AIBU regarding celebrity children and nepotism?

[Rhine]

Ive just read on the DM online that Gordon Ramsey's 13 year old daughter is getting her own cookery show again. Having seen said child on The One Show with her father earlier this year I thought she seemed obnoxious and bratty and can't imagine why anyone would want to watch anything hosted by her, but there you go I suppose it's what happens when you have a famous daddy (or mummy).

It's the same with the Beckham children getting all of these high profile modelling gigs. Are they particuarly good looking children? Not in my opinion, not ugly by any means but not expetional to look at either. Its just because of who they are.

It's all over the industry, celeb kids getting gigs because of eho their parents are. There are probably thousands of kids out there who are far more talented, able and more attractive but aren't gettting a look in because they don't have the connections.

It doesn't seem fair to me.

[TalkinPeace]

The Redgraves
The Fox family
The Feinnes family
The Wests
The Spalls
The Allens
The Bonham Carters
THe Sutherlands

yes, Acting has never, ever been about dynasties Ha Ha Ha

Models :
Mick Jaggers Daughters
Simon Le Bons daughter
Keith Richards daughters
Liv Tyler
Miley Cyrus
etc ad nauseam

[XCChamps]

There are loads Tfoot, Gabby Logan and Kenny Dalgleish's daughter who's on the new Channel 5 football show. Mostly if they're not very good they don't last long though.

OTOH, having a top doctor for a father pretty much guarantees you a stellular career in medicine, whether you're any good or not.

[SeaMagic]

I agree OP.

Yes it's 'unfair' but it also narrows the gene pool re fashion, music, media, entertainment, etc.

And is so dull dull dull to see yet another mini me copy from the loins of big celebrity getting their own tv show, cookery book, fashion label, etc.

They are rarely that talented in their own right or have the hunger and drive to bring their own vision and inspiration to fruition, they are mainly doomed to remain a pale comparison of their famous parent... and that is possibly a tragedy for them but also means those who might have been excellent in their field but lacked the connections to really advance also lose out and that is tragic for them but also for us, the viewing and purchasing public!

[EddieStobbart]

My issue is she's 13 and it's the BBC. Any other channel, fine, but for a celeb kid to just be handed a whole show is weird way for a state funded broadcaster to behave. I just hope they at least auditioned and she was the best candidate.

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

It happens in sport too and teams aren't going to pick someone just because of a name. In Rugby Union there are plenty of father son or brother internationals. The Quinnells, the Hastings boys, Andy and Owen Farrell etc.

In a lot of cases though, the traits that make one generation successful in an industry are traits they pass on to the next. Most of us aren't paid big bucks or in the public eye.

[hebihebi]

Nigella Lawson?

I agree with sports it's different as talent matters more than name but acting and modeling are very competitive and there are a lot of favors going on behind the scenes.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

Tfoot75
Couple of examples
Nicholas Cage - His uncle is Francis Ford Coppola
Angelia Jolie - Father is Jon Voight
Charlie Sheen
Emilio Estevez - sons of Martin Sheen
George Clooney - son of Nick Clooney and nephew of Rosemary Clooney

Football
Jamie Redknapp - son of Harry and cousin of Frank Lampard (whose Dad was capped for England)

Show Jumping
Look at the Smith and Whitaker families

[TalkinPeace]

How many F1 drivers at top level motor sport people have dads who did ......

the meejah is the worst offender though

look up how many journalists get their kids jobs in the industry that are never advertised

[XCChamps]

I have no idea why any parent would allow, let alone encourage their 13yo to have her own TV show. Especially parents who (presumably) are able to provide for her quite comfortably and know how difficult being in the public eye can be.

[Stripeysocksarecool]

"mellow who do you think the media should be chucking money at instead?
Children who are just as or more talented than Gordan Ramseys daughter. I don't know any other 12 year old that gets their own show. I should imagine every school in the country has more talented. I'm aware why they want someone connected to a famous name but it still makes me sick."

mellow so how are all these talented children going to come to the attention of TV companies? Do you expect them to constantly trawl the country looking for talent rather than to use the people who come to them?

Anyone who has children who want to go into a particular field or profession should encourage them to do so instead of whining about how it's not fair.

[jonicomelately]

I regularly visit a media organisation and two of the junior people there, who have jobs most young people would give their right arms for, are related to people who are household names.
I've seen the Gordon Ramsey daughter show and to be honest I wasn't impressed. What were the BBC thinking? She has a fabulously wealthy lifestyle which is showcased and I feel for all those poor kids watching at home. The BBC are supposed to entertain and educate and I fail to see how they do either with this programme. The girl is nice enough but I also really struggled to understand what she was saying half the time.

