It’s a fickle mistress, the job of stage mother, especially when your famous daughter gives you the boot. This is apparently the case of former child actor turned full-fledged movie star Scarlett Johansson and her mother Melanie Sloan who had managed Scarlett’s career since she was 9 years old, debuting in Rob Reiner’s “North.” As Manager, Melanie took 10 percent of all Scarlett’s earnings, according to a contract reviewed by The Post. Personal note – most managers take 15.
When Johansson wed Ryan Reynolds (also a former child actor) in 2009, she decided to “cut the cord” with her momager and in November 2009 enlisted the assistance of Hollywood agent Rick Yorn, who also represents Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz.
Sloan attempted to manage other clients besides her daughter Scarlett but, according to her lawyers, the dismissal left her without a major source of income.
All of this came out when Sloan signed a contract to purchase a $1.4 million two-bedroom place in Midtown Manhattan in October 2011 and then two months later demanded the return of her $130,000 deposit. Why? She is cash-poor and can’t obtain a mortgage, according to court papers.
Momager Melanie originally told the sellers she still had money coming in from Scarlett’s ad campaigns with Moët Champagne, Dolce & Gabbana and from the “Iron Man” movies.
On Nov. 14, Sloan’s accountant wrote that the loss of her daughter as a client was a damaging blow to her earning potential, according to the sellers’ lawyers.
On Nov. 25, Hudson City Savings Bank denied Sloan a mortgage, according to court papers.
Sloan is suing for her deposit, plus attorney fees.
Accrding to The Post, in a Nov. 9, 2011 e-mail to Scarlett’s agent, Sloan inquires about upcoming payments from her daughter’s work.
“Do you know if there are any further Moët or D&G payments next year? Scarlett said there was something due,” she emailed agent Troy Bailey.
“The only payment [Scarlett] has due in 2012 is $250,000 from Moët,” Bailey responded.
Sloan will earn $25,000 from that campaign.
In an update: Page Six reports that Scarlett’s replacement of her mom as manager hasn’t negatively affected the mother-daughter bond. According to a representative of the actress, ”Scarlett and Melanie are as close as they have ever been. They are incredibly proud of the solid and productive professional partnership they had through the many years they worked together. Their personal relationship is solid and loving.”
Rolling Stone Magazine recently chose Justin Bieber’s Momager Pattie Millette as one of the “Greatest Hollywood Moms in show business. Hollywood Mom Blog agrees with that choice but some of Rolling Stone’s other choices are questionable. To us the list reads more like “Most Infamous Parents in Show Biz.” We’ll let you be the judge.
In a separate interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun gives insight as to how Mom and Dad Beiber are handling Justin’s phenomenal success:
“They both handle it differently. I think they both love their son. His dad is in Canada and his mom is with us [most of the time]. I think his dad misses him a lot because he doesn’t get to see Justin as much.
“I think his mother — she and I ave talked about this — at times, she struggles with how protective we have to be of him. With people saying anything they want about her son and making up rumors about all of us and our relationship with each other, it’s frustrating at times because we know what it is. We ignore all that stuff. But I also think, and she’s said this in interviews, that she feels safer with him living this life because it’s structured and we know where he is all the time. She feels that if they were still in Stratford, Ontario, he’d be getting himself into a lot of trouble.”
When asked whether Justin was aware of the temporary nature of being a pop star, Braun replied:
“Justin doesn’t study the people who made it. He studies the people who haven’t. He hears all the naysayers about how he’s going to disappear so he likes to look up people who used to be the so-called Justin Biebers before him and didn’t go anywhere. He wants to see why they didn’t go anywhere. The general feeling we get is that it had nothing to do with their talent and everything to do with their personal life. Like the kids fall into drugs and destroy their own trajectory. I think by watching that, he’s very conscious of it. He’s a smart kid. He knows the talent he has. He realizes that if he grows up to be a good man, he’s going to be able to handle the pressures that come with a position like this.”
To read the entire article with Scooter Braun, in The Hollywood Reporter click here.
For Rolling Stone Magazine’s entire list of Best Hollywood Moms in the Biz – click here!
