Octomom Brings 9 of Her Kids Along for Chaotic 'TODAY' Visit (Video)

By Kiki Von Glinow Posted Jul 8th 2011 10:45AM

It was more like an inside look at sheep herding than a sit down interview when Octomom, Nadya Suleman, brought her 2-year-old octuplets and nine-year-old daughter, Amara, to the 'Today' show as Ann Curry attempted to wrangle a few children and some answers from the tabloid sensation mother.

Falling over set lights, drawing on desks or hiding behind stage walls, the talk show host and Suleman had their hands full to say the least. At one point, one little one even fell into a stage light as a shocked and concerned Curry began yelling, "No, no, no" before jumping up to help the two-year-old. Later two of the children sprinted from the set before both Curry (who was having difficulty carrying her question cards and a squirming toddler) and Suleman came back to finally get down to business regarding the Octomom's financial situation.

It takes nearly $15,000 per month to support Suleman's 14 children and until recently, the Octomom claims that she was not paid for her appearances or interviews. Hoping to change that, she recently hired a manager to help land paying "odd jobs," including celebrity boxing matches, to contribute to her monthly bills. But Suleman's 'celebrity' gigs come in addition to the income she earns for being a personal trainer -- a job she believes helps her deal with the guilt from involuntarily putting her young children's lives under a microscope.

"That's been my way to self-medicate, through exercise," Suleman explained as a way to cope with the death threats she has received and the panic attacks they cause.

Before Suleman landed management representation and her fitness gig, she was forced to lower her standard when it came to making quick cash to support her 14 children as a single mom. Although the Octomom, who bears a striking and controversial resemblance to actress Angelina Jolie, says she cannot linger on regret, she does admit to having made poor choices in her past, including signing on for a fetish video in which she sports bondage gear and cracks a whip on a man wearing a diaper.

"I personally cannot waste my energy fixating on the past and my past choices, regardless if they were good or bad choices ... Learn to grow as a result of your choices, own and accept the responsibility of your choices and look forward because if you look back, what are you going to do, stab me? You're just going to stab me forever and grow old."

But her past gigs, although some may lack a moral code, have helped Suleman keep her head above tough financial waters or worse -- according to Suleman -- going on public aid.

"I've never in my life been on [public assistance], and I never would," she told Curry. "I would feel like a failure as a mother and as a human being."

We get that Suleman refuses to go on public assistance but what about some private aid? Although she told Curry that the reason why her little ones were so rambunctious during the live interview was that they only had two hours of sleep during their travels to the New York interview, we can't imagine how Suleman is able to take care of 14 children on a daily basis.

"I'm so happy I don't have nannies," she said. "It's harder, but I feel so much stronger. I forced myself to pull out strengths I never knew I possessed."

The Octomom, who finds time to climb 40 miles/week on a stair climbing machine, starts her day at 5:30 AM and is in the middle of potty training her eight two-and-a-half-year-olds. But Suleman believes it is precisely because of her single status that she gets such a bad rap as a mom.

"If I had a mate, that would have defused a lot of the animosity," she said. "I'm the ultimate societal scapegoat, I believe."

That "animosity" is exactly where Suleman believes a recent In Touch magazine article that claimed she said, "I hate babies. They disgust me. My older kids are animals. I can't discipline them," came from. Suleman divulged that she is considering suing the magazine for slander.

"I think they should retract it because it's all slander," she said. "I love my children. I would do anything for my kids."

With eight toddlers to potty train, we have a feeling that Suleman's lawsuit will be getting more than a little cool on the back burner.

Tags: nadya suleman

Comments

(398)

Friday 08 July

By neesee

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

They are not gifts from any god. She got herself pregnant.

By dd62873

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

You people can put her down, and no it wasnt a good choice to have all theses babies. But they are here and none are missing for 31 days, or had duct tape on there mouths and been put in a car trunk!!! She may not be the best mom, but she didnt kill them!!!

By wood

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

what stupid reasoning

By Dan Brink

The Anthony ruling has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Octomom is a terrible parent ... which anyone watching the "interview" this morning could see clearly. Hopefully child welfare officials were watching ... for the sake of the kids.

By Courtney

I congratulate her.

By demoniclvr

Not yet anyway.

By Jackie

She didn't kill them...true; but by the way Nadia acts...she is a
bit "COO KOO"...!.A NUT CASE...She is one fry short of a happy meal!..

Just wondering what makes her a terrible mom? You have single parents with 1 child that cant handle it.(Casey Anthony) The point I was making is she hasnt hurt her kids or they do not look like they are neglected in anyway. And if she was married and did this no one would say anything at all!! Anyways,thats my opion and you have a right to yours as well, have a great day and may God bless you all.

By Karla

YET!!!

By renee

Vote down Vote up Report this

you mean she hasnt killed any of them yet......

By Norma

YET that is what a nut case she is.

Monday 11 July

By BelleStarr

I guess now Octomoron is the second worst mother in the USA. Although she and Casey are tied in the lying department. Octomoron got her kids an above ground pool, so I guess she is trying to take Casey's Worst Mother title away from her. Good luck with that Octomoron.

By jdypat

those adorable children are unbelievably well behaved, consider the situation, most would have been screaming and running into everything.
I have learned to respect this woman more from that interview than any of the slam issues.

By Bill

It totally agree. To expect her to talk to the host and focus on what she is being asked, AND watch 8 kids......not gonna happen.

By sue

Did you read the article? They were screaming and running into things.

By Jeannie

I agree!!

Sunday 10 July

By Anna

@Sue, don't you understand that Nadia's children are in their TERRIBLE TWOS. Two year olds fight, cry, run around, break things and are serious biters. Actually they were well behaved.

By Sun

The Duggar Family are better at keeping their children in group than Octmom does with her 14 children.

By budrfly

Well yeah?!??! The Duggars have varying ages that can help with the younger ones They don't have 8 two yr olds!

I think that if the Duggars had 8 two year olds, they would act the same way. Kids are not called "terrible twos" for no reason.

Page 3 of 20