The Malia Obama Situation is a case study of many different subjects. It’s a case study of how young people of color have their bodies and lives “policed” by society more than white kids. It’s a case study of social media and the need for even periphery public figures (say, the ex-president’s daughter) to surround themselves with good people they can trust, people who won’t sell them out online or in life. It’s a case study of how even the ex-president’s kids are still going to act like teenagers and how un-notable that really is. It’s a case study of how the conservative media will literally attack a teenage girl for doing dumb-teenager sh-t but they won’t say one word about a Republican candidate who molests little girls. So what’s up with Malia? A few things. One, Malia needs better friends. One of Malia’s friends leaked this video of Malia blowing smoke rings. It really looks like she was getting high.
Leaked video shows Malia Obama smoking. No big deal? Or should she get some friends who won’t take videos like this? pic.twitter.com/zcZmRhQLtU
— Today'sLoop (@TodaysLoop) November 24, 2017
Dumb teenager sh-t. Writ large. Add to that, people just learned that Malia has a new boyfriend. She started her freshman year of Harvard this fall, and she’s already got a boyfriend. His name is Rory Farquharson and he’s being described as “a British former public schoolboy.” His second cousin worked for the Queen. And he gives off famewhore vibes. Malia and Rory were filmed making out at the Harvard football game. Forgive the gross TMZ video.
Malia Obama is getting some ACTION at the tailgate party! #TMZ pic.twitter.com/WGDIJObji8
— TMZ (@TMZ) November 25, 2017
Anyway, yeah. Malia seems like a pretty typical college freshman, doing pretty typical college freshman sh-t. None of this should be public fodder – can you imagine what would have happened if your parents found out what you were doing during your freshman year of college? Now imagine that reaction, only all of it is being detailed online and in the tabloid media and conservative media. It’s awful. I feel so sorry for Malia.
Chelsea Clinton and, oddly, Ivanka Trump have Malia’s back though. Huh.
Malia Obama’s private life, as a young woman, a college student, a private citizen, should not be your clickbait. Be better.
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) November 24, 2017
Malia Obama should be allowed the same privacy as her school aged peers. She is a young adult and private citizen, and should be OFF limits.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) November 24, 2017
Photos courtesy of Backgrid and Pacific Coast News.
Chelsea Clinton really impresses me with her kindness and compassion. She’s defended Barron too. I will never forgive Rush Limbaugh for the horrifically cruel things he said about her when she was a young teenager. So absolutely let’s give Malia some privacy to be a teenager.
So true. But in this case, it was Ivanka who first tweeted in defense of Malia. Chelsea followed doing the same about 38 minutes after Ivanka’s tweet.
But Chelsea has done this sort of thing regularly for years. She defended the Bush girls, she has defended both Obama girls in the past and she had defended Barron Trump when his own sister didn’t.
I’m not sure I buy that the only reason Chelsea tweeted it is because Ivanka did, which seems to be what your implying.
Also, Ivanka can tweet whatever the hell she likes; it won’t change the fact that she is no ally to women and only acts in her own self interest.
I don’t like Ivanka. I actually detest her. But Ivanka did tweet it first and point out to leave Malia alone, which probably made Chelsea think of it and followed suit almost 40 minutes after Ivanka’s tweet,. All I was pointing out to the OP who was commending Chelsea for the tweet, was that Ivanka should be commended also, since she brought it up.
There’s been plenty of instances of intrusion upon Malia and her private life after the White House with unflattering photos and there was no tweet before. So, yes, I do think Ivanka’s tweet caught Chelsea’s attention.
All I was saying give both their due for defending Malia’s right to privacy, not just Chelsea.
@jayna
In this instance Ivanka did do the right thing. She also condemned Roy Moore. And for her actions her father is trying to get them to move back to New York. I wondered when the inevitable choice between her dad and her husband would happen.
Jayna – just stop! Chelsea defended Barron and asked that people leave him alone twice; once when people were saying he’s autistic, and again when they were commenting on his t-shirt and shorts as inappropriate clothing for a first son. Chelsea and Ivanka used to be great friends, but I highly doubt she takes her social justice cues from her.
@Jayna: fair enough. I tend to think Chelsea would’ve tweeted about this anyway- as others have pointed out, she’s tweeted defence of Barron before. I don’t believe for a second she only did because Ivanka did.
I’m very much of the opinion that Ivanka is happy to say whatever will score her points in public, while she continues to do absolutely nothing to assist women in private, so I give her no credit at all for a tweet. I’d much rather she do some actual work.
Maybe some people are doing something else besides monitoring twitter and /or aren’t attached to their phones all the time.
