Brad and Angelina - The kids and the paparazzi
It’s been awhile since we’ve had a discussion thread, don’t you think? With the new interviews and articles released since the Changeling premiere, I thought we could talk about something we’ve brought up in comments here and there before - the paparazzi and the kids.
I was particularly struck by two comments that Angelina made which were highlighted on I’m Not Obsessed.
One was when Angelina Jolie mentioned how they find places where they can be a normal family:
“Usually, places where there are other parents with children are okay - other parents are much more respectful of our privacy than many people because they understand what it’s like just to want to be with your kids. Parents are much kinder to us than some other members of the public.”
That makes so much sense to me. I know non-parents could also have respect and understanding about when it is and is not okay to start screaming, “Brad! Angie!” like a crazy person. In line at a premiere by the red carpet? Okay, scream! At a park with a bunch of kids, including the Jolie-Pitt kids? Not okay!
Then there was the quote which I mentioned in a previous post, as to how they explain the paparazzi to the kids anyway. Which is an important detail, but while Brad and Angelina are huge celebrities to us, they’re just Mom and Dad to their kids.
“When the kids ask us why people are taking our pictures, we say, ‘Mommy and Daddy make movies and that’s why some people want to know about us.’ We want to make sure that they know there’s nothing special or different about us - it is just a fact of our lives that we happen to make movies so people want to take our pictures.”
Now, here’s what I want to discuss. Despite their massive fame, it has always seemed to me that Brad and Angelina do everything they can to provide a stable family life for their kids and are doing their best to raise them with respect and love. And yet every time they step out the door with their kids, people in droves have something negative to say.
So why is it that Brad and Angelina get all the negativity but other celebrity parents do not? I almost never hear the same kind of snipes thrown at Jennifer Garner when she’s out with Violet Affleck. Madonna can take Lourdes out with her and that’s not considered a publicity stunt or throwing her daughter to the wolves. People are worried about the Scientology aspect, but beyond that, people are thrilled to see Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise out and about. Gwen Stefani is seen with Kingston Rossdale and that’s just fine, everyone loves that!
Why is everyone else getting a free pass but Brad and Angelina don’t? Discuss!
(It should be noted that no celebrity children can escape people with a lack of class. You should see some of the awful things people write about Violet and Lourdes, physically speaking. It’s mind-blowing how adults can still be just as cruel as kids in school yards.)
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Dicussion Thread
153 opinions for Brad and Angelina - The kids and the paparazzi
Mary Ann
Oct 15, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Sherry, you are asking the million dollar question here, and I don’t know. I ask myself this all the time. So I am going to be very interested in seeing all of the comments from our large community. Right now I think it will interesting to see if the media will rake Madonna over the coals like they have done to Brad and Angie. There have been rumors and stories about Madonna and A-Rod in the past. And they went out to dinner earlier this week before her divorce announcement this morning. So back to your question, I have no answer.
mélodie
Oct 15, 2008 at 4:11 pm
sherry, you’re right, people often really say awful things about these poor kids (you said violet, lourdes, but it’s sadly the same thing for Zee… they are such beautiful and healtly girls, it’s the only important thing.) personnaly, i find Z really cute.
i don’t know why people always critic brad and angie. we often hear:
- what don’t they make something with Z’s hair?
- why did they buy a knife to Mad?
- why do they give only bad food to their kids?
- why don’t they let walk alone in place of always carrying them?
- why do they take them to public place?
- why do they prefer their biologic child?
all these attacks are horrible and i can’t understand it!
it’s a good thing that brad and angie don’t look at tabs, don’t listen to what people say, because if they pay attention to that, they’ll be sad.
i love them and i think they are great parents
Mary Ann
Oct 15, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Sorry I forgot to remark on the second part of your question. I think it is a terrible thing when any adult would put a child down. I read some of these comments and I ache for these children.
Phoebe
Oct 15, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Brad and Angie are in the public eye far more than other celebs, the public knows more about these kids than of other celebkids.
thats the danger IMO, Brad and Angie reveal very much about their kids and family, sadly that gives people even more to critisize.
thats no justification, surely….but i am afraid that is the Hollywoodbusiness. thats why stars like Brangelina or Depp/Paradis prefer to stay in Europe…the press has more respect for peoples privacy in Europe. the pics of celebkids are made blurry, so their faces cannot be seen.etc….anyway, there are always some miserable and disgusting people who find something to critisize about someone, if its not Brangelina, then its Katie or Tom, MAdonna and Guy, Halle Berry, Jessica Alba or others…..Brangelina are surely not the only celebs who get bashed in a nasty way.
of course its sick. its sad and its pathetic.
sorry i guess i didn´t really give an answer to your question, sherry, but as far as i can say your site is the one of two sites where celebs (all) are held in respect - as long as there are certain other sites *coughJJ* i am afraid this mindless bashing of celebs will go on. i think you made a difference with your site already.
as Brangelinas kids are concerned i fear that someday they might get a glimbse into all the nonsense which is written about them, but i am sure that Brad and Angie give their kids so much love, security and respect that it won´t bother them.
Victoria
Oct 15, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I think part of it is that Angelina Jolie has always polarized people. Now that she is much more exposed than she´s ever been (since being with Brad), she/they polarize(s) even more.
I totally understand why she polarized people in the past - e.g. I myself could not at all relate to certain aspects of how she conducted her life or what she said she did, but nowadays there´s not a whole lot that IMO can polarize (except maybe this whole weapon thing with Maddox). They seem a bit unorthodox in some ways, but she really seems to be a good person, a good mother. As I said before, I am first and foremost a Brad Pitt fan, and I am happy for him to have seemingly found a partner who he loves. At first I was skeptical, thinking that he´s only into her because she was willing to give him children (somehow I had felt the same with Jennifer Aniston when he got together with her - after his failed engagement with Gwyneth Paltrow it just seemed he really desperately wanted to get married, and now it just seemed he desperately wanted to have children). But I do think they love each other. He´s a lot more private than her, you will never hear much about the kids from him. In fact, he´s wondered about people like us - he said he would never dream about reading up personal stuff on other people and can´t believe that there are people who actually follow his every move via the Internet. I remember feeling quite ashamed when I read this. Because he is so right. What am I doing going to this site, hoping to see some new photos? At the same time, he is also contradicting himself, taking these pictures and letting the public have this insight. So even though I am much more a fan of his, it does seem strange that he can get away with everything, but it is always Angelina who gets the blame, even though I am sure he has as much say in raising the kids or how they conduct their lives as she does.
Actually, I wandered off the subject here. But I do think it is still Angelina Jolie who is the reason for this hatred. A lot of people just don´t like her, whereas it seems Brad can do no wrong (which again is probably because he is much more private). But I know so many people who can´t stand her.
Maybe it´s also the overexposure, I don´t know. Personally, as much as I love seeing pictures of them and esp. their children, I think they should not let people peek too much into their lives, and absolutely not talk about their children in interviews (even though I would miss that!).
Rachel
Oct 15, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Why is everyone else getting a free pass but Brad and Angelina don’t?
Answer:
Simply because there are web sites such as “Pitt watch” that inevitably draw us into their lives.
isacutie
Oct 15, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Sadly, because Brad and Angie are arguably the most sought after couple in the planet, the media follows them around, and their every movement has been under a microscope. It’s sad because I do believe that celebrities have a right to privacy. And these two, far more than the other celebrities, have had to endure more. That being said, I know there are people out there who think that just because they go out there, then they make their life (and kids) fair game to media. Well, what are they supposed to do, just hide in their homes? Even if they do that, they get criticized. They’re in a no-win situation and so I’m just happy that both tend to ignore what is being said and written about them in the media. They do what they want (without harming others) and they fight for what they believe. Let those who want to criticize them do so, at the end of the day, these two are happy together with their kids, and to them I think that’s all that matters. I wish for them a long happy life together, and while there are people out there who say they are sick and tired of reading or hearing about them, well, they have free will don’t they. They can choose not listen or read or look.
Ligaya
Oct 15, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Melodie, don’t you love how Brad carries the kids as much as Angelina, but only Angelina is hammered by the media (and that dolt Bill Maher)?