If you’re watching American Idol this season then you no doubt tuned in for the emotional train wreck event known as “Groups,” when the individual contestants are forced to partner up with the competition and make beautiful, harmonious music together. One of those singing groups,“The Minors,” is a quintet made up of 15- and 16-year-olds whose mothers, as required by law, are on set with them day and night. The group includes: Keonna Evans, 16; Jalen Harris, 15; Sarina-Joi Crowe 15; Felix Ramsey, 15; and Deandre Brackensick, 16. I found it refreshing to watch the moms of the minors work together harmoniously as they “directed” their cooperative and talented children through a Glee-like rendition of Queen’s “Somebody to Love.”
The Stage Mamas
However not everyone got the warm fuzzys watching the stage moms in action and jealously reared it’s ugly head amongst some of the “over 18″ contestants, most notably a competing group who was set to perform the same Queen song as The Minors. The lead singer of the second group seemed particularly peeved and charged that the stage moms coaching was an unfair advantage. But seriously, although it may have been unfair, the whining over it was much more obnoxious than the offense itself.
The best part of the night was watching the mamas jump up and down enthusiastically as their teen songbirds blew the judges away with a near-perfect performance. Judge Jennifer Lopez even went so far as to say, “They just gave the performance of their life right there!”
How the stage moms relate to each other as the competition gets more fierce may be the true “show” to watch this season.
According to the website Fans of being a Mom, Justin Bieber’s mother/ momager Pattie Mallette is doing a wonderful job not only raising her son, but raising a Super Star. Here’s an excerpt of the post:
As Justin’s fame rises, do your responsibilities as a mom change at all? Mallette: The responsibilities change somewhat, and I have to adapt as a mom. For instance, I can’t ground him if he misbehaves. I have to be creative – taking away privileges like computers and phones. My bottom line responsibilities are to keep him safe and grounded. That means I need to discipline him when he needs it – in whatever way works.
How does it feel as a mom to see your son achieve so much success and accomplish his dreams? Mallette: I am so proud, and so happy for him. As a mom, it’s amazing and emotional to watch your child achieve his dreams and such a high level of success. Anyone would be thrilled to be in his position. I burst with joy for him. Of course, there are concerns; but for him, I am thrilled.
As we begin a new year, what is something you wish for Justin? Mallette: For 2011, I want Justin to continue to follow his dreams, to continue to shoot for the moon. I don’t want him to think that anything is unachievable.
Each mom is kind of programmed to worry about her kids. What are your biggest concerns for Justin? Mallette: Because he has so many people catering to him, my biggest concern is keeping him grounded. I remind him constantly that he is no better than anyone else. My worry is that he might mistake all the manufactured things around him for reality.
Author Terry McMillan (How Stella Got Her Grove Back) has ruffled some Twitter feathers with a tweet rant criticizing the parenting skills of Hollywood parents, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, even declaring they were “pimping” their children Willow and Jaden.
Terry McMillan’s tweets:
“The Smith children already act like child stars. There’s an arrogance in their demeanor and behavior. I find it incredibly sad. It feels like the Smith children are being pimped and exploited. Or, they’re already hungry for fame. What about 4th grade?
A lot of A-list movie stars shield their children from the Hollywood-world until they were old enough to decide. Look at those who didn’t.
Look at Lindsay. Phoenix. To name but a few. They miss out on childhood. It’s more important than fame.
Willow Smith Spread in February's Vanity Fair
Okay. I’ve said enough about the Smith children. I’m not debating about them. It’s just my opinion. People can justify anything, though.
In 4th grade my son came home complaining that the kids in his school said I was famous and rich. I told him that was not true.
That some of my books were popular but not everybody liked them. That we could afford a vacation. “Oh” he said, and went back & repeated it.
I wanted him to think of me as his mother. He didn’t read any of my novels until he was 15. He only read 26 pages. Was bored.
Have a wonderful Wednesday everybody. I raised my son. I’m not wasting another minute worrying about how Will & Jada are raising their kids.
P.S. I loved the Karate Kid. I am not getting started on the lack of diversity in film this afternoon. The Smith children was enough discourse for one day.”