Based on past behavior, I think it is a really big stretch to suggest that Chelsea tweeted about this only because Ivanka did. Clearly, from Chelsea’s history, she does this regularly on her own volition.
Or, maybe, Chelsea has more to do with her life than sit and watch twitter? I can’t imagine her defense of Ms. Obama has anything to do with a Trump response.
Um…. Not everybody is glued to Twitter 24/7. Ivanka just saw it first. Or had time to tweet first. They do both have lives.
I was actually watching that episode of the short-lived Rush Limpwick tv show when they did that joke. I am more or less the same age as Chelsea and I wanted to cry for her.
Rush Limbaugh is a despicable piece of excrement masquerading as a human being.
He is awful. He mocked Parkinson’s Disease symptoms and claimed MJ Fox was faking his tremors. Horrible.
Is social media destroying humanity? Remember when supposedly Native Americans felt that cameras took your soul? We can’t live with the camera and we can’t “feel” we have a life without media evidence. We socialize alone while “connecting” with the world. Gotta go, my soul is flying out the window…
nah bruh…. POCs need social media and cameras YTPEEPO are cray in society and we need record…lol BUT seriously
Yep, Chelsea knows. So far the Obama girls have gone through only about 13% of the media frenzy telescoping hate-crap CC endured. Oh, I have no doubt they’ll eventually reach the full 100% but we’re far from the Chelsea years…so far.
Ugh.
But the whole Obama family didn’t have any scandals. And the girls deserve to grow up as normal as possible.
Chelsea Clinton had it though tnx to her father’s affairs. That family became page six gold. She was innocent but so are some other kids, like Baron, who’s like 10. Can’t choose parents…
I side eye the 13% comment only because the Obama girls have had to go through being compared to monkeys, told their mother is trans and they are adopted/stolen. That level of vitriol is insane. I was close to the same age as CC when she was in the White House and the exposure she received was always sad to me. I just couldn/t deal.
I’m always impressed by Chelsea who uses her words carefully and I’m always baffled as to why such awful things have been said about this very smart and appealing woman. She certainly would be very aware of how hurtful, tiring and ridiculous it is for people to go after the children of politicians. I’m glad she spoke out.
She’s doing what others have done before her – I totally agree the press should leave her alone to make her own path in life.
@ digital unicorn : I agree people should leave her alone and let her just be a normal college freshman. But I don’t really expect that to happen at all. And I think people are being unrealistic to expect it to happen. It’s unfortunate but true.
This is neither news nor of interest.
Yet you read and responded.
geez relax..i think she meant as in it shouldn’t be of interest what this young girl is doing in her college days.
Thanks for the suggestion, Loopy, but I’m quite relaxed. If she had said it’s “not news” and left it there, I’d agree with your interpretation, but the “interest” part of her comment read as snarky. The Obamas are always of interest to me. If they’re not of interest to anyone, just scroll on by.
This is not news and intrusive, makes more sense.
Fair enough.
Good on Ivanka for this! For all her faults, this tweet was spot on.
Unless this is a different Ivanka Trump and not the one pimping out her own children on Instagram to deflect attention from her loathesome family’s rape & destruction of the USA, then she’s a raging hypocrite.
Tool-in-Chief is said to be furious that she publicly denounced Roy Moore. Daughterwife is acting up.
SHS even weighed in on privacy for Malua. I’ll give them grudging thumbs up for that and only that.
Ivy has something up her sleeve. Believe it. While I do think she thinks these things I would pay close attention to how unruly she becomes. Girl is much smarter than her father and has the same desire for revenge, but she isn’t thin-skinned or reactionary.
If she leaves, then it is a sign the end is nigh.
But she will take some people down, and she will find a way to do it that can’t be traced to her directly. I think she knows she needs to get public distance and save her brand.
Her comment is very significant knowing what she and we know about dear old Pops Lecher McGross.
we all had a douchebag boyfriend at that age
Am I missing something? What makes him a douchebag?
He’s white.
Some of my black boyfriends ended up being just as big a douchebag as my white ones. Like @queenE said, we’ve all had a douchebag guy, especially while we’re that age
A lot of guys that age are douchebags. If you date a guy that age, it’s highly likely you’ll date a douchebag. I did. It was fun for awhile and then it wasn’t and we all moved on.
well he certainly looks like a smug Harvard prick, thats for sure!
I don’t think Anna finished her statement. He’s white AND? Surely there is more to that statement.
@Anna, you’ve been DYING to say that.
