Lynne Spears Says Jamie Lynn Was Treated Unfairly

While Palin was 'celebrated' she was 'crucified'
September 24th, 2008

Mama Lynne Spears is opening up to Newsweek magazine about the unfair treatment that her family received, and her daughter Jamie Lynn Spears in particular, after news came out that JL got pregs at 16 as opposed to the treatment that the Palin family received when news broke about Bristol Palin’s teenage pregnancy. Lynne calls foul that the Palins were “celebrated” by being forthcoming with their news (well, mebbe not totally forthcoming at the start … they were forced to admit the pregnancy after political blogs started putting the pieces of the story together) while Spears was “crucified” for her admission. Here is a portion of Mama Lynne’s interview with Newsweek magazine:


Lynne Spears says the public had a “totally different reaction” to the teen pregnancies of her daughter Jamie Lynn and Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol. “It’s as if [Sarah Palin] became celebrated,” Lynne told Newsweek. “I mean, the mother, Palin, was celebrated for this. Every woman in the world has applauded her strength and her convictions and poor little old Jamie Lynn, you saw how she was crucified – everybody did, firsthand,” Lynne said. “I just feel like it’s been a very hypocritical situation.” In December, Jamie Lynn, the star of Nickelodeon’s Zoey 101 was 16 when she announced her pregnancy. She gave birth to daughter Maddie in June at the age of 17. In August, Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, revealed that her 17-year-old daughter is expecting and engaged. “Do I promote teen sex? Of course not,” Lynne told Newsweek. “Do I promote teen pregnancy? Needless to say, of course not. But when it happens, you deal with it and you do the best you can do. Jamie Lynn has done beautifully with what she’s done,” Lynne said. “Could every other teenager do what Jamie Lynn has done?” asked Lynne. “No indeed.” Lynne also rebutted criticism that Jamie Lynn glamorized teen pregnancy. “We don’t want this said, ’cause this would be glamorizing, but I will tell you a secret: her baby does sleep all night,” Lynne explained. “What do you think about those apples? Maddie is the best baby I have ever seen,” Lynne added. “She is like a little angel. She’s so contented. She laughs and she coos and ahead of herself with her stages. But of course we can’t tell that because then we would just glamorize it more.” Lynne, the author of a tell-all memoir titled Through the Storm, told Newsweek that she “really can’t give advice” to the Palin family. “Everybody’s situation is different,” she said. “I would never tell anybody else what to do with their child. I would never attempt to make them think I knew more about their child. Even if they were to ask, I would tell them dig deep, what do you think?”

You know, I noticed this same sort of thing myself … while I don’t consider both situations absolutely identical, I can absolutely sympathize with Lynne’s contention that her family was treated more unfairly. I, personally, was very surprised at how applauded the Palin family was by their own conservative political party. It has been my estimation that social conservatives are the ones to start throwing stones first whenever a public figure suffers a very public human fault like this … and yet the Palins were celebrated for their “strength”. The Spears family, tho, were vilified and horribly criticized in comparison. I see her point and I think she has a valid one. Do y’all think that there was a disparity in fair treatment between the similar family situations? If so, is it justified?

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41 Responses to “Lynne Spears Says Jamie Lynn Was Treated Unfairly”

  1. beccasaun Says:

    Absolutely. I think it’s the sheep mindset when it comes to Republicans. If it’s one of your own, it’s celebrated, but if it’s someone in the spot light who doesn’t effect your politics (or hell, someone in your own life for that matter- nothing off limits when it comes to religious right), you can judge and tear down anyone you want. God says it’s ok, dontcha know? *in my best Palin voice*
    Thank goodness MY God doesn’t quite feel the same. Too bad so many other’s don’t…

  2. Belle Says:

    I say justified. Lynne was really raked over the coals for everything about Jamie Lynn’s situation, from how did she let it happen in the first place, to what a money-grubbing stage mom she is for selling the story. Palin’s family situation doesn’t seem to mesh with her beliefs at all, but her supporters turn a blind eye to it, and get highly defensive of her “personal” life if anyone else dares to mention it. The Daily Show had a hilarious clip of someone (Karl Rove maybe, I don’t remember) saying Lynne was a horrible parent, right after one of him saying everyone needs to get out of Sarah’s personal life because teen pregnancy is fine as long as no one has to support the baby, mom, or dad.