There was a huge backlash in response to this so an apology was soon tweeted.
“I apologize for using the word pimp and exploit in referring to the Smith children. It was insensitive of me and wrong.
Twitter is not the best forum to express some things. I didn’t know folks would take my opinion so personally.”
What do you think? Is McMillan right? And whether she is or not, did she use her “outside” voice in the wrong forum?
Well, it was fun while it lasted! Miley Cyrus, the star of the huge television commercial success “Hannah Montana,” is now officially an adult, turning 18 years old today, November 23, 2010. For better or worse, I can’t recall another television child actor in the last decade who has penetrated pop culture and the public consciousness more so than Miley Cyrus.
On Sunday at the American Music Awards, seemingly unhindered by her parents recent separation, Miley told Access Hollywood when asked about her birthday plans,“I’m going out dancing later — we rented out a space so all my friends can come. Me and my mom actually have choreography for the night later — everyone loves when we dance in unison.”
She went on to say that she and Momager Tish Cyrus are known for playing Xbox 360’s dance video game, Kinect. “My mom, she beats me at that game!” Miley said. “She had 600,000 points yesterday, I had 300,000. She is such a good dancer — she really gets it.”
Miley: “There’s one [move] where you do like, the fist pump. You ‘Jersey Shore’ it for a second! We got a bunch of moves going on. Everyone goes wild when me and my mom have choreography, so it’s going to be good.
In addition to Miley’s Momager Dance Routine, the now 18 year old says that the entire month of November is a birthday celebration for her. “I have a birthday month,” Miley tells Access Hollywood. “I do the whole month of November. Thanksgiving, cake – [it’s] all about me on Thanksgiving!”
Guests at her birthday celebration after the AMA’s on Sunday were Demi Moore, Rumer Willis, John Mayer, Kelly Osbourne, Kyle Massey and Ke$ha.
Here’s a look back at Miley’s transformation through the years:
According to People.com, on most of her nights off, Demi invites her band, dancers and her parents to dinner. On the night in question, she broke off with a very small group after the meal. The following day, tour managers and Lovato’s stepfather, Eddie De La Garza, questioned the group’s “conduct,” as there were reports that the group had been partying.
Tour management got wind of this and talked with all the people involved, including Demi. Subsequently Demi was under the impression that someone on tour had told on her and believed that person to be a young, female dancer, now identified as Alex Welch aka BGirl Shorty (pictured below). Lovato then confronted the young dancer while the group was onboard a plane later that same day. Allegedly an altercation ensued which was one-sided, became physical and was brief. It is rumored that Lovato punched Welch in the eye.
As a result of her behavior Demi Lovato chose to take steps to get necessary help by entering rehab.
Contrary to several reports in the media, Actress Ashley Greene (Twilight), who is dating Lovato’s ex-boyfriend Joe Jonas, played no role in this incident nor did the Joe or any of the Jonas Brothers.
In other news, Bang Showbiz is reporting that Demi Lovato’s family members are upset by Demi’s estranged father Patrick’s comments about her checking into rehab. He allegedly stated that the pressures of being a child star “was one of the things I worried about when she signed with Disney.” In an interview with the Los Angeles Times Patrick Lovato was quoted as saying: “I kept those emotions to myself because Dianna was so excited, I didn’t want to burst anyone’s bubble. But always in the back of my mind, I was concerned. Because at that young age, it’s really hard. She worked 300 out of 365 days touring, and then of course when you get back into town, you’ve got all the promotional stuff. I’m sure she sees the things she missed out on, schoolmates and things.”
Welch is a member of the dance troupe Beat Freaks, which were the runners-up on season 3 of America's Best Dance Crew. She's currently on the Jonas Brothers tour.
Demi, 18, revealed in a prior interview that she hadn’t spoken to her birth father Patrick for two years, stating “When somebody lets you down after you’ve been the only one there for them. I had to cut off all connection. It was hurting me too much.” Patrick has since claimed he was misquoted about his daughter and would neither blame Disney or Dianna for Demi’s situation. Patrick and Demi’s mother Dianna divorced in 1994 and Demi’s immediate family insists Patrick Lovato knows nothing about Demi and he has allegedly been warned by her representatives to stop talking.
