Behind the Scenes of Mike ‘The Situation’s Baby Announcement; Why Publications Pay for Photos
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation stars Mike “The Situation” and Lauren Sorrentino welcomed their second baby, Mia Bella Elizabeth Sorrentino, on Jan. 24, 2023. News of the reality TV couple’s daughter was shared exclusively by People Magazine, a choice that didn’t sit right with some Jersey Shore fans. Find out why some were are disappointed about the photos, plus why outlets like People are willing to pay for exclusive photos like those taken when Mike “The Situation’s” baby girl was born.
Mike ‘The Situation’ has two kids now
According to social media posts, Lauren’s due date was Jan. 24. Baby Girl Situation arrived on time at 8:22 a.m. According to People’s report, Mia Bella Elizabeth weighed 5 pounds, 15 ounces at birth and was 18 inches long.
The Sorrentinos welcomed their first-born son Romeo Reign on May 26, 2021. Per social media, Romeo weighed six pounds, eight ounces, and was 19 inches long at birth. Unlike his sister, Romeo’s birth wasn’t announced exclusively by People. Instead, Mike and Lauren shared the news on their personal social media accounts, then the media picked up the story.
The general public expects outlets like People to have celebrity baby photos
Mike and Lauren aren’t the first celebrity couple to have their kid exclusively featured in People Magazine. The outlet has become known for breaking celebrity baby news, from the arrival of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s daughter Shiloh to the birth of Christina Aguilera’s son Max. The outlet is also known for showcasing celebrity weddings.
In some cases, People gets beaten out by competitors like Us Weekly or OK! Magazine. But regardless of who breaks the news, there’s usually an undisclosed price tag behind it.
As the New York Times reported in 2008, magazines like People and Us Weekly don’t disclose how much they earn from publishing news like celebrity birth announcements. However, it’s the expectation of the general public that these outlets will have this news. “The consumer’s expectation is if the photos are going to be available, I’m going to see them in People,” said Paul Caine, the publisher of the magazine at the time. “If we don’t get them, we miss that brand promise, we lose the halo that goes with that.”
Celebrity photos can go for thousands of dollars
It’s natural to wonder if the Sorrentinos were paid for photos of their second baby’s arrival and if so, how much. However, neither party is likely to ever disclose that information. But we do have details about what People was willing to pay for photos in the past.
According to a former People employee Albert Kim, who spoke with the New York Times 10 years later in 2018, the outlet once paid $50,000 for photos of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez kissing in a convertible. “We got into a bidding war with Us Weekly over those pictures and we ended up buying them for $50,000,” Kim said. “That’s what triggered everything in tabloid culture and the paparazzi.”
Some ‘Jersey Shore’ fans are turned off by Mike and Lauren’s announcement in People
Shortly after People published the news of Baby Girl Situation, Jersey Shore fans started spouting off on social media. While many were happy for the reality TV couple, some were disapproving of the exclusive photoshoot for People.
“Beyond overjoyed to sell her photos first chance they got,” said one user in the Jersey Shore Reddit. “Gorgeous baby, but yes,” another Redditor agreed. Another comment called the exclusive photos “off-putting” but added: “… I guess if it’s on offer … the [Jersey Shore] money won’t last forever.”
Keep up with the Sorrentinos in the new season of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, which begins Jan. 26, 2023.
