Chelsea Handler gave an interview to The New York Times and talked about the whole Teen Mom phenomenon and why she is not a fan. She basically says that television has become the lowest common denominator. While I agree with her, I am not sure she has actually done anything to raise that bar off the ground at all. She will do anything and everything for publicity for her show and according to her made a sex tape so people would look at her demo reel. I'm not sure how she is not a contributor to the problem rather than offering a solution.
"The Real Housewives of Atlanta and some of these other shows are just racist. Or 16 and Pregnant. Getting rewarded for being pregnant when you’re a teenager? Are you serious? I mean, that makes me want to kill somebody.”
Chelsea then went on to say that she had an abortion at 16 and that it was she was supposed to do. “I had an abortion when I was 16. Because that’s what I should have done. Otherwise I would now have a 20-year-old kid."
Or you could have given it up for adoption. She is basically saying that teens should get abortions and never have babies.
I don't think that's what she's saying at all.
ReplyDelete"...what I should have done."
I don't see anybody else mentioned here.
As the adoptive mom of 3 great kids and I thank their young birth mothers each and every day for the gift of life they gave my children.
ReplyDeleteThere is no right or wrong choice in these situations.
ReplyDeleteThe Teen Mom phenomenon does irk me greatly. I have a 6-month-old, and I can't imagine myself as a teen raising a child. This shit is difficult. Of course, it's also freakin' amazing, but I have a whole slew of help in an amazing husband and family.
I was Prudy McPruderson in high school and college, so I can't really relate to the teen mom girls. My freshmen year of hs, there were 12 girls - out of a class of less than 200 people - who were prego in the senior class. I remember thinking that shit was fucked up then and I felt really badly for those girls. I just think a person is so immature during the teen years. That's when you're supposed to figure out what you're going to do with your life.
At the same time, it's not like having an abortion is an easy decision, Chelsea Handler.
Agree w/CalifBlondie-Chelsea is saying it was the right thing for her to do.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree-I HATE that MTV show. Also? I am of the opinion that although adoption is an option, most teen unwanted pregnancies are best solved with abortion. There, I said it: I think teens, or anyone who does not want a child, and cannot take good enough care of themselves for a pregnancy/adoption (for whatever reasons) should get abortions. I also believe abortion should be free, safe & available to everyone-just like ALL healthcare.
Let the stoning begin...
Well said blondegossip. I agree.
ReplyDeleteHow is RHOA racist? Because Kim is the only white person? Idgi.
ReplyDeleteUgh, why do I feel like this thread is going to get ugly?
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Enty - who the eff is Chelsea Handler to offer her wonderful opinion on the state of society and television? Go brag about fucking a misogynistic, homophobic rapper some more. Call women you don't know cunts. Openly do cocaine so everyone in Hollywood is talking about it. Or: shut the fuck up.
First of all, wouldn't that child be 30, not 20? I find it hard to believe CH is only 36/37.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I truly think CH is just trying to stay relevant by saying something she knows will be controversial.
Personally, I don't believe it's wise to promote/encourage teen sex. Teens just are not mature enough to handle the implications of a sexual relationship.
Blondegossip - I applaud you. Too many people living on welfare and/or unable to raise their children in a healthy and safe environment. While it shouldn't be considered an alternate form of birth control, but sometimes, it is a better option than carrying the child to term and giving it up for adoption. Which is a much harder decision than terminating the pregnancy.
ReplyDeleteI wish more people thought the way you did. Thank you.
abortion was the good solution for her and i'm ok with it because it was her choice:i wasn't at her position
ReplyDeleteI don't see how she's talking about anyone but herself and her abortion. And reality TV is pretty low and that's why we watch it.
ReplyDelete1. I don't like CH at all, but I believe she is saying it was right for her.
ReplyDelete2. My 17 year old makes me watch Teen Mom with her sometimes. For the most part, it paints a very dim picture of teen pregnancy and motherhood. Those moms are doomed to living with their parents or in some crappy little trailer and their options are limited. 99.9% of the relationships with the baby daddies don't survive the pregnancy and birth of the baby. Speaking of which, it illustrates one of the major hazards of most teen pregnancies, which is that even if the mom can manage to cope the teenage dads are very rarely up to the task. The teenage boy who was cute and funny playing his video games suddenly looks a lot less cute when he becomes a whining asshole who can't man up for his child. I don't mind my 16 year old daughter seeing that.