Patricia
Oct 15, 2008 at 6:35 pm
The thing is- I love how Angelina adopted kids first. But sometimes the way she talks about the balance of that as if they are a commodity. A part of the adoption process was to draw awareness to the countries where the kids come from, and also the awareness of who and where they would’ve been if they weren’t adopted. So I’m not saying anything negative. But with the Jolie-Pitts there is a fine line of how the kids do play a role in promoting public interest in other countries, poverty and refugees. Not necessarily bad. But Angie and Brad need to find the line where that stops and their private life begins.
Traci
Oct 15, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Our girl is going to be live on American TV Thursday morning. May Matt Lauer of the Today Show will ask her.
Deni
Oct 15, 2008 at 8:51 pm
I sometimes discuss the topic of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt on Topix. There are a bunch of people who hate them and throw negative comments their way simply because they see Angelina as a “homewrecker”. To everyone on that forum, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston were the perfect Hollywood Golden Couple. Then Brad and Angelina star in Mr. and Mrs. Smith and the rumors start flying of trouble in the marriage. Then after the divorce - Brad is with Angie. It also doesn’t help that Angelina Jolie already had a reputation as a vixen. So, in their eyes, they don’t think Angelina and Brad deserve to be happy because Angelina stole Brad (as if anyone can steal another person) and Brad cheated and left Jennifer heartbroken.
Many people on that forum blame Angelina for the break up of the marriage. And they see Jennifer Aniston as a victim and Jennifer herself didn’t help matters when she did that article for Vanity Fair - for which she will always be seen as a victim. It also doesn’t help that Ms. Aniston is all alone and having problems with dating, while Brad and Angie are happy and seem to have everything. Therefore any little thing these two (Brangelina) do in public they will scrutinize carefully and try to make the most innocent thing look negative because they do not want to see Brad and Angie as good and decent people. They want to paint them as bad people. They scoff at them adopting kids, they make assumptions that their children will grow up with problems and/or weird. They really and truly hope that something bad/evil will befall these two.
Some of the comments are so bizarre and petty that you just think these people are “off their face”. They are actually waiting and hoping for the break-up. They’ve gone as far as to make predictions. I tell them, they should be ashamed of themselves for wanting such things, especially since kids are involved now. How crazy is it to actually wish for the bust up of a family especially when it will tear the kids apart. But it doesn’t matter because the bottom line is that they want Angelina to get payback.
Many women can probably relate to Jennifer Aniston. There are plenty of women out there whose boyfriends and/or husbands have cheated on them so naturally they’ll feel an affinity towards Aniston. I myself find the comments quite disturbing and I’ve put the boot into a lot of the outrageous comments. Now everyone is mostly reduced to calling them names, which I could care less. It’s all emotionally driven comments without any thought to anything. Superficial non-sense.
They only chose to LOOK on the surface of what happened to Brad and Jennifer and what it looked like is that Brad left her for another woman, but they don’t know that it’s actually more to it that meets the eyes.
Anyway, that’s my five cents.
So that’s the reason why Brangelina gets schtick from people.
Ligaya
Oct 15, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Sherry, the difference between those couples/families and the JPs are that none of the women are accused of stealing somebody else’s husband. And for that, Angelina MUST BE PUNISHED and should wear sackloth and ashes and the scarlet letter”A” on her chest for the rest of her life. And Everything she does and anything having to do with her, including her children, must be hated. Once the irrational mob mentality sets in, it’s hard to change.
Those accusations are NONSENSE. Angelina is a highly ethical person, and I believe her and Brad when they said they didn’t have an affair on the set of MMS – a deep friendship and emotional attachment, yes. People didn’t believe them because they couldn’t conceive that the World’s Sexiest Man and Woman could restrain themselves. Once separated from X, yes the relationship probably did become physical.
But anyone who says Brad and Angelina should have waited until after his divorce, and maybe even until a year or two had passed to spare X’s feelings, is living in a different world and era than I am.
There’s another triangle that parallels Angelina-Brad-Jennifer, only it was worse because the actor had 3 children. That triangle consisted of hallowed Paul Newman, beloved Joanne Woodward – favorites of mine since the 1960s - and his first wife (+ 3 children). Can you imagine if Brad and Jennifer had 3 kids, and he left her for Angelina Jolie? (But I understand the timing of starting a family was one of the sore points in the Pitt-Aniston marriage; as a feminist, I applaud Jennifer’s decision to go for her dream.) Paul and Joanne can thank their lucky stars that there weren’t as many tabloids then as now, no 500 tv channels, and no internet – they couldn’t have kept their secret of living together before his divorce.
Joanne and Paul were soulmates, just as Brad and Angelina are. But X’s fans would rather that Brad sacrifice his happiness and the rest of his life to being miserable (and maybe childless).
Ligaya
Oct 15, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Sherry, would you please push my post through? Maraming Salamat.
UNDER MOD: Sherry, the difference between those couples/families and the JPs are . . . (and what Brad & Angelina and Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward have in common).
Deni
Oct 15, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Ligaya,
Of course I echo your sentiments and I would like to add that I’ve also brought up Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward as well on the other discussion forums. As soon his divorce from his first wife was final, he married Joanne immediately and they’ve been together for 50 years.
I’ve heard of rumblings in the Jennifer/Brad marriage before Angie came on to the scene and while I don’t agree with the feminist view you hold, that she should be applauded for following her dream (once married it’s not about Jen and her dreams - it’s about them together and compromise), I’m not totally sure that children was an issue with their marriage. Me, personally, thinks she had mommy issues that she was dealing with. Her mother was pulled into therapy sessions because it was discovered that her problems with her relationships went all the way back to her controlling mother.
Anyhow, it’s over and in the past but some of the people on Topix often make the same suggestions that Brad should have waited until Jennifer was settled before moving on with his life. Or they should have waited until the divorce was final. They completely ignore that Jennifer was with Vince Vaughn before the divorce was final and that Jennifer said in the Vanity Fair article that once they filed for divorce, he was free to do what ever he wanted.
I’m appalled that people are so judgemental of other people’s lives and most of them speak as if they actually KNOW what’s going on. It’s absolutely crazy. I only make a guess based on what I’ve read but these people feel they have a handle on what they are actually thinking and going through emotionally and it’s obvious that they are projecting their own feelings onto these people they don’t even know.
It’s quite bizarre and a little disturbing.
Ligaya
Oct 15, 2008 at 10:01 pm
And now, a word from our sponsor – some tasty nuggets from a thick sirloin steak of an interview (including one juicy nugget):
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-10-15-angelina-clint_N.htm
Jolie, Eastwood: Eye to eye on ‘Changeling’
Though Changeling is a dark drama, Eastwood and Jolie together bring out each other’s playful sides. Eastwood jokingly calls their friendship “Clintalina.”
Angelina Jolie is the brash young rebel. Clint Eastwood is the wise, grizzled veteran.
It’s fitting that motherhood is central to Jolie’s role in the film. Fitting, too, what happened to her on the set. “I got pregnant during filming, yeah,” she says, then hesitates, suppressing a smile.
Apart from being a mystery about a missing boy, the undercurrent of Changeling is the tragedy of a lone truth-teller — dismissed by a society that then tries to destroy her.
“They [JPs] are a new kind of family,” says Suzanne Riss, editor in chief of Working Mother magazine. “Families have welcomed adopted children long before Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, but they brought a new level of visibility and acceptability. They symbolize a generosity of spirit that is irresistible.”
But there is a possible drawback to her high-profile family life. Tom O’Neil, Oscar analyst for TheEnvelope.com, has been writing that Jolie’s passionate performance has the potential to land her a second Academy Award, this time for best actress. (She won supporting actress for 1999’s Girl, Interrupted.)
“She’s the victim of injustice who finally battles back. She’s vulnerable but strong, and she admirably does not play it on the ceiling,” O’Neil says.
But he cautions the parallel between her real-life mothering image and the woman in the film could backfire. “It’s so close to home and who she really is that it could seem less like a performance.”
Ligaya
Oct 15, 2008 at 10:06 pm
UNDER MOD - new ABC News interview:
“Eastwood and Jolie together bring out each other’s playful sides. Eastwood jokingly calls their friendship “Clintalina.” . . . juicy nugget about the twins . . . awards chances.
gena
Oct 15, 2008 at 10:36 pm
NEW PICS OF CLINT EASTWOOD AND JOLIE: http://www.usatoday.com/life/l081016_jolie_changeling/flash.htm?gid=734&aid=3528
gena
Oct 15, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Nice interview of Clint and Angie from USA Today.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-10-15-angelina-clint_N.htm
CHRISTY
Oct 15, 2008 at 10:47 pm
In my country of birth they would say most comment expecially deni hit the nail on the head.