    I, personally, am tired of hearing the Palin family and supporters express how proud they are that Bristol made the right choice. Um, if it was up to them, there wouldn’t be any choice.

  3. Meg Says:

    I think its complete garbage. The difference between Jaime Lynn Spears and Bristol Palin was that Jaime Lynn had a show on the Disney Channel, playing a supposed role model for young girls, and Bristol Palin was someone no one outside of small town Alaska had ever heard of. Yes, Jaime Lynn is allowed to be 17 and make some mistakes, but she’s not the average 17 year old…she has an obligation as the star of a TV show targeted towards young girls to try to uphold her status as “role model”…

  4. justathought Says:

    Regardless of where you stand on comparing Jamie-Lynn to Bristol I think that ultimately our society needs to change the way it approaches teen pregnancy. I don’t think either camp would argue that these teens made wise decisions by getting pregnant in the first place, but rather than condemning girls in these positions I think that a more accepting stance should be taken. Criticizing teen and parent only serves to reinforce the stigmatization of teen pregnancy and results in girls hiding their pregnancies, not seeking medical attention for themselves or their child, or not fully considering all of their available options simply because they don’t have anyone that they think will support them. Perhaps rather than condemning or glamorizing teen pregnancy, people can advocate for supporting these girls in a mature manner as they deal with the consequences of their actions.

  5. Amy Says:

    I completly agree Meg. The situation is totally different. Jamie Lynn held herself out to be a role-model for children. I had never heard of Bristol until the Palins announced she was pregnant. And for the record, she wasn’t celebrated. After everything calmed down, the Palins became seen as a normal American family…not necessarily celebrated. Things like this happen. Most American families deal with teen pregnancy, drug use, children’s sexual preferences. etc.

  6. Amy Says:

    Oh, and I didn’t intend to throw “sexual preferences” in with “drug use” but you get the idea. Most American families deal with obstacles.

  7. Lori Says:

    I agree with Lynne Spears on this one. The Daily Show actually had a clip of Bill O’Reilly saying how irresponsible the Spears family was when Jamie Lynn announced her pregnancy, then cut to a clip of him saying how courageous the Palins were for supporting Bristol’s pregnancy.

  8. Lana Says:

    Republicans are hypocrites, this is why they “celebrated” Palin’s teen daughters’ pregnancy. It is so ridiculous. If Obama had teen daughters who were pregnant, they would have gone CRAZY!!! But since it was one of their own, they applaud the courage and strength. PUHLEASE!

    OBAMA/BIDEN 08!

  9. Panti Christ Says:

    The more statements out of Lynne Spears that I read, the more I feel interested in her. I know this isn’t exactly ‘getting to know’ the woman, but maybe it is a little bit and I’m liking what I read. :)

  10. ella Says:

    Lynne Spears is ridiculous. Most people weren’t calling her a bad mother for having a teen daughter who got pregnant. They were calling her a bad mother for constantly selling out her daughters for a quick buck.

  11. Tiffany Says:

    Boo Freakin Hoo. Lynne ALWAYS has SOMETHING to say. Heaven forbid one of them farts in public, we’ll be hearing about it loud and clear on some magazine about how “it’s not fair”. It’s not like a party was thrown for one and not the other.

  12. Sam Says:

    i think this is complete garbage also! Jamie Lynn was looked at as a role modell for young girls and Lynn’s has been a public stage mom with one messed up daughter for years. Bristol Palin was a typical teenager who got thrust into the limelight because of her mother’s career. Trent – stick to the gossip and leave out your personal politcal views.

  13. Apricot Says:

    jamie lynn was a celebrity, had a show, and was PAID to appear on covers of magazines with her newborn. Paulin’s daughter is not running for president. This is why they were treated differently.

  14. Steph Says:

    People compare a role model to a “small town” family, however the minute Palin decided to run as VP they were no longer a small town family. She made the decision to put her family on display, just like the Clintons, just like the Bush girls (both who have been scrutinized in the past). I think there is good reason to be upset from the point of view that Lynn was seen as a bad mother for allowing it to happen, Palin was celebrated…. I’m from Canada and we even get all the Sarah Palin news, she knew what she was getting herself into, the worst part is she did it knowing what she was getting her KIDS into. What’s the difference between Palin, using her family and kids to get into a powerful political position, or Lynn, using her family and kids to get money?