3. By definition, on Teen Mom etc you are not seeing the girls who chose to get abortions. Periodically as part of the Teen Mom thing they do give coverage to abortion as an option, but that is not the focus of the show. I think that is probably what bugs CH. Nor of course does the show represent teenage girls who were abstinent or who were using optimal contraception (for the most part, though I think they every now and then there is a girl on the show who got pregnant while on the pill). I guess there is no audience for a show in which 5 teenage girls who decide to become sexually active are profiled, and some of them go on the pill and use it properly and practice safe sex with their boyfriend and don't get pregnant or get STDs and 1 or 2 of them make a decision to remain abstinent and don't get knocked up or infected. But that is the show I would like to see.
4. I still don't like CH and don't think she's funny at all.
@blondegossip--on the contrary, I say KUDOS to your entire comment.
ReplyDeleteI am in 1,000% agreement with you.
Sadly, I couldn't get pregnant at age 16 nor now at age 46. But it was not for lack of trying.
But if I had gotten pregnant at 16 my parents would have insisted on, and paid full price for, an abortion.
Kills me that abortions are not legal and free for those who can't pay, and above all, SAFE.
What the FUCK does any male politician have to say about MY BODY???
@ blondegossip, _ -_ - _, and Missjenny619 I agree with all of you. I think that abortion is a very personal choice and the only one who has a right to judge is God. Period. A woman should never be made to have a child they don't want to. No matter what.
ReplyDeleteCan't Chelsea Handler not be vulgar about things? It makes it seem like anyone who is pro choice thinks that it is a good method of birth control.
ReplyDeleteBUT....I will also say I am totally opposed to having unprotected sex so there really SHOULD be a much less need for abortion to begin with.
ReplyDeleteSadly however, it is used as a form of contraception and it is NOT the best form of contraception, to be sure.
I just can't stand this person. I thought I heard on another "news" source that she was saying that if you had an abortion you should be OK with saying it and be willing to admit it to whoever you were dating. Again, I heard this this morning while getting ready for work so I may be off.
ReplyDeleteShe's speaking to the right choice for her alone and the "sex tape" was a joke video like an SNL skit if it's the same video she's already referred to on her show.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the support!
ReplyDeleteWanted to add a couple of things:
Abortion is not easy, for anyone, no matter how it may appear to those observing from the outside.
(And having a child, adoption or not, infinitely more difficult!)
Birth control and sex education should be taught early (age appropriate), often and free.
EDUCATION and FREE HEALTHCARE on all of these issues would go a long way towards reducing unwanted pregnancies for everyone, at any age.
Thanks again for the support.
I'm not a huge Chelsea Handler fan but I don't think she is recommending abortion here. Like many pointed out, she simply states that it was the best choice for HER. And then she passes some judgement on the Teen Mom girls, but we all do that now, don't we?
ReplyDeleteI agree with blondegossip. But most of all, I would like more education, especially for young girls, so they know that they alone own their body, that they have the right to say no, and if they choose to say yes, to know how to protect themselves. Too many people - not just teenageers - find it incredibly embarrassing to buy condoms, or suggesting that one be used. That could probably change. And that would be good.
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ReplyDeleteThis thread hasn't gotten ugly at all :) Glad to see all the support for blondgossip's comment and emphasis on contraception and education.
ReplyDeleteAnd I totally agree with Baka Neko - Handler is actually harming the pro-choice viewpoint with her vulgar shock language and behaviour.
Chelsea did what was right for her (hopefully) and that's all that should matter.
ReplyDeleteOr you could have given it up for adoption. She is basically saying that teens should get abortions and never have babies.
ReplyDeleteWTF, ENT? Way to misinterpret her words and make an inflammatory statement. I'm not a fan of Chelsea (pretty neutral on her, in fact), and I would not read that into her statement! She had the right to choose, I would have made the exact same choice at 16. A woman's body is not a public incubator.
her show blows and she is ridiculously vulgar and trashy and totally not funny or entertaining. Didn't she get her show by sleeping w/ the president of E?
