Kaley Cuoco can’t catch a break. She recently got judged for doing something totally normal with her 9-month-old baby Tildy — and then got judged again for simply telling the story! We’re barely into the second week of 2024, and we’re already so tired of mom shamers.
The Big Bang Theory star recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where she opened up about people judging her for bringing Tildy, who she shares with partner Tom Pelphrey, on a plane over Thanksgiving.
“I feel like everyone judges what you do with your kid,” Cuoco says in a clip of the appearance on Instagram.
“Under the guise of concern,” host Jimmy Kimmel points out.
“We flew with [Tildy] recently,” she continues. “It was our first flight ever with this baby — terrifying.”
Kaley Cuoco's daughter, Matilda, knows exactly who she's rooting for this football season. https://t.co/aEnu6XtNNR
— SheKnows (@SheKnows) October 23, 2023
She adds, “And I was so terrified, so I thought, what do we do? We have to bring her sound machine on the plane. It’s the only thing she can go to sleep to!” Been there! If it works, it works, right?
“Now a plane, some might argue, is in itself a sound machine,” Kimmel responds. “Like they gotta shhhh … whatever. There’s a lot of hissing going on,” he adds, making Cuoco laugh.
“It’s funny, when I turned the sound machine on in the plane, I realized I couldn’t hear the difference,” she continues. “It, you’re right. No, the plane is very loud. But we put it right next to her ear. It’s the only thing that will get her to go to sleep … So she’s crying, we put the sound machine on — it was hard. She finally falls asleep, and she’s on Tom, and the sound machine is on, and we’re finally like ‘Ahh!’”
Oh that sweet moment of bliss when you can actually relax on a plane. Except … it wasn’t in the cards for them.
Angry Passenger
“The steward comes over and he’s like, ‘Hey. One of our passengers would love it if you would turn the sound machine off,’” she tells Kimmel. Can you imagine the audacity of some people? Like just put your headphones on an ignore it!
“And I’m sitting there, and I’m like, ‘Oh my god, oh my god,’” the Based on a True Story star continues. “And I can feel Tom be like, ‘Hey. Ask the passenger if she wants to hold our screaming child when we turn off.’ I mean, the ice went into his veins … I couldn’t believe, by the way, she asked us to turn it off.”
“We were so angry,” Cuoco adds. “So, then we landed, and it was the woman right in front of us. And, so, we get up — ‘course, now Matilda’s like ‘ha ha!’ like you know, life is great — the lady turns around and she goes, ‘Oh, so your daughter does know how to smile!’ It was in that moment where I understood why women end up on ‘Dateline.’ Like, I could have [strangled] her!” Oh lord, I would have absolutely snapped. The nerve of some people!
“People who get mad at babies on planes, because first of all, what are you going to do? And secondly, what, are you supposed to just never fly as a parent? And also, weren’t you at one time a baby?” Kimmel responds. I completely agree!
“It’s crazy,” Cuoco says. “You see all these things on social media where people are really truly getting mad at these babies. Like justice for babies! This is ridiculous. Leave them alone!”
Judgy Comments
And because the internet is what it is, people flooded the comments to judge Cuoco.
“I love Kaley to pieces, but what I still don’t understand is why parents feel they must take their baby on a plane,” one person judgily commented. “If it’s something like a relative’s impending death, ok that’s understandable. Otherwise, why subject an entire plane of people to a crying, screaming child? I didn’t ride on a plane until I was 8. My family and I took road trips on our vacations.”
Are you kidding me? So, now there’s a flight police over the “right” reason to bring your baby on a plane? Is it a form you have to fill out or do you just bring back the obituary and they’ll let your baby on? Give me a freakin’ break. As if it’s even a feasible option to just get in the car and do a road trip instead. I have an idea — if you can’t stand babies, maybe you should just take a road trip!
One person claimed it was Cuoco’s fault (because of course they’re going to blame the mom). “Dude, you make it as hard as you want it on planes,” they wrote. “My baby flew like a trooper at 5m, 9m and 11m. Once we hit toddlerdom it became harder but not crazy difficult. She’s also being a bit too drama.” Yay for your baby! Just because you hit the baby jackpot doesn’t mean all babies fly so easily.
Others came for Cuoco’s version of the story, claiming she made it up. “Ok but she is famous and she could’ve flown private. Its like she’s made the story up herself,” someone wrote. Um, OK? This is a weird take. Why would someone make up a story about getting judged on a plane?
“I prefer to sleep on the plane so I can be well rested when I land,” someone else wrote. “I wear headphones for my music, but you can still hear a crying baby over it. I can understand the frustration of the other passenger.” That’s great! I prefer to live in a perfect fantasy world, too, but I don’t see how that’s Cuoco’s (or any other parent’s) problem!
Luckily, some people actually seemed kind in the comments. “Bring headphones. I take them everywhere. 🎧 I’d rather hear a sound machine than a screaming baby,” one person wrote. So true.
“Anyone who complains about babies traveling is beyond privileged and selfish. Ignore anyone who complains that you want to bring your child with you on a commercial flight. People need to be more humane,” someone else wrote.
Supportive Partner
The Flight Attendant star and the Love & Death star welcomed Tildy on March 30, 2023. On Cuoco’s birthday in November, Pelphrey wrote her a heartfelt note.
“Life has exploded into a million new dimensions since we first met, every one more beautiful and meaningful than the last. You are truly an amazing partner and an incredible mom,” he said. Pelphrey went on, “I can’t imagine Matilda having a greater role model to grow up emulating than her mom … Her independent, talented, hilarious, generous, incredibly kind and thoughtful mom.”
When people get judgy and rude — which they clearly will — at least Cuoco, Pelphrey, and Tildy have each other!
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