No wonder American test scores are in the toilet if this is what passes for hard news. At best, it should be used as a cautionary tale, then moved to the back burner for two seconds before being dumped off the stove entirely.
On a similar note, has anyone seen the trailer for the new teen holiday season movie about teen pregnancy (I can’t remember its name)? From what I’ve seen of it, it seems to do a pretty good job of glamorizing unwanted teen pregnancy. Just what we need in the states, more reason for kids to get knocked up…
Wow, you can’t make this shit up. Could big sis be a slightly bad influence on her, seeing as how a lot of older siblings are role models for the younger ones?
The father of the child is in deep trouble too. Statutory rape is no laughing matter. He’s looking at some serious jail time. I wonder when they’re going to break the story of him getting arrested.
The father of the child is in deep trouble too. Statutory rape is no laughing matter. He’s looking at some serious jail time. I wonder when they’re going to break the story of him getting arrested.
Has his age been given? Whether he’s in trouble depends on the state laws there. In many states, if the partner is less than three years older, there is no offense. She’s sixteen; if he’s eighteen he may not be in trouble.
Sounds like he was 18 at the time, so it all depends where it was conceived, and how do you legally prove that? (I’m guessing that they do a bit of travel so it would be hard to tell for sure)
If it was in his home State there is no crime as a 16 year old can have sex with whomever he/she wants, assuming both participants are willing.
In hers it is a crime but because of the small age gap between them it is a misdemeanor, in California where she lives it is also a misdemeanor. In both cases somebody needs to file a complaint before anything happens.
I heard on the radio that they plan to marry. I don’t know if that throws a new spin on it. I remember a case in one of the Carolinas where some female school teacher was found to be giving some, ahm, extra help to one of her male students. When she was busted she got him to marry her (which he legally could do at his age) and as a result he could not be forced to testify against his wife under state law, and they couldn’t get a case together against her as a result.
I did a little reading about them. If Louisiana wanted to prosecute, they’d have to prove the act occurred while the couple were in Louisiana. If California wanted to prosecute, they’d have to prove the act occurred while the couple were in California. If they did any travelling around the time the child was conceived, neither state, or any other state for that matter, would have a case. The couple wouldn’t have to prove or testify to anything at all. They’d simply need to show that it was possible that it occurred out-of-state, and reasonable doubt is established. It is highly unlikely that any case against him will be pursued.
I think there are some really funny things to this too. Her mother had a book deal with some christian group where she was going to write a book on parenting. That’s been placed on indefinite hold. And her mother talked about how she was such a good girl and she “was always in before her curfew.” Of course if the report I heard was that its her boyfriend lives with her, being in by curfew may not have been the best thing.
On a similar note, has anyone seen the trailer for the new teen holiday season movie about teen pregnancy (I can’t remember its name)? From what I’ve seen of it, it seems to do a pretty good job of glamorizing unwanted teen pregnancy. Just what we need in the states, more reason for kids to get knocked up…
Juno?
Saw it on Saturday. It is possibly the funniest film I’ve seen all year, and not dumb funny like Superbad, good funny.
Surprised that it was filmed in my backyard, didn’t know that.
I recomend it to everybody, I think you’ll really enjoy the film. I didn’t think it glamorized the unwanted teen pregnancy, although as it is a comedy it didn’t exactly make it seem shitty either. I guess it didn’t really make a judgement of if it was good or bad at all.
Without really giving anything away about the movie it’s about teenage pregnancy, not teenage motherhood.
I hear Oscar nominations being predicted, I’d have to agree. If it’s not nominated for at least 3 categories I’ll eat my hat.
EDIT: before seeing it I wasn’t sure what to expect but was thinking like you that it was a “teen movie”, after I’d say it’s certainly not that. Some teens will enjoy it but I think it’s for the adults.