ReplyDeleteAbortion is should be safe and accessible to anyone,as should every form of birth control for both sexes.
Teens should be made to understand it is not embarassing to buy BC, it is smart.
@blonde-I am in 100% complete DISAGREEMENT with everything you just said about abortion for about 10 billion reasons. That said, I would be the last one to stone someone for stating their opinion. Thanks for doing so respectfully. Just because some of us consider outselves pro-life doesn't mean we are judgemental, trying to control other's bodies, etc..
ReplyDeleteIt boils down to this for most of my pro-life friends and family:
We believe an unborn child is a life just as much as any other life and should be protected just as much as any other person, even if they are currently living in another person's body. When you view an unborn child as a life, nothing else matters, including whether the child is wanted, whether the parents can provide, what religion the parents are, the age of the parents, the feelings of the parents, etc... We view an unborn child exactly the same way as a live child, see? So we cannot make judgement calls as to which ones get to be born and which do not.
This doesn't mean we don't understand what women go through or respect other people's views, but it most certainly will never change ours any more than someone saying that a 2 year old child is better off dead because their mom can't care for them. Does that make sense? I'm not trying to be "over the top" but rather just illustrating a point.
Now I also understand that pro-choice people do not consider an unborn child as a living person as I do. So if it isn't a living person, how could I ever convince you that this non-living entity has rights and deserves protection over say a kidney or other vital part of your body. I can't and you won't change your mind as long as you do not see it as a life.
I hope this makes sense, but wanted those reading to understand that my opinion does not hinge on me wanting to make decisions for other people. I honestly don't care if people have sex with 25 consenting adults a day in the privacy of their leather lined basements. But I do feel strong about protecting children'strongly that an unborn child is a life and care just as much about protecting those unborn and unnamed lives as live chidren running around.
I hope this made sense. I hate all the finger pointing and name calling on this issue, but also feel one shouldn't be afraid to say they are pro-life any more than saying they are pro-choice.
A little late, but I'm adding my approval to blondegossip's comment.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a teenager, my mother told me that if I ever got pregnant, to come to her and not be afraid, and that we would take care of it. She added that no baby of hers was going to have a baby.
Fortunately, I never found myself in that predicament, but I am extremely grateful for having had such an open-minded mother (this was many, many years ago) who knew what the right course of action should be for a teenager.
I'm not one to condemn someone's choices on the matter, but to send this kind of message is scary, just like the message MTV is sending is scary. Please don't encourage these impressionable young people to abort no matter what, and imply that it would have ruined your life. And please don't encourage teen pregnancy by offering large sums of money to the worst excuses for teen moms on the planet, either. Can we just please agree on a message of responsibility and protection?! I'm a 26-year-old mother of three. I was married at 17 and had my second child at 18. I am not a drug addict, I am not religious, and have never received any federal or state assistance. My husband (who is the father of all three of my children) makes enough income for me to stay home and home school our kids. We are a living, breathing example of what sometimes results from a surprise teen pregnancy (another tidbit: I got pregnant the first night I met my now-husband, and he turned out to be the love of my life). I realize that we are in the minority by a lot, but that doesn't mean that others like us don't exist. My oldest daughter, Gracie, who's 9, is freakishly intelligent, the most compassionate individual you've ever met, and has already started the volunteering and doing online the extra courses she says she will need to be accepted into Oxford, which is her dream college. And if I had taken Chelsea's advice, and terminated my pregnancy only because of my age and not taken into account my maturity level or commitment to raising a healthy child, we would be deprived of this little girl who, mark my words, is going to change lives one day. I'm not saying abortion should be illegal, or speaking out against it. I'm just saying that its wrong to recommend it for an entire age group, rather than on a person-by-person basis.
ReplyDeletei can't not post now, after some of the comments.
ReplyDeletelook at the stats for children waiting for adoption verses the amount of couples willing to adopt. the majority of children who can be adopted in the country never are because a) there aren't enough couples willing to adopt and b) the couples who are willing to adopt can't meet our rigid guidelines and end up adopting a child out of the country.
to say that adoption is the only answer other than forcing someone to support a child they don't have the mental capacity or financial ability is absurd, because unfortunately not enough children in this country are wanted, not enough can or will be adopted. they have to sit as ward of the state til they're 18, dealing with the emotional repercussions of being "unwanted" and sadly many of them don't go on to live fulfilling lives as a result. it's a cruel existence to sentence a child to because we can't just let a parent have an abortion in peace. i'm not saying all abortions are warranted, i know my fair share of women using them as bc, but to suggest that putting every child up for adoption is the answer, just isn't the case.
