Baby Bump Pays Off for Fading Stars

When starlets' careers are deflating, a baby bump seems to be the cure. Jessica Simpson, Bethenny Frankel and Tori Spelling all recaptured media attention with their growing bellies, notes the New York Times. Perfect example: Simpson, whose first and last Top 10 hit came out more than 10 years ago. Tori Spelling has crafted an entire reality show career by popping out babies. “Being a celebrity mom has more business opportunities than ever before,” Peter Grossman, photo editor of Us Weekly, tells the Times. His mag has forked over six-figure payouts for cover photos of celebs and their newborns. But "it's not just about selling your baby pics. It’s starting a clothing line or endorsing a stroller," he adds. "The value of a celebrity mom has never been higher.” Even Snooki's getting in on the action, though many may be skeptical she'll come off as a respectable mompreneur. “I definitely want to do like diaper bags and stuff like that,” she said. (More Jessica Simpson stories.)