  15. That Girl Says:

    What did Lynne expect? She makes an announcement via OK! magazine that her 16 year old daughter is preggers and she wants the media and public to jump for joy that a child is having a child? Of course people will judge Jamie Lynn and “crucify” her.

    Lynne should not look solely at the negative of the situation. Look at the positive: Jamie Lynn paved the way for all present and future pregnant teens of the world. It’s super cool to have sex at a young age, and if you get knocked up…how bad is it really? Jamie Lynn did it.

    Palin’s kid is only partially crucified. She should be thanking Lynne, Jamie Lynn. And her mom’s spinsters.

  16. Jen Says:

    Bristol may not be a celebrity like Jamie Lynn…but I guarantee her mother knew what was going on with her daughter before she accepted the VP position. In my mind, both gals have a lot more in common than you might think — they are both victims of parental machinations to gain money, status, or power. We can ding Lynn Spears all we want about how she “used” her daughters for money, etc….but we should hold Sarah Palin equally guilty for using her own family for personal gains. If you feel Lynn Spears is a bad mother for thrusting her daughters into the media spotlight and allowing them to run wild as young celebrities…we should also question Sarah Palin’s parenting skills for pushing her family into the public eye when she knew the attention it would draw to them…and for continuing to promote abstinence-only sex ed given it clearly didn’t work for sh*t on her own daughter.

  17. kate Says:

    Who cares where these girls come from? The bottom line is that no one should be ridiculing or praising these families. It’s not out business. I do agree that the Republicans are hypocritical and should not be praised for their courage. I also agree that yes, Jamie Lynn was considered a role model, but she was thrown into that life at a young age. If you think about it, how many of these people that are ridiculing these girls and their families had sex when they were teenagers too? I doubt that these girls planned these pregnancies but mistakes happen and the only reason people talk about these two girls are because they’re in the spotlight. Again, how many people their age have sex everyday and how many of those people get pregnant? These girls aren’t the only ones with this situation, it happens. Their personal lives are no ones to judge, would you want someone doing that if it were you?

  18. scoopadict Says:

    You MUST watch this Daily Show clip where Jon Stewart discussed the hypocrisy of the Republican party. It includes some really funny stuff with Bill O’Reilly and the teen-pregnancy issue.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQK1al91drs

  19. scoopadict Says:

    The link is there but you can’t see it because of the pink background. Click right below the word issue and you will be taken to the clip.

  20. Kris Says:

    For the most part, I agree with the article but I do not like the comment, “How many other girls could do what Jamie Lynn did”….I’m sure those are not the exact words….but my thoughts just kept turning to….How could they, most pregnant teenagers don’t have millions to fall back on! Money doesn’t make it all easier, or better, but it helps with things to help you get through.

  21. paz Says:

    @ That Girl: “Jamie Lynn paved the way for all present and future pregnant teens of the world.” Because she’s the first teen to get pregnant??
    I agree with Lynn Spears on this one. When something happens to Republicans, it’s a “private matter.” I was talking to my friends about how if Obama had a pregnant teenage daughter, the family would be ripped to shreds. “Typical unwed pregnant black girl” and the GOP asking, “If he can’t control his family, how can he run the country?”
    I think it’s unfair to judge either Sarah Palin or Lynn Spears as being bad mothers simply because their daughters got pregnant. (Although I think it’s stupid that Palin teaches only abstinence.) For the most part, parents try to do their best, but they can’t control their kids and their decisions. I honestly think my parents did the best job they could with me, but I certainly have done some things they wouldn’t approve of.
    And while I agree that Jamie Lynn is a role model, she is a human being as well. Any girl who looks at her and decides it’s cool to be pregnant because of Jamie Lynn needs some help. The media influences youth certainly, but they’re not robots. They also have other influences such as their parents, peers, and others.

  22. dilyn Says:

    I agree with Sam-when your 9 year old watches JL’s show and then sees her face on the cover of a mag saying she’s preggers is a big deal. My 9 year old has no idea who Sarah Palins daughter is nor does he care!

