"What If I Didn't Come From A Famous Family?"

Bristol Palin has released a new public service announcement for the Candie’s Foundation, in which she talks about how hard it is to raise a kid if your family isn’t as famous as hers. At least she’s honest?

In the thirty-second spot, Palin’s all dressed up in pearls and a Chanel-esque jacket. She looks less like a teen mom and more like a late-twenties professional woman, which is maybe part of the point. Because, as Bristol points out, she has lots of advantages — a “famous family” and all the “opportunities” that come with it (represented by footage of Bristol getting made up for a shoot, much like this one). Without these, says Bristol, “it wouldn’t be pretty” — rather, her life as a teen mom would take place in a barren living room, with her baby squalling on the floor.

It’s a bit of an odd message — teen pregnancy is okay as long as you come from a prominent political family, but not if you’re poor. Of course, it’s true that having a baby has been a lot easier for Bristol than it is for teens with less disposable income and family support. And in a way it’s nice to see her acknowledge her privilege. But still, it’s a bit odd that Candie’s chose to have Bristol compare less fortunate teens’ motherhood experiences to her own.

On the other hand, there’s one way Bristol’s unlucky — in a way, doing PSAs and appearing on television is an opportunity, and in another way it’s a burden. The lives of teen moms without Palin-level notoriety may not be “pretty,” but at least they’re private.

The Candie’s Foundation To Debut New Public Service Campaign Featuring Bristol Palin [Magic Bullet Media]