Ha ha. So true. I’m hoping he’s not, though. But, for some reason I thought of The Princess Diaries, before Mia met the best Chris.
Aaaaaaamen Queene!! And I’ll add that she’s still at least 40% better behaved than I was at her age 🤣🤣. I think the deplorables are pissy because they’re too dimwitted to get into Harvard, but I’m not one to gossip.
Malia really needs better friends, they’re horrible. Her Secret Service detail (I think she still has one, or at least a body guard) should protect her better by looking out for those phones.
Maybe she was getting high, maybe not. Looks more like she was smoking hookah/shisha to me.
She probably does smoke, who cares? It’s legal in her state. And Barack used drugs in his youth, it’s public knowledge. I’d say 90% of college students use some sort of substance, it isn’t newsworthy though.
forget who it is but people aren’t worried teenagers do drugs and drink? everyone is so worried about eating well and living well but drugs are accepted as commonplace? it’s mind bogging to me, knowing the lifelong detrimental effects of alcohol and drugs…
forget who it is but people aren’t worried teenagers do drugs and drink? everyone is so worried about eating well and living well but drugs are accepted as commonplace? it’s mind bogging to me, knowing the lifelong detrimental effects of alcohol and drugs…
and no one knows what the guy is like. he’s young too and deserves respect and kindness just like malia.i know it’s open season on men but give it a break.
True. It depends the degree. I hate more that she smokes cigarettes than pot. Cigarettes can become a lifelong addiction and hard to quit and so detrimental to your health. I hated seeing the resurgence of young people smoking cigarettes a decade ago.
Although, at that one concert a few months ago it certainly looked like she was rolling on ecstasy to me. That was concerning. Then I had to remember that in my early 20s I did coke here and there socially and never became addicted nor did it in excess. So who am I to judge?
@annabelle
Yes, other than Trump, who thinks even his tax returns are off limits to the American public, most modern Presidential candidates have had everything from medical histories, to relationships to what drugs they may have done/tried recreationally. Clinton didn’t inhale the weed he smoked, Obama dabbled (tried coke) and there are books written about how W was a serious coke fiend.
It’s all fodder for the press, unless you’re a conservative wealthy white male w/ a Nazi (and Russian!) base of support at which point you can refuse to own up to anything (taxes, medical history, bankruptcies, sexual assault) and what’s more you can even endorse accused pedophiles for the Senate and it will be treated as normal and no big deal.
I haven’t condemned her and have nothing against weed. I don’t understand your response. I thought it looked like hookah, that’s neither here nor there.
@Casey We know that Trump reportedly doesn’t drink, he probably doesn’t smoke, but I’d be shocked if he doesn’t do coke or some other upper. I think W and Obama are the only two Presidents to admit to doing cocaine, which was a huge deal at the time. Trump will never admit it and as usual, the press has been super easy on him about it.
@Jayna, exactly. Although that’s one negative of BHO being so honest about his own use, it makes it hard for him to tell her not to. Barack reportedly still smokes cigarettes to this day. Like you said, addictive.
45 lies and he and coke are familiar with one another. His coke parties were common knowledge in NYC. That is why Biden made that dig after the debate when he was sniffling and acting wired in coke way. It is a common party drug in celebrity circles and Wall Streeters among others. Age doesn’t matter.
Show me a young kid going to any college in US who has not made a bad decision during those early years. Myself, I had horrible luck with boyfriends at that age. In fact by the time I hit 30 I openly responded “Matt? Matt? Mmm, nope I don’t know any dudes named Matt. I did this every time I’d run into anyone who mentioned dirtbag mistake of my youth.
Live and let live. I sure am glad none of those early mistakes got nationwide coverage.
Story around here is that she does not have a Secret Service detail on a regular basis.
And pot is legal here.
I bet she does but they look like average students. Worked at UT Austin when Jenna was a student, saw her regularly as I proctored exams for one of her classes, and they were around but unless you looked closely would assume they were just another kid in class.
But Jenna’s father was president when she went to UT. Malia’s father isn’t any more.
If she does have SS bodyguards, they are there to protect her from harm..not to pick her friends or prevent unwelcome photos…and you all seem to forget her friends are naive teens too..don’t expect the wisest choices from them either.
Maybe I was just a boring teenager, but I never did drugs or drank much and neither did any of my close circle. I’m surprised at how normalised it is. It isn’t ‘normal teenage behaviour.’
Me neither, although I concede that if it isn’t the majority of teens and college aged young adults, it’s awfully close to a majority.
Neither did I.
I wonder how much of this is a socio-economic thing. I was terrified of doing anything wrong for fear of screwing up my life and ending up poor. A wealthy person probably doesn’t have the same worries.