    I think it is crap to put down the Republican party for being biased. We know dems would do the same thing it just doesn’t get reported in the biases liberal media!

    I agree…Trent leave out your personal politcal views. I am sure you have many Republican readers who come here to get away from all that.

    P.S. Bill O’Rielly is not a Republican-He says he is an Independent.

  23. erinannie Says:

    I want to gag!
    These were very very different situations!
    First, How did Jamie Lynn tell the world? By choosing to glamorize herself! She went to OK! and announced it. Her mother helped TELL THE WORLD her story.
    But the Palins chose to keep it in the family. It wasn’t made public until the media made it public.
    That right there is the difference! Jamie Lynn chose to make herself a spectacle. Bristol was forced into it.
    So yes, Lynn and Jamie Lynn got what they deserved by putting themselves in that situation. Bristol, who is not a celebrity, is the one who deserves an apology for being forced into a limelight she did not ask for.
    Jamie Lynn asked for it, and she got it.

  24. taylor Says:

    We need to stop attacking these girls when they’re already in trouble. Let’s help them, not kick them around in public.

  25. cara Says:

    Agreed! JLS never lied about or glamorized her pregnancy…yes, it was announced in OK for $$, but it was going to come out anyway, so why lie…just get it out there and make some $. She didn’t pose nude or dress up her bump and walk the red carpet. She hid out in Louisiana and we didn’t see much of her pregnancy, save for a few trips to Wal-Mart in a T-Shirt. Yeah, real glam. Palin is heroic according to her party….the same party that blasted Murphy Brown a professional woman of age (ok, a fictional one at that) for being an unwed mother. BP’s pregnancy is “gods will”…JLS is a slutty sinner .

  26. Ella Says:

    First of all I kind of wish both families would fall off the face of the earth….
    Teen pregnancy/unplanned pregnancy isn’t being glamorized per se, but it’s getting enough attention that our society really needs to reevaluate a lot.
    Yeah, teen pregnancy is hard, but not as hard as it could be if you live in a freaking mansion. What about all the teen pregnancies in the inner cities and poor areas. It’s not a big deal until some rich white girl gets knocked up.

    I don’t think there are a hell of a lot of role models out there for teens these days, with shows like Gossip Girl on. ANd I also don’t think those shows are balanced out with enough education on safe sex practices and abstinance. I don’t think children should be having sex, but that’s just my opinion. I do think condoms should be handed out on every freaking street corner these days and REAL consequenced should be laid out for American girls.

  27. Dasha Says:

    This is a video from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart that perfectly depicts Republican news personas and there very different (hypocritcal!) responses to Spears’ and Bristol’s respective pregnancies. Definitely worth a viewing.

  28. Amanda Says:

    everyone is making this seem like Republicans hate every pregnant girl. That is complete bs. I am a republican and I really feel for Jamie Lynn Spears. I also feel for Bristol Palin. I also think you need to leave both of them alone. All of you! Lynne Spears is completely right however, her daughter has been “crucified” for changing from a role model for children to a role model for young mothers or pregnant girls. Lately everything, even the media, is making it seem like ABORTION is the answer, when in fact it is an option, but not always the answer.
    Leave JL alone, she is just starting to become a better role model to her daughter and future children. Give her a break, she has had to grow up fast, and in the end, it will all be worth it.

  29. Lauren Says:

    Lynne is right that JL was raked over the coals, and regardless of whether or not it is fair or justified, she makes us look at our societies reflections in the general reaction. We are all very quick to judge, and ultimately to move on, but there is very little attention being paid to the actual consequences. Both of these girls represent a huge population of young mothers who need support, and resources to help them still achieve successful lives for themselves and their children. While both JL and Bristol obviously have families that will give them what they need, many aren’t so lucky, and it is a shame that neither of their mothers are using their status to help those that do need it.

  30. Joi Says:

    Wow…are we really comparing Jamie Lynn to a Palin’s daughter? And are we really saying that Palin’s daughter was “celebrated” for saying she was a pregnant teen? Democrats need to be a little more open minded and see that not every thinks the same way they do. Democrats call repubs closed minded for not thinking the way demos do…sounds a little hypocritical to me…

  31. eala Says:

    i’m at a loss as to which ‘human fault’ this post is referring to? being a republican??

