Joan Rivers was on some talk show on British television giving an interview when Angelina Jolie's name came up.
"Well, I've worked with stupid actresses - I've worked with Angelina Jolie - she saw a sign that said 'WET FLOOR' one time, and she did! I mean she's attractive, but not a bright girl. Stunningly beautiful but stupid…she would have asked Stevie Wonder, 'What's your favourite colour?'"
As it has been reported, the Jolie-Pitt twins have fetched around $14 million for their first introduction to the world. Hard to believe that in little Vivienne and Knox’s three weeks of life, they made more money than most people will ever see in their lifetimes, let alone earn for honest work.
People Magazine was the winning bidder in securing the exclusive photos of the newest additions to the Jolie-Pitt clan, an honor they split with Hello! Magazine. The twins were born July 12th in Nice, France and even before they were born, there was huge speculation about how much the first shots would bring in. The Jolie-Pitt family has been down this road before. In 2005 after the birth of their first biological child, Shiloh, the photos brought in a cool $4 million - all which was said to have gone entirely to charity. The twins’ $14 million dollar price tag is also said to be going straight to charity and while the contribution to charity may seem to make the deal a little sweeter and make the couple seem less greedy, the real issue remains: Celebrities are selling their own children’s photos for profit.
Such actions seems to inflate the already dangerous situation of the paparazzi’s countless attempts to get the “ultimate” shot, no matter what it takes. Pitt and Jolie’s own close pal, George Clooney, is a huge proponent of regulating and prosecuting the invasive snappers, who reportedly continue to hunt and hound celebrities for the all exclusive money shot. Wouldn't’it seem that setting such precedence for a simple photograph is only aggravating the situation and creating an even more dangerous situation for celebrities?
Surely, little Knox, Vivienne, Shiloh, Maddox, Pax and Zahara, are continually surrounded by colossal bodyguards and a strong security team, but the reality is that money-hungry cameramen have been known to stop at nothing to get photos. Case in point - just a few weeks ago, two photographers were held by police when they were found trespassing illegally on the Jolie-Pitt compound in France, dressed in camouflage. One of the men, who made it onto the property, has been known to have a criminal record and when confronted, the photographers had no problem tussling with the security staff.
Other celebrities have also jumped on the money train, securing seven-figure deals for the first shot of the newest little family member and their supposed "intimate moments." Celebs like Jennifer Lopez ($6M), Matthew McConaughey ($3M), and Nicole Richie ($1M) have all presented their newborns to the world for cash – large amounts of cash. The celebs that bring in the biggest checks seem to also be the celebs that need the money the least, so why even put such a price tag on a defenseless kid’s head?
When it comes to celebrity vacation homes there is no shortage of million dollar homes located all over the world that literally take your breath away. Considering that these are only their second homes, it makes you wonder what their actual home looks like! From jaw dropping beach bungalows to glamorous country cottages, we present to you the top 7 celebrity vacation villas.
7. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones $8 million dollar home in Mallorca, Spain – This celebrity retreat is a classic celebrity sighting that is rich in history and exclusive in price and elegance and is just one of the homes that they own and vacation in. As one of the most luxurious, this multi-million dollar pad is just another day in the life of the Douglas’s.
6. Jerry Seinfeld’s $32 million dollar home in East Hampton – This 12 acre beachside estate was purchased from none other than Billy Joel and is considered one of the most lavish on the island. With a baseball diamond that would rival any major league baseball park, there is plenty of room for Jerry, Jessica and the kids to roam around and meet up with other celebrities.
5. Oprah Winfrey’s $50 million dollar Montecito vacation home – Away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, Oprah retires to her 42-acre ocean front ranch home when she leaves the city of Chicago. Aptly named “Tara II” Oprah's home is the epitome of cozy, comfortable and homey and one of the places she says she feels most comfortable.
4. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Vacation Homes – You can take your pick on top vacation homes for this nomadic couple. With homes in France, England, New Orleans, and Africa, any number of their homes will have you saying “wow” in many different languages.
3. Halle Berry’s Beach Bungalow in Malibu, CA – Tired of the Hollywood Hills lifestyle, Halle Berry needed somewhere to get away without actually getting away. This 5,000 square foot $8 million dollar refurbished bungalow is just big enough to give her new beau and baby plenty of space to call home, if only for the weekend.
2. Tom Cruise’s $10 million dollar ski chalet in Telluride, Colorado – Featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, this amazing home has been occupied by Tom Cruise for over 15 years. This majestic mountain retreat has over 10,000 square feet and is on an infinite number of acres. Incredible both inside and out, this home is truly one of the great celebrity homes of the world.
1. George Clooney’s 18th century villa in Lake Como, Italy - George affectionately calls his vacation home Oleandra. This humongous home has ornately decorated ceilings, 15 bedrooms, and bathrooms that are bigger than most apartments. It is where George loves to go when he wants to escape the reality of the movie world.
With the recent influx of babies being born to A-List celebrities, it is no wonder that the subject of selling photos of their newborns is a hot topic. Brad and Angie, Jamie Lynn Spears, Jessica Alba – the list goes on and on. All of them are clamoring to get their newborn on the cover of whichever magazine is willing to pay the highest price. Is it wrong to do this, or have we now come to expect it?
Actually, most people agree that it is a little of both. The problem is we are so celebrity obsessed that it isn’t enough that we want to know everything about their personal lives; now we want to include their children as well. From the minute the baby is born we want to know the name, the weight, the time of birth and of course, we can’t wait to see what the little one looks like.
Celebrities sell their first baby photos for many reasons. Some actually need the money, and with a six figure price the money is quite good. The celebrities that don’t need the money (i.e. The Pitts) decide to do it to raise money for charity which is a noble thing to do in the eyes of some people. However, most celebrities agree that the reason they do it is because the Paparazzi simply won’t leave them alone until they do.
Paparazzi stalk the hospital to see which door they come out of. They stand outside their homes 24 hours a day until they spot the first sighting. Most of all, they hound them and give them absolutely no time to enjoy their new bundle of joy. They figure, and rightfully so, that it is simply easier to put their baby on a popular magazine cover so that they can get it over and done with.
Unfortunately the paparazzi have gotten so out of hand that they may feel that it is dangerous for them and for the babies. There is no shortage of paparazzi that are willing to speed down roads, corner their cars, and basically run over these celebrities in order to get the photos. Most celebrities agree that they would just rather give them and the public what they want in order to avoid the madness that would surround them.
This brings us back to the burning question of whether or not it is wrong. That really depends on how you see it. The fact that some of these magazines are the highest selling magazines in the world makes it obvious that most people don’t think that it is morally or ethically wrong. If you are in the minority then the best way to fight this practice is not to buy the magazine. But until then, I suspect we will be seeing a lot more of these beautiful offspring in the years to come.
