

Joan Crawford

The original 'Mildred Pierce' actress is as famous for her Academy Award-winning career as her poor parenting skills, which were documented in her daughter Christina's 1978 tell-all memoir 'Mommie Dearest.' The book gives a horrifying account of the emotional and physical abuse suffered by Crawford's four children (all adopted) at the hand of their alcoholic mother, including one incident in which Crawford tried to strangle Christina. The book went on to become a feature film in 1981 starring Faye Dunaway as Joan, who was portrayed as an ax-wielding lunatic. Thirty years later, references to 'Mommie Dearest' are still commonplace in the pop culture vernacular.

Tags: celebrity parents

Comments

(121)

Wednesday 30 March

By Trude

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What about Lizzie Borden's mother and step father?????????

By karsim123

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that was her father and stepmother

By martbild

I don't think they qualify as celebrities. Maybe you need to read the article again.

Saturday 02 April

By RainyAlaska

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Didn't know Mr. and Mrs. Borden were celebrity parents?

Friday 01 April

By kat

Her parents were not psychos she was!

By Marie

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Actually, it was her father and stepmother, and the father was - according to research, very likely - sexually abusive. I'd call her (in)famous; I wouldn't call Lizzie a *star*, though.

By Paulette

Last I heard Lizzie Borden was not a celebrity when she murdered her parents therefore she wouldn't be someone a normal person would think of when talking about CELEBRITY parents.

By Karen

...and Lizzie was also found not guilty - could've been the maid.

Joe Jackson tops the list as far as I am concerned

By Reality

Yeah I agree when you admit the sight of your father makes you want to puke, that is not a good sign of a "good" father.

By Gabrizilla

Amen to that!

By J.E.B.

AMEN, karsim123! Lindsay Lohan's parents are dysfunctional, but Joe Jackson is just plain MEAN and sadistic, and power-hungry.

By schirmerjeffrey

amen

By Robert Simmons

Maybe that explains why michael jackson tried so hard to make himself look like a white woman and only trusted white men to look after his money.

By John Doe

You forgot John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas. Introducing his daughter Mackenzie to drugs at 11 and having sex with her as an adult.

Thursday 31 March

By Graydon

Nonsense! John made MacKenzie a famous singer! In fact, she often opened for him!

By GOD

graydon:
It's true and mackenzie has confirmed in a book,I believe...he is one sick twisted low life douche...hell, I won't F that skank!

By courtney

there are plenty of bad hollywood parents/step parents. some would call it bad parenting to let your kid be in a movie with one parent and directed by the other before the age of 10. as for example Nell Newman was 8 years old when she played the child version of Rachel in Rachel Rachel filmed 1967 released 1968 which earned her mother Joanne Woodward a best actress oscar nomination her second of 4 career nominations she had won on her first nom March 26th 1958.

By sunchld0

I dont't believe that counts as bad parenting. It's not unusual for chidren of actors to show an interest in acting. All that illustrates is to show that the Newman family was a close-knit family.

By Mac

Yes, that's a valid observation. And ever since Nell Newman was in that movie, she has exhibited all the characteristics of a psychopath. She has a rap sheet as long as your arm, and has been incarcerated numerous times, abused both drugs and alcohol, and

What? That wasn't Nell Newman? Are you sure? Oh. Never mind.

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