As reported yesterday in FameCrawler, Minnie Driver has revealed the first picture of her month-old son, Henry Story Driver. But she didn't do it by selling pictures to Vanity Fair or People magazine. Driver posted the picture on her MySpace page. That's right: "The Riches" star rolls Internet-style.
I have to say, I kind of respect this approach to the celebrity baby photo. She didn't make a fuss or start a bidding war. She just posted the photo and if people saw it, fine. If they didn't, no big deal.
To be fair, there isn't the same amount of pressure and attention on her as there is on Brangelina or TomKat. And I certainly respect famous folks who take that attention, as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have done, and turn it into a force for good by giving the money they receive for their pictures to charity.
I know that the public clamors to see those baby pictures and that no movie or rock star wants to be perceived as letting down his or her fans. More importantly, I realize that releasing a photo of a new addition is the best way to control the media's appetite and avoid being hounded by paparazzi every time Mom or Dad takes the little one for a stroll.
Still, sometimes I wish stars could protect those babies by keeping their faces out of the spotlight just a little longer. Children don't sign up to have an Oscar-winning mom or rock-star dad. Their privacy should be protected, and it's a shame that in today's TMZ-ified climate, it's next to impossible for most celebrities to do that.
Given that climate, I think Minnie Driver has handled the situation with an appropriately low profile and some class. So congrats to her. And incidentally, wow, what a beautiful little boy.
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