Exactly! some of my friends ocassionaly drank a little too much but within limits and no drugs. this wasn’t normal behavior in our circles, but then we were studying stem and lower middle class scholarship kids. a wrong step would have ruined our lives.
we have just one brain, people,
don’t wreck it with alcohol and drugs!
It is, trust me. As in, it’s generally the age where those behaviours happen the most.
I too was a late bloomer who didn’t drink until I was past 21, never smoked and didn’t lose my virginity until I was 27. I was so scared of making a wrong step and ending up on the street.
But I’m glad Malia is living her life. I just wish the press would let her be.
@peeking I didn’t mean that you condemned her at all… obviously you didn’t. She’s been “caught” smoking weed before and everyone freaked out. I just meant that it might be hookah, but if it’s weed then who cares? I agree that she probably needs better friends and to tighten her circle up. But that sucks.
European countries have media that will refuse to publish untoward pictures obtained in a shady way of private people, even if they’re famous. I wish our media would do that instead of putting the onus on 19 yr old kids.
Thanks Annabelle – some people in this thread seem to think I was criticizing her and her boyfriend.
All Others – when I said the Secret Service or bodyguard should do better, I don’t believed they’re only to protect from physical harm. So many bodyguards of celebrities, athletes, royal family members etc. confiscates phones or make people delete embarrassing picture of their charge. It’s why there was such an uproar when Naked Vegas Harry photo surfaced.
Bottom line, Malia is a private citizen and should be left alone.
I can’t watch or look at any of this. To me it’s more scandalous that 19 year old Kylie Jenner ISNT doing any of these stupid 19 year old things (except the attending Harvard part). This is exactly what a 19 year old should be doing: attending higher ed and making stupid (but small) decisions on their own.
Yes, it’s actually a good sign that she is leading a fairly normal life for a 19 year old college student. And it’s awful that it gets blasted around the world in a TMZ video.
Malia didn’t sign up for this BS.
Rory Farquharson? Good LORD what a name. It sounds like the name of THAT snobby British schoolboy in movies, you know? Or Lord Farquad from Shrek. Lol.
And yes, Malia should be off limits. At least she was smoking in a bathroom and not outside on the back patio of her dorm, in full view. Totally not speaking from personal experience…
That’s funny, Lord Farquad was the first thing I thought of when I heard his name lol
+1 me too
I was always told you can’t do tricks with weed smoke as easily with weed smoke and that it’s more likely cigar smoke.
I am not able to do smoke rings regardless of the type, so really, can’t verify either way.
Thank you for making this about what is truly important here. I can French inhale if I’m smoking a blunt, when the smoke is thicker, but I’ve never been able to make o-rings. My friends in college used to decorate paper towel holders and use them for smoke tricks. We were an industrious bunch. 😉
Lol, is this not the take away for everyone? The rest is super typical uni nonsense. Live you best smoke ring, bad boy decision life, Malia.
And I’m very impressed at the French inhale. I can do zero tricks, but I must admit I never made props to practice with so I’m not giving it enough effort obvi.
I went to school with a kid who said he could blow smoke squares. It went probably the same as you’re picturing now 😉
I could only do rings with a vape stick. And only barely. French inhale 4evah. And to avoid tricks altogether, edibles 🤣
TMZ — that old guy is so malevently repulsive and his minions look as scummy as they sound.
Yes, Leave Malia alone! She will attract a number of bad people at first as “friends” not only because she is an Obama but because she’s learning to navigate the social scene. With time and experience she’ll understand whom she can trust and she’ll drop the opportunists.
I wonder if this going after Malia is a way to get former President Obama to go on the attack against 45’s policies and actions ? For the most part Obama has been pretty restrained in his comments in the face of 45 basically dismantling his legacy as President.
What better way to get a person upset than to make negative comments about their child? Also 45 and his supporters must be getting bored of Hillary “ but her emails!!” Clinton and like a small child want a new toy to play with.
Malia Obama should be left alone. She is right now a private citizen attending college and the media has no right to publicize her private life. I tip my hat to Chelsea and Ivanka for seeing through the media’s malicious intentions about Ms. Obama. I am almost certain Fox News will say something negative about Malia simply because she is President Obama’s daughter. I agree though, that Malia needs to find better friends, but hey she is still young.
A teenager who smokes? Shock…horror. Not.
The boyfriend doesn’t seem bad yet, whoever filming teens at a football game is the douche with no life. I hope she surrounds herself with better people, bc I bet those same people would never consent to having themselves filmed the way they do Malia.
