Is Angelina Jolie Trying Too Hard? [EXPERT]

So I'm in the grocery store checkout line the other day, and the headline jumps out at me in big yellow print: Angelina's Pregnant! I must admit, my first question was (a weary and somewhat bored): "seriously?"

Yes, a baby is a miracle, a blessing, a mitzvah, cause for celebration, especially when the baby in question is being born to celebrity royalty (which perhaps leads us to another question we should ask ourselves: why do we care?). But honestly, my first reaction—perhaps because I'm a marriage and family therapist—was that Angelina really has something to prove.

At first glance, this seems absurd. I mean, she's stunningly beautiful, has Brad Pitt and six other children, both biological and adopted (best of both worlds there); add in an Academy Award, a successful film career and the eyes and interest of the world, and you've pretty much got every dream covered. What could she possibly have to prove? Call me crazy, but for some reason, this last pregnancy announcement just smacks of desperation to me. Really, Angelina? Seven?!

I'm ashamed to admit I read the article. I guess you could call it research. What I read just solidified my gut reaction. According to the magazine, not only does Angie feel "at her most womanly" when pregnant and "love her voluptuous curves" (apparently she's stricken by food guilt every other moment because there's so much famine in the world; of course) but the sex she and Brad had in order to concieve was nothing short of miraculous, earth-shattering, mind-blowing...add your impressive adjective here. Is Angelina Jolie A Kinky, Sex Toy-Loving Freak In Bed?

Maybe I'm old school, but it seems to me that when you have to trumpet how amazing your sex life is to the whole world, it seems a little, well, false. Actually, as I'm thinking about it, that might be my whole beef with Angelina. She seems fake, and this latest carefully staged, glowing announcement is no different. Frankly, my stomach turned just a little when I read that "though not her primary concern, of course, the fact that a seventh baby with Brad really sticks it to Jennifer Aniston is a side benefit". Yuck! And then I thought: could a woman as lovely and accomplished and famous as Angelina really be that insecure?

The answer of course is yes. Why not? She's still human, after all. Please let me be clear: I do not hold having any insecurity against her in the least; in fact, it would probably make me like her more if she was honest enough to share it. Insecurity is real. Everyone has had or currently has some measure of it, and I've been a therapist too long for Angelina or anyone else to be able to convince me that she's the one exception. C'mon, Angie...it's okay to admit that the fact that Brad was married to Jennifer really chaps your butt. Hmm, maybe that's it? Jen had the one thing Angie doesn't: a ring. That would explain why they both make such a big show of not caring about being married, wouldn't it? Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt's Kids Wonder Why They Aren't Married