Almost every one at some point has been cheated on, and it is very painful to see the other person happy you want wipe off the face of the earth, they can’t do that, so the hope the saying nasty things about Angie she will say I can’t deal with this anymore and leave Brad, but that has’nt happen yet. Remember jen believe in karma it has’nt happen yet, he has’nt gone back to his ex which I dont think he will ever do. Not everyone got all the information they just follow the tabs, I read every interview I could because I wanted to give Angie the benifit of the doubt and i BELIEVE her. Not everyone share that. A friend of mine said I dont know why you like her, I dont and she said it as if she stole my man. I simpliy think its envy and
need to hate kids of people that will never want.
It eaiser to heat than to love, Is it better if she stop giving interview, some celebs dont have anthing to say, I dont know, The kids should be off limits. But it all about making money any way they can even if it hurt kids, I hope will grow up loving kids. An some day they will get tired of it and leave them alone.
gena
Oct 15, 2008 at 10:58 pm
As long as people buy the tabz with Angie and Brad on the cover or stories about them and web sites get the hits this will continue. I agree that there are two reasons:
1) Jen and Brad being the goledn couple and Jen being the girl next door. Plus her acting like the victim, although she slept with Vince before the divorce was final in Oct.
2) Angie’s past live. For some reason they want Angie to be seen as a bad person. I think is due to Angie never apologzing for her formal life. Barbara Walters said that is why she enjoyed interviewing her. She is frank and open. Like her or not, she does not care. I think she learned this over the years. Some people do not like the idea that she is beautiful, a strong woman and she took the cheerleader’s boyfriend. I think they liked her better with BBT. He was just as wierd as she was at that time. When you read interviews on her at that time, she says some wierd things. But she has grown up and people do not want to see that she has matured.
As for Brad talking about the kids. He has said some things about the kids but he does not talk as much as Angie. Angie is a woman and women like to talk. She does not bite her tongue. I wished she had kept the knives thing to herself though. The tabz were going to find something negative to write any way and this gives them material. Oh and don’t forgot “kissing your brother thing, seems like this just will never go away.
angela
Oct 15, 2008 at 11:07 pm
i also happen to question that thought sherry…
i can’t help but think that those people who are trying to put brad and angie down are just jealous of them - of their fame, their fortune and their happiness. not everyone is as blessed as them.
btw, the Clintalina tandem Ligaya made me laugh - a perfect ice breaker because the discussion is so serious. :)
Lucy
Oct 15, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Hi Sherry & all JP fans here,
I just got a call from my brother that my Mom passed away after a month’s stay at a hospital in the Philippines yesterday (Oct. 15). Now I know how Angie felt when Marcheline passed away. My Mom was 89 yrs. old. Thanks for all your updates.
betty
Oct 15, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Why are some people bringing up the “X” in this topic about the JP children and the paps?
I think paps give Brad and Angie and the kids negative press because they know that will sell. Their story is so unique and fascinating and very-Hollywoodish that even haters read up on them.
A lot of it has to do with jealousy and a lot to do with intrigue (ie, what’s life for a large rainbow family of two of the hottest celebrities living in a European mansion and globetrotting in between?)
Both parents get the bad press, but Angie seems to sell more negative news because she is the mother and the woman. People will soon forget the M&MS Smith pre-children era but will still criticize the mom and the way she raises her children no matter what she does. Her children will grow up in the spotlight under the microscope but with Brad and Angie’s hands on parenting and special way of handling the media they will grow up to be very “normal” adults.
Hannah
Oct 15, 2008 at 11:36 pm
for starters i don’t think they are put down because people are jealous of them as there are plenty of other famous, rich and happy celebrity couples out there. Honestly i don’t think they get any more critisism than any other famous couple with children and if they do it is because of the way things started with them, the affair, brad leaving jen to be with ange and the fact that they talk sooo much about their lives. They do so many interviews and talk soo openly about their personal life, they kind of pour fuel on the fire a little by doing that.
Deni
Oct 15, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Hanna,
Brad Pitt doesn’t say much about their relationship - his interviews are few and far between and does appear to be a bit more guarded. Angie does talk but you have to also remember that some magazines also borrow quotes from other sources and it appears that she’s interviewing all over the place. I believe the reason a lot of the little lesser known magazines do this is because any story with Angie and Brad is guaranteed a good sell. Angelina has always been open and talkative and I do agree that this doesn’t help to some degree but God bless her for being herself and not letting other people change her for who she is.
She’s just always been an open person.
Neela
Oct 15, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Sorry to hear about that, Lucy. My thoughts are with you.
As for the topic of this thread … I am just as curious. I don’t quite understand it, but maybe it has something to do with their level of popularity and well, their out-of-this-world pulchritude. Individually, they had those going for them already, and then, the two as partners, well, those qualities just seem too extraordinary and almost implausible. At the same time, I do think some are still tethered to the past–i.e. Jen and Brad’s break up being blamed on Angie and Angie still continued to be seen as unevolved and unstable because of her troubles in her youth. It’s really a number of reasons. I don’t think even the couple’s naysayers can provide answers to the questions Sherry raised. As much as the detractors claim to loathe the Brange, they, much like the fans, continue to follow the JP’s every move. It’s very perplexing.
Even if the Brange were to disappear for months and we don’t hear anything from them, all sorts of negativity are thrown their way. If they don’t talk about the kids, there would still be people out there who’ll claim that they don’t love the kids. So, as someone else up there pointed out, it’s a no-win situation for the Brange.
Neela
Oct 16, 2008 at 12:28 am
@ Rachel
I don’t think you can really blame PittWatch for its existence. We’re all humans, right? So, we’ve this inherent capability to exercise will power. Sometimes, people choose to be negative, and sometimes, people go out of their way to find websites (fansite, gossip blogs, anti- fansites, etc.) that impart Brange news and updates. Ultimately, it comes down to each one of us as to how much we choose to expose ourselves to any Brange info.
mélodie
Oct 16, 2008 at 12:48 am
ligaya: yeah, you’re right. if brad give sheetos to the kids, people say “omg, what a cool father”, but if it’s angie, people only say “does she want her kids to be unhealty????”
viva brangelina
Oct 16, 2008 at 1:07 am
Becuz, their life is too beautiful to be true, dahling.
I got to admit it, when we see the joile pitts clan, there are only two choices. If not you’re loving them so much, than you’ll be hating them to death.
Look, halle berry and gab aubry might be more beautiful than brad and ange. but the don’t have the same big power as brangelina have. they have kids, beautiful kids, from different races. They are rich. Their names are box office’s guarantee, true actors with awards’ quality, they are also generous and care. They have midas touch in almost everything. The globe trotting here and there, and they can teach their kids well so that the kids are well mannered. How can’t you hate/love that?
so, i’m not wondering too much for this, becuz the world we live in is full with people who cannot deal with a perfection of someone else’s life.
Hannah
Oct 16, 2008 at 1:54 am
Deni,
I do understand that it seems angie is giving a lot of interviews and other smaller tabs publish bits and peices to sell mags but in the few interviews she does give it is to promote a movie and i don’t understand why she has to talk of her personal life in these interviews, other actors refuse to answer any personal questions to keep their private life private and it would not be changing her as a person if she too refused to talk about personal life in interviews, i mean she is a strong person so it should not be that hard.
Deni
Oct 16, 2008 at 2:12 am
Hanna, as you say, Angelina is a strong woman and I think it’s more of a case that she doesn’t care what people say about her talking about her life. She’s always been an open person in her interviews even before Brad Pitt. People are just making a big deal about it because she’s with Brad now and they hate her for it.
If people have a problem with her talking openly about her life then that’s on them. She doesn’t have to run into these people who despise her on a daily basis because in her world, she’s surrounded by those who really matter to her anyhow. I seriously doubt she cruises the forums to get an idea of what people are saying about her. With 6 children, when would she have the time? :)
Phoebe
Oct 16, 2008 at 2:54 am
@Deni:
i seriously hope you are not blaming this mess on Jennifer and some of her fans. this mêlée of accusations and allocation of blame is exactly the problem we have here. thats exactly why Brangelina and their KIDS are still hunted by the pabs, the hatred between the parties of fans. its not just one side.
you are beeing judgemental of people, too. you blame all on Jennifer and her fans. you mentionned yourself that Angelina is very open and that results much of the media interest. there are many little problems which cause the privacy lack of Brangelina and their kids.
