ParentDish

Is MTV's 'Skins' Straddling Child Pornography Laws?

the editors at PopEater — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:10:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Sex, Teen Culture

James Newman portrays Tony, right, and Sofia Black-D'Elia portrays Tea, in a scene from the adolescent drama "Skins," on MTV. Credit: AP Photo/MTV

Although the British seem to do it better, we copy it just as well -- and in this case, a little too well. With the latest Brit TV series, 'Skins,' making it across the pond and landing on MTV, Americans are getting more than an eyeful of gratuitous teenage sexuality in all of its glory.

But American teens better TiVo the first two episodes before network execs force producers to tone down the heavy petting and nudity. The show has been labeled by some -- including The New York Times -- as a flagrant display of child pornography.

Featuring scenes that simulate masturbation, sex and drug use, it sounds like just another day at the 'Jersey Shore.' But MTV's other scandal-saturated reality shows all feature actors/reality stars who are at least 18 years old. 'Skins' boasts a bevy of fresh-faced actors, some as young as 15.

The third episode, set to debut on Jan. 31, follows Chris, played by Jesse Carere, who, after experimenting with erectile dysfunction pills, runs down the street naked, exposing his 17-year-old bum. The episode spawned a vehement reaction from the Parents Television Council, who called the show the "most dangerous program that has ever been foisted on your children." Now it's set to be toned down before it airs.

'Skins' carries a rating of TV-MA (meant for those above 17 years old) and scored killer ratings with its premiere episode, but the Times cites analysts saying at least 1 million of the new 'Skins' enthusiast viewers were under 17.

With allegations of violating child pornography statutes, it seems as though the notoriously envelope-pushing network will not be able to keep up with the show's original plot lines (the premiere American episode was almost identical to its British original) that British audiences enjoyed. The U.K. is famously more accepting of televised eroticism.

Want to get the latest ParentDish news and advice? Sign up for our newsletter!

Permalink | Email this | Comments

David and Victoria Beckham Expecting 4th Child

the editors at PopEater — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Bump Watch, Celeb Kids, Celeb Parents, In The News

The Beckham family will now be expecting a new addition. Credit: Tony Woolliscroft, Getty Images

David Beckham's home team is growing, as the soccer star and his designer wife are happily looking forward to having a baby this year.

"David and Victoria Beckham are delighted to confirm they are expecting their fourth child in the summer," says a spokesperson, according to People.com.

The new addition to the family will join three big brothers, ages 11, 8 and 5 years old. "Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz are very excited about the arrival of their new brother or sister," the rep adds.

Victoria Beckham, 36 (who recently admitted to going under the knife to reverse breast augmentation and regain a more natural look), shared her thoughts on motherhood just last year.

"You know when you get a TV, you get a manual? Well, there isn't one for motherhood," she said in Marie Claire magazine. "I'm constantly trying to figure it out and questioning whether I'm doing it right. But I'm so proud of my kids. They are very well-mannered. We've always been very strict with the kids. That's the way David and myself were brought up. But they're free spirits as well."

In August, she denied reports that she was pregnant. On Ryan Seacrest's radio show, the former singer known as Posh Spice explained, "Everybody keeps asking me that, but three boys? That's a lot."

Meanwhile, her husband (dogged by rumors of infidelity in 2010) returns to join his L.A. Galaxy teammates in February after training in London for the upcoming soccer season. Beckham opened up in the British press back in 2009 about his dream of having a daughter: "I really want more kids and I hope it happens soon. I want a little girl. That would be amazing."

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon Expecting Twins

the editors at PopEater — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:08:00 EST

Filed under: Bump Watch, Celeb Parents, In The News

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are expecting twins due in spring 2011. Credit: Getty Images

If anyone can squeeze a secret out of someone, it's obviously the Commander in Chief.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle seemed to be on our side when they snagged some scoop from parents-to-be Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon. When Mariah was performing at the 'Christmas in Washington' TNT special, she ran into the first couple, who asked if she was having twins, PEOPLE reports.

While some might take offense to a question that insinuates a doubly-growing belly, Mariah couldn't play coy with the first couple and admitted she was indeed having twins and called the surprise a "double treat."

