AOL NEWS
Mike Huckabee slammed actress Natalie Portman on a radio show for glamorizing out-of-wedlock pregnancy at the Academy Awards and sending an irresponsible message to women.
The former Arkansas governor and possible presidential hopeful said on "The Michael Medved Show" this week that most unwed mothers aren't able to support their children on a Hollywood actress' salary.
"You know, Michael, one of the things that's troubling is that people see a Natalie Portman or some other Hollywood starlet who boasts of, 'Hey look, you know, we're having children, we're not married, but we're having these children, and they're doing just fine,'" Huckabee said. "But there aren't really a lot of single moms out there who are making millions of dollars every year for being in a movie."
A record 41 percent of American children were born to single mothers in 2008, according to a study by the Pew Research Center.
During Sunday's Academy Awards, a pregnant Portman, who won Best Actress for her role in the film "Black Swan," thanked her fiance Benjamin Millepied. Portman said Millepied "choreographed the film and has now given me my most important role of my life."
But Huckabee said marriage should have come first and admonished the actress for glamorizing single motherhood. "Most single moms are very poor, uneducated, can't get a job, and if it weren't for government assistance, their kids would be starving to death and never have health care. And that's the story that we're not seeing, and it's unfortunate that we glorify and glamorize the idea of out-of-children wedlock," he said on the radio show the day after the Oscars.
The same day, Huckabee drew criticism for feeding into birther conspiracy theories by saying on another radio show that President Barack Obama has a different view of the West, "having grown up in Kenya." The president was born and raised in the United States.
Natalie Portman's publicist did not immediately respond to a request for comment today from AOL News. Huckabee issued a statement today clarifying his remarks and insisting that he did not "slam" or "attack" the actress:
"Natalie is an extraordinary actor, very deserving of her recent Oscar and I am glad she will marry her baby's father," Huckabee wrote in a statement sent to The Washington Post today. "However, contrary to what the Hollywood media reported, I did not "slam" or "attack" Natalie Portman, nor did I criticize the hardworking single mothers in our country. My comments were about the statistical reality that most single moms are very poor, under-educated, can't get a job, and if it weren't for government assistance, their kids would be starving to death. That's the story that we're not seeing, and it's unfortunate that society often glorifies and glamorizes the idea of having children out of wedlock."
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I like Mike Huckabee,but I think he made a big deal about Natalie's speech. Yeah, I wish people would get married and then have a child, but it just doesn't work out that way. And if I would've heard the speech I wouldn't think how she said it would've been a big deal.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is severely disrespectful to publicly rip on someone who talks about what makes them happy in life. It angers me even more when the topic turns to the writers beliefs. It is up to us as human beings to make the decision to have kids before being properly wed. It should stay that way. Everyone has their own beliefs and opinions. If you can't respect that, than you are pretty pathetic.
ReplyDeletePeople always dramatize little things, but when you are speaking you should think how you are being taken. Getting pregnant before marriage is really stupid to promote. Children are miracles, but not something to be saying you should do before you are ready and married. I do not think it was Mike Huckabee's place to put her down, though. No one needs to be put down, especially on public television. That is how people get low self esteems, and she probably meant it more in her speech that she would not have changed her ways, because that would mean giving up her child.
ReplyDeleteI agree with kayla people do put way too much darma into things like this! yeah like Kaley said I wish people would be married first but we are we to judge them for living their life how they want to? If they didn't want to get married thats there decision and I dont think that he should be able to critisize her on how shes living her life! Natalie has been in a lot of movies anyways and I'm sure she has more roles to come after her award so her salary might not be an issue and I'm sure the father of her baby has a job and will pay to support the child anyways so I personally don't think money will be an issue for her family! so I think that Mike should think before he speaks cause its all about choices and only she and her family can make choices for whats best for them!I agree with tyler too if you cant respect peoples decisions then just but out of theirs life and live your own!
ReplyDeleteI think What Huckabee did was uncallded for. He should not be pointing out Natalie for being pregnant out of wedlock just because she is an actress or celebrity. You don't see him pointing out fingers and the average Joe. I understand Famous people are role models. He is also famous therefore he should not be judging because its not his place. I just think it was a poor choice on his part
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Mr. Huckabee said about Natalie Portman, but I do not think he should have singled her out like he did. I do believe that couples should get married before having children not only because it is God's law, but also because statistics show increasing numbers of children born to single mothers, which I think could be decreased if couples would get married first. I also think that Mr. Huckabee was right to think that Natalie Portman shouldn't be glorifying her pregnancy because it makes the less fortunate think they can do it too. However, I do not think that Huckabee should have criticized only Portman. He should have criticized all of them in general if anything.
ReplyDeleteJust because she isn't married doesn't mean anything. At least there is a man in her life who could help take care of the child if she needed. Nobody said you had to be married before you have a kid. Huckabee has no right to criticize her for this. People can choose to have children whenever they want. Natalie is famous and obviously rich, if people don't have the money to take care of the child, they shouldn't be having one in the first place. I don't think "glorifying" her pregnancy will make anybody want to become a single mother.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the last three I think that he should not have singled Natalie out. They are our role modles but that does not give them permision to judge each other but it happens every day about one seleberty or another. Mike is a good guy but he should not be such a critic. There are many people that are not married and have kids. Many don't even have the father to help the women to help them but Natalie has her father of her child to support her and they are getting married. I think that the father should have to be there for the children and should have to help the mother.
ReplyDeleteI agree that public figures have huge impact on people, especially their fans. Even though some people have strong mind, it could still influence people's opinions by and by. Like when I was younger, I could hear people talking about they would never have sex before marriage, but as we grown up, we've seen so many movies, novels, commercials... that tells people it's actually not a big deal. Most of them have changed their attitude, they don't think sex before marriage is a big deal anymore. The words you hear, you see, you might not care, but they still have influences in deep of your memories and knowledge. It's necessary to set good examples for people in public, especially for kids. I think it's right for Huckabee to point out, or people would just regard it as normal. At least, Huckabee disagrees with her, there must be some others disagree with her too, which lets people think instead of following it without thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI think that thing were blown out of porportion on this. I think if he had something to say to her about it he could have said it after not infront of the world and started a debate. People are people some are going to want thing different in life than others. This just so happens to be one of things nobody agrees on. I think that people should wait until marriage to have a child, but many people feel differently on this. I am fine with people having children as long as they arent aborting them
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