Nothing to see here.
On one hand it’s nice that Ivanka Trump defended her. On the other hand, it comes across as a subtle attempt to try to equate the unfair scrutiny and criticism Malia gets with the valid criticism and justified scrutiny that Ivanka, her brother, and her husband have EARNED.
Anyone here watch Justinj1232? He’s a youtuber I used to watch but unsubbed when he said he was “disappointed in Malia for dating a white boy”
Seriously? So not only does Malia have the racist & sexist media attacking her, but she has someone who claims to be “woke” policing her body.
The saddest part for me is I’m so used to this behavior from some many men in my life that I couldn’t even get outraged by the ignorance.
I feel bad for all the women in the world, but being an black woman, I feel like we are the lowest on the totem pole and everyone thinks they get to tell us what’s right and whats wrong to do with our bodies and who we should date.
This shouldn’t have even made the news.
I’m so grateful social media and cell phones were not a thing during my college years! Malia definitely needs better friends, and she needs to be left alone by the media to be the carefree college student that she deserves to be. If she later chooses a life in the public eye that’s one thing, but for now she’s a private citizen and should be treated as such.
yet you’re writing about it
Writing about the coverage, not reporting on Malia directly.
This was my reaction. If something is “none of our business”, maybe don’t link to all the content (TMZ, TodaysLoop videos) that you’re saying we shouldn’t look at?
I tend to agree. I knew vaguely of this story but I refused to look up the video and pictures. Views and clicks matter.
I hope she makes some real friends she can trust.
Someone on twitter said that Malia needs to make some black friends. Not because they’re “better” but because they’re used to being under the microscope of life and would not be exposing her like these “friends” are doing.
LOL. One of my co-workers said the same thing. Whatever the case, she does seem to run in very White cirles and it probably wouldn’t hurt her to be a little more discerning about what types of people she hangs out with. And yes, you can be 19 and know how to pick the right type of friends.
She’s trying to find her place in the world, which is typical for people of that age. Unfortunately, for her, her dad is a rather beloved former President. She does look sad in a lot of those videos and pictures so I hope she figures herself out soon.
Honestly the takeaway is she needs better friends (her crap is ALWAYS being leaked and surprise nothing from Sasha’s circle). And the hypocrisy of conservative media that attacked everything about these girls for years. They can go straight to h*ll for their BS.
But she’s doing typical college crap. Nothing shocking there.
Seriously Malia get better friends. There’s no reason your every move should be leaked to the media.
True story: in my first year at university, I got my picture in the national newspapers attending a political demo and shouting my head off. I found out about this because the next morning my mum rang up the dorm to say “Ahem. Nice picture, gobshite,” but I was so hungover from the subsequent night out that I was still in bed so had no idea I was having a 15 minutes of anonymous fame.
Great story!
🙂
Congrats. I was in the student paper at a sit in at the college president’s office and do not even remember what we were protesting. You clearly maximized your experience!
Mine was Clause 28 (old UK legislation banning “promotion” of homosexuality in schools). I had a great day shouting at random political opponents (one of whom was famous, hence the press interest), went out to see a band that evening, got completely and utterly blasted AND made the news the next day. I honestly thought I was a goddess that morning! Oh, the hubris of youth. I bet I was insufferable.
Your values were totally in the right place!
The only thing that bothers me here is the privilege. And the way the Ivy League reinforces class divisions and props up the plutocracy. But I’m pretty much communist who would welcome a revolution so whatever. I know her father is self made, but she is not, and I doubt her public school boyfriend is anything but straight from the ranks of the ruling elite.
yeah, I wonder how she got into Harvard….I wonder how a lot of kids get into Harvard…, it’s all about $$$$ and privilege. My Valedictorian with great SAT’s couldn’t get in but these people (who seem to have a lot of time to party, party, party) are in, the privilege thing is annoying. But I do agree that this girl should be left alone to do what normal college kids do!
Malia is a legacy at Harvard because of her parents. However, she’s very smart, with a good SAT score and grades, anyone with the money (and smarts) can get into Harvard. One of my students just did. His SAT score was 1450. He’s taking it again to see if he can get higher!
Close to 70% of Harvard’s students are on some form of financial aid. Our legal librarian’s son is in his sophomore year and the family’s share of his tuition is $6,000. He rides his bike or takes the T to classes from their home. He would have been paying that in room and fees if he had opted for UMASS.
@H
Wrong; she would be legacy for Occidental, Columbia, and Princeton but not Harvard. Legacy is undergrad not graduate.