Demi’s uncle Francisco Lovato, presumably the brother of Patrick, spoke to TooFab.com reporting that he saw signs of exhaustion in his niece when he met up with her at a concert last summer.
“I personally think it has a lot to do with pushing these kids. I saw Demi in August, I went to one of her concerts with The Jonas Brothers outside of Sacramento, and she totally rocked it out, and did a great show, there was great energy. She was in good spirits it seemed, but [sic] the one thing I said to her was ‘Demi, you’re working hard, and I know people love your talent, and you’re busting it out,’ but then she turned around and looked at me with a major look of seriousness, and she said to me, ‘Look, I work really hard.’”
Lovato’s Attorney Jamie Young has told the New York Post newspaper: “No one speaks for Demi except for her designated representatives.
Disney wishes Demi Lovato well via a public statement which reads: “We support Demi’s decision to put her health first and we send her our best wishes.”
Miley Cyrus admitted to media outlet X17 Online that she is saddened over her parents impending divorce and it’s rumored that her parents are “already bickering over how to handle their most valuable asset” which happens to be 17-year-old Miley who they co-manage. An insider also stated, “This whole situation has hurt Miley’s relationship with her mother – she’s definitely going to side with her father.”
The Cyrus split is rumored to have been initiated by Tish’s extramarital affair with 47-year-old reality rocker Bret Michaels. Michaels and Miley released a duet “Nothing to Lose,” which is when according to Us Magazine, Tish and the rocker “soon began carrying on an on-the-sly romance”.
Michaels’ representatives state “There has never been an affair or a fling.”
World famous Popager of Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, has filed for divorce from Miley’s Momager Tish Cyrus in the state of Tennessee citing the infamous irreconcilable differences. Insiders say there was not a third party involved and this decision has been a long time in the making.
Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus have issued the statement:
“As you can imagine, this is a very difficult time for our family. We are trying to work through some personal matters. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers.”
Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus have been married 17 years and both had been married previously. Billy has one child from a previous relationship, Tish has two kids, Trace and Brandi, from a previous marriage whom Billy Ray adopted as his own. Together they are the parents Miley Ray, 17; Braison, 16; and Noah, 10. Billy Ray is seeking joint custody.
Billy Ray split with first wife, Cindy Smith, in 1991 and married Tish (Leticia) Finley in 1992.
Between them they have 5 kids: 3 of them together including Miley Cyrus.
According to Perez Hilton, professionals at the Betty Ford Center are reportedly advising patient Lindsay Lohan to cut her mother, Dina Lohan, out of her professional life, so that they can try to establish a more normal parent/child relationship. A number of former child stars retain their parents as managers long after the age of 18 and as we reported earlier this year, usually to less than desirable results.
A inside source explains:
“Dina needs to no longer act as her manager, or work for her daughter in any capacity. Lindsay needs Dina to simply be her mother. Lindsay’s treatment team at Betty Ford has emphasized this to Lindsay, very, very strongly. Lindsay feels the financial burden of taking care of her entire family. It’s enormous pressure for any person in their twenties, let alone someone that is battling with addiction. Lindsay and Dina don’t have a normal mother-and-daughter dynamic because of the length of time that Dina has worked for Lindsay. She isn’t strong enough to tell Dina that she doesn’t want her to work for her anymore. It’s partly because it has been the norm for so long and Lindsay doesn’t know what her career would look like without her mom’s involvement. Lindsay wants to get back to work, with the view, the sooner the better. However, her treatment team is asking that she commit to at least another 45 days of treatment. Lindsay has done several 30 day rehab stints and almost every time, she has relapsed. We really believe that the longer she stays at Betty Ford, the better for her odds of success.”
