Gwyneth Paltrow: I Don't Let My Kids Watch English-Language TV

[milanessa]

I do think I read somewhere that she has a nanny who speaks nothing but French to the kids? Yes? No? In that case, having them watch French TV would make sense. But why Spanish?

Can't answer your question about her nanny. I know almost zilch about her life but I did find this article from 2009 where she calls Spain her second home. It also says she was an exchange student there.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...k-Spanish.html

[maatTheViking]

they could have both French and Spanish lessons.

and I am suspecting that maybe she then feels that it a little educational when they watch TV, which alleviates some of the guilt when you inevitable uses TV to keep you children quiet...

(and I say this without having any opinion on Gwyneth or her life or opinions, but that I think even celebrity parents some times need to get their kids to shut up and leave them alone...)

[IceAlisa]

I know people who hire nannies from countries where they think the accent sounds better (in one case Colombia) for the kids to speak the language. Although in the case I am thinking of, the kid hasn't picked up much from the nanny Spanish-wise. But that kid is special in many ways.

Spanish is a language people living in California should definitely learn. I should learn it so I could save time on translators when I see patients. It's on my bucket list.

Having learned French seems rather useless now. So when some British or American authors feel the need to use a French phrase and don't bother to provide translation, I am OK. I can get around Paris without sounding like rude Amerikan. I can order in restaurants and ask directions. And that's it. No other practical value. My husband is fluent in Spanish and is learning Cantonese for the same reason, to be able to interview his patients.

Mini Ice is learning Spanish and Mandarin. His Russian is languishing at toddler level.

[DAngel]

I can get around Paris without sounding like rude Amerikan.

I find Americans nicer and friendlier than the french...

[Anita18]

I find Americans nicer and friendlier than the french...

My French coworker says they actually love Amerikan tourists despite how rude they might be, because they tip when they don't have to.

[shan]

I think it's great to have kids watch TV in another language - but it's just the way she comes across. It's irritating.

Exactly!

[allezfred]

I find Americans nicer and friendlier than the french...

I find generalisations to be a bit rubbish.

[Cyn]

As someone who has made all of her money (and garnered a less-than-deserved Oscar) for making movies in English, all I can say is what a pretentious, hypocritical twatwaffle .

Learning a second or third language is a wonderful thing, but her disdain and pretentious as fcuk-all attitude when it comes to all things American makes me want to puke.

[Ziggy]

Watching a lot of English language Cartoon Network is how I learned to speak fluent English when I was like 7 or 8.

[DAngel]

I find generalisations to be a bit rubbish.

Yes, because Americans being rude tourists are obviously not generalizations...

[Alex Forrest]

As someone who has made all of her money (and garnered a less-than-deserved Oscar) for making movies in English, all I can say is what a pretentious, hypocritical twatwaffle .

Learning a second or third language is a wonderful thing, but her disdain and pretentious as fcuk-all attitude when it comes to all things American makes me want to puke.

Fanned and faved. I just wonder if she thinks her *ssholishness is part of her appeal. NO, you fecked Brad Pitt and that's why people paid attention to you. I have NO CLUE how the Oscar happened, but it wasn't based on talent.

I personally have no problem with teaching children multiple languages, but that wasn't her point. She is such an *sshole.

And what career does she have? She's way past her prime, Madonna hates her, so what is her worth? That sham marriage?

[Prancer]

Watching a lot of English language Cartoon Network is how I learned to speak fluent English when I was like 7 or 8.

I just learned the other day that the Cartoon Network is the most global of all American companies and is in more countries than McDonalds, Coke or WalMart.

It made me think of a whole world of people watching Tom and Jerry .

[magicpixie]

Watching a lot of English language Cartoon Network is how I learned to speak fluent English when I was like 7 or 8.

me too. "I Love Lucy" also helped.

I saw an interview Gwyneth did in Spanish and her Spanish is pretty good. She sometimes makes gender mistakes but otherwise pretty impressive. I'm sure that's why she wants her children to learn Spanish.

I feel like I'm in the minority, but I like Gwyneth. I think she's a good actress and I appreciate that she seems to love other cultures and languages even if she expresses her love in a pretentious way.

[suep1963]

Watching a lot of English language Cartoon Network is how I learned to speak fluent English when I was like 7 or 8.

Zoinks and jinkies needs no translation!

When I was in France, we had the TV on, and we watched the Smurfs, dubbed in French. Bebe Smurf was an easy one to figure out

[Anita18]

I just learned the other day that the Cartoon Network is the most global of all American companies and is in more countries than McDonalds, Coke or WalMart.

It made me think of a whole world of people watching Tom and Jerry .

My French coworker said he'd never heard of Mister Rogers and it made me so very

[PrincessLeppard]

It made me think of a whole world of people watching Tom and Jerry .

More like Scooby Doo, Cow and Chicken, and Johnny Bravo. At least when I lived in Europe and it was my only TV station in English.

[TheGirlCanSkate]

Twatwaffle.

la twatwaffle

une twatwaffle

[IceAlisa]

Les twatwaffles?

[Ziggy]

I just learned the other day that the Cartoon Network is the most global of all American companies and is in more countries than McDonalds, Coke or WalMart.

It made me think of a whole world of people watching Tom and Jerry .

No Tom and Jerry. And no "funny" bullshit that CN plays nowadays. Back then they played cool action stuff. Like Space Ghost.

Every day, I'd get back from school and watch Cartoon Network for like at least 4 hours. Which under normal circumstances wouldn't be the best way to spend time for a child but since it was all in a foreign language...

[Cyn]

Fanned and faved. I just wonder if she thinks her *ssholishness is part of her appeal. NO, you fecked Brad Pitt and that's why people paid attention to you. I have NO CLUE how the Oscar happened, but it wasn't based on talent.

It's Hollywood nepotism -having Blythe Danner as a mother and her (now deceased) producer/director father Bruce Paltrow. Blythe Danner has more acting talent in her pinky finger than her snotty daughter has in her entire body. Shit, if my parents were as connected in Hollywood as hers, I could have won an Oscar with Gwyneth's "talent."