During a week of “What Were They Thinking?” I offer into evidence: Mark Wahlberg. Mark brought his thirteen-year-old daughter Ella on the Dan Patrick Show to promote his new film Deepwater Horizon. Ella was given a mic and when the attention turned to her, she asked her father to rap. The hosts said they would take a break so Mark could come up with something, an offer Mark declined. Instead, he not only took the opportunity to humiliate his daughter on air, but he chose some very dubious lyrics, considering his criminal record for assault. Here is the clip of the segment:
In case you don’t have time to watch it right now, his impromptu lyrics were these:
I’m your 45-year-old father and I got to rap/ and if you keep misbehaving I’m a give your behind a slap/ It’s called a spanking/ Later on in life you’re gonna thank me/ ‘Cause all the advice that I’m giving you is good for you/ and if not, your butt and behind is gonna be black and blue.
Mark explained that Ella had lost her phone privileges as punishment for something she did. Apparently she felt that this was worse than the punishments her brothers receive. Mark said her brothers wouldn’t care if he took their iPads because, “They’d just go throw a ball or bounce their head off the wall and they’d still be happy. You live for the phone, so I got to get you where it counts, kid.” For what it’s worth, I agree with the idea that you need to find the punishment that is most effective. Taking one thing from my son would have little affect on my daughter. However, that is the last point on which I am going to agree. Most outlets are calling this adorable. I do not.
As I said, Mark was sentenced for assault when he was a teenager. Regardless of anyone’s personal views on spanking, there are laws that dictate when corporal punishment crosses into abuse. “Black and blue” is one of them. So one the one hand, this shows his arrogance about being exonerated in the court of public opinion. On the other hand, I just really feel bad for Ella. I don’t know the dynamic here. Maybe Mark declared he hates rapping and his kids ask him to do it to needle him. Even if that is the case, his clap back was pretty severe. Plus I am suspect of the inequality of punishment/crime in the Wahlberg household. Mark’s views on boys v. girls are pretty antiquated, I imagine he thinks boys will be boys and likely punishes accordingly.
Photo credit: Fame/Flynet Photos
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmbmhlZoZ2e8yaqaSXp5a1ra7Eq56YqpGlwKCtwaisrZejpa6vt8innpigmaiscn%2B%2Bspyaql2kuaWrw5qsoKCkmr%2BgrsuamqSXkqHCpns%3D