I don’t doubt that a lot of students are on financial aid at Harvard. But I do think it it helps to have money to actually get IN TO Harvard. Because of the emphasis on extracurricular activities (i.e violin lessons, athletic training, etc.) and doing something notable when you’re not studying, I do think you have to have some degree of economic privilege to stand out on your application. If your parents are not rich enough to pay for various kinds of lessons in different activities, I do think the deck is stacked against you in terms of getting into Harvard. I also think wealthier people can pay for courses that help with the prep for the SATS.
Once you’re in at Harvard, I have read that grade inflation is present. Which is probably why there’s time to fool around with alcohol, etc. when you’re a student.
In other countries, I think economic privilege helps in scoring better on exams as well. But I don’t necessarily think that weird emphasis on extracurriculars is quite as present.
As a Pole – f*ck communism.
But yeah, of course she got in because of her name. She should still be left alone by the press though, her private life is private.
That’s not altogether fair. She has incredibly bright parents and a first rate education at her private school in DC. I would bet she is a very smart young woman, just based on her family dynamics, genes, and experiences growing up in the White House. Obviously her name and privilege would get her in, but I would like to think she has her own accomplishments as well, and is academically deserving.
Anna, sorry to offend you. I’m speaking of economic Marxism not Stalinism. Communism as an economic practic not a political system. Workers owning the means of production or at least being fairly compensated for 100% of their production. An end to passive income or at least taxing it an a very, very high rate. Natural resource ownership by everyone in the nation. No selling oil, gas, timber, grazing rights to multinational corps or giant ranches for a fraction of their worth. That kind of thing.
I think going to Harvard might have been emphasized in her family. I don’t think she’d be considered a legacy because her parents went there at the graduate level.
Nonetheless, if you come from a family that is fairly intellectual minded, that is what is going to be emphasized to you (i.e see Natalie Portman). I think people forget that Obama’s dad was a Phd student at Harvard. Obama’s mom went on to further studies and got a Phd in anthropology from the University of Hawaii.
If you come from a family where education is emphasized, it’s likely that getting good grades and going to a decent school. was mentioned to her more than once. She would have been driven to go there based on parental influence.
If you’ve seen Michelle Obama talk about why she was driven to educate herself, I’m sure it’s fair to deduce that she emphasized the same thing to her daughter.
I do think her last name helps, but also think the drive to get good grades and go to a top school (however you may define it) would also be present based on her family’s appreciation for education.
That is such a cheap assumption to make.
She was raised by a brilliant father and mother, both who have multiple degrees, in an environment that was packed with intellectuals and experts….and your FIRST assumption is that she couldn’t possibly have the intelligence to earn her way in?
FFS.
It is really crazy how we are sold this idea of Ivy league schools. That show again and again that is has nothing to do with your intellect. Bush was in Yale and Harvard, wasnt he?
And of course those unis are rated highly. By american rating agencies. BEcause other countries running their unis in a different way can only mean they are bad. Everything non american is bad to americans. I just had someone explain to me why for example german universities are rated so badly which always made me wonder. Its because their research money isnt mostly bound to unis but to research societies. So those rating agencies leave out billions of euros in research funding. Just because they dont understand that system.
I come from a country where everyone in theory can attend, rich people obviously still have an advantage but its a lot more fair.
Yeah, same happens in my country. Research is done both at unis and research orgs. And budgets come from both private and public sectors.
I’ve never really understood it either, but like many other things it’s a status symbol. A guy I knew in high school got into Harvard and would. not. shut. up. about. it. the. rest. of. the. year.
Still possible she had great grades.
I think she most likely did. For some reason, I picture Michelle Obama expecting good report cards from her kids.
While the Ivies do reinforce economic privilege, tons are there on merit, not name (gotta defend Harvard as my undergrad university). It’s hard to get in if you’re not at least middle class because your application is better if you have serious activities or interests beyond school (which generally means no struggle to make ends meet). Few of my friends were legacy students, just smart and from good schools. I’m a WOC, which can help, and grew up comfortably, but my parents grew up extremely poor (think cotton picking in Louisiana).
There are always outstanding students who don’t get in and this is largely luck of the draw, not anything against them. There’s an enormous volume of applications and a very small number of openings.
The Bush twins were also photographed acting like stupid college freshmen. And a lot of the same people who are outraged now were delighted. Let’s just agree that the lives of the children of presidents should be off-limits (unless they are adults doing something illegal of course). And that should be the case whatever party the president is.
+1
Not only were they photographed, they were arrested multiple times.