Cannon took to his radio show, 'Rollin' With Nick Cannon,' this morning to tell the story about Mariah's presidential run-in and to confirm that they are expecting double the trouble. "At this point she hadn't told anybody because doctors advised us to keep it to ourselves until we get further along," he said. "And because of the excitement, because of the emotion, she was overwhelmed [and] she shared with the President and First Lady that we are having twins."

The couple's precautions in letting the public in on their pregnancy news stems from Mariah's 2008 miscarriage, which left the couple devastated, but still eager to build a family. The twins are due in the spring of 2011.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Miley Cyrus Caught Taking Bong Hits of Salvia: 'Is It Me Tripping?'

the editors at PopEater — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:03:00 EST

Filed under: Celeb News & Interviews

It's been a year peppered with scandal for Miley Cyrus. She did a bit of underage drinking and, of course, there's been a near constant uproar over her provocative choices in stage attire. Now comes a fresh scandal, and this one involves a big old bong.

A video obtained by TMZ shows the 'Hannah Montana' star taking hits from a bong that was reportedly filled with a natural herb called salvia, which when smoked has psychedelic qualities. Possession of salvia is currently legal in California. The video was reportedly taken five days after Miley turned 18.

According to the report, the video was shot by one of Miley's friends and it is very possible that someone stole or copied the video from that person's camera.

The video begins with Cyrus taking a hit from the large bong as the song 'Comedown' by '90s rock band Bush plays in the background. After a few moments, she comes up for air and immediately begins to feel the effects of the drug. Soon, she's seeing things that aren't there, including her ex-boyfriend Liam Hemsworth."

"Oh, I'm not gonna lose it now ... I'm going," she says. "Having a little bit of a bad trip! Is that a f**king Liam lookalike or what the hell is that? Is that my boyfriend? Is that my boyfriend? Oh my God, he looks so much like Liam!"

She then points to her head and asks a friend, "Is it me tripping? Is it me tripping?"

It's then that Cyrus begins to laugh uncontrollably, before asking the camerawoman (who is egging the star to keep talking), "Oh my God, are you being as weird as I think you are right now?"

The video closes with a stream of incoherent babbling and grunting from Cyrus and her friend telling her that she is "going to s**t a brick when you see this."

Salvia is known to provide a brief-but-extreme hallucinatory experience when smoked. According to a news report from Current TV, "Its [salvia's] long-term effects are not well understood, but the immediate effects can be dramatic ... for five minutes, the highly-concentrated form of this drug can render people totally incapacitated."

"It is by far and away the most potent naturally-occurring hallucinogen," Dr. Brian Roth, head of a national drug screening program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, told Current. "This drug targets this one receptor and when it hits that receptor it turns it on and then causes this profound alteration in how people view reality."

Miley had celebrated her 18th birthday a few days before the actual date (Nov. 23) at a private party where she was reportedly spotted with Nickelodeon star Avan Jogia.

In October, after 17 years of marriage, Miley's parents, Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus, filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Rumor was that singer Bret Michaels had an affair with Tish, but the rocker told PopEater he did not have an affair with Tish and he's not the reason Billy Ray and Tish are getting divorced.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

John Travolta and Kelly Preston Welcome Baby Boy

the editors at PopEater — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:43:00 EST

Filed under: Celeb Parents, In The News, Celeb News & Interviews

FILE -- A March 25, 2010 file photo shows Kelly Preston, right, a cast member in "The Last Song," with her husband John Travolta at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles. Travolta and Preston's publicist said the couple had a baby boy Tuesday Nov. 23, 2010 in Florida.(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello/file)

John Travolta, 56, and wife Kelly Preston, 48, welcomed their new son Benjamin on Tuesday. The baby was born in a Florida hospital and weighed 8 lbs., 3 oz., according to the Associated Press.

"John, Kelly and their daughter Ella Bleu are ecstatic and very happy about the newest member of the family," the family said in a statement. "Both mother and baby are healthy and doing beautifully."

It's happy news indeed for the Travoltas, after son Jett died of a seizure in January 2006 at only 16 years old.

