Kelly Clarkson Said Not Getting A 'Push Present' From Husband Was 'A Red Flag'
Is it a red flag if her ex didn't know the practice of giving push gifts existed?
DFree & Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock Kelly Clarkson, who has two children with her ex Brandon Blackstock, recently learned about a new plus side of having a baby from Priyanka Chopra-Jonas and Pink’s husband, Carey Hart.
The two guests on Clarkson’s talk show explained the concept of a push gift, which is when husbands give their wives a present in exchange for giving birth.
Kelly Clarkson said that not getting a push gift from her ex ‘should have been a red flag.’
The topic came up when Clarkson asked Hart about the custom-built motorcycle he gave Pink as “a push gift.”
“What is a push gift?” Clarkson asked. “When you have a baby, you should get a gift,” Chopra-Jonas answered.
“Well, you get the baby,” said Clarkson. “But you should get a gift from the man,” Chopra-Jonas stated.
Hart explained, “I built her this motorcycle as a ‘thank you’ for being an awesome mom and birthing my child.”
‘I didn’t get a present,’ Clarkson said. ‘Should have been a red flag.’
This, however, overlooks the fact that not many people could even afford to buy a "push present." She couched her complaint with the explanation, “I honestly don’t know that he knew” that giving push presents was common practice.
Clarkson and Blackstock were married from 2013 until their divorce in 2020. Clarkson had her daughter, River, in 2014, and her son, Remington, in 2016. Their divorce settlement appears to have favored Blackstock, as Clarkson was ordered to pay her ex $150,000 a month in spousal support and $45,601 a month in child support. She was also ordered to pay the entirety of Blackstock’s legal fees, which amounted to $1.25 million.
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While Clarkson may have been right in her declaration that her ex gave off red flags, it’s not clear if his lack of giving her a push gift was one of them, versus his generally litigious nature during their bitter break up.
On the surface, getting a present after having a baby seems harmless enough, and appears like a thoughtful way to celebrate someone who’s just given birth. Yet societal insistence that a baby’s birth is an occasion to be marked with an expensive purchase is to place a high value on material goods when new parents really need community support. The practice of giving a push gift is limited to those who can afford it while emphasizing consumerism.
Having a baby is an expensive endeavor — raising a child is even more so. For US society to emphasize gift-giving after a baby’s birth is a great way to celebrate the individual accomplishment of being in labor while ignoring the larger implications of how having a baby changes someone’s life.
Maybe instead of custom-made motorcycles and expensive jewelry, moms should receive actual support after having a baby. Having built-in support networks, like paid family leave or universal daycare, would offer moms — and dads — much-needed assistance for the hard work of childrearing.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers celebrity gossip, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.