Blake Lively, a 23-year-old actress best known as Upper East Side princess Serena Van Der Woodsen on the television hit Gossip Girl, is grateful to her Mother Elaine Lively but not for the typical reasons you might think.According to the British edition of OK Magazine, while Blake’smommy is indeed a Hollywood manager, she has never asked to manage her own daughter’s career or attempted to use her child for personal or monetary gain. Unlike many other Hollywood Moms and Dads, Elaine has successfully avoided what we all know as the Momager Trap.
Blake expresses her gratitude that mom has kept business and family separate. Elaine “stayed out [of my career]. All my siblings were in this business [sic] but she was like, ‘No, I don’t think business and family mix.’” Blake’s big break came in her junior year of highschool when she won a role in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.”
“I think that’s so remarkable because so many mothers just love to get in and be a part of it and the financial benefits. They take a commission of your money, and I think you should be able to give them what you want rather than be obliged to pay your mother. It just seems really strange, like rent.”
Blake’s father Ernie Lively (Criminal Minds) and siblings (Eric Lively, Lori Lively, Jason Lively and Robyn Lively) are all actors. Blake’s parents encouraged all their children to follow in their footsteps, but Lively declined for many years until she was “forced” to go to her first audition in her late teens.
“Because my family was in the business, acting was the last thing I wanted to go into. I worked my whole life to get into university, then went to an audition in my junior year because my brother made me. And once I did it I realized I loved acting.”
I’ve known Challen Catesfor almost two decades now but until our interview last week the most I could tell you about her is that she is from Virginia, is a talented actress and as you can see in these amazing accompanying photographs taken by Jennings Paige – She Never Ages. Just like the character Mrs. Knight she plays on Nickelodeon’s break out hit “Big Time Rush,” I’ve learned there is much more to Challen than meets the eye. Television Star? Yes. But she also proudly plays the real roles of wife, mother and advocate for the prevention of childhood sexual abuse. Oh, and she’s really funny too.
HMB: Looking at your body of work, I’d said your acting background is varied, some prime time TV guest spots, independent film roles, even producing. What attracted you to the role of Mrs. Knight?
CC: I was actually watching a competing show and I said to my husband, ” I’d like to play the mom on a show like this,” et voila that’s exactly what happened. Be careful what you wish for, right?! I love comedy and I really love working on a broad comedy. Mrs. Knight is such a cool and trusting mom and she’s a single mom. I have an incredible amount of respect for single mothers so it is an honor to play one.
HMB: Did you have any hesitations about becoming a series regular or was it more like a dream come true?
CC: This really is a perfect job for me at this point in my life. It’s great that I am working on a show that shoots 15 minutes from my house and a show that my kids like to watch! However, I am an actor and as much as I love playing Mrs. Knight there are also other roles that I want to experience. I love playing against type. Anything that involves totally losing myself in a character that is a departure from me.
HMB: What process did you go through to get the role on “Big Time Rush?”
CC: Besides the obvious sexual favors? Just kidding. Oddly enough, it happened through normal channels. I didn’t know anyone involved with the project. No nepotism. I just auditioned and got the part. As an actor, you go on so many auditions. Sometimes you walk out of the room feeling great and sometimes not so great. This time is just felt right. I was completely at ease with the character, even though we have different backgrounds and lifestyles. I think Mrs Knight and I approach life in much the same way–with a healthy sense of humor to get you through the day.
Challen Cates with Husband Aaron MacPherson, son Colton and daughter Jasper. Photo by by Jennings Paige
HMB: Every actress has to ask herself when the right time is to go from ingenue to more mature roles. Is this the first time you’ve played a mom?
CC: Ha! Moving from ingenue to mature roles wasn’t something that I decided, it was sort of decided for me. But really, aren’t mature role more interesting and multi-faceted!
I’ve been playing a mom for a long time. I’m just better at it now because I have real experience to draw from. And honestly, I think that having children has made me a better person and a much better actor.
HMB: When the show debuted, it was a huge ratings score for Nickelodeon garnering more than 6 million viewers, making it the top premiere in Nick’s history. How rewarding was that for you and the other cast members? Did it put any unexpected pressure on you to continue that kind of ratings success?
