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Peeve

Topic Author: Penny Moss

Posted: 8:47 AM Feb 26, 2008

Replies Posted: 13 comments

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Why I love the Internet *UPDATED WITH A PICTURE

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Peeve

So I didn't stay up for the Oscars Sunday night since I haven't even heard of the vast majority of the movies nominated, let alone seen any of them. But I do enjoy seeing all the glamorous celebrities, so I spent some time Monday morning surfing the red carpet pics online.

What caught my eye was a lovely picture of Nicole Kidman and her husband, Keith Urban. They looked radiant. That's not the issue. The issue is the caption, which said something to the effect of "...Kidman is expecting her first child."

Hmmm. I wonder what Isabella and Connor* think about that.

You know, Nicole's children with Tom Cruise?

The implication here, of course, is that adopted children don't really "count." Now I find that unacceptable. The caption wasn't written by some random person who camped out at the red carpet and posted some pictures on her Myspace page. This was a mainstream news organization's website. A news organization that has a much higher expectation to get things -- ALL things -- right. Certainly mistakes are made, and I've made plenty myself. But this one shouldn't be too hard to get right, with all the news coverage the people involved have received over the years.

The bottom line is, families come together in all kinds of ways. I have a friend who has three siblings. Of the four of them, two are adopted and two are biological. I bet you money their parents (and the kids themselves, all adults now) would have to stop and think which are which. I imagine that's how it is with most families whose genesis is a bit unconventional.

Just as it should be.

Penny

*I didn't know the Cruise/Kidman children's names off the top of my head-- I had to ask my friend Google.

Posted by: Kathy Adopted children do count as well as step children, foster children, and bios. So very clever of you to catch that.That has always been one of my peeves also. I could only venture to guess how Isabella and Conner feel.

Posted by: Edie I think the caption is pretty accurate. She is "expecting" her first child, meaning she is pregnant. Since her other 2 children are adopted, this is her first pregnancy. but it doesn't take anything away from her other 2 children. I think everyone read a little to much in to it.

Posted by: Penny Hi Stacy, I haven't gone anywhere! New entry tonight. I often come up with topics when I don't have time to write, and then when I do have time, I can't remember what the idea was. Thanks for reading!

Posted by: Stacy Penny, WHERE ARE YOU? I always check for your blogs and you haven't blogged about anything in over a week. Sorry some are being kind of harsh on you about the "Cruise,Kidman" children. I agree with you totally. It offended me as well. And I do understand, not everyone will percieve it that way, but I did. Any way your fans miss your blogs! Come back.

Posted by: Debbie Yes, I thin in the rush to be the first to get to press many times accuracy is just not checked. i'm sure everyone remembers "Miners found alive!!!" How awful was that goof?

Posted by: Funny Does anybody else see the irony in statements telling Ms. Moss how news copy is done? Frankly, this isn't the first time it has happened, and it bothers me as well. Esp., since the Kidman/Cruise divorce, the media has placed emphasis on the fact the children are adopted, and they wrote the same kind of captions when Baby Suri was born. I also get on my soap box when a husband or wife remarries, and the media just mention the "children from a previous relationship". Celebrity mags seems to be under the belief only the children from the current relationship matter.

Posted by: Penny Hi Sue, I do appreciate your forgiving nature- most people are not so generous when someone with the news makes a mistake. Please remind me to seek your understanding ear the next time I mess something up! :-) It was MSNBC, by the way. Here's a link-- as I type this it's still written that way. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23326903/displaymode/1107/s/1/framenumber/21/

Posted by: Peeved2 Geesh Sue did you write the caption?? Your very defensive of it, It's not right bottom line. They are her kids.

Posted by: Sue Penny, as you know, behind these news organizations are human beings. You saw the implication but if they don't see the implication, then it won't be changed. Did you let the news organization about this implication (your word would hold alot more weight than most others)? Out of curiosity, which news organization was it? I think it comes down to perspective and interpetation. You had one perspective and interpetation. There are others out there. I see things everyday in the news that I take offense to at least in how it is worded. But unless it is globally offensive, I don't worry about it.

Posted by: Penny Hi Sue... Yes absolutely, I can see how a mistake like that could happen. It probably was just someone rushing to get the story on the web. I get that -- we at WSAZ do it every day. But that doesn't excuse the responsibility they/we also have to get it right. This news site didn't get it right. And they still haven't gotten it right- I just checked, and 12 days after the Oscars, the caption still says that. I never said the person thinks adopted children don't count. What I said was the way the copy is written, it certainly implies that. An editor or someone along the line had the responsibility to catch that. But almost two weeks later, the implication remains.

Posted by: Sue I think it was a mischoice of words. They probably meant Nicole and Keith's first child together. And mainstream news organizations still get in a hurry to get things out before the competitor's do and make a misjudgement in words. I think it is a huge leap to assume that they don't think adopted children don't count. And before anyone jumps on me: I have a little sister and she happens to be adopted.

Posted by: p.o'd {step?}momma penny i have an 11 yo son who belongs to my husband from a prior marriage--BUT when things go wrong ot is me who picks up the parts and glues them together. Where is his mother you ask- i ask the same thing myselfand the answer is -she is to busy running the bars to be bothered with her own child. I LOVE HIM JUST AS IF HE WERE MY OWN CHILD AND I TERAT HIM NO BETTER OR WORSE THAN THE TWO CHILDREN I GAVE BIRTH TO.I do not understand women who have kids and then just decide they want to do something else and dont have time for there kidsIs a bar really more important than your own child?!Call me old fashioned but i feel once you have a child that child comes first NO MATTER WHAT!!!celebrities who have kids as fashion statements are just as bad come on people think about what life this child will endure.and to me there is no such thing as a STEP child there your child or there not and just because he didnt come from my womb- so what i love hiim just the same

Posted by: Peeved2 You are absolutely right Penny. Family is family no matter, what. I am sure Nicole loves those kids as much as she will love the one she's expecting. All children are gifts. I am sure the person who wrote that was not a parent. As obviously you are. Way to go, Mommy