George Clooney, one of the world’s favorite childfree celebrities
“You really don’t plan to have children?”
“No.”
“Really? Like, ever?”
“Like, never.”
“Weird. Why no kids?”
“Childfree celebrities.”
“Oh, you mean like George Clooney?”
“Right. Like George Clooney.”
“Oh, and Patrick Swayze, he was childfree too, right.”
“Right. Though not by choice, I’ve heard. Perhaps childless rather than childfree.”
“So, you want to be like George Clooney, not Patrick Swayze.”
“I’m not a great dancer. Enthusiastic, but not great. Not even good. But see where my hair’s going gray? I am good with that.”
“Right. I can totally see where you’re coming from. So childfree, not childless.”
“At this stage, I qualify as both, I think. Still working on the George Clooney part.”
“Well, good luck with that. He’s such a hunk!”
“Still working on that too…”
Childfree Celebrities Role Models?
As mundane and fictional as the foregoing dialogue may be, it’s not unrealistic. I could have cribbed it from a chance encounter during an urban elevator ride or in a rural grocery checkout line. In the North Country or in the Southwest.
Celebrities are de facto role models (often despite concerted efforts to ditch this mantle), and we rely upon them as credible spokespeople for saving dolphins, building oil pipelines and losing weight.
Recently this has become especially true for celebrities without children, especially celebrities who are childfree by choice. Having a hard time explaining to your mother-in-law why you and your wife have chosen not to have children? No worries, plug in George Clooney.
“Oh, George Clooney’s childfree? I love George Cooney.”
Mission accomplished. Or so it would seem.
Searching for Childfree Celebrities
In recent months Why No Kids? has experienced a dramatic spike among folks looking for information about childfree celebrities. Over the last few months four of the top eight search queries delivering new readers to the WNK blog have been:
- celebrities without children
- childfree by choice celebrities
- childless celebrities
- childfree celebrities
Curious. This is good news for AmyWNK who is our resident expert on all topics pop culture and celebrity-hood. But I’m a bumbling dunce when it comes to celebrities. My bride would offer a more colorful description.
In short, I’ve never been particularly fame-centric, childfree celebrities or otherwise.
That said, I’m fascinated with the fact so many others are drawn to celebrities in general, and especially intrigued by the increasing numbers focused on childfree celebrities. Here’s a quick glimpse at some non-WNK coverage:
- Kate Walsh, Oprah and Other Childless Stars Speak Out (ABC News)
- Ten Celebrities Give Their Reasons For Being Childless By Choice (Mommyish)
- Celebrities Without Children – Celebrities Who Don’t Want Kids (Marie Claire)
- Rachael Ray and Being Childless By Choice – The Juggle – WSJ. (Wall Street Journal)
- Renee Zellweger Calls Children Little Dictators (AmyGrindhouse.com)
Can we infer anything from the this trend? Are more and more people looking for childfree celebrity role models?
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