Belle
Oct 16, 2008 at 3:24 am
I haven’t time now to read all the entries, but I will later. But I think that it is an envious world (not all of it) and that’s why there is negativity. People have no good inside and so they try to make others feel bad too, especially those that seem to have it all. Hopefully the world can move away from this
:-)
isacutie
Oct 16, 2008 at 3:40 am
Lucy, I’m sorry to hear about your mom. My condolences.
Anyway, this topic really do touch a nerve, as many things about B&A do. Certainly, Angie and Brad can be less forthcoming during interviews, but I find nothing wrong if they answer questions about them anyway. As it is, it’s the media and people who read about them who puts most of the spin on what they say anyway. Sadly, many people think that just because they allow us a peek into their lives–and I really do think that despite all the info they’ve given us, we’re barely scratching on what they’re really like in private–then they’ve got every right to criticize and all that. Why that is, I don’t know, or maybe it’s human nature to criticize. Still, while I know that in my own way, I contribute to the media frenzy around this two, I still believe that I (and many BP fans) have been respectful of them. At the end of the day, I’m glad they are willing to share some of their private moments and some details about their lives, but I’d much rather have it coming directly from them (like the W pictures and the interviews) and not from papparazzi and tabloid media). Besides, like Angie said, she’s sort of got a bubble around her when it comes to what’s being written and said about them, and I think that’s best. Anyway, I think she and Brad will be doing everything they can to make their kids understand why they live the life they do, and everything that comes with it, the good and the bad.
Mary
Oct 16, 2008 at 3:56 am
I don’t get all this about them talking too much. Except when doing film promotion, when do you hear about them from legitimate sources? I don’t count tabloids as anything they can control. We just came off nearly four months of silence and before that, nearly six months, so, I don’t get the “overexposure” talk.
During interviews, they answer questions. Sure, Angelina is more forthright, but that is her nature. Brad has been burned talking about his relationships and I don’t think he is going to do that again. He is primarily a private man, which is his nature. Why blame the victims? I guess in many eyes, this couple and their family are too good to be true, so they want to bring them down a notch.
But, in talking about legitimate news, there is a great article about Brad on the ABC news page, and two great Angelina articles in the NY Times and USA Today, where she calls Brad her “ideal” man. Quite cute and sweet as well.
Jacqueline
Oct 16, 2008 at 4:22 am
it must be to sell the magazines/copy; we all know Brad&Angie&beau children so so popular.
well, thanks for you sherry, hopefully Brad & Angie can tell we all love them so and appreciate sharing their lives so.
how can people be spiteful, and towards the children - sorry, I am defeated on this one; why are there murderers in life equally baffling!!
Deni
Oct 16, 2008 at 4:40 am
@ Pheobe
Please calm down.
>Phoebe wrote:
i seriously hope you are not blaming this mess on Jennifer and some of her fans.
>
I’ve not blamed anything on anyone. You should read my posts more clearly.
>Phoebe wrote:
this mêlée of accusations and allocation of blame is exactly the problem we have here.
>
I’m of the opinion that the problem is that people need to mind their own business and let Jennifer, Brad, and Angelina move on with their lives. The only people that are stuck back in the past are the fans that are still discussing the break-up and why it happened and finger-pointing. That was 4 YEARS AGO.
>Phoebe wrote:
thats exactly why Brangelina and their KIDS are still hunted by the pabs, the hatred between the parties of fans.
>
No, Brangelina and their kids are hunted by people like you are still fascinated with the whole love triangle. It’s over. As soon as the public’s interest dies down then there is no more stories to be told.
>Phoebe wrote:
its not just one side.
>
I never said it was.
>Phoebe wrote:
you are beeing judgemental of people, too. you blame all on Jennifer and her fans.
>
PLease read what I wrote carefully. I haven’t judged anyone and I haven’t blamed anyone. I simply answered the question posed by Sherry. I simply commented on how cruel some of the comments were about their private life - which is true, unless you think that wishing for a family to split up all i the name of payback is a good thing - even though children are now involved. Do you?
>Phoebe wrote:
you mentionned yourself that Angelina is very open and that results much of the media >
interest. there are many little problems which cause the privacy lack of Brangelina and their kids.
>
I disagree.
Deni
Oct 16, 2008 at 4:49 am
Also, it’s a catch-22 situation. Remember last year during the Premier of “Beouwolf”, Angelina’s representatives tried to put a stop on personal questions posed by the press in order to focus more on promoting the movie. Everyone cried foul and all the Angelina haters who before complained that Angelina should stop answering personal questions THEN complained that she was trying to control the media by impeding on the ‘freedom of press’! Unbelievable!
No matter what they do, someone is always going to try and find something negative to say.
niemiec idiota
Oct 16, 2008 at 5:05 am
from cannes in late may to new york changeling promotion on oct 3rd, angelina did not say a word to the press. almost 5 months. how the hell is that being over-exposed?! it is the tabloid media who get angry and annoyed that they don’t know where angelina is, they NEED her to survive the hard financal times. if angelina did not talk about personal things the media would just say she is ignoring brad, so i say at least we the fans get the right information straight from angelina (and brad).
margaritam
Oct 16, 2008 at 5:41 am
Angie&Brad don’t talk to media except the interviews for movie promotion. But they are always in the media with fake stories and some people think that they always talk to media. Let’s look at the last ten days Angie news. It seems that Angie gave the same interview (one interview) to all media at the press conferences and all media source gave us this interview as a new Angie interview. Actually, I don’t think Angie has given so much private infortmation in her last interviews. When you look at other celebrities interview, you can find so similar sentences for their children and the lovers. But media does not give so much attention those interviews. What is Angie’s fault in this situation? Angie&Brad went back to Germany last week. Did we see any new pictures? No. I don’t think we can’t see any more photos and news until Benjamin Button promotion. He didn’t do any promation for Burn After Reading.
I don’t understand the negative reaction to W cover. I don’t think this is so private. THis is photosohoped for mag. How it can be so private? Also, it seems that most of the photos for Angie not kids. W cover got so some negative attention because the cover girl is Angie.
Some people love to see the break-up this couple because they want to right on their theory. For this reason, negative stories about this couple get so much attention.
Angelina will not have any movie in 2009. So, this means that no magazine cover, no interview except UN issue. I wonder what people will say about her in 2009? Do you think Angie news will die? I hope so but it seems that no. Most probably, we will read sso much fake Angie interview in 2009 like 2008, 2007, 2006.
Also, I think that JP kids are less photographed when you compare them some other celebrity kids. Except New York, they can’t be so much photographed because in New York, they stay in hotel and paps can easily follow them.
irma
Oct 16, 2008 at 6:58 am
Lucy sorry to hear about your mom. Condolence. I hope, visiting Pittwatch will keep your mind off about the sad news from the Philippines. Are you going back home to attend the funeral?
I just watched Today Show an interview with Angie by Matt Lauer, it’s live & she looks stunning with that cream dress & matching shoes. She answered each questions with honesty & eloquently.I like when she answered about her personal life that “I finally met the right man”, ” I love Brad being around & I don’t want to be alone anymore” somewhat like that.I hope, some fans taped the interview.