I'm The Nightmare Child...and I approve blondegossip's post.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I am taking donations for the Shut Chelsea Handler The Fuck Up Fund. It's a fund that will go towards research for the necromantic arts. Basically, we're going to resurrect Gilda Radner and show Chelsea what FUNNY really is.
I've done it and I definitely don't regret it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think these shows glamorize teen pregnancy, I think they show the reality and the difficulty these young girls go through. They're trying to turn teens off to the idea, but unfortuntately, it's working in the reverse. Teens want to get pregnant to be on the show and to get some fame and money. They're not thinking about the long term.
ReplyDeleteAs for Chelsea. I don't think she's even remotely funny. I turned down the opportunity to see her perform in NYC last week. I also think she thinks she's so cool and witty...spouting out too much info about herself that she should really keep private and personal. I personally think she's a pig and stupid. Rumor also has it she's a nasty biatch and people don't like her who have to work with her.
Nightmare Child - I'll donate.
ReplyDeleteIce Angel - I really appreciate your thoughtful and respectful post. However, being pro-choice isn't as 'mainstream' or easy as it sounds. I know a hell of a lot of women who read this site and in real life have had abortions that they would never admit to in public...not because they regret it, but because of the condemnation from pro-lifers. If only we could all be as respectful as you were :)
i'm really pissed at you for even opening this can of worms here, ENTY.
ReplyDeletethe abortion debate on this blog? really?
how about this: women (teens included) should have a CHOICE in this matter and do what THEY choose to do.
I'm with CalifBlondy on this one. I'm not saying abortion is right for everyone, but Handler's shown a poor sense of boundaries when it comes to spoken comments, and I think this is one of those times. Sounds like she's saying her decision worked for *her*, and maybe that some of the girls on these TV shows had the kids only to be on the TV shows, not because it was the right thing to do.
ReplyDelete"A woman's body is not a public incubator."
ReplyDeleteTHIS NEEDS TO BE THE NEW SLOGAN FOR PRO-CHOICE ! :)) love it
I also agree with blondegossip 100%.
I want to 2nd RocketQueen when she said thanks to IceAngel for stating her views respectfully and also mentioning how hard it is out there for us pro-choicers sometimes in judeo-christian America to get our point and feelings across without being belabored by people.
I think the only thing I would say to IceAngel, especially in light of the struggle lovely Planned Parenthood is having politically right now to keep their funding is this- While I think civilty and tolerence for views is crucial (this is how i maintain friendships with my pro-life friend) I think knowing that you probably vote against MY reproductive rights is where I stop being civil and tolerent of your views on My body.
As for Handler- I wasnt that bothered by what she said. I thought, good for her for saying what was right for her was abortion. I took it as her personal decision that she shared and since so few celebs do I thought it was nice, for once, not to have such an evil spin on abortion.
Oh. My. God.
ReplyDeleteEnty, I can't even deal with the headline you chose to use for this post. As much as I disrespect Chelsea Handler and her kind of "comedy", I am also FULLY GLAD she's not a mother (are you effing kidding me?!), and she was a CHILD who made the best personal choice at the time.
The only excuse I can come up with for that headline -- and it's not really a good one -- is that you wanted this particular thread to generate a bunch of hits for CDAN. But honestly, shame on you. I'm with Nancer -- you're stirring up a hornet's nest, and you know it.
I also agree with Blondegossip, Little Miss Smoke and Mirrors, and Ms. Leigh. Wholeheartedly. Do you really believe that letting a child gestate in your body for nine months and then giving it away once it's born is some simple act, and that the baby given up for adoption will magically find a happy new home right away? Seriously?! As Ms. Leigh pointed out, the process of adoption in this country is convoluted and full of biases. It's NOT that easy for women to give their babies up, AND it's not that easy for the couples who want those babies for themselves.
