Actress Tori Spelling is no stranger to being the subject of tabloid headlines, but this week’s Star magazine cover story proclaiming “Tori Spelling $300 Million Divorce” became a nightmare for the mother of four when her 5-year-old son Liam (who turns 6 in a couple weeks) was able to sound out the word “divorce” while waiting in a grocery store checkout lane. And that’s not all. Liam then noticed a small inset photo of himself with his mother, father, and siblings and was able to read “Who will get the kids?”
Needless to say, it was a terrible experience for Liam, and thus a terrible experience for mom Tori, who penned the lengthy, emotional “An Open Letter To Star Magazine” and posted it on her blog. In the letter Tori acknowledges that tabloid stories come with the territory when it comes to being a celebrity, and though she openly despises the publications that publish hurtful, false facts without research, she says “I’ve built up a pretty thick skin to the lies and trash talking at this point.” The same cannot be said for her children.
She describes the harrowing ordeal after Liam read the magazine cover aloud:
I had to hurry him and his confused 4-year-old sister Stella out of the grocery store and into our car. By the time he was fastening himself into his car seat he was asking, “Why is someone getting us?? Where are you and Dad going?” He was anxiously biting his lower lip and his big blue eyes were filled with tears. My heart sank. How would I explain to my children that what these 3 writers who have never even met us but who claim to know the ins and outs of our relationship and have proudly put their names on this article are flat out writing lies?
She also goes after the magazine for attacking her husband Dean McDermott. The subheadlines on the cover read:
• Dean Wants Her Mom’s Money Too
• Tori Catches Him With Other Women
• Dean’s Sick Porn Obsession Revealed
• His Cruel Taunts: “You’re Too Fat!”
Tori’s response?
Again, you want to make inaccurate low blows at someone Star? Go for me! I can handle it. I always have. But don’t do it to a man that has done nothing but loved me and our children. He has stood by me during the good times and held my hand through the darkest moments of my life. I’m so blessed to have him as my partner in life and love and he is the best father to our four children.
It should be noted that Tori’s imminent divorce is apparently something Star magazine has in their “Go To” pile for when things are slow. Tori graced the cover back in May of 2012 (above) along with the headline, “Pregnant Tori’s Divorce Blowup! The Secret Separation.”
Here’s Tori Spelling’s “An Open Letter To Star Magazine” in its entirety — an absolute must read!
An Open Letter to Star Magazine
Feb 28, 2013 by Tori Spelling
Here are the two things you learn quickly in the public eye when media publications are “reporting a story” about your life… That some publications are more reputable than others and they fact check their stories, and then one writes whatever story they want and repeatedly use the generic word “sources” to add an air of legitimacy. The second is that most publicists will tell their clients “no comment. This will pass”. And it usually does. Then, the next week the tabloid is telling lies about another celebrity. Well, my publicists are as good as you can get and they aren’t just business associates, I consider them close friends. But this time I had to comment because this time I’m answering not as a celebrity but as a mom.
At this point you might be wondering what I’m referring to while others have already seen the hateful story on the cover of this weeks Star magazine claiming that Dean and I are divorcing and many more horrible claims against my husband. Yes, the story will pass but what won’t pass is what happened in a local supermarket check out line.
My son Liam is turning 6 in a couple weeks. His proudest achievement so far in his young life is that he is learning to read. Until now, when that pride turned to sorrow thanks to Star magazine. He first spotted me on the cover, then Dad, and then a picture of himself and his 3 younger siblings. He was able to read two things out loud, the word DIVORCE (which he proudly sounded out) and the caption above his picture which read “Who will get the kids?” He became terrified. I had to hurry him and his confused 4-year-old sister Stella out of the grocery store and into our car. By the time he was fastening himself into his car seat he was asking, “Why is someone getting us?? Where are you and Dad going?” He was anxiously biting his lower lip and his big blue eyes were filled with tears. My heart sank. How would I explain to my children that what these 3 writers who have never even met us but who claim to know the ins and outs of our relationship and have proudly put their names on this article are flat out writing lies?
I’ve always had shots taken at me. It’s been almost 24 years since I became a public figure starting at age 16 with 90210. It’s the downside to this business but I’ve built up a pretty thick skin to the lies and trash talking at this point. But my children are another story. Keep them out of it! I wonder if any of those 3 writers have children? How would they feel if their child had to read something so hurtful and confusing as what mine had to read? How do they sleep at night knowing they’ve potentially emotionally scarred and if nothing else terrified innocent children.
Driving home I repeatedly told my children, “That magazine doesn’t know us. Daddy and I are very happy and in love. There will be no divorce and all of us will remain together as a family”. Stella, my literal one, just kept saying “But then why is it on the magazine? Magazines are true.” I wish that were always the case.
I’m lucky my two oldest are only 5 and 4 and couldn’t read the fine details of the article where horrific claims were made against my husband, their Dad.
Again, you want to make inaccurate low blows at someone Star? Go for me! I can handle it. I always have. But don’t do it to a man that has done nothing but loved me and our children. He has stood by me during the good times and held my hand through the darkest moments of my life. I’m so blessed to have him as my partner in life and love and he is the best father to our four children. I’m aware that all that matters is that we know our truth. It’s just sad that our actual happiness would probably be deemed boring to Star Magazine. What kind of society have we become where love stories and fairytales are dead? That others’ failure is what people crave and what sells? That’s not the world I want my children growing up in. But I digress.
What is the outcome of this story? Easy… Next week they’ll be reporting about some other couple splitting or someone having a breakdown and this will “have passed”. And, Dean and I will continue to love each other and our babies and be grateful for the lives we have. I know that. But, our children should never have to bear witness to lies and fabrications that affect their lives so that a media outlet can make money. That will always be wrong!