Brad & Angie are both huge stars & that alone will not stop people from being fascinated & gaga about this couple. their pictures & stories about them sells. I will only believe anything written about them when it comes from the reliable magazines interview or it comes from their own mouth. Tabloids tried & tried to crucify them for some reason they wanted to put them down & doesn’t want their relationship to succeed, I’m glad they are being so private in some way, it makes us more hungrier for more news about them. I admire them deeply & wish them happiness, good health,success & best of everything this world can offer. Peace & blessings.God bless the Jolie-Pitt’s.
irma
Oct 16, 2008 at 6:59 am
Sherry please let me comment go thru, under mod again.
irma
Oct 16, 2008 at 7:00 am
Correction let my”.
cee
Oct 16, 2008 at 7:29 am
They are both beautiful and fascinating and they seem to have found their perfect match and they have beautiful children and a life they both love. Well of course that is why people hate them, and it doesn’t help that he dumped X at a time when she was supposedly America’s Sweetheart. Well you don’t know people until you live with them. Ask any couple. So God Bless Brad, Angie and their family and haters be d.m.
brandie
Oct 16, 2008 at 8:17 am
They are targets where ever they are. Somehow there is an attraction (ying & ynag) to this family. With the unstable economy, to war zone areas of the world, I think it is a double-edged sword. On one hand, this family holds hope to some people, while others wanted to go sour because they have fallen.
dhc
Oct 16, 2008 at 8:17 am
They are beautiful. They are famous. They are rich. They are fascinating.They live life much differently than most of us. Plus when asked they are forthcoming. They almost seem to comfortable being different. It is human nature to question what is different, and unfortunately it is also human nature to admonish how they do things differently because we all want to think we are doing it the right way. Truly there is no right way. You can parent in many different ways and still get it right, although all parents make some mistakes. As different as they are they are like all parents in that they want the best for their children. It is too bad that we can’t just be supportive of each other, but human nature is contrary, I am afraid. The more insecure you are about yourself, the more you criticize others, and it is oh so easy to criticize someone you don’t even know.
dhc
Oct 16, 2008 at 8:21 am
On another note, I just saw Angelina on the Today Show promoting Changeling and defending her lifestyle in her easy going way. I wondered if anyone knew if she was actually in New York or if she taped this segment earlier in the month? I’m guessing it was the latter, but I didn’t see the original broadcast this morning.
niemiec idiota
Oct 16, 2008 at 8:53 am
i think the today show was live today (oct 16th) angelina and i think brad flew in from berlin as page six reported a sighting of brad at chun lee west restaunant with 2 friends on weds 15th.
Neela
Oct 16, 2008 at 9:42 am
dhc, i think you nailed it!
Phoebe
Oct 16, 2008 at 9:52 am
@Deni:
nice and short…i was always calm.
“people like me”? who brought up the whole story of the love triangle? you.
of course the comments are cruel, but so are others about other celebs. i am interested in Angelina since Tomb Raider and a fan since a few years..and there have always been nasty comments about her. its sad, but some people do that. the only thing we can do is stay clear of such behaviour ourselves.
its ok that you disagree.
Deni
Oct 16, 2008 at 10:03 am
@Deni:
nice and short…i was always calm.
“people like me”? who brought up the whole story of the love triangle? you.
>
I have no idea what you mean or what you’re talking about.
>
of course the comments are cruel, but so are others about other celebs.
>
Sherry’s question wasn’t about other celebrities so that’s irrelevant. She asked specifically about Brangelina and NOT other celebrities.
>
i am interested in Angelina since Tomb Raider and a fan since a few years..and there have always been nasty comments about her. its sad, but some people do that. the only thing we can do is stay clear of such behaviour ourselves.
its ok that you disagree.
>
It doesn’t matter if there have always been nasty comments about her - that doesn’t make it right, does it?
Phoebe
Oct 16, 2008 at 10:08 am
@Deni:
its all in my comment. read it.
of course it doesn´t make it right and i have already given my opinion to this. think what you want.geez….
Phoebe
Oct 16, 2008 at 10:51 am
ok…now i´ve calmed down….;p
anyway Deni - i have given my opinion up here, there is no need for further disput between us….Peace.
dhc really gave a good answer….
kim
Oct 16, 2008 at 12:16 pm
I always hear that Brad and AJ get negative comments, but I’m not sure were this is. Are you talking about the rag mag’s? Because if you are, others are dragged through the mud just as much (i.e. Brittany, Lindsey, Miley…) and all the other’s you have named at one time or another. Although AJ is the number one mag seller so you would see her pic and comments about her more then the others. If you are talking about the bloggers well they all seem to me to walk a fine line between love and hate on all caleb’s. It gets people to come read their site and thus advertising dollars for them selves. If you are talking about the commenter will they don’t count. They just mouth off on the web an anonymously, what they can’t and won’t in really life. They are rude on the web because they don’t have to look anyone in the eyes and see the pain they cause. They lose all sense of priority and thoughtfulness that they were brought up with as soon as the touch that keyboard.
Brad, AJ and the kids are number one magazine seller’s why you ask? Because they are talented, beautiful people who lead a life many of us can only dream of. But, with them out there living it we don’t have to dream we can just log on and experience it first hand, and then make critisms on how we would do it better. As a world population we have become a lazy people, with not enough energy of imagination to live our own dreams.
kim
Oct 16, 2008 at 2:30 pm
comment is still awaiting moderation. Whats going on Sherry you don’t have a life besides this web site do you. LOL
Lara
Oct 16, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Sherry, how do you always come up with the best threads? You’re the best!
This is such a complex subject that I will probably have a long post again ) Sorry :P
In my opinion, all this negativity towards Brad and Angie comes from our quest for PERFECTION. People, realizing or not, are in search of perfection all their lives. And I do not mean only physical perfection, but perfection in all aspects of live. And when they see something or somebody which seems to have found it (because there is really no such thing as perfection) they do not accept it. Why? For a while this was so strange to me, but I’ve realized that, while hatred towards somebody that did no harm to you cannot be explained or accepted, there is a phenomenon called IGNORANCE. And I do not mean stupidity. What I want to say is this: we have magazines, articles, interviews, pictures (photoshoped or not). We see them so stylish, so well dressed, so beautiful, so in love. We see them living in gorgeous houses, travelling to all those places in those private jets. We see them strolling with their beautiful, healthy and happy children, buying them the best clothes and toys. Women would do anything to look like Angelina, the most beautiful face on the planet, as Clint said (and I agree) and men would so much like to be in Brad’s shoes. So what do we have? A perfect life. But do we see past the screen and the paper? No. Are we there, in their house, in the morning, when Angie wakes up to feed the babies and one of the other kids wants mommy now and Brad or the nanny must take in but another one fell and screams from the top of his lungs? No we are not. And this was just something that came through my mind now. The situation may be worse :)) Remember the pics when Angie was pregnant with the twins and she was out and about with all the kids? There were some pics where we could see that Shiloh hurt her knee and Angie had to comfort her while keeping an eye on the other kids and watching not to put too much weight on her belly also. So, suddenly, things are not so perfect. One of the perfect kids of perfect Angelina is hurt. Is that possible? Wasn’t anyone around to quickly catch her on a fluffy pillow? Oh, what a shock!
Or when they are flying. It seems so easy, isn’t it? But who knows what chaos must be in that plane with so many kids, one wanting to sleep, the other one wanting to play and another one singing or God knows what. Remember what Angie said about their arrival in New York? How the kids woke up at 4.30am and Brad took in just to let her sleep because she had a lot of work to do the next day, but for 4 hours she heard the chaos in the living and she kept wondering what was happening. In a perfect life that would have never happened. In a perfect life the kids would have slept like little angels or Angie would have rented the whole floor and went to sleep in another room. I do not want to say that I pity them or anything. I realize that they have all the means to make at least easier. I just want to say that their life is not perfect but people tend to ignore that. They only see what they want to see. Smart people think beyond that and see beyond the screen and the paper even if they are not there. They have arguments and problems like any other human being.
So, my answer is ignorance. All the negativity will end when ignorance ends, which means NEVER. When people will accept that perfection does not exist because we know it but most of us just do not want to accept it). This will also never happen because people need to believe that someday they will have it. It is in our nature to hold on to something in order to go through life. I just wish all those people who say such nasty things about them would turn and look to their beautiful wife or husband, to their happy healthy kids and realize that they too have a beautiful, fulfilling life and the fact that their last name is not Jolie or Pitt is not a reason to hate. They do not have the chance to travel and see the world or buy the most expensive clothes, but instead they have privacy. Their life is not invaded daily and they do not have cameras in their faces every time they get out the door. In this aspect of life they are more free than Angie and Brad will ever be. And even if they do not have such a nice relationship or their kids are not as privileged as the jolie pitt kids, it is still not a reason to say bad things. You live the life that you choose to live, that you deserve to live and have as much as you work to have.
And one other thing. I bet that if one of those haters would be face to face with Angie or Brad they wouldn’t be able to even open their mouth, much less to speak.
Ps: Now I will read all the comments posted here. I didn’t want to do that at the beginning because I would have probably found all of the things that I wanted to say already written here and I wouldn’t have posted anymore :)) I only read Mary Ann’s comment and I hope that you will find my answer pertinent enough. I value your opinion very much because you seem to be a person with a lot of experience in life.
