Next Stop, Oprah? Levi Johnston, Family, Hit Up CBS

Levi Johnston appeared on The Early Show today to continue denying characterizations that he’s “white trash” and trying to get money and attention out of his association with the Palins. He still isn’t succeeding.

Basically, Levi was all but living with the Palin family before Bristol got pregnant (Sarah Palin calls it "staying" there and swears she didn’t know they were boning). He says he loves his kid (he would never describe Bristol’s pregnancy as "a mistake," unlike his interviewer) and is pretty pissed that everyone keeps calling him and his family "white trash."

Compared to the Johnston family’s appearance on Tyra, in the Early Show interview Levi comes off as way less fratty, and his mom spends more time weeping. (Sister Mercede continues to seem a little too emotionally invested in her sibling for anyone’s good.) In fact, I was all ready to root for Levi again, until the postscript, which is that Levi is “open” to any acting or modeling offers that might come this way.

But I am in agreement with him that the “white trash” finger-pointing needs to stop. Plenty of relationships break up in plenty of ugly ways, lots of people act immaturely (especially at 17) when they do and plenty of parents try to protect and defend their children. But throwing words like “trashy” around doesn’t make anyone look classy.