No Takers for a Jessica Simpson Baby Pic?
The latest photo of Jessica Simpson does little to dispel the rumors that she is pregnant.
Arriving at JFK in New York Monday, Simpson displayed a more prominent belly in black leggings and a top barely covered by a military-style jacket.
While she maintains her silence on whether she’s expecting — her rep did not respond to a request for comment — reports have surfaced that she is shopping around for a deal at several magazines to finally let the bump out of the bag.
The New York Post reported Monday that the singer is seeking $500,000 from celebrity weeklies to officially announce her pregnancy, but People, Us Weekly and OK! have turned her down.
“Simpson even attempted to sweeten the deal and the pot to $750,000 by guaranteeing pics once the child is born, but they still passed,” an source told the Post.
Ronn Torossian, president and CEO of 5W Public Relations, explains times are tough and especially for celebrities without a high-profile project.
“What has she done lately? She’s doesn’t have a hit album or film. Her weight has been and down, which isn’t appealing. And she’s engaged to a former NFL player (Eric Johnson), who is no amazing superstar on the field,” Torossian told ABCNews.com. “She’s just not that relevant today.”
“I think she might have missed the boat for a big payday,” he said.
Working against the pop star is a “tough economy,” Torossian said.
“Economy does matter,” the man who brokered the multi-million payout for pictures of Shiloh Jolie-Pitt said. “Media today are less likely to take big chances. I don’t know if they want to gamble on Jessica Simpson.”
So what does it take to get the magazines to cough up the cash these days?
“For any celebrities, a hot mom and a hot dad help,” said Torossian, author of “For Immediate Release.” “Both parents being notable helps.”
The big get right now, he predicts, is a picture of Beyonce and Jay-Z’s baby. “That’s a different level,” he said. “They are royalty.”
The only story that would be bigger: Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber having a baby — which they’re not.
Celebrity baby pictures once garnered millions.
In 2008, despite the economic downturn, there were bidding wars for baby photos.
Topping the list were Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who sold pictures of twins Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Leon for $11 million, which they donated to charity, according to French newspaper Nice Matin.
That same year, TMZ.com reported that Matthew McConaughey and girlfriend Camila Alves pawned off the first photos of their newborn son Levi to OK! magazine for $3 million.
Despite not having a hit record or movie for several years, Jennifer Lopez sold her twins’ baby photos for up to $6 million to People magazine, according to Advertising Age. Before that, People paid an estimated $1.5 million to singer Christina Aguilera for exclusive shots of her new son, Max.
It looks like Simpson may not be so lucky.
“Clearly, it’s not a secret that she’s pregnant,” Torossian said. “Everybody can see it. She needs to lower that asking price.”
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