Sherry, thx again for the opportunity to express something that I wanted to say for so long.
Sherry
Oct 16, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Kim - “comment is still awaiting moderation. Whats going on Sherry you don’t have a life besides this web site do you. LOL”
A life besides this website? You mean aside from the two kids, one of whom is sick with a cold, housework, a puppy who needs numerous walks per day, meals to cook, homework to oversee, a full time freelance job, and my ongoing photography hobby, plus occasionally eating? No, nothing much.
Comments have all been pushed through, I try to get to them several times a day but can’t always do it more than twice a day.
Ligaya
Oct 16, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Thanks, Sherry. Gracias. Salamat. Thank you very much. Muchas gracias. Maraming salamat. Thank you very, very much. Muchichisimas gracias. Merci. Danke schoen . . . ;-)
Ligaya
Oct 16, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I have to correct myself – there’s another difference between Angelina & Brad, and the other couples. Mainly that they’re Angelina & Brad. If this were Halle & Gabriel and a 3rd person – this wouldn’t be as intense and prolonged. If A & B & J were homely, plain or ugly without any sex appeal whatsoever – even if as talented and famous – this wouldn’t be the mass frenzy today stoked by the paps and tabloid media.
Ligaya
Oct 16, 2008 at 7:30 pm
UNDER MOD:
there’s another difference between Angelina & Brad, and the other couples. . .
Ligaya
Oct 16, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Just caught up with all the posts – much food for thought. I agree about the role perceived ‘perfection’ plays. I think there are lots of factors at play, not just specific to Angelina and Brad, but from our general society applied to all of us. There are a lot of myths (like the FairyTale Marriage) and old/urban legends (the Dark Witch).
I’ve been thinking about this for a long time and here’s my outline of some of the various factors.
I think there’s a distinction between before & after Brad Pitt in how tabs and their readers perceived Angelina.
Fear of the unknown/unfamiliar/strange/weird/kooky
• Dark
• Goth
• Knives, cutting
• Mortician
• Boyfriend @ 14
• ‘The Kiss’
Fear of the strong, independent, capable woman
Green with envy and yellow with Jealousy
• Beauty
• Sexuality
• Independent, free
• Unapologetic
• Fearless
• Talent (act, stunts)
• Intelligence
• capable, competent
• Unusual hobbies (motorcycles, plane, knife collecting)
• Mother of Rainbow Family, adoption advocate
• UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
• Humanitarian/Philanthropist
• Have it all so easily , perfect, Superwoman – others inadequate, incompetent
Bring down Queen at the top. Most prominent, idolize then hate. Hammer nail sticking out.
Narrative/story: “Homewrecker.”
• Living their own psychodramas through her, projecting, transference
Ligaya
Oct 16, 2008 at 7:48 pm
UNDER MOD: 2 cents more - an outline
Christina
Oct 16, 2008 at 8:03 pm
I agree with many of the reasons stated here.
Another reason is a fairly simple one. They’re prolific..and not just in children. They’re quite productive in their careers, their artistic pursuits and in their humanitarian efforts. They are constantly churning out news compared with any other A-listers. If Brad and Angie are not on a red carpet, they’re adding to the family or opening up a clinic or building homes in New Orleans, etc. And yes, negative news sells. I read recently that according to one papparazzi, the bad-looking shots are often The Money Shots.
We hear a lot more negative news of the Jolie-Pitts compared with other stars because there is simply a lot more news generated.
Hannah
Oct 16, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Deni- I was just posting my views about the question sherry posted which is that i think most other celebrities get a free pass because they don’t talk about their personal life as much as angie does and i am not talking bad of her when i say she does this it is just my opinion of the situation and as for she doesn’t care what people think of her this is why she talks so much then why does everyone else care if angie herself does’nt give a sh*t…
Ligaya
Oct 16, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I care because *I* give a sh*t, Hannah. Nobody else has to - Angelina doesn’t have to. I care because it’s unfair, a double-standard, hypocritical, bullying, mean, mean-spirited, exploitative, closed-minded, narrrow-minded, fundamentalist, conservative, destructive, false, lying, slanderous, libelous, possibly career-destroying, and on and on and on and on. Plain and simple, it’s wrong.
Ligaya
Oct 16, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Oh, and I care because how it’ll affect the children once they can read and get on the internet. They don’t even have to read. They can pass by a newstand, bookstore, drugstore, wherever there are tabloids - and just see pics of their parents glaring at each other.
Hannah
Oct 16, 2008 at 11:47 pm
oh please ligaya… they don’t have it that bad, no worse than any other super famous couple or person… And so far i have not seen it come nowhere near destroying either of their career… For god’s sake…
BlessBrangelina
Oct 17, 2008 at 12:19 am
Lucy
I am sorry for your loss! Being so far away makes it even more difficult, my prayers to you and your family.
angela
Oct 17, 2008 at 7:09 am
Lucy, i’m sorry to hear about your loss.
Ligaya
Oct 17, 2008 at 8:00 am
Oh, come on Hannah. ;-) For god’s sake, are *you* the only one allowed to have an opinion? Am I supposed to believe what you believe because *you* believe it? Nobody can believe anything different from what you do, lol?
I’ve had these opinions for a long time. I’ve shared them many times over the past couple and half years I’ve been in Pittwatch. I’ve based my opinions on an informal study over that same time of what legit/tab media (with comments) says about the JPs (based on Yahoo/Google alerts I get) and blogs I’ve read from CBB, HuPo, to the usual suspects. I have stacks & stacks of tabs so I can personally track how the JPs AND OTHER CELEBS are covered.
When I say possibly career-destroying, I mean based on Angie being denied an Oscar nomination even though she won rave reviews across the board, and she swept nominations in the Golden Globes, S.A.G. Awards, and Independent Spirit Awards. Both critics and professionanl Oscar-ologists talked about how the tabloid overexposure hurt her chances.
I’m talking about a movement starting about a month ago among certain critics to do a revisionist history of Changeling’s Cannes reviews and start a negative campaign against Clint (due for the inevitable backlash success brings), Angelina and the Changeling. Jeffrey Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere started a concerted effort to deny frontrunner Eddie Murphy an Oscar win - Jeffrey succeeded. Not saying that Eddie Murphy was destroyed, but it wasn’t a good thing for him, either.
kim
Oct 17, 2008 at 8:20 am
Hannah you said
“oh please ligaya… they don’t have it that bad, no worse than any other super famous couple or person… And so far i have not seen it come nowhere near destroying either of their career… For god’s sake…”
You are right they have it no worse, but the last time I saw this much publicity on one family was when Princess Di was alive….. and now she’s not.
kim
Oct 17, 2008 at 8:27 am
Sherry,
I hope you got the fact I was trying to be funny. I do appreciate everything you do and I don’t mind getting moderated. It just I don’t get Mod. very often and I was feeling left out that I never got to comment about it. LOL. Thank you.
Sherry
Oct 17, 2008 at 8:29 am
Kim - Oh I know! Don’t worry! I was being tongue in cheek myself. :)
Sherry
Oct 17, 2008 at 8:29 am
Oh, and also, I completely agree with you Kim, remembering what happened to Diana is very chilling.
Neela
Oct 17, 2008 at 8:43 am
And to this day, Princess Diana is still talked about … some negative and some positive. We’ve people still coming out with tell-all books. It’s really sad. She can’t have her peace even after her passing.
Ann
Oct 17, 2008 at 9:54 am
Angelina said her mom let her trust herself. I thing many of us are raised not to trust our feeling about things and we become what our families pressure us to be. Angelina was encouraged to stay true to herself. I think we are all made perfect in God’s image. Those that are able to stay closer to what they were born as are prettier and happier than those of us that try to perform things in the world. People are jealous that she is happier and not trying to cover the beauty of who she was born as. Even if it means being true to herself and making movies killing people and than helping refugees not kill each other or feeding them. She is at least being true to herself.
Ligaya
Oct 17, 2008 at 10:14 am
Just so there’s no misunderstanding, all my adjectives were about the tabloid media and h8ters, not directed at you, Hannah.
kim
Oct 17, 2008 at 10:36 am
Sherry , that’s what I figured but sometimes I read things a couple of times and start second guessing myself and what I wrote. I find it very difficult to respond/debate with people with out seeing facial expressions to judge reaction by. This is probably the biggest problem with the Internet in my opinion. Even in a phone call you can get an idea from the tone people use. I’m amazed there are not more heated discussions ending in arguments then there is at this site.
