I don’t know much about author Terry McMillan, but I did read How Stella Got Her Groove Back and I have a vague memory of the 1998 movie. McMillan’s 24 years younger Jamaican boy toy, her romance with whom was chronicled in the book, has since left her for a man and probably only married her for his green card. That’s not related much to this story and I just found it interesting when the news came out.
Anyway McMillan tweeted recently that Willow and Jaden Smith are pretty arrogant for a couple of little kids and that they’re being “pimped and exploited.” McMillan went on to talk about her own son, who is around Willow’s age and is in the fourth grade. Willow, 10, of course has a singing career and is slated to star in a remake of Annie, produced by her dad Will. Jaden, 12, has starred in several movies including The Pursuit of Happyness and last year’s Karate Kid remake. You can read McMillian’s entire statement about this on Bossip and here’s a segment:
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 shielded 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.
[Via Bossip]
I agree with her in principle. There is something stuck up about the Smith kids, but it’s not very nice to call them on it. They may act like they’re happy to have Hollywood careers but that’s the only life they know. If their parents encourage them to have careers in the spotlight that’s what they’re going to do. They’re just little kids and it’s not their fault.
After this quote got picked up by the media, McMillan half apologized in a post in which she blames people for paying attention to her. She’s able to express herself better than most, but she’s giving us the same “there’s a war on,” “it’s your fault for paying attention to the inflammatory things I say” argument that countless celebrities have used before her.
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. It is amazing, though, how fast an unflattering comment gets retweeted versus one that’s flattering. I’m done with this issue. My opinion isn’t going to change anything.
There are a lot more important things going on in the world right now. My Mama used to say: “They’ll talk about you if you do. And talk about you if you don’t. Let ‘em talk.” Some folks look for a reason to criticize you. They’re getting off on it and are saying much worse things than I did. I’ve got work to do. I hope everybody who has something important to do today besides worry about the Smith children, does it.
And for those of you who were so offended by what I said or thought I was being disrespectful, unfollow me.
[Via Bossip]
So McMillan isn’t apologizing for calling out the Smiths or for calling their kids arrogant, she’s apologizing for her choice of words and blaming other people for paying attention to her. I wouldn’t be down on her if she would have either owned her comments or offered a sincere apology. As it is, she’s upset that people are calling her on it. She did bring up an important point though. The Smith kids should be in school. They’ll have plenty of time for their careers once they’re finished with their education. They don’t seem very grounded at all, but look at their parents. Will and Jada are two of the richest and most famous people in the world and they live in a rarefied bubble. They’re raising their kids to be little mirror images of them and even named them after themselves.
Photo of Terry McMillan below is the most recent I could find and is from 2007. Credit: WENN.com. Willow and Jaden are shown with mom Jada on 11/21/10 and also with dad Will on 7/25/10. Credit: WENN.com
