L3giOn
12-19-2007, 08:00 PM
Does Viacom care about a 16-year-old's pregnancy? It does when that 16-year-old in question is Jamie Lynn Spears, the star of Nickelodeon's Zoey 101. In an exclusive with OK! magazine, released on Wednesday, Spears confirmed that she is 3-months pregnant with the child of her 19-year-old boyfriend.
Jamie Lynn, the sister of troubled starlet Britney Spears, has assumed a low profile, despite her sister's highly publicized and controversial lifestyle. While Britney was running through rehab, shaving off her hair, or sparing with ex-husband Kevin Federline in divorce court, Jamie Lynn and her mother, Lynne Spears, have largely avoided the public glare. Indeed, many considered Jamie Lynn the anti-Britney, able to eke out a showbiz career without the controversy.
But Wednesday's announcement thrusts the minor into the limelight, turning her into prime fodder for tabloids and ruthless bloggers. The fans will also have their say.
With Jamie Lynn now pregnant, Viacom faces a difficult decision: should it avoid a potential parental backlash by immediately severing ties with Jamie Lynn, or should it stand behind Spears? Viacom issued a supportive statement Wednesday, but did not detail the fate of Zoey 101 or Jamie Lynn's future at Viacom.
"We respect Jamie Lynn's decision to take responsibility in this sensitive and personal situation. We know this is a very difficult time for her and her family, and our primary concern right now is for Jamie Lynn's well-being," Nickelodeon said in a statement obtained by Reuters.
Although Jamie Lynn never acquired the fame of older sister Britney she is a minor celebrity, starring in the popular Nickelodeon show operated by Viacom (nyse: VIA - news - people ). On the Nick network, Zoey 101 stands alongside other wholesome productions like Sponge Bob Square Pants and Jimmy Neutron. The kid-friendly sitcom focuses on Zoey (Jamie Lynn) and her adventures at a fictional boarding school, Pacific Coast Academy. The show, which debuted in January 2005 and is currently in its fourth season, even netted an Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Children's Program" in 2005.
While Jamie Lynn is a rising star at Viacom, she may see the doors close shortly. The company has severed ties with controversial stars in the past. In 2006, Viacom effectively booted Tom Cruise for strange antics. In August 2006, Paramount, which is owned by Viacom, decided not to renew its 14-year partnership with the star. The union had been incredibly lucrative for Viacom, but Cruise's behavior--i.e. his couch-jumping moment on Oprah and connection with Scientology--was considered a liability. "It's nothing to do with his acting ability. He's a terrific actor,'' Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone told The Wall Street Journal. "We don't think that someone who effectuates creative suicide and costs the company revenue should be on the lot." (See: "Tom Cruises Over To MGM." )
Like Cruise, Jamie Lynn's actions may not be legally actionable (although the statutory rape law in Louisiana requires that a minor be 17 to consent), but Viacom is likely worried that her actions will disturb her fan base and the entire Nickelodeon audience. Although she could move to another network, like MTV, which is also owned by Viacom, it is unclear where she could fit in, at least in the near term. Unfortunately for Jamie Lynn, so much of her brand and public identity is dependent on her wholesome credibility. Of course, she can take solace in the fact that she is not alone.
Earlier this year, 18-year-old High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens profusely apologized after naked pictures of herself surfaced on the Internet. Disney, the company behind the wildly popular High School franchise, decided to stand by Hudgens. (See: "In Pictures: Disgraced Movie-Star Comebacks." )
Shares of Viacom were up .10%, or 23 cents, to $43.17 in Wednesday afternoon trading.
Source: Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/facesscan/2007/12/19/viacom-jamie-spears-face-markets-cx_er_1219markets01.html?feed=rss_personalfinance)
Jamie Lynn, the sister of troubled starlet Britney Spears, has assumed a low profile, despite her sister's highly publicized and controversial lifestyle. While Britney was running through rehab, shaving off her hair, or sparing with ex-husband Kevin Federline in divorce court, Jamie Lynn and her mother, Lynne Spears, have largely avoided the public glare. Indeed, many considered Jamie Lynn the anti-Britney, able to eke out a showbiz career without the controversy.
But Wednesday's announcement thrusts the minor into the limelight, turning her into prime fodder for tabloids and ruthless bloggers. The fans will also have their say.
With Jamie Lynn now pregnant, Viacom faces a difficult decision: should it avoid a potential parental backlash by immediately severing ties with Jamie Lynn, or should it stand behind Spears? Viacom issued a supportive statement Wednesday, but did not detail the fate of Zoey 101 or Jamie Lynn's future at Viacom.
"We respect Jamie Lynn's decision to take responsibility in this sensitive and personal situation. We know this is a very difficult time for her and her family, and our primary concern right now is for Jamie Lynn's well-being," Nickelodeon said in a statement obtained by Reuters.
Although Jamie Lynn never acquired the fame of older sister Britney she is a minor celebrity, starring in the popular Nickelodeon show operated by Viacom (nyse: VIA - news - people ). On the Nick network, Zoey 101 stands alongside other wholesome productions like Sponge Bob Square Pants and Jimmy Neutron. The kid-friendly sitcom focuses on Zoey (Jamie Lynn) and her adventures at a fictional boarding school, Pacific Coast Academy. The show, which debuted in January 2005 and is currently in its fourth season, even netted an Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Children's Program" in 2005.
While Jamie Lynn is a rising star at Viacom, she may see the doors close shortly. The company has severed ties with controversial stars in the past. In 2006, Viacom effectively booted Tom Cruise for strange antics. In August 2006, Paramount, which is owned by Viacom, decided not to renew its 14-year partnership with the star. The union had been incredibly lucrative for Viacom, but Cruise's behavior--i.e. his couch-jumping moment on Oprah and connection with Scientology--was considered a liability. "It's nothing to do with his acting ability. He's a terrific actor,'' Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone told The Wall Street Journal. "We don't think that someone who effectuates creative suicide and costs the company revenue should be on the lot." (See: "Tom Cruises Over To MGM." )
Like Cruise, Jamie Lynn's actions may not be legally actionable (although the statutory rape law in Louisiana requires that a minor be 17 to consent), but Viacom is likely worried that her actions will disturb her fan base and the entire Nickelodeon audience. Although she could move to another network, like MTV, which is also owned by Viacom, it is unclear where she could fit in, at least in the near term. Unfortunately for Jamie Lynn, so much of her brand and public identity is dependent on her wholesome credibility. Of course, she can take solace in the fact that she is not alone.
Earlier this year, 18-year-old High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens profusely apologized after naked pictures of herself surfaced on the Internet. Disney, the company behind the wildly popular High School franchise, decided to stand by Hudgens. (See: "In Pictures: Disgraced Movie-Star Comebacks." )
Shares of Viacom were up .10%, or 23 cents, to $43.17 in Wednesday afternoon trading.
Source: Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/facesscan/2007/12/19/viacom-jamie-spears-face-markets-cx_er_1219markets01.html?feed=rss_personalfinance)