Juno was excellent. I saw it Sunday. Absolutely fantastic movie. Acting, directing, and especially writing was absolutely top notch. It in no way glamorizes teen pregnancy.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m cynical, but based on the trailers that I saw for the movie, they were giving the impression of making teen pregnancy seem like something to joke about and to put it into a positive light. Seeing the rates of teen pregnancy in the U.S., that seemed a little, uh, irresponsible to me. I admit I haven’t seen the movie, and by what you guys say, it sounds like the movie studio was mis-representing the content of the movie with the trailers that advertised it. That doesn’t exactly shock me considering we live in a culture where high school yearbooks have sections highlighting teen mothers that attend their schools…
Ironically enough, I did see the wonderful “Bella” a few weeks back. Though it’s gotten fairly positive reviews, it was cast as a simple, pro-life Christian movie lacking in complexity. A close friend of mine that hasn’t attended a worship service in years was equally astounded at the reviews that classified “Bella” as such, as the main character backs up his talk by seeing the pregnant, unwed friend through to the end, no matter what her final choice (abort or not) will be. And to say that it lacked complexity, as Roger Ebert stated, just shows that he completely missed the entire point of the movie. He also said that the latino lead actor “could just become the next Antonio Banderas”, to which I ask “why couldn’t he become the next Tom Cruise or Will Smith?” In other words, Ebert shows that he’s not the color blind socially conscious elite that he’d like us all to believe.
He also said that the latino lead actor “could just become the next Antonio Banderas”, to which I ask “why couldn’t he become the next Tom Cruise or Will Smith?” In other words, Ebert shows that he’s not the color blind socially conscious elite that he’d like us all to believe.
Huh? What’s wrong with saying that? Are you suggesting that he’s somehow being racist?
He also said that the latino lead actor “could just become the next Antonio Banderas”, to which I ask “why couldn’t he become the next Tom Cruise or Will Smith?” In other words, Ebert shows that he’s not the color blind socially conscious elite that he’d like us all to believe.
Huh? What’s wrong with saying that? Are you suggesting that he’s somehow being racist?
Yeah, in a way, it is racist, though not in a deliberately negative way. Ebert was indicating that the guy, a latino, could become the next prominent latino lead actor specifically as opposed to the next hot, new lead actor period, regardless of race or ethnicity. That way of thinking and speaking promotes continued looking at people in the context of race and ethnicity, i.e., it promotes racism.
He also said that the latino lead actor “could just become the next Antonio Banderas”, to which I ask “why couldn’t he become the next Tom Cruise or Will Smith?” In other words, Ebert shows that he’s not the color blind socially conscious elite that he’d like us all to believe.
Huh? What’s wrong with saying that? Are you suggesting that he’s somehow being racist?
Yeah, in a way, it is racist, though not in a deliberately negative way. Ebert was indicating that the guy, a latino, could become the next prominent latino lead actor specifically as opposed to the next hot, new lead actor period, regardless of race or ethnicity. That way of thinking and speaking promotes continued looking at people in the context of race and ethnicity, i.e., it promotes racism.
Yeah, I thought the same, it is a slightly racist comment but certainly not in a deliberatly racist way. It wouldn’t make me think the guy who made the comment is racist but it says a bit about the whole hollywood system where not too much changes, they have their top blonde bimbo, beefcake, hispanic guy, couple etc.
Crichton, maybe they didn’t misrepresent the movie in the trailers, you may have just got the wrong impression.
Juno can be a pro life movie if you like.
I don’t go to movies much, so I can’t cite cases to back up my impression, but I’ve percieved for several years that movie trailers (we used to call them previews) often give no real indication of what the content of the movie will be. I do know that from watching them these days, I often have no idea whether or not I’d like the film.
Yeah, I thought the same, it is a slightly racist comment but certainly not in a deliberatly racist way. It wouldn’t make me think the guy who made the comment is racist but it says a bit about the whole hollywood system where not too much changes, they have their top blonde bimbo, beefcake, hispanic guy, couple etc.
While not overtly racist it can, however, reveal an unconscious, elitist, condescending attitude.
He also said that the latino lead actor “could just become the next Antonio Banderas”, to which I ask “why couldn’t he become the next Tom Cruise or Will Smith?” In other words, Ebert shows that he’s not the color blind socially conscious elite that he’d like us all to believe.