Oh yeah, possession of alcohol under the age of 21. I grew up in an era of 18 year olds being allowed to drink and have a hard time regarding that as anything serious. I work on a college campus and if all the violators of that law were arrested more the half the class would have the handcuffs on at any one time. It’s like smoking and pot – a way of showing that you are “adult” and not directly under mommy and daddy’s eye anymore. Malia and Sasha need to be left alone by the media to make normal mistakes and learn from them – as most college students eventually do.
And fake ID, right?
Leave them all alone.
Jenna Bush was arrested a couple of times for underage drinking and she was definitely a partier at UT (I worked there while she attended) but she was no different than any other college student. I’m probably more surprised neither of the Bush twins piped in on this since they had a similar experience and made such a big deal about the letter they wrote the Obama girls.
And yeah, Malia probably needs to better vet her friends to lock this stuff down. Harvard is a different world than Sidwell Friends.
I know they wrote a beautiful open letter to the Obama daughters upon leaving the White House. And one sentence is germane to this.
“Most importantly, Jenna and Barbara urge the Obama sisters to continue surrounding themselves with loyal and fiercely protective friends.
“Those who judge you don’t love you, and their voices shouldn’t hold weight. Rather, it’s your own hearts that matter,” they say.”
All this confirms for me is why children of celebrities find it so hard to go to university and be normal. They get sold out constantly. It’s even worse when you’re a woman of color in such a privileged institution…I’m sure there are many there who are desperate to tear her down.
I don’t know about that. There are a bunch of celeb kids in college now (Kelly Ripa’s son, Rob Lowe’s kids, you only see JLD’s son when they are at his basketball games, there’s a couple of celeb kids at Brown, etc.) and you never hear/see them in the celeb news.
To be honest, I don’t think Kelly Ripa and Rob Lowe are really considered important or interesting enough to follow their kids around.
Obama is somewhat of an icon, not just a former president. He has charisma and people admire him. He carries himself in a way that is attractive to people. He also has a mystique that someone like Donald Trump clearly doesn’t have. He has an attractive family that people like. His kids were incredibly cute as children and people saw them grow up in the White House. I’m not surprised his kid would be followed around. I don’t think one can compare why someone would have fascination with Obama’s kids vs. Rob Lowe. Which is probably why Malia should get better friends. Yikes, with friends like this, who needs enemies?
I wouldn’t be surprised if there were probably a few pictures of JFK Jr. from college doing stuff with his girlfriends, etc.
Spot on perplexed. Not all celebrities are equal and hold the same level of interest. I imagine if the Jolie Pitt kids go to school there will be some interest.
I never did dumb stuff in college. I worked my butt off to get money for college so I wasn’t about to risk it for anything. What concerns me about this for anyone is these can become lifelong habits and addictions and I have seen it happen to people. It does not always turn out well and it is not always just harmless fun.
Also how do we know that Rory Farquharson is a “douchebag”? Because he is a former public schoolboy from Rugby? Because he is kissing his girlfriend? Malia is a former private schoolgirl from The very exclusive Sidwell Friends school. Much the same social level I’d think. I mean he might be a douchebag, but just because he has that background doesn’t mean he is (no more than her background makes her a snob.)
I don’t get why he’s considered a “douchebag” either. There’s no evidence actually proving what douchebag things he’s done (yet.) They both come from similar backgrounds school-wise.
I am 39 and smoked cigs at 16 for first time and continued through mid thirties off and on without becoming a heavy smoker thank god. More of a social/drinking thing. However I view it as disgusting now and am surprised with how educated kids today are compared to 1990s that any kids would even pick up a cigarette. It doesn’t even get you high it is just gross.
Twitter had a field day. Three of my favorites.
http://twitter.com/villaintalk01/status/934073799259099136
http://twitter.com/rosalita2740/status/934064173004226560
http://twitter.com/jonasleft/status/934025394407256064
A young woman making out with a man she’s attracted to and dating?? SAY IT AIN’T SO.
I can’t help but wonder, do
MIchelle and Barack bite their tongues or do they say something about it?
When she was rolling around on the dirt at the music concert I imagine that’s the time they didn’t hold their tongue, because they were probably concerned about heavier drug use than pot or alcohol.
Michelle I would imagine rags on her about cigarette smoking because she does the same to Barack. It’s such a nasty habit.
Other than that, I imagine they try to give Malia her freedom and not micro-monitor her college life unless her grades aren’t good.
Yeah that’s how I see it too. And it’s more important to keep the line open, monitor basic safety and health, and help them know you’re there if they need you. Otherwise – they have to make mistakes and learn on their own.
