Mariah Carey: Pregnancy Rumors Heat Up

Aug. 25, 2010 — -- Mariah Carey has been dodging baby-on-board rumors for months, but these days the media has radically escalated its speculation. Blame it on the non-concealing outfits that Carey wore at her concert in Brazil this past weekend.

Some took the garb as an indicator that the music icon – who's been keeping a low profile – could be pregnant.

US Weekly went on record reporting Carey's pregnancy several months ago. After seeing the images from the concert, senior music editor Ian Drew believes "beyond a shadow of a doubt" that a baby's on board.

As celebrity watchers affix proof-of-pregnancy explanations to Carey's decisions – the "Precious" star reportedly dropped out of a new Tyler Perry movie project – husband Nick Cannon addressed the rumors with listeners of his radio show early this week. People.com reported Cannon's message: "I've said it before and I'll say it time and time again – when my wife feels like talking about whatever she wants to talk about, you will hear it directly from her."

News of high-profile celebrity pregnancies – remember Angelina Jolie and Katie Holmes? – tend to fuel media frenzies. Recently, expectant moms Alicia Keys and Miranda Kerr have garnered their own share of media ink.

Experts do notice, however, the seeming contradictory stances of many female celebrities. On the one hand, some starlets desire to be media darlings and the focal point when it comes to looks, fashion, romantic partners and what they've eaten for dinner. But on the other, they opt to be totally mum about confirming they're pregnant.

Why the duality?

It's simple, suggested Patricia A. Farrell, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and the author of "How to Be Your Own Therapist: A Step-by-Step Guide to Taking Back Your Life." Whether the celeb confirms or denies, she wins.

"When a female celeb denies her pregnancy, both the press and the fans gets played," said Farrell. "The pregnancy, whether confirmed or denied, is in the service of getting more ink and playing the p.r. game. This compunction to tease is even more useful when she's fallen a few rungs off the media ladder and wants the newly-generated interest in her medical condition to boost her standing."