Travolta and Preston were married in 1991. John, doing publicity in Australia two weeks ago, told the press he was excited to meet his new son and that he would fly back to America in an instant if Kelly went into labor. "I'm ready to go at any minute," he said. "If she started having labor now we would just leave and take 22 hours to get home, but I'd get there."

PopEater's Naughty But Nice columnist Rob Shuter recently heard Travolta and Preston were gearing up for a completely silent birth.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

'Real World' Star Sean Duffy Wins House Seat in Wisconsin

the editors at PopEater — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:44:00 EST

Filed under: Celeb Parents, In The News, Celeb News & Interviews

"Real World" alum Sean Duffy has been elected to Congress. Credit: Melissa Maund Rasmussen

The glass ceiling for reality stars in Congress has been shattered, thanks to "Real World: Boston" standout Sean Duffy, a Republican who picked up an open seat in Wisconsin's 7th District during Tuesday's big election.

Duffy, who spent 1997 finding out "what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real," easily defeated state Sen. Julie Lassa for the job in a contest to replace retiring Rep. David Obey, a Democrat who held the seat for 41 years.

The Associated Press declared Duffy the winner, and he thanked supporters at his victory party shortly before midnight. "What a great night in Wisconsin," Duffy belted.

Duffy filled the "conservative Midwesterner" spot on season 6 of the show and later participated in 'Road Rules.' During his stint as a reality TV star, he met and married "Real World: San Francisco" beauty Rachel Campos, who is now a ParentDish columnist. The couple have six children.

Syrus Yarbrough, one of Duffy's housemates on the show, has already weighed in on the victory. "Sean from my season of The Real World Boston is now a US Congressman!" he wrote on Twitter. "Congrats my brotha!"

While at the Boston firehouse, Duffy would often clash with the liberal-leaning Kameelah Phillips, and later credited the two black cast members (Phillips and Yarbrough) with helping to teach him about race issues. There was no hot tub in the house (these were more innocent times, folks), so the most scandalous thing he ever did was call Phillips a "bitch."

That said, he doesn't think his time on television should play any part in his political ambitions. "People aren't concerned about a reality show from 15 years ago," he said in a Daily Caller interview back in May.

The 7th District includes all or part of 20 central and northwestern Wisconsin counties.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

'Lion King' Actress Shannon Tavarez Dies at 11

the editors at PopEater — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 12:04:00 EST

Filed under: Celeb Kids, In The News, Health & Safety: Tweens, Celeb News & Interviews

Shannon Tavarez starred as Young Nala in "The Lion King." Credit: Rick Maiman, AP

Shannon Tavarez, a young soprano who starred in 'The Lion King' on Broadway, has died at age 11 after a battle with acute myeloid leukemia, Broadway World is reporting. The actress played Young Nala from September 2009 until April, when she began feeling pain in her lower back and legs. Soon, the emerging star was diagnosed and the search for a donor began.

Doctors were unable to find a match for a bone-marrow transplant, so as an alternative, she received umbilical-cord blood treatment in August. Since leaving 'The Lion King,' Tavarez had undergone extensive chemotherapy and had been staying at a New York City hospital.

Her story drew the attention of numerous celebrities, including Alicia Keys and Rihanna, who led campaigns to find a bone-marrow match for Tavarez.

Tavarez got the role of Young Nala after wowing producers at her first open audition. According to Broadway World, she attended Harlem School of the Arts for vocals and piano and started singing at age 3.

In 'The Lion King,' Young Nala and Young Simba sing the bouncy song 'I Just Can't Wait to Be King.'

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Billy Ray Cyrus and Wife Tish File for Divorce

the editors at PopEater — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 17:47:00 EST

Filed under: Divorce & Custody, Celeb Kids, Celeb News & Interviews

Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus have filed for divorce. Credit: Steve Granitz, WireImage

After 17 years of marriage, Miley Cyrus' parents, Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus, are divorcing. Divorce papers were filed Wednesday in Tennessee citing irreconcilable differences.

"As you can imagine, this is a very difficult time for our family," they said in a statement (via PEOPLE).

"We are trying to work through some personal matters. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers."

The couple have five children, including Miley. The pair began dating in 1991 and secretly married on December 28, 1993 at his home near Nashville, Tennessee.