  32. anniemal Says:

    I agree with Joi. I hear far more Democrats categorizing Repubs as churchfreak rednecks with guns slinged over their shoulder and then have the audacity to call them close-minded. Bristol Palin was not celebrated, but Republicans did applaud the Palin family unit for sticking through this with their morals. And while it’s safe to assume that Bristol’s child will have a great upbringing, it was difficult to say the same about Jamie Lynn’s after seeing what roller coaster the Spederline kids went through their first few years.

    Bristol Palin and Jamie Lynn Spears weren’t treated differently – Sarah Palin and Lynn Spears were. And, personally, I think they should be.

  33. Faye Says:

    How on earth were the Palins “celebrated” for Bristol’s pregnancy? I think pretty much every news article I read and every story I heard took great pleasure in making fun of the situation, and parading it as proof of Palin’s “hypocrisy” and her inability to “control her own family.”

    Teen pregnancy is an unfortunate situation no matter who it happens to. Both the Palins and the Spears family were raked over the coals equally.

    As for Lynn Spears, I feel zero sympathy for this woman. She pimped her own daughters out at a very young age so she could benefit from their money and fame . . .then she acts surprised when they act out? If she didn’t want negative attention, maybe she shouldn’t have pursue this kind of lifestyle.

  34. Marjorie Says:

    I absolutely do not think that the media “celebrated” Bristol’s pregnancy. Almost every news outlet trashed her and the father of the baby at first. Also, I think that the two girl’s situations are COMPLETELY different. JL is in the public eye and is making tons of money, obviously her life will be under the microscope. Bristol is just a teenage girl living in Alaska and the media scrupulation and obsession was totally unwanted and undeserving. One girl is a celebrity, one is not.

  35. Christine Says:

    First of all, read the threads people! Did we need 6+ posts about Bill O’Reilly’s clip on Stewart’s show? (and someone thought it was Rove? *shudders*) Bill O’Reilly actually showed that clip on HIS show because it was nowhere near in the context he said it. Here’s some points:
    1. Lynne Spears is a disgusting human being. She has profited on whoring out her kids, and both have suffered. It’s not her fault Brit is mentally ill, but it IS her fault she allowed all of the sexualization of her and JL at early ages. This book is just one more example of her profiting off her kids.
    2. Like mentioned before, JL went on the cover of a gossip magazine to announce her pregnancy. The Palin family announced the pregnancy when left wing NUT websites started vicious rumors that Trig Palin (the baby with Down Syndrome) was actually Bristol’s baby. That’s so incredibly disgusting, but where’s your outrage over that, Trent?
    3. Why is it that the Democratic Party is supposed to be the party of tolerance and non-judgment, but over and over again it is the worst with the name calling and smears? Just wondering…

  36. Chris Says:

    Yes, Bristol Palin was celebrated! She and her shotgun-in-the-back boyfriend were paraded & applauded at the Republican convention. And, fair or not, it does lower my opinion of Sarah & Todd Palin that their daughter is an unwed pregnant teenager, just like it lowered my opinion of Lynne Spears and her ex. I do think Lynne has a point about the disparity of people’s reactions. (Also, both Bristol & Jamie Lynn made bad boyfriend choices. The parents shouldn’t have been too surprised by the pregnancies with the daughters dating these “good ol’ boys.”)

  37. lyndsay Says:

    i think that jl was treated completely fair with this baby i think it shows that it’s ok to be preg at that age but it doesn’t mean that you should all i’m trying to say is think she is being treated fairly

  38. Lindsey Says:

    I don’t usually comment, but I think people have brought up a lot of interesting points:

