Times Celebs Bared All About Their Most Protective Parenting Moments
There are many things that people without kids just don't understand and that includes the urge to protect your children at all costs. Welcome to the world of "helicopter" parenting, where love takes the wheel and caution is the co-pilot. But this instinct is not confined to the everyday parent — it extends to celebrities as well. Famous types, in addition to the standard concerns, grapple with the additional challenge of shielding their kids from the intense scrutiny of the media.
Take Sylvester Stallone, who refuses to introduce his daughters to celebrities. For the action star, who has undoubtedly experienced the highs and lows of Hollywood, the reluctance to expose his daughters to the limelight demonstrates Stallone's commitment to protecting them from potential exploitation. This protectiveness also arises when it comes to dating.
For the likes of Steve Harvey and Sherri Shepherd, their children's dating life is 100% their business. Steve even had his daughter, Lori Harvey's, ex-fiance secretly followed. "If you're not going to treat her the way I've treated her, and the way I've treated her mama, then you can't have her," he explained on his talk show, "Steve Harvey" (via People). "And then I'm going to fix it."
Steve Harvey stalked his daughter's former fiance
In his blended family, Steve Harvey has embraced fatherhood with the utmost devotion. This is especially true when it comes to his youngest daughter, Lori Harvey. Steve married Lori's mother, Marjorie Harvey, in 2007, and legally adopted Lori soon afterward. Since then, he has taken Marjorie's three children in as his own, even changing their last names to his. As a doting father, Steve's love knows no limits — especially when it comes to making sure his baby girl is happy.
Lori's extensive dating history, which has all occurred under the TV star's watchful eye, has become public interest in recent years. The influencer's roster of ex-boyfriends features the likes of rapper Future, actor Michael B. Jordan, and soccer player Memphis Depay. But before his stepdaughter's engagement to Depay in 2017, Steve kept the Dutch athlete on a tight leash. The "Family Feud" host took his protective dad role to new heights by hiring a discreet security team to follow Depay around.
Steve opened up about the move on his talk show in 2018, clarifying that his motive was genuine concern for Lori's safety and happiness, especially considering the stereotypes surrounding pro athletes. Despite Lori's initial discomfort at her dad's detective move, Steve assured her it was all for her benefit. "What you trippin' for? I'm trying to help you,'" he recounted, per People. "You think he cute; I don't. You find him attractive. The boy is just a boy to me."
Sherri Shepherd set up cameras to spy on her son
As the mother of a teenage boy, Sherri Shepherd went to great lengths to make sure nothing fishy was happening under her nose. The comedian placed hidden cameras around her house, even sneaking one into her son, Jeffrey Charles Tarpley Jr.'s, room ahead of his girlfriend's visit. Apparently, it was just a one-time thing that he never knew about — well, until Shepherd spilled the tea on SiriusXM's "Andy Cohen Live," that is.
Shepherd ordered the cameras from Staples and had them delivered via Doordash, to make her plan less obvious. Reflecting on the challenges of finding a discreet camera placement, the TV host recalled: "I tried to put [the camera] behind the sign that said 'Love' [...] but it's a blinking light, and I'm going, 'Oh my God.'" When her son's girlfriend arrived, Shepherd pretended to fetch laundry while placing a camera in his room.
While watching the live feed, Shepherd was surprised to discover that the teens were indeed keeping it PG: "My son is such a gentleman. Like, they play video games, and he would kiss her on the cheek." During the more intimate moments, she admitted to averting her eyes. "Oh, I can't watch it. I can't watch it," she recalled. Afterward, Shepherd promptly unplugged the cameras, marking the end of a successful spy mission.