Just as Octomom Nadya Suleman heads to court Monday to defend herself in a child labor lawsuit over footage of her kids filmed for Radar Online, there comes news that she has signed a deal for a reality-TV show starring those same laboring little ones. It will bring her brood of 14 -- including the tabloid-famous 7-month-olds -- a total of $250,000 over three years, or $250 each per day of filming.
That hardly seems enough when you consider that they will each spend approximately 71 days of their young lives in front of the camera, as unwitting stars of a televised freak show, without even making enough to comfortably pay for college. (If you have any doubts about whether they will receive the freak-show treatment, consider that the show's production company was behind the ever wholesome "Breaking Bonaduce." Also, see: Octomom.) Beyond the money, there is still that minor issue of child labor laws. A judge still has to approve the contract, but, as evidenced by "Jon and Kate Plus 8," reality TV shows are often deemed an OK exception. (The thinking seems to be: The kids aren't working, they're just living on camera, and what 7-month-old wouldn't want to be a reality star?)
There is but one bit of positive news here: California law requires 15 percent of the kids' gross earnings to be tucked away in a trust that cannot be touched until they are 18. But, having heard plenty of child star sob stories, and seen far too much of Suleman, I can't help thinking that measly sum will not prove worth it.
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