Billy Ray has one previous marriage to Cindy Smith, a sales representative he met while touring in Ohio. They divorced in 1991.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Tyra Banks Sued by Mother of Teen Sex Addict

the editors at PopEater — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:17:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Sex, Behavior: Teens, Celeb News & Interviews

This Sept. 20, 2010 photo shows television personality Tyra Banks at the premiere of 'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps' at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York. Credit: Evan Agostini/AP

A Georgia woman is suing Tyra Banks for $3 million after she said her 15-year-old daughter appeared without her permission on an episode of Banks' talk show about teen sex addicts.

In a lawsuit filed Oct. 8 in federal court in Atlanta, Beverly McClendon claims the show contacted the teen on her cell phone after she responded to a request on the show's website seeking "sex addicts."

The girl was then picked up from her home in Georgia in a limo and flown to New York, where she was put up in a hotel, all without her mother's knowledge, the lawsuit says.

McClendon filed a missing person report with local police when she realized her daughter was gone. The teen has never been diagnosed as a sex addict, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit also names Warner Bros. Entertainment and the executive producers of the show as defendants.

McClendon says her daughter suffered damages because the 2009 show "was undoubtedly watched by sexual deviants, perverts and pedophiles." The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and asks for $1 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages. It also asks the court to bar the episode from ever being aired again on television or online.

The show violated McClendon's right to privacy by putting her daughter, who was a minor, on television without McClendon's permission, the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit also claims negligence, saying the teen was paid for her appearance but that the show didn't get permission from the labor commissioner to employ her and didn't get McClendon's permission before paying the girl to fly to New York, stay in a hotel alone and appear on the show.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Willow Smith Releases Debut Single, 'Whip My Hair'

the editors at PopEater — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:36:00 EST

Filed under: Celeb Kids, Music

Are you ready for Willow Smith? The 9-year-old daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith released her first single, 'Whip My Hair,' with Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, readying her place as the heir to her father's musical throne.

Willow has become a red-carpet staple in recent months, turning heads with her out-there fashion choices. She delivers that same swagger in her song, rapping that she's not doing anything wrong, just trying to have fun and will "keep fighting until I get there."

So, is it too early for Willow to start a music career? She's certainly a little younger than her dad was when he burst onto the scene as the Fresh Prince, but plenty of kiddie acts have made it to the big time -- just look at the entire cast of 'The Mickey Mouse Club.'

Check out the "Whip My Hair" remix from "Sesame Street:"

Permalink | Email this | Comments

'Dora the Explorer' Actress Sues Nickelodeon

the editors at PopEater — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: News, In The News, Weird But True, New In Pop Culture

Caitlin Sanchez, the voice of Dora the Explorer, filed a lawsuit claiming that Nickelodeon exploited her. Credit: Nickelodeon/AP

Has the voice of 'Dora the Explorer' been taken for a ride? The actress who became the voice of the adventurous cartoon character in 2007 filed a lawsuit on Wednesday claiming Nickelodeon and its parent companies exploited her with a dubious contract that made millions for the network, but little for her.

Lawyers for 14-year-old Caitlin Sanchez told the New York Post that the actress and her parents were pressured into signing a "convoluted and inscrutable contract" that cheated her out of "millions, perhaps tens of millions."

The suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Wednesday, names Nickelodeon, MTV Networks and Viacom International as defendants. Sanchez and her parents believe the young star was not compensated properly for hundreds of hours of studio time, in addition to personal appearances and profits from the show's merchandising empire.

"Defendants used Caitlin, unjustly enriching themselves of millions of dollars in profits from the series and branded products, which Caitlin preformed and promoted," the suit claims.

Sanchez became Dora, a Latina character, in 2007, and her contract promised $5,115 per episode and a cut from residuals and merchandising. The Sanchez's claim that their own agent, Jason Bercy, gave them only 22 minutes to review the contract and threatened that if they didn't sign immediately, Nick would "pass on Caitlin for the part of Dora."

Bercy is not named in the suit and when contacted declined to comment. A legal representative for Viacom calls the suit "completely without merit."

According to her IMDB page, Sanchez has also starred in four 'Dora' TV movies and had a guest role on the short-lived show 'Lipstick Jungle.'

Permalink | Email this | Comments