And I have to say that I disagree with a few of Ice Angel's views, but the manner in which she expressed herself was thoughtful, intelligent, respectful, and full of sensitivity. You could take a few notes.
Until you've experienced a pregnancy scare, or have had a bunch of psychos call you a "babykiller" before you enter your local Planned Parenthood for your annual discounted pap smear, please stick to getting your prostate exams and whatnot and learning from the women in your life who've experienced this stuff firsthand.
ITA nancer. But he needs the blog hits.
ReplyDeleteIda Blankenship/Amoteafloat/Mooshki,
ReplyDeleteThis must be your first dance around this place?
@S'mores -- no, doll. I've been here for years. And I've had many names, but Mooshki isn't one of them.
ReplyDeleteThat's a popular theory, however.
Ice Angel, you really got to the heart of the issue in your post. I don't believe that a fetus is a human life, not until it's almost ready to be born. But pro-lifers DO believe that it is a life from the moment of conception.
ReplyDeleteThat is where discussion on this issue stalls.
Well said, Ida. The title of the post was definitely misleading.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't worry, a ton of us have been accused of being Mooshki at some time or another. Not sure what that's about, nor do I care.
Nope, it's not and should not be important to you. I doubt Ida Blankenship is worried also.
ReplyDeleteIce Angel, thanks for showing what a discussion can be like on this site. Sometimes I forget! :)
ReplyDelete"Mature". The word "mature" is supposed to be in there somewhere.
ReplyDeleteGreat post iceangel.
ReplyDeleteI really struggle with the abortion issue because I feel that life does begin at conception but I still strongly believe that as a woman I have the right to decide what to do with my body, no man or politician should have the right to make decisions about my body.
We need more sexual education and funding for free condoms and birth control, the sexual abstinence that is being taught is a waste of taxpayer money and absolutely innefective in helping curb teen pregnancies. Sadly PP has not been able to get funding for this which I strongly support.
Teens are going to have sex no matter what they are told by parents or school teachers, so protection is the best course of action IMO.
As for Chelsey Handler she needs to STFU her vulgarity knows no bounds.
Who cares if she is funny or not, its irrelevant to what she is saying on this issue. She made a decision, it was right for her, and she isnt ashamed of it. It doesnt mean it was an easy decision, but it was the right one for her. Good for her for not acting like its some skeleton in her closet. And the bloggers mischaracterization of her quote is quite offensive.
ReplyDeleteI don't think free abortions or free birth control is the answer to teen pregnancies. I think it has a lot more to do with parents instilling self worth into their little girls, to not feel the need to feel "loved" by multiple strangers because they never felt loved growing up. I've heard many single mothers say they just wanted someone to love them unconditionally and having their own baby would give them that. It's a sad state of affairs that so many women feel this way in this day and age.
ReplyDeleteAnd you dont think an adult married woman has had a baby with the hope that it will replace something missing in her life?
ReplyDeleteChelsea is an unfunny idiot, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteAs for a woman's right to chose, I will fight with my last breath to see women have that right always.
This is a very complicated issue, and relates to each one's faiths and believes. IMO, no one should take the "it is the right thing to do" as a Universal Law, no matter if it comes from Chelsea Handler, Obama or Nelson Mandela, each of us has our own ethics.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I fully support abortion until the fetus is 5+ months old. In her position, I would have done the same.
Women should have the right to choose.
She is basically saying that teens should get abortions and never have babies.
ReplyDeleteI don't think much of Chelsea, but I agree with the second part of this statement - teens should never have babies. Even if they're married. However, I think this needs to start with not getting pregnant in the first place. We need to spend less time and money arguing about abortion and use it to teach and aid prevention, so that no woman, teen or adult, has to face that decision.
On the other hand, you can't unbreak eggs - so to speak - but as far as I'm concerned, if it's not your uterus, you should mind your own business.
@Sarah MacManus
ReplyDeleteCosign everything. Can't express it better myself. Thanks!
She's saying that her decision to have an abortion was the right decision FOR HER. She's not advocating it be the decision for everyone.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with her assessment on Teen Mom.
Adoption?
ReplyDeleteBecause we all know that everyone that believes in adoption is adopting...NOT!
So, I'm supposed to believe that all the children are better off in orphanages?!