Levi Johnston "Open To" Modeling or Acting Gig

Continuing their fame-seeking behavior, the Johnstons appeared on CBS' Early Show with Maggie Rodriguez today.

Levi Johnston stated during the interview that perhaps all the publicity he's getting will lead to a modeling or acting job, which he's "open to".

The Johnstons re-iterated the tale of woe about not being able to bring the child back to their home. Somehow, CBS manages to write a two page summary of the interview without once mentioning that Sherry Johnston is up on drug charges.

(Johnston's) family says they hope the custory dispute over Tripp doesn't land in court -- because it's likely almost any judge in Alaska would side with the Palins.

Gee, ya think?

UPDATE by JR: How about a REAL job? The sooner the better. You have a child, start acting like a father. It also seems that Levi's take on the events leading to the Palins keeping Tripp at their home is missing something: Levi's mother dealing drugs from her house! I certainly would not put a baby in that situation.

Johnston told Rodriguez, "We're not cashing in on their name, you know. I'm just trying to get my side of the story out there and letting people know who I am."

Asked what the biggest misconception about him is, Johnston said, "Probably that my family's white trash."

I don't think acting is the path you want to choose. You are not very good at it. Speaking of acting, where is the CBS investigation into Joe Biden's daughter playing the role of Tony Montana?

UPDATE by RAM: Welcome, Michelle Malkin readers. Please have a look around at our other posts. Also, I just want to reiterate that Palin spokesperson Meg Stapleton told CNN that Johnston never lived under the Palins' roof. And, yes, I do think there is a difference between "living with" and "staying with." "Staying with" the Palins implies that it was for a fixed time and was not permanent. He was there to help with his child immediately before and after the child was born, and certainly nothing untoward was going on with Bristol about to deliver and having just delivered a baby.

UPDATE II by JR: I think it is pretty clear that Levi Johnston is using the Palin name to benefit himself:

Johnston said he's working odd jobs and hopes to be an electrician. Or perhaps the publicity surrounding his relationship with Bristol will lead to an acting or modeling gig.

UPDATE by VO: Matthew Balan at NewsBusters shreds the interview, noting the same omissions and slant that we did.

Reading the transcript, it seems that the Johnstons are cranking up the "creepy" vibe. They state that Sherry Johnston cried with happiness when she found out about the pregnancy. What mother of a teenage son cries with happiness when they get that kind of news? Answer: classless gold-diggers looking for a meal ticket.

If Levi Johnston had any sense, he'd head for a military recruiter and get away from his creepy sister Sadie and his drug-using mother...if he was lucky, Uncle Sam would give him orders to Germany or Korea. Then he could do something honorable while earning money to support his son.

But he doesn't have any sense, as shown by his recent actions. Governor Palin is still popular in Alaska, and there would doubtless have been many employers willing to give him a job based solely on that goodwill. He's squandered that in spades. Idiot.

UPDATE by RAM: VO is right about the creepiness of Sherry Johnston's reaction to the news of Bristol's pregnancy. Sarah Palin had the proper reaction.

I'm especially annoyed by this bizarre statement from Mercede Johnston:

Mercede says she got the impression the Palins were snobby: "I mean, look what they're doing. They're lying, trying to save themselves when they're the ones that asked for it. They brought him to the campaign. They should have known what was coming. They can't turn around and try and take it back now."

She accuses the Palins of being "snobby" and yet at the same time says that they "asked for it" by inviting her brother to the RNC convention. She says "they should have known what was coming." They should have known what, Sadie? They should have known that your brother would spill his sleazy story to a tabloid TV show? How can you accuse the Palins of being snobby when they were apparently willing to embrace your brother because they wanted to give him a chance? If they were as snobby as you are suggesting, they would never have allowed your brother to be photographed with them. They would have never allowed their daughter to be engaged to him.

I feel total sympathy for the Palin family because my own family was in a similar situation once. One of my older brothers was engaged to a woman who had a family as bad as the Johnstons. We knew she was not a good person. My family did everything in our power to dissuade my brother from marrying her, but once we knew that the marriage was inevitable, we all put on a smile and supported him and welcomed her into the family. That's what families do -- they band together and support each other. We didn't particularly like my brother's new wife, but we all helped her and treated her as a sister. My brother ended up divorcing her a few years later after she had an affair. He had supported her through college (and she was the first in her family to attend college). She had gotten what she wanted from him, and he was left with nothing. Her family used him too. I suppose they would call my family "snobby" -- in fact, I believe they did. We were nothing but kind to them. And the Palins have been nothing but kind to the Johnstons. The Palins are a class act. The Johnstons are classless.

We all gave Levi Johnston the benefit of the doubt. We all defended him when Dan Fagan got him fired from his job because we wanted to see this young man succeed and get a fair shake. Even Chuck Heath defended Levi on a local radio show. For the Johnstons to now claim that the Palins are snobs is just outrageous ingratitude.

Gosh, I wonder why the Palins might not like you that much any more, Levi? Perhaps they expect you to earn their respect. Perhaps they expect you to man-up and get a job and support your child. Perhaps they expect you not to air your dirty laundry in public.

UPDATE by RAM II: Go here for Gov. Palin's latest response.