CC: We are all very excited that the show came out of the gate with such a bang. The ratings continue to perform incredibly well and we are all very proud of the show. And of course there is pressure to keep the fans in our new season. The creator of the show is Scott Fellows and I think he is sort of the John Hughes of television. He just speaks kid. I guess it helps that he is a father of 4. He really understands kids, their language, their humor. As long as he can continue to tap into that wavelength I think the show will continue to be a success.
CC: Um well it is probably that Kendall is so cute and funny it’s hard not to break down and laugh in the middle of a scene. And that Ciara is so darn cute I just want to scoop her up and squeeze her! She is also so sweet and innocent that I feel a natural maternal instinct to protect her. My own kids are only 2 and 5 so I am learning a lot about teenagers!
HMB: Your character is hilarious. I read a description online that Katie (Ciaro Bravo) is “always shown to have more tricks up her sleeve than her mother, who is portrayed as being very naive with regard to Hollywood machinations.” What’s your take on your character? Do you think she’s really that naive?
CC: Scott and I discussed this and we agreed that Katie gets her antics from her mother but Mrs. Knight just can’t see that. I mean seriously, this is the mother who attacked another mother at an audition, dressed up in a chef’s uniform to get an autograph for her daughter, knocked the maintenance man out with a frying pan, and pretended to be a hotel manager so that her kids could stay in Los Angeles. I love it and I can’t wait to do more shenanigans. Mrs. Knight does come from a more innocent place and perhaps she wants to hang on to some of that naivety because she wants her kids to be happy, and like every mother, hopes that they won’t grow up too fast.
HMB: Admittedly, this is me being an armchair writer/director but I would love to see Mrs. Knight have a larger role and more of a good cop/bad cop relationship with Gustavo Rocque (Stephen Kramer Glickman) who plays the boys manager, sort of reminiscent of the relationship Mrs. Partridge (Shirley Jones) had with Reuben Kincaid (Dave Madden) in “The Partridge Family.” It would be a kick to see more of Katie and Gustavo play off each other too. Any chance of this happening?
CC: Will you please call the show and pitch your ideas?! It would be great to go toe to toe with Gustavo. I don’t think he has a clue how fierce a mother can be when protecting her cubs. Right?! Katie is great with him and of course it’s hilarious because she is such a little peanut. I think that in the future there will definitely be more interaction between family and business. Watch out Mr. Rocque. And Griffin too!
HMB: Speaking of Shirley Jones, how does it feel to tackle the iconic role of “Mom of the Band?” How would you like to see your character develop?
CC: I love it! I just wish I could sing like Shirley Jones. I would like to see Mrs. Knight take a bigger interest in Kendall’s (and the guys) future as a musician and singer and in Katie’s future as an entrepreneur. I would also like to see Mrs. Knight be more involved in Kendall’s personal relationships as well. Heck, I’d like to see Mrs. Knight have a first name!
Photo by Jennings Paige
HMB: I love the fact that your family and the other boys are all transplants and end up living in a hip version of the Oakwood Apartments. Have you or any of the cast members ever stayed in the Oakwoods during your own acting careers?
CC: I almost moved into the Oakwood when I first moved to LA but at the last minute I stumbled onto a beautiful apartment on Crescent Heights in West Hollywood. The drawback was I shared the apartment and bathroom with two testonterone laden young guys. And apparently it’s come full circle!
HMB: How has life changed for you since Big Time Rush? Do kids recognize you wherever you go?
CC: Yeah I get recognized when I’m with my kids on the playground and at Colton’s preschool. Some of his friends are huge fans of the show which totally ups my cool factor. It’s hilarious. I love kids who are fans of the show. I especially love it when they know more about the show than I do. They can recite my dialogue, sing the songs, and correct me on the minute details of the show.
HMB: And an obvious questions, are the boys swarmed with fans?
CC: Oh gosh, yes they are all swarmed with fans and are getting an enormous amount of attention which all seems to be evenly distributed. Kids (and adults) love to tell me who their favorite guy is and I have to say it is very even. It was obviously great casting because there is a btr boy for everyone. The guys are all amazing and they are handling fame beautifully. They are all very close with their real parents which I think really helps keep them grounded.
