As CB reported the other day, America Ferrera is pregnant. To that, I say “yay!” I adore America and want good things for her. I wonder how they will handle it on her show, Superstore? It could make for a really interesting wrinkle in her current storyline but my guess is she will be shot conveniently behind counters and carrying boxes as she progresses. Which is fine, the show takes place in a big box store, these actions would not be out of place at all.
America appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert shortly after her announcement. Colbert announced when she sat down that she has appeared on his show four times, which is the most of any guest. I like Colbert’s monologues but I don’t like him as an interviewer. However, he’s good at it when he is comfortable with someone, which he clearly is with America so this was fun to watch. Colbert is a mega Lord of the Rings fan and the bit when they discuss that is a hoot (begins at 3:21). Anyway, since America has just announced her pregnancy, that was how they started the interview. Colbert asked a question which wouldn’t occur to me. He asked how it was growing up being named “America” and would she consider naming her child after “a land mass or idea,” to which America responded:
“I’m going to go with, no. I love my name now, but growing up with the name America is not easy and I don’t want to put that on my child because I know what that feels like, so I’m going to go with something that is more of like – a name.”
I don’t care for my first name, it’s very plain (and was super trendy the year I was born) and I rarely use it outside of official business. I wonder if I had been given a more unique name if I would have grown to love it. But I understand America’s reluctance given that she’s lived with it. It would be cool to claim all those songs were dedicated to you, though.
Obviously much of the interview was also devoted to the TimesUp organization that America helped start. Kaiser covered that on Tuesday and I am sure we will hear much more about that. I have been impressed that the organizers sound like they are listening to where they need to work and responding to that:
Thank you for this great initiative! Can you please add disabled women to the list of marginalized women most affected? And that is "disabled women" not "women with disabilities." Thank you.
— Dorothy Ellen Palmer (@depalm) January 1, 2018
Thank you @depalm for this correction. Disabled women have not been forgotten by #TIMESUP . #TIMESUP stands for ALL women, including disabled women, and the language should and will reflect that. https://t.co/Vn6kHItABL
— America Ferrera (@AmericaFerrera) January 2, 2018
@depalm The language in the #TIMESUP Solidarity Letter and social media images have been updated to properly reflect its mission to represent & include the voices of disabled women in the campaign. Thank you deeply for reaching out about this. #TIMESUP https://t.co/4ElybjxJXI pic.twitter.com/i4vVHM1w1N
— America Ferrera (@AmericaFerrera) January 4, 2018
America also announced on Colbert’s show that the TimesUp Legal Defense Fund has raised $14 million so far and that the funds would be used for women and men seeking legal action against sexual harassment.
To end on a “aaaaawwww” note: America, Amber Tamblyn, Blake Lively and Alexis Bledel have famously remained very close since filming The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants together. On Wednesday, America, who hinted she may already know the baby’s sex, posted this photo of her Sisters coming together to bless her new addition. I don’t often get gushy for things, but this kind of stuff taps into whatever sappy vein I do have:
I love this outfit America wore for the NBCUniversal press junket
Embed from Getty Images
Photo credit: WENN Photos, Twitter, Instagram and Getty Images
Best wishes to her and her little one.
I really love that the Sisterhood cast is still so tight. They really show up to support each other’s work and celebrate each other’s milestones.
👌👏👐
Having the name ‘America’ must have been terrible.
India, Ireland, London and of course Paris all better sounding in my opinion.
Alexis Bledel is a paradox; she manages it to look like a teenager and a grandmother at the same time.
I once had a Starbucks barista yell “African plain… African plain where all the wild animals live…” My name is Savanna. He thought he was sooooo funny. This was before it became more popular too.
I have 5 Savanna’s on my team, teacher ovet here, all with various spellings. 3 are in the same class.
I love Superstore. It’s such an awesome show, I genuinely laugh out loud several times per episode and I’m not one to do that.
I do too. The characters are so consistent. They are all good but honestly, Mark McKinney is so good, I start laughing the moment he comes on screen – just in anticipation. He and Lauren Ash together are gold.