Sherry
Oct 17, 2008 at 10:40 am
Kim - that’s the biggest problem understanding intent online for sure. It doesn’t help that my sense of humor is often very dry and borders on the sarcastic. I should probably make more liberal use of smilies when I’m doing that!
bradfan
Oct 17, 2008 at 2:31 pm
I think people and the media are so down on Brad and Angie because they seem to have everything that people percieve will make them happy.They are both extremely attractive,talented,have gobs of $$$,children,they can travel and buy anything they desire.They are the most beautiful couple ever!They try so hard to do good things in this horrid world.Every one secretly wishes they were “Brad or Angie”. People always seem to want what they don’t have and hate people who do have “it”(what ever IT might be). I don’t think it really bothers either one of them what other people think or say about them,especcially the media.They know in their hearts that they are trying to do the best they can, and don’t give a s**t what people like us think,they probably wouldn’t care if any of us ever went to another of their movies.They have all they will need with their family and the love they have for each other. They have been blessed and people don’t like seeing others happy when they themselves are miserable.
Shirley
Oct 17, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Are you kidding me, Katie, Suri and Tom get slammed all the time in the tabloids and on the internet so does Madonna and other celebs. But everyone here is so enamored with Brangelina that they don’t pay attention to other celebs that much to notice it is just the same. Many of you brought up some good points about why people say mean things about celebs/Brangelina but it’s not always the “they’re jealous” argument, sometimes its just annoyance that the media builds them up to be these super human god like creatures like we should be worshiping them. However, you can’t always blame the media because they give these interviews and make themselves public figures. And when you make you’re self a public figure you open yourself up to public criticism.
Neela
Oct 17, 2008 at 7:05 pm
^^^But that’s why it’s wonderful that Angie can sleep well at night, knowing that the only opinions that matter are her family’s.
When Angie is interviewed she is very open, but I don’t see that is anything bad. When she doesn’t talk, stuff is still made up about her. The woman can’t win. She’ll get criticized either way. They are public figures, so, fair enough, they are open to public criticism. Granted we are only humans and hence, prone to being judgmental and offering up an opinion anytime, we’re also not completely incapable of being nice and exercising some tact and just avoiding being nasty altogether.
Ligaya
Oct 17, 2008 at 8:30 pm
OK, read yesterday’s alerts, starting on today’s. ;-)
Yesterday was all about crazy Angelina (no mention of Brad) adopting again - immediately. A 30-second commercial is interminable to me - you can get a lot said in 30 seconds. Did Matt and Angelina spend more than 30 seconds on adopting - in the whole half hour interview?
Today it’s all about Angelina boasting about stealing Brad on the MMS shoot.
Neela
Oct 17, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Yep, I’m sure people would be all over that statement about MAMS. I’m sure some would forget to mention that Brad admitted to Jen (while they were still married) that he had feelings for Angie and that nothing went on them physically till after the separation. Oh well. Angie will always be viewed as the homewrecker by some. The same record will be playing forever.
margaritam
Oct 18, 2008 at 5:51 am
Angelina admitted they have emational attraction durung MAMS but no physical relation until the seperation. So what is new now? I don’t understand what people expect to hear more? They want to learn every detail of thier relationship. Brad&Jen seperated nearly 4 years ago may be Brad cheated her (I don’t believe this) or may be not. Enough is enough. How many more years will people or media talk about this seperation? Brad&Jen is not only HOllywood couple who divorced.
Actually I don’t like Jen but Brad and Jen have their own lifes now unfourtunately, some people have no lifes.
Kati
Oct 18, 2008 at 6:53 am
I can understand why people are interested in Brangelina. They are a very attractive couple but do the paparazzis and the tabloids have to harass their children too? They are still young and don´t understand all this publicity. It´s no wonder Zee hates the photogs because they´re everywhere the family goes. Mad too. When they grow a little older they sure hate the damn paparazzis so much that they refuse to go out with their parents. I can totally relate to Brad and Angie´s desire to go hiding. They have every right to. After all they´re also parents and know that this publicity isn´t good for their children. They, however, have chosen to be public figures but they also know that their children aren´t.
Phoebe
Oct 18, 2008 at 9:54 am
Shirley does have a point there.
i read somewhere that other celebs like Madonna, Sienna Miller or Julia Roberts would never get such a treatment from the public as Angeina does, but thats certainly NOT true. or did someone paint the word “sl*t” on the villa in France or their house in New Orleans like they did with Sienna? no. other celebs just don´t get that much attention from us as Brangelina do, so it seems that Brangelina are attacked constantly and others aren´t. i have heard horrible things about Madonna and her kids or about Halle Berry, Jessica Alba and their kids on the net as well- of course thats no excuse at all….just saying.
about Angelina saying that Brad and her fell in love during MMS…ok we already knew that. i guess Jen ended it because, well which woman would stay with a man who obviously fell for someon else? they ended it and Brad went to Angie. if Jennifer would have wanted to stay with Brad they would probably have tried tomake it work. all three live their lives happily. period. of course this whole story kinda keeps the interest in Brangelina awake in the media. but it happened and in the end Brangelina are one huge loving family and nothing can change that.
Lara
Oct 18, 2008 at 11:30 am
I’ve read some comments saying that the reason for all the negativity is Angelina talking too much. That she reveals too much about the kids. I must admit that I was stunned at first. Being open and sincere means talking too much? Or what was it that Angelina said about the kids that was so inappropriate? The schedule of the twins? The fact that the four older kids often hear the water running in the bathroom and go there too? Oh, or was it that when she was asked how the kids make themselves at home in a new place she said that Mad has these little army men, Pax has some kind of ropes, Zee has a blanket and Shi little silkies? Maybe she should have answered “I don’t want to comment about that”. Common, that would have been ridiculous. She is a mom, she is proud of her kids and she is not doing anything more than answer some simple questions about them. She’s not asking to give interviews only to talk about her life with Brad and about the kids. And it’s not like she revealed how many times a week she and Brad make love or that she waxes instead of shaving. Please. Remember when Angie was promoting “A mighty heart”? Her lawyers, wanting to protect her, released a document for the press to sign, saying that the questions should only be about the movie and not personal. Oh, the scandal that was then! “Who does she think she is?”, they said. And she was not the one who released the documents…… Now, that she accepts to answer some simple, common sense questions about the kids, she talks too much. What I think is that this “she talks too much” thing is becoming a cliché and an excuse for those who always have smth nasty to say about her. They got tired of bringing up her past (like she was convicted for murder or something, but that’s another discussion), or the fact that she got in the middle of brad and jen’s marriage and they’ve managed to come up with this. Hmm… Maybe she should try body language.
Another thing that was mentioned was the fact that she bought a knife for Mad. Ok, one may get surprised to hear a mother saying that she bought her 7 years old son a knife. But we are not talking about a poor educated mom or about the ordinary kitchen knife. We are talking about Angelina Jolie and about pieces of art. I am saying that we talk about Angelina Jolie, not because she is a super human or anything, but because she knows and she is smart. She knows everything about knives and she is smart enough to have the most open relation with her kids. She had Marcheline to inherit that from. Of course, there will be people that will say that she was also taken by her mother to buy her first knife and she ended up cutting. I will not develop now, but we all know the problems that Angie had while growing up. On the other hand, Mad has a big, united, stable, happy family. A mother and a father who are open-minded enough to know that is better to talk everything with your kid, everything that he wants to know. This is what Angelina said about the knife thing: “We take him to a special shop. We also talk about Samurais and the idea about defending someone as good. We talk about everything,” She also sais that the knifes have soft edges. So, what I want to emphasize here is communication. They talk. I bet that Mad knows more about knives and their culture than any of those adults that are so quick in having an opinion. She is his mother and she wouldn’t have done anything to harm him. And something else that I want to point out is the fact that Angie is not raising the kids by herself. She said “We take him … We talk about everything”. But who gets all the stones? Angelina. The headlines are “Angelina bought Mad a knife” not “Brad and Angelina…”. Don’t get me wrong. I am Brad fan also. I think he is a wonderful man, the best father and an excellent actor. But I remember seeing him out and about with the boys, with Zahara, but never with Shiloh. He takes Zahara for an icecream, he takes her to the park, he goes carting with Mad etc. I don’t judge because this is only what we see from the media and you know my opinion about that. I am only saying that I haven’t seen any headline saying “Brad does not love Shiloh” like in Angie’s case. Why? Just because Angie said, before Brad, that she didn’t want biological kids and because Brad wanted kids so much. So Angelina hated Shiloh just because she did not take her shopping with the other kids, when she was just six months old, but Brad gets unobserved for never having that one on one time with Shi, even though she is now Zee’s age when Brad had one to one time with her. Again, this is just an observation about the press, not judging Brad. They probably have plenty of one to one time at home and it’s not necessary to be in public to prove anything.