[mellowheart]

Sorry stripey totally don't agree, they don't need to trawl the country, plenty of youngsters apply to get roles on TV. These ordinary people do come to them. Unfortunately they'd sooner use someone (in many cases) who has a famous name. It's all wrong IMO but you're entitled to yours of course.

[mellowheart]

Why are you having a go at my posts anyway, the thread is all about what I'm on about but I didn't start it?

[Snowfilledsky]

I was a bit at GR's daughter getting a show. Same as Steve Irwin's daughter doing 'Dancing with the Stars'.

No more so than seeing the Beckham child in those awful macs though.

[Stripeysocksarecool]

Paranoid as we'll as envious mellow . I'm not having a go at you at all. it was just that your post struck me as particularly out there with its hyperbolic "makes me sick" coment

[SheGotAllDaMoves]

Obviously there is some nepotism at play.

But also, I suspect talents run in families and those talents will be well nurtured by parents already successful in that field.

[mellowheart]

So I'm "paranoid and envious" and you've worked this out from a couple of posts I've put up in response to a thread about the unfairness of celebs getting jobs because of their parents. Wow. Well we can all form opinions then can't we, I think you're rather rude and nasty. It's just the way your posts have struck me.

[NellysKnickers]

Life isn't fair. As adults we all know that. Get over it.

[EddieStobbart]

This has all gone a bit weird. Kids audition for stuff all the time - as I said up thread, I only hope it was the case here and the BBC didn't use some of my license fee to create a star vehicle for a celebrity's young daughter. I have nothing against her, I'm sure she's a lovely kid but frankly I'd rather if they were getting anyone to do this, aimed at this market, give Zoella a shout - at least she's earned her stripes.

[EddieStobbart]

And what's with the "life isn't fair" posts? No it isn't and that's why it's worth discussing. I actually have no problem with paying the Beckham kids squillions to do a bit of modelling - private company gets loads of publicity in return, that's how the market works. The BBC is supposed to be above all that and presenting this show is an opportunity for a talented kid. If she went through the same audition as lots of others and won the role then good on her, otherwise - a bit crap.

[Anotheronebitthedust]

What really annoys me is the way that so many of the children never acknowledge the leg-up their famous parents have given them. They get immediately defensive if asked in interviews and say how hard they've worked to get where they are - that could very well be true, but one doesn't negate the other. Plenty of others work just as hard/harder but without the family connections get nowhere. Worse of all are those who have the cheek to say it has actually worked against them 'I've had to work much harder to be recognised as my own person and not just [...]'s son/daughter'

Those that acknowledge 'Yes, I've been incredibly lucky to have a parent in the industry, but now I want to really work hard and make a name for myself,' I think fair enough, but the majority don't seem to think like that.

Mind you I think the same about people who flitter around trying acting/modelling/singing/DJing, etc. How many people are actually top-level quality at all of those things? But so many of them think that, once they are famous for one thing, they can just pick and choose whatever other field they want to go into next, despite any actual talent/formal training.

[TheDowagerCuntess]

I don't know why people keeping saying otherwise talented - but unconnected - people miss out.

This isn't the X-Factor, with just one winner.

There are no quotas for success in fashion, modelling, music, TV. Come one, come all - if you've got it, you've got it.

Just because Random Celeb Offspring has made it, doesn't mean there's one less place for an unknown.

[TalkinPeace]

Just because Random Celeb Offspring has made it, doesn't mean there's one less place for an unknown.
Oh yes it does.
The meejah will fill their posts with those they know rather than the untried and untested.

[Stripeysocksarecool]

The way to make sure that children of "celebrities" don't get the acting / modelling jobs is to kill the cult of celebrity. If no one paid any attention to the antics of, for example, the Beckhams no one would want to employ their kids.

being in thrall to celebrities and their every utterance has created the very thing that posters are now complaining about.

[EddieStobbart]

Banging on about the BBC again - how many kids cooking shows so they do? I'm not aware of more than one and the position is filled by a celeb's offspring. So if DD said to me "I want to a job like her" (she won't, her idea of hell) then what should my careers advice be? "Well, you don't have famous parents dear, so how about a little stint on Big Brother or TOWIE when you're a bit bigger and if you're outrageous enough you'll get a manager who can get you a few spin offs".