HMB: You’re a mother and wife in real life also. How do you balance that with your shooting schedule?
CC: I am a mom in real life to my son Colton who is 5 and my daughter Jasper who is 2. My schedule on the show varies so we take it one week at a time. Every night Aaron (Challen’s husband) and I discuss our plans for the next day so that we can make sure that everyone is covered. It can get pretty tricky since both of us are actors and Aaron is also an acting coach (www.aaronmcphersonstudio.com). My kids have a wonderful nanny who helps us when Aaron or I can’t be there. Even when I’m not working on the show I am still running around this crazy city going to auditions and working on other projects. Sometimes I take the kids with me to auditions, especially commercial and voice over auditions. We just make it work out and we try our best to make it a fun adventure.
HMB: What do your kids think of their mom starring on Big Time Rush?
CC: Colton and Jasper just think it is completely normal. Colton says things like, “How was work today mom? Are you going to see Kendall today?” They love to come and visit me on set. They love the cast and crew and the awesome sets. They are also big fans of the show and the music. I love that it is actually a show they can watch. Nothing horrible happens to me on Big Time Rush. Thank goodness!
Challen Cates with Husband Aaron, son Colton and daughter Jasper. Photo by by Jennings Paige
HMB: Do you think either of your kids have the acting gene? How would you handle it if they asked to become child actors?
CC: I don’t know. It’s too soon to really know. At this point Colton seems like a director and Jasper is my little comedienne. It is just such a hard profession. It is hard emotionally. The rejection is brutal and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. However, if they decide they want to be actors, we will do everything we can to support their decision and give them the encouragement and help they need.
HMB: What other projects are you involved with or have slated for the near future?
CC: I did a feature called Foosteps which should be coming out soon. I play a mom in that as well but it’s a chilling thriller and definitely not something my kids can watch. I am actively reading scripts because I would love to produce another feature but it really comes down to finding the right material.
Challen also works closely with the charity Darkness 2 Light, the world’s leading non-profit working to prevent child sexual abuse.
CC: I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and so it is a cause that is very close to my heart. One is 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused. We need to increase awareness and educate adults and children in how to prevent childhood sexual abuse.
ABOUT the Darkness to Light Organization
In 2000, Anne Lee, Darkness to Light’s President/CEO, developed and implemented a strategy for a non-profit primary prevention program with the mission of reducing the incidence of child sexual abuse through public awareness and education. With tremendous community support, over $100,000 was raised and an award-winning Darkness to Light media campaign was developed and launched in June of 2001. Darkness to Light’s public awareness campaign seeks to raise awareness of the prevalence and consequences of child sexual abuse. Their ads are a “call to action” encouraging adults to call or go online for free materials that educate adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. Darkness to Light is also actively educating adults through its newest initiative, Stewards of Children, a sexual abuse prevention training program that provides frontline training for organizations and corporations that serve children and youth.
Love these Pictures? Photographer Jennings Paige can be reached at jenningspaige@yahoo.com
Ashanti, Lindsay Lohan and Usher all have them – Young Hollywood’s hottest accessory, the Momager. Jessica Simpson and younger sister Ashlee have a Popager. And some stars like Beyonce have both parents on payroll.
R&B superstar Ashanti’s mother Tina Douglas recently told FOXNews.com that there is a reason for the momager and popager trend, “This is a tough business. It is dog-eat-dog and very competitive, but when you surround yourself with people who love you and support you, then you can’t lose.”
So whose parents are on payroll even after they’ve become legal adults? Ashanti and her momager, Tina Douglas.
Jessica Simpson, 27, employs her father Joe as her manager, her best friend CaCee Cobb as her assistant and childhood pal Mike Alexander as her personal trainer.
Papa Joe Simpson also manages his daughter, pop-star and actress, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz.
Beyonce’s mom served as stylist for her daughter’s R&B group Destiny’s Child and her dad managed the trio.
Usher’s mother also serves as his manager.
While having family members on your team may be a great option for some young performers, it becomes a bumpy road for others.
For instance, what happens when the child becomes the primary or sole bread winner for the parents?