    1. Posters are criticizing Jamie Lynn for “glamorizing” her pregnancy by announcing it on the cover of OK magazine, saying she “chose” to announce it, whereas Bristol Palin (or her mother’s political camp) was forced to announce it. Yes, Jamie Lynn did choose the way that she was going to announce her pregnancy — on the cover of OK, reportedly for a fair amount of $$$ — but I don’t think she had a choice in whether or not she would tell anyone. The fact that we all read this blog shows how little ability celebrities have to maintain privacy in their lives, and the recent obsession over celebrity pregnancy pretty much guarantees that Jamie Lynn wasn’t going to be able to hide her pregnancy from the media/papparazzi. And so long as she was planning on keeping the baby, she was definitely not going to be able to keep it a secret. So I don’t think she had a choice in announcing the matter. On the other hand, she did have a choice in how she did it, but I don’t think that announcing it on OK was an attempt to “glamorize” it. I think that in all likelihood, she realized that, by getting knocked up at 16, her career as a child star was pretty much shot, and she was going to have a hard time getting another job…and she was about to have a baby to support. So was it wrong to make a million dollars or so that she could at least theoretically use to support her child when the news was obviously going to come out one way or another anyway? At least this way, she had control over how it was announced. I’m in no way in favor of teen pregnancy, but if you could find a way to profit off of a HUGE mistake you made, wouldn’t you? People sell their stories all the time. Lay off.

    2. By the time a kid is 16 or 17, the amount of “control” a parent has over what that child does is and probably should be limited. Part of growing up is learning to make decisions for oneself. Sometimes those are good decisions and sometimes those are bad decisions, but if you don’t have a chance to make your own decisions, then you’ll never learn or grow as a person. What parents are there for is arming their children with the guidance and information necessary to hopefully make good decisions most of the time. However, you can’t always count on parents to give the right teachings or all the information, so there are other ways of teaching kids things as they are growing up, most notably school. Jamie Lynn and Bristol Palin made the SAME bad decision: having sex without adequate birth control measures, and the result was the SAME for both of them: teen pregnancy. For whatever reason, be it their parents or school or lack of caring, they weren’t armed with adequate information to make good decisions when it comes to having safe sex. Neither Lynne Spears nor Sarah Palin is responsible for her daughter’s bad choice. What Sarah Palin is responsible for, though, at least if she’s elected vice president, is contributing to domestic policy decisions in the United States. That includes what kind of information schools can give kids about sex and birth control. If it’s up to Sarah Palin, schools will be able to teach only ABSTINENCE. Clearly, her own daughter is evidence that abstinence-only sex education is INEFFECTIVE. That is why she’s being criticized. Kids will have sex regardless, at least teach them how to protect themselves against pregnancy and disease. In general, teenagers really aren’t mature enough to handle the consequences of sex, so I think it’s great if they’re willing to be abstinent until they are mature enough, but that isn’t the reality of the situation. We need to address that reality. Lynne Spears has virtually nothing to say about public policy, so it doesn’t really matter what her views on sex-ed are.

    3. Jamie Lynn may have had a “responsibility” to her young stars. She’s a teenager and she made a mistake. It happens. The antics of celebrities in general prove that they aren’t exactly the best role models in a lot of cases. Hopefully, if you’re a concerned parent, you make sure to provide good role models for your kids in real life and don’t just depend on the disney channel to do it.

  39. Lauren Says:

    Lauren on Sept. 24, well said! And you get bonus points for your excellent name.

    (And no in advance, we are NOT the same people…)

    I also like the point about how if this were Obama’s 17 year old daughter pregnant, their family would be absolutely demonized by the Republicans and right-wing Christians. Even more so because they are black, I’m sure. These rightwingers are so disgustingly hypocritical, it makes me sick. And regardless, why do they think teenagers are getting pregnant if not because THEY AREN’T TAUGHT ABOUT SAFE SEX??! Duhhhhh.

  40. Maggie Says:

    So true everything about Obama – that would be one hell of a scandal, but with the Palins, it’s all discretely commented on and brushed under the rug. It’s so ludicrous and it makes me sick. Either treat everyone the same or shut up. And I have to echo what Lindsey said above, please don’t turn to the Disney channel for proper role models for your kids. Growing up, there were a lot of stars that I looked up to, but I never tried to be like them or do exactly what they did to be “cool” or whatever. If your child can’t think for him/herself, or if you, as a parent, can’t teach them right from wrong, then you have bigger problems than “bad” role models on the Disney channel. The truth is that some teenagers will have sex in high school and some won’t. Everyone is different with different mindsets and all kinds of reasons for doing the things that they do. We don’t have to call them “sluts” or “bad people” for making mistakes. Humans are flawed, in case you didn’t notice.

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