Huh? What’s wrong with saying that? Are you suggesting that he’s somehow being racist?
Yeah, in a way, it is racist, though not in a deliberately negative way. Ebert was indicating that the guy, a latino, could become the next prominent latino lead actor specifically as opposed to the next hot, new lead actor period, regardless of race or ethnicity. That way of thinking and speaking promotes continued looking at people in the context of race and ethnicity, i.e., it promotes racism.
Yeah, I thought the same, it is a slightly racist comment but certainly not in a deliberatly racist way. It wouldn’t make me think the guy who made the comment is racist but it says a bit about the whole hollywood system where not too much changes, they have their top blonde bimbo, beefcake, hispanic guy, couple etc.
Crichton, maybe they didn’t misrepresent the movie in the trailers, you may have just got the wrong impression.
Juno can be a pro life movie if you like.
My understanding is that Juno decides to keep the baby and plans to give it up for adoption. That’s not a spoiler, because I haven’t seen it, so I don’t know whether it ends up like that. Anyway, it’s a pro-life message and has been applauded as such by some pro-life groups
He also said that the latino lead actor “could just become the next Antonio Banderas”, to which I ask “why couldn’t he become the next Tom Cruise or Will Smith?” In other words, Ebert shows that he’s not the color blind socially conscious elite that he’d like us all to believe.
Huh? What’s wrong with saying that? Are you suggesting that he’s somehow being racist?
Will Smith has as much box office draw as Tom Cruise once had, and Will himself manages to occasionally weave in “African-American this/that” into an interview. And hows about the recent flak over his mentioning that good old name “Hitler”?
Mega-buck actor Will Smith got the shock of his life when he got word that gossip columnists had twisted and mangled his quip about Adolf Hitler. The celebrity gossip buzz was that Smith praised Hitler as a good guy. Smith, of course, did no such thing. What he said was that Hitler wasn’t inherently obsessed with doing evil; but being the calculating, scheming megalomaniac that he was, he wound up doing the ultimate in evil.
Apparently Smith used the Hitler reference to underscore his belief that there’s good in everyone. Smith was naive in making reference to Hitler to make any point no matter how well-intentioned. Hitler is the supreme taboo example to use to make any point about good and evil, human foibles and frailties, let alone a political point. Smith was even more naive in thinking that a Hitler reference would slip under the media and public’s radar scope. If ever there was a quote that was ripe for the gossip pickings to be distorted, and draw instant howls of outrage from some quarters, it was Smith citing Hitler.
There’s an even bigger reason that Smith momentarily got dumped on the hot seat for his Hitler quip. Though Smith is an immensely popular guy on the screen and with much of the public, he’s an African-American.
Only cuz Will says so.
Still, Smith learned the hard lesson that the road to Hell may be paved with good intentions, but that road can’t include a reference to Hitler, at least by a noted African-American.
So who’s this homie looking out for Will?
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book is The Latino Challenge to Black America: Towards a Conversation between African-Americans and Hispanics
No talking to whites or about their Hitler, ya hea?
I agree with Dio’s statement about Ebert. I don’t believe he thought he was making an overt racist statement, but it obviously slipped out during his writing. I’m slightly amazed that the PC editors at the Sun-Times didn’t make the edit. As a former photo and copy/content editor, I would have had a chat with Ebert and reminded him that we’re now officially in the 21st Century, to which I’m sure that he would have responded that he can’t possibly harbor latent racist tendancies as he’s been married to a black woman…
If Juno does that without glamorizing teen pregnancy, then I’d applaud it. On the other hand, I would hope that they explore the prices that all involved in a teen pregnancy have to pay. I think when dealing with that subject matter a writer needs to be very careful how he/she presents the characters. I know a woman who became pregnant as a teen, didn’t finish high school, and the baby’s daddy skipped town and it’s all set her back about 7 or 8 years from where she’d be if she had graduated high school instead of gotten pregnant and kept the child. Not only has she placed herself in a position to reluctantly accept help from various state, federal and priv