I just wish nobody tweeted, nobody paid attention, nobody repeated the story then the story would be a non story. She is only answerable to her parents and we strangers should leave her or any other kids alone.
I’m impressed… It takes a lot of practice to blow rings. I could never do that.
Why is the boyfriend considered to be bad? Is it because he comes from a wealthy family? That’s the most likely the socio-economic group she’s going to meet at Harvard — the wealthy kind.
But, yeah, she needs new friends. You’d think her Harvard friends would give her more privacy — isn’t that partly why Natalie Portman chose Harvard? (other than the pretentious reasons she cited when she was 18).
Natalie pretty much disappeared while she was here. But it helped that she used her real name instead of Portman too.
Caroline Kennedy’s daughter was shadowed by local gossip columnists when she started at Harvard but she spent the first few months giving them the finger, pictures that they couldn’t use in their daily paper, so they eventually left her alone.
Oh yeah, she went by Natalie Hershlag. I now remember…
I vaguely remember Portman saying she chose Harvard because Joe-Schmo didn’t go there.
The expectation that Malia wouldn’t end up with someone (for now anyway) who wasn’t a public schoolboy is a little funny to me though. Public schoolboy in the UK is no different from private school kid in the US. She’s most likely going to go out with someone at the same socio-economic level as her, with or without Harvard.
I heard the bf was on record making some very douchey statements boasting about his wealth and family background, hence the ‘douchebag’ starus – I wish that was clearer in the post.
Also I don’t think Natalie Portman is any basis for comparison in terms of privacy at Harvard – she went there an entire generation before Malia, and graduated before Facebook was invented, in an era when everyone didn’t have camera phones.
Since her dad smokes (or used to), I’m not surprised she does. I don’t think her dad can really stop her from doing it because she could say “Well, uh, you did…”
Poor Malia. That’s gotta s*ck. I will make a point to not click on any gossipy stories about her, so as not to feed the beast.
This isn’t news and they should leave her alone. On the other hand, Malia, for all that is good and right, stay away from the cancer sticks!
I disagree that she has ‘bad’ friends or needs ‘better’ friends. in this time socials (social media) is all about broadcasting your selves and catching your friends in their moments. those are actually great friends getting it all on film! you know how hard it is to do a smoke ring!!!??? my bff had better get it on film.
I agree that she should be off limits and she’s a teenager doing teenager shit. So what?
But please let’s not pretend the media (conservative included) “won’t say shit” about child molestors. The Moore story dominates my feed , I use a news aggregator from all types of media, and it’s still there.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/11/27/roy-moore-sexual-assault-allegations-condemned-by-growing-number-republicans.html
Just one example. Fox. 2 days ago.
I agree she should absolutely be left alone and have privacy, so why is this site posting the videos? Just report on it if you must without showing what you think is wrong.
Omg she smoked a cigs and made out with a guy?!?! ***major eye rolling that this is even news***
She is fine. Have fun while you are in college. Love your best life, Ms. Obama!
Let her live, and not be the subject of gossip. I’m going to take @crazydaisy’s cue and not click on posts about her from now on, it doesn’t help to be feeding the beast.
“Starfish said: @jayna
In this instance Ivanka did do the right thing. She also condemned Roy Moore. And for her actions her father is trying to get them to move back to New York. I wondered when the inevitable choice between her dad and her husband would happen.”
@Starfish, I think the writing is on the wall. They are accomplishing nothing, so not the power couple they thought they would be in the White HOuse. Dad is as nuts as ever. With Jared losing power by the day, I think they are making plans for the eventual move back to NYC and so Ivanka is doing things like calling out Roy Moore, etc., to be accepted back into NYC society a little more easily after all the bridges they have burned.
Dream on, Ivanka. It’s not working. Complicit still applies to you and Jared. Your wealth between you both will get you back to a degree, but never like it was, the big society couple embraced by the liberal Democrats in NYC. You are a phony, and your husband Jared was a turncoat, unlike his brother, who stayed true to his liberal Democrat values.
Being in New York won’t protect Jared and Ivanka from Mueller. Might actually make it easier to quietly interrogate them.
I suspect Ivanka is trying to set a precedent to be extended to her own children. That said, she’s probably one of the few people the Trump crowd MIGHT listen to, so I’m glad she said something.
Good on Chelsea for continuing her support of presidential kids.
Why even report this on here? That’s also part of the problem.
I’d hate if anyone monitored my teenage years and I’m nothing close to being as accomplished and intelligent in comparison to this young woman.
Do your thing, Sweetie!! You re more poised than most people twice your age. Have the fun you deserve.