So, in addition to my post above, is that mostly Angelina gets all the negativity. Why? The answer is also in the above post.
Ligaya
Oct 18, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Gosh, I was going to post something about Clint doing something very smart and savvy, and I wake up to a hot board. No surprise, the whole internet is hopping.
1. I’m not a fan *and* I’m not a h8ter of X. Sometimes I wonder if it’s not just her fans (or a portion of them) and the tabs who keep the triangle alive so they can project and work out their own psychodramas, and make money from the mags/rags/blogs/tv shows. She’s young, she has her own beauty/sex appeal/talent. She can do a lot with her life. I’d think she has too much pride to get boxed in and labeled the “ex-Mrs. Pitt” for the rest of her life.
2. Niemiec Idiota, others may disagree, but I’ve never seen anybody but Angelina misquoted, words twisted to the opposite meaning, etc., so often and to such an extent. Good for you for taking action.
3. Has *any* celebrity’s house been graffitied with “slut” besides Sienna Miller? She’s been a player, but that’s the norm for most celebrities. She and her paramour Balthazar Getty (married father of 4, one just months old) were photographed nude/semi-nude in their hotel room window canoodling in flagrante; if I remember right, when he was with Sienna he was texting his wife as if he was somewhere else. Big splash in the tabs, Mrs. Getty is a popular fixture in Hollywood and New York society circles, somebody got incensed enough to graffiti Sienna’s place. And BTW, what’s the male equivalent of slut, how come *his* pad didn’t get graffitied? Could it be – sexism?
4. I used to have a list of a dozen or so examples of actresses who got their wrists slapped vs. Angelina getting hammered for being accused a ‘homewrecker.’ BTW, in none of these cases did the tabs run an article like “it would have been Mr. and Mrs. Moder’s 10th anniversary today if Julia Roberts hadn’t come along” – like the 2-3 articles on Brad/X/Angelina I saw this year.
Off the top of my head:
• America’s Sweetheart Julia Roberts, serial lover of her co-stars (like AJ is accused of), cheating on Benjamin Bratt - finally met her soulmate in Danny Moder, taunted Mrs. Moder with message t-shirt worn in public and photographed by paps. Now living happily ever after with mate and children in New Mexico.
• Claire Danes falls for Billy Crudup, who leaves longtime love Mary Louise Parker when she’s 7-8 months pregnant. Claire left Billy for Hugh Dancy and has been quoted saying she’s forgiven herself in l’affaire Crudup.
• Giselle Bundchen hooks up with Tom Brady, who leaves longtime love pregnant Bridget Monaghan.
• Britney hooks up with backup dancer Kevin Federline, who leaves pregnant longtime love Shar and their older kid(s).
• Not totally in the closet Jodie Foster hooks up with someone on set, breaks up with longtime partner, working out child custody.
Hmm, moral seems to be don’t get pregnant and don’t be someone’s longtime love.
Ligaya
Oct 18, 2008 at 12:03 pm
UNDER MOD: all of the above
Ligaya
Oct 18, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Niemic Idota, here’s another example of a report getting it exactly wrong. The first half says how eager Angelina is for the kids to get on the internet – when actually she was *worried* about what Maddox would find there. Sloppy, sloppy reporting – no one bothered to factcheck. http://www.imdb.com/news/ns0000002/#ni0586645
Jolie: ‘I Want To Be A Cool Mum’
18 October 2008 7:14 AM, PDT
Angelina Jolie cannot wait for her children to discover the internet - because they will find out she is a ‘cool’ actress.
The Tomb Raider star and partner Brad Pitt are parents to adopted Maddox, seven, Pax, four, Zahara, three, and biological daughter Shiloh, two, and twins Knox and Vivienne.
And Jolie is excited about her young children learning the extent of her and Pitt’s fame.
She tells the New York Times, “There’s a lot we’re going to have to explain to them about how public their family is.
“What’s going to be funny is when they think Mom and Dad are a little bit cool. Because right now, we’re not cool Mom and Dad.”
“The other day (son) Madd said, ‘Can you do a cartwheel?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I can.’ And he was like, ‘Wow, Mom.’ And I thought: ‘Oh, yeah. I can do some things. You wait. You’ll find out. I’m capable.’”
Ligaya
Oct 18, 2008 at 12:27 pm
And it makes her sound like she’s narcissistic and conceited - “And Jolie is excited about her young children learning the extent of her and Pitt’s fame.”
maybe malevolent reporting as well as sloppy reporting. This is on imdb - lots of viewers, no?
phil
Oct 18, 2008 at 2:39 pm
ok, for all interested I’m a photographer and have covered angelina and brad for some years now. I find them to be great with there kids and am amazed by how they are able to deal with everything around them.
The magazines simply want nice pictures of celebrity children these days its that simple they are not looking for any great expose story they just want to see nice family pictures. People have got it all wrong when they think paparazzi photographers want blood and guts and bad things to make money, simple fact is the magazines do not care about this stuff as they are so worried about being in trouble with lawyers that all they really want is cute pictures of kids with or people wearing good fashion.
People love to attack these celebs but to be honest it sickens most photographers how the public react to this as well, I have personally had to work as part of the security team when brad pitt stopped to buy hot dogs with maddox by times square in nyc, it was disgusting how the public treated them like a piece of meat when they were with the kids. We had to hold back prehaps 400 people and did not even get a chance to take any pictures.
Its sad the way society has become with celebrities more obsessed with there children than anything else now, remember if you did not care all the photographers taking the pictures would be out of a job or be covering whatever the market dictated. As members of the public we are far too quick to pass the blame instead of taking responsiblity for are actions instead be in in politcis or entertainment.
Pardon me for my bad spelling a long day on the job getting those pictures that everyone seems to want.
BlessBrangelina
Oct 18, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Ligaya: Oct 18th @ 12.27pm
That is exactly the impression they want to give! And unfortunately a lot of people will believe it.
Neela
Oct 18, 2008 at 3:17 pm
thanks for you input, phil. :) i appreciate reading your point of view.
Ligaya
Oct 18, 2008 at 3:28 pm
* T * H * A * N * K * * Y * O * U *
* L * A * R * A * !!!
Ligaya
Oct 18, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I ditto Neela, Phil. Not all photographers are paparazzi, and not all paparazzi (although I would say most, from observation and from documentaries with members of paparazzi participating) are the most extreme, worst sort.
That said, I’ve read several articles where paparazzi and tabloid editors have admitted that the worst shots of celebrities are the money shots – that they shout insults to get those money shots.
Our society has gone from “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all – be polite and respectful” to gotcha ‘journalism’-in your face-road rage-anything rage. Tabs/paps’ culture results from our society’s general attitude and also contributes to reinforcing that attitude.
I also agree that there are several participants with varying motivations in this situation; and that while we can make generalizations, one celebrity can differ from another, one pap from another, one fan from another, etc. I’ve made many comments about paps/tabs and celebrities, but I haven’t posted much about the public (includes fans/h8ters). In a way, the public is the most important factor in this celebrity-focused culture. We’re the consumers of everything, we’re the ones who buy the tabloid magazines/newspapers, visit the blogs, watch tv shows. If we’re truly honest about our criticisms of tabloid culture, we would stop buying, posting, watching. Whether it’s human nature or just how we’ve been conditioned, I don’t know that this will happen anytime soon. I hope that it will at least subside a little.
Ligaya
Oct 18, 2008 at 4:08 pm
UNDER MOD: I ditto Neela, Phil. . .
Sarah
Oct 18, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Wow, Sherry. This brought up quite a reaction from the community.
I am curious why many people feel such a need for polarity - labeling people fans or haters. Why can’t people see Angie and Brad as real people - complex with their good points and flaws? Often I feel like this site cannot accept comments about flaws of Angie’