Whether you caught the VMA’s recently or were still nursing your hurricane-hangover in bed, you probably still found out about the pregnancy that rocked the world harder than last month’s 5.9 earthquake on the East Coast. And even though the baby-on-board bit ordinarily leaves me squeamish, Ms. B’s little on-stage bun-rub and the ecstastic grins of her man Jay made me just giddy enough to remember these other memorable mama-to-be TV moments. Because a pregnant lady is just a pregnant lady, until she starts rapping on TV. Then, a pregnant heroine.
MIA Performance: There should be some sort of award for performing at the Grammy’s on the date you’re set to give birth, which is exactly what M.I.A. did in 2009 alongside the good ol’ boys club of hip-hop. Not only did she work her swagga, she worked it in a mesh and polka-dot get-up that covered only her most prominent lady parts, a characteristic bird-flip to modesty. Then, she went and delivered a baby boy three days later, on Valentine’s Day. Proof that moms can do it all, if they’re willing to risk giving birth on a stage next to Kanye West.
Amy Poehler rap on SNL: Before M.I.A.’s Grammy mommy moment, there was 9-months pregnant Amy Poehler performing a rap that more or less mocked then-vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who was sitting right there. And three years later, the image of Amy air-shooting a moose and yelling “You’re dead, I’m an animal!”, with the buttons of her Weekend Update blazer about to pop, I can’t help but imagine the mix of pride and embarrassment her son will feel when he’s finally old enough to watch the replay.
“Lucy is Enceinte”: Back before pregnant women were rapping on live tv, a baby bump was taboo for the small screen. But when tv darlings Lucy and Ricky became pregnant for the second time during their hit show’s second season, they convinced producers to incorporate it into the storyline. The only catch was that the word “pregnant” could not be used. Somehow the French’s word for “expecting” was declared in much better taste, and thus, we have the prudish time capsule that is “Lucy is Enceinte”, during which the First Lady of Comedy hilariously tells Ricky she is pregnant expecting.
Mariah Carey on HSN: For some reason, the people behind Mariah the brand decided that the third trimester of a twin pregnancy would be a good time to promote a fragrance and jewelry line on the Home Shopping Network. Though the entire infomercial was slightly painful to watch, the highlights reel truly captures Mimi at the height of divahood. And it’s refreshingly real. Does she care about trying to sell the rhinestone butterfly earrings? Not really, and she tells us so. Is she “just so, so pregnant” she just can’t even be bothered to know the name or price of the items? Yes, because she said so. And just like that, we knew she’d make a great mom.