Or perhaps the bread winner for an entire family as was the case with Macaulay Culkin? Christopher “Kit” Culkin, father and ex-manager of former child super star Macaulay Culkin, notoriously lived off the “Home Alone” actor’s assets and that was the least of his reported offenses. Kit Culkin also had a reputation for signing Macaulay up for movies without his son’s permission, being notoriously difficult to work with and allegedly verbally and physically intimidating his then young son.
In 2000, country singer LeAnn Rimes sued her own father, Wilbur Rimes, and his co-manager, Lyle Walker, for embezzling at least $7 million from her empire. Though Rimes and her father are no longer estranged and the case was settled out of court, one might wonder if a child could ever recover from such betrayal.
Dr. Pamela Hain-Koenigsburg, a psychologist in Baltimore, MD also told Fox News, “A parent, you would hope, would be protective of their child and her assets and say, ‘This money should last you a lifetime. I just want you to be successful and have a good life with it,’” said Dr. Pamela Hain-Koenigsburg, a psychologist from Baltimore.
Another danger in playing manager is that parents end up hyper-sexualizing their own children, which is the most obvious conflict of parental interest.
Joe Simpson, a former church minister, has come under fire for vamping up his daughters Jessica and Ashlee.
Teri Shields, the former momager of Brooke Shields, famously marketed her gorgeous daughter as Brooke Shields and Co. and was criticized for encouraging her then-underage daughter to play a child prostitute and appear in sexually implicit ads for Calvin Klein Jeans as a teen and for nude photos at 10 years old that were commissioned by Teri herself as “promotional tools.” Thankfully there is no way those images would ever be produced in today’s protective social climate.
“I used to look at Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson and wonder ‘How do you let your child dress like that?’” Hain-Koenigsburg told Fox News. “As the parent of a girl, I wonder how you could sex a child up like that and throw her out to the world.” Fox News reports that Hain-Koenigsburg has been particularly troubled by the recent case of Lindsay Lohan, whose oft-imprisoned father demanded that ex-wife Dina split the earnings she’s made by managing their various children. “Her [Lindsay's] situation is so terrible,” she said, adding that she thinks Lohan would have been better off if her parents just remained parents. “When that kind of situation happens, who do you go to and who do you trust?”
That being said, the majority of parents do not equate the duties of being a child performers manager with financial or sexual exploitation, and make concerted efforts that this is not the case. “Celebrities are vulnerable, so it makes sense that they would yearn to have someone close to them there at all times,” said Bonnie Low-Kramen who acts as personal assistant to actress Olympia Dukakis. “It has to be a very special relationship for it to work. I know Olympia, and my business relationship is first and foremost, and we have that boundary. [A parent and child] would have to [set] some ground rules, because it’s likened to going into business with someone. It changes the whole relationship.”
And then there’s the sticky issue of payroll…
“The child has to pay the parent a salary — there is something tricky about that,” Low-Kramen tells Fox News. “I think celebrities welcome the ability to separate the business from the personal.”
But Hain-Koenigsburg said that if a parent’s motivation is genuine, employing him or her might be the best thing for a star. “Nobody will look out for your interests the way a parent would.” Ashanti’s momager Tina Douglas shares with FOX that other managers ”have approached me in a negative way, saying that I can’t manage Ashanti because I’m her mom and I’m ‘emotional.’ But that emotion is what helped get her to where she is today.”
It’s a fickle mistress, the job of stage mother, especially when your famous daughter gives you the boot. This is apparently the case of former child actor turned full-fledged movie star Scarlett Johansson and her mother Melanie Sloan who had managed Scarlett’s career since she was 9 years old, debuting in Rob Reiner’s “North.” As Manager, Melanie took 10 percent of all Scarlett’s earnings, according to a contract reviewed by The Post. Personal note – most managers take 15.
Momager Melanie originally told the sellers she still had money coming in from Scarlett’s ad campaigns with Moët Champagne, Dolce & Gabbana and from the “Iron Man” movies.
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Ashanti and her momager, Tina Douglas.
Papa Joe Simpson also manages his daughter, pop-star and actress, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz.
