Is Hollywood causing a teen baby boom?
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Maybe. Maybe not.
Clearly, more kids means more movie ticket sales -- somewhere, down the road. And isn’t it odd that a baby has replaced the YSL Muse bag as the latest accessory in Hollywood?
Jamie Lynn Spears, 16, may be the youngest starlet to join the gestation team, but she joins a congo line of young, famous bellies.
Plus, the aggressive marketing team behind ‘Juno’ at Fox Searchlight will stop at nothing to promote their feel-good -- even through the morning sickness -- movie about an elfin pregnant teen.
And is it just a coincidence that the CDC released a study that reported that teen pregnancy is up for the first time in 14 years? Here are the specifics: Between 2005 and 2006, the birth rate for girls 15 to 19 rose 3%, from 40.5 births per 1,000 in 2005 to 41.9 births per 1,000 in 2006.
Look, I haven’t done any surveys -- or even polled girls at the mall -- but I think the pregnancy boom in Hollywood has affected middle America. It’s not hard to imagine a teen girl deciding to have a baby when her heroes -- Christina Aguilera, Jessica Alba and Nicole Richie -- are all making motherhood look sexy and frankly, easy.
You may scoff, but I have interviewed teens and they look up to Nicole Richie, unbelievably enough. And when you see a picture of your idol -- though she may be years older -- and she’s talking about how excited she is to have a baby in an interview, it is duly noted.
As for the effect on Hollywood, I seriously think a teen pregnancy witch hunt could hurt ‘Juno’ when it comes time for award season. Agree?
Photo credits: Fox Searchlight; MGM