Regular e-mailer L.M. has this to say about Katie Holmes’s unwed pregnancy courtesy of You Know Who–a pregnancy that had both me and Charmaine Yoest wondering whatever happened to the social stigma that used to attend such developments (see “Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes–We Are Sooo Non-Judgmental,” Oct. 24):
“A surprise pregnancy for an unmarried woman, at least the ones I’ve known, is seldom a mistake in an otherwise well-led life. It’s usually one link in the middle of a chain of disasters. In bygone years, she might have been taken to task for skipping school, lying or cheating, sneaking out, joining a bad crowd, drinking, or for seeing a married man. The condemnation would have come by degrees long before any pregnancy.
“Now that we pretend that reckless habits are merely lifestyle choices that affect nobody else (or else it’s a disease if your bad habit is drinking until you pass out), it’s a leap to make any judgment at all
“I’m not suggesting that Katie Holmes ever did any of these things. Nor am I saying that we should abandon compassion for people who have made mistakes. But having a baby without a committed (read: married) father is a mistake. I’m glad that Tom Cruise seems to welcome this baby, but his fans ought to be disappointed in him, not ready to celebrate.”
Tom and Katie did get engaged in June, which is saying something, I guess, but they’ve got no plans actually to have a wdding. Katie, be forewarned: the last time your baby’s dad got engaged, to actress Chris Klein, the pair stuck around together for five years before calling it quits.
Update: Mon Dieu! My head is so bedazzled by the Holmes-Cruise union that I just can’t get the facts right. Here’s H.E. again to set me straight:
“Maybe Mr. Cruise should be forewarned since it was Ms. Holmes who was engaged to ACTOR Chris Klein and then broke it off after 5 years. Not that Mr. Cruise has a great track record himself.”
Again, I humbly stand corrected!