Celeb Baby Pics Still Bringing in Big Paydays
Despite Economic Downturn, Celeb Babies Still Earn Their Keep With Pic Deals
Weinstein isn't swayed by the rationale offered by celebrities, that it's a way for them to control the inevitable media maelstrom. "If you look at what happened with Britney Spears or Angelina Jolie, [selling the photos] didn't quell the feeding frenzy. Whether People or OK! gets first dibs, people still want to take photos of the child."
And he isn't impressed by the fact that some stars have contributed some or all of the baby bonanza to charity, such as Jolie and Pitt, who gave $2 million of a reported $4 million windfall to Global Action for Children and Doctors Without Borders.
Weinstein cited a quote from St. Paul's letter to the Romans -- "We are not to do evil that good may come from it" -- to explain his argument.
"If you're already starting from extreme wealth, that argument doesn't hold much water," he said. "They're already in a position to give money to charity."
But for better or for worse, the practice persists. Here, we run down some of the celebs who sold pictures of their newborn .
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
Jolie and Pitt top the list when it comes to pricey pictures, reportedly raking in more than $14 million for their Aug. 18 People magazine cover of twins Knox and Vivienne. It was the magazine's best-selling cover in seven years, according to The New York Times. The pair also scored a hefty $4.1 million for pictures of their firstborn, Shiloh, who made her debut on People's June 19, 2006, cover, and an estimated $2 million for the first pictures of adopted son Pax Thien.
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Antony
Twins Max and Esme reportedly brought in a cool $5 million to $6 million for parents Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony for People's March 31, 2008, cover -- a record broken only by the Jolie-Pitt twins. "The buzz factor is big on these things," said Bragman. "If you want to stay No. 1 in the category, you cough up the big bucks. And for a star like Jennifer Lopez, the expectations are high. It might not make financial sense to us, but to the magazines, it's more about the long-term results. It's bragging rights and it's upping your advertising rates."
Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott
Spelling and her actor husband, Dean McDermott, showed off son Liam on the April 16, 2007, cover of Us Weekly. Just over a year later, daughter Stella Doreen made her debut on the cover of the June 26, 2008, issue of OK! Why'd Spelling switch allegiances? "Each magazine has its own vibe," said Bragman. "People is obviously the 10,000-pound gorilla, while Us is a bit younger and hipper. But if you want a more international audience, you go with OK!" Still, he noted, "the victor is usually the magazine with the deepest pockets when it comes to that particular celeb."
Clay Aiken
When "American Idol" star Clay Aiken introduced the world to his son Parker (mom is Clay's record producer pal Jaymes Foster) to the world on People magazine's Oct.1, 2008, cover, he also gave the magazine a major scoop, announcing he is gay. Parker's garnered a reported $500,000, "but it was really the big news that sold that story," said Bragman. "I don't think the baby would have gotten half-a-million otherwise."
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