Weekend preview: The Octomom interview & more - Weblogs.sun-sentinel.com

Here's Nadya Suleman and some of her kids on "Today" last month. You be the judge.

Nadya Suleman is no fool.

She understands that putting herself out there in events such as the Celebrity Boxing tour that has been making the rounds across the country the past few weeks, brings out the hate again. But she also understands it's the hate that drives ticket sales. And she's got bills to pay.

So Suleman also known as "the disgusting Octomom creature the media created," in her words will be at Ocean Manor Resort in Fort Lauderdale Saturday night, where she'll take part in a just-for-fun, 180-second bout in oversized boxing gloves. Her opponent is Hollywood gentlemen's club bartender Cassandra Andersen.

Right about here, I'm supposed to go all wise guy, show off some wit, whip out the snark gun... write something to run under the headline "Eight reasons to hate the Octomom." But where's the fun in that? Where's the fun in any of this?

Suleman, 36, is the mother of 14 children, the oldest age 10, including the famous octuplets born through invitro fertilization in 2009. She raises them, with help from her mom, a former school teacher, in her home near Los Angeles.

"This was never the plan," she says in a phone exchange while sequestered inside the bedroom of one of her older kids. "But I love children. I love my kids."

You can debate the spin of the first statement, but who are we to disagree with the last sentence? And, like a lot of single moms, she's doing what she has to do.

"I will not say no to any job," said Suleman in a hoarse voice ("I'm not a perfect mom. With 14, I have to yell.") "When you have nothing, 14 children and you're overdrawn at the bank, you have to be grateful for everything. Three minutes of hot water in the shower is so much more meaningful."

No one connected to Saturday night's event will say how much Suleman will take home Saturday night. "But let's say ... nice pay," promoter Damon Feldman said. Suleman said it would go "straight to the mortgage."

College-educated (B.S. in childhood development from Cal State Fullerton), articulate, funny and speaking a speed reserved for someone constantly surrounded by 14 people, Suleman fires off non-sequiters like so many right jabs.

"I have been celibate for 12 years by choice... I don't understand women who put their boyfriends before their children. Live for your kids."

"I'm not an attention seeker, and I'm definitely not looking for a man. I'm avoiding them."

"When I was little I was ... remember The Addams Family, the weird daughter? I think I was OCD. Everything in my room had to be perfect. Not one dust bunny."

Of her own children, Suleman says the octuplets are "extraordinarily healthy and disciplined."

Like most moms she believes her children will do great things.

"I'm teaching all of my kids to be strong, to walk tall... to strive to reach their highest potential," she said. "Eight happened for a reason. I believe they are being used for a greater lesson."

She learned her own lesson at the newsmaking birth of her six boys and two girls, which she said produced a remarkable outpouring of death threats, hate mail, stalkers, vandalism and verbal attacks. The venom subsided dramatically after her visit to "Oprah" eight months ago, she said.

But she still worries about what her kids may have to endure as they grow up.
"It was beyond disturbing. I saw the most spoiled, superficial, sadistic society in the world," she said.

She's still mad about it, which is bad news for Cassandra Andersen.

"I had tremendous anger, and I had to sublimate that with exercise," said Suleman, who estimates she does 40 miles of Stairmaster, with weights, each week while her kids are asleep. "I don't cope by rolling up in a ball... I am not to be messed with."

Saturday's event includes a slate of wrestling and boxing matches, bikini pose-offs and more beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 at webtix.net. The Ocean Manor is at 4040 Galt Ocean Drive, Fort Lauderdale.

Suh-weet! Thursday, as you are no doubt aware, is National Cupcake Day, which will be celebrated from 8 to 10 p.m. at the UVA 69 wine bar (Biscayne and 69th in Miami) with performances by Cupcake Burlesque and free cupcakes from The Baking Girls. Half-off strawberry mojitos will also be in play. Info: uva-69.com, 305-754-9022.

Spicy: DJ Le Spam and his Grammy-nominated Spam Allstars find a new niche with a Thursday night performance at the Art After Dark party at the Norton Museum in West Palm Beach. These all-ages evenings typically turn out a smart crowd of young hipsters, and there's always the alluring treats from Caf 1451. The evening starts at 5:30 p.m., and the band performs 7-9 p.m. Admission: $12, $5 ages 13-21, free for members. Info: norton.org, 561-832-5196.

A night with Sasha Grey: In other events that lean toward the dclass, actress-turned-DJ Sasha Grey brings her turntable skills to Mokai Lounge on Miami Beach Friday night. Grey, who translated porn stardom into a lead role in Steven Soderbergh's "The Girlfriend Experience," a role on "Entourage" and a stylish turn in Eminem's recent video for "Space Bound" (below, and not for young eyes and ears), will spin a mix of pop hits and old-school hip-hop alongside DJ A-Cup. Mokai is at 235 23rd St., Miami Beach. Info: mokaimiami.com, 305-673-1409.

New Jay-Z, Kanye concert: Tickets go on sale Friday for the just-announced Jay-Z/Kanye West concert Nov. 15 at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami. The $75-$275.60 tickets, along with those for the original Nov. 14 tour stop at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, can be had beginning at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets and LiveNation.com. Fans who purchase tickets online receive a digital copy of the hip-hop titans "Watch the Throne" album, which broke the U.S. iTunes Store's one-week sales record when it debuted last week.

More new shows: You can get tickets this weekend for two more noteworthy shows: Social Distortion (Nov. 4 at the Fillmore, Miami Beach) tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday via Ticketmaster ($44.50) and the box office. On Saturday at 10 a.m., Bad Brains (Sept. 21 at Revolution, Fort Lauderdale) are on sale via Ticketmaster ($25) and the box office.

Heres the fire: As you may have heard, there are a bunch of shirtless firefighters running around promoting the 2012 South Florida Firefighters Calendar, a fundraising publication ($17) that is set to debut with a frenzy on Thursday night at the Seminole Paradise in Hollywood. Here are details about the unveiling party, but it's not all about ladies ogling hirsute heroes. The party coincides with the Hard Rock's weekly food truck roundup, with music and family entertainment. So Dad and the kids can have fun there, while mom and her friends do what they need to do. More info: miamifoodtrucks.com. On Friday night, the firefighters take the party to Davies Round Up Country Night Club (9020 W. State Road 84). They are scheduled to hit the stage at midnight, giving you ladies plenty of time to "prepare." On Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. you can find the men at Sawgrass Mills Market Food Court. Beefcake, anyone? Info: firefighterscalendar.com.

More fun for a cause: The Manor (2345 Wilton Dr., Wilton Manors) on Friday will host the Laugh Lounge Comedy Club benefit to raise money to cover medical expenses for ailing community heroine Bernadette Zizzo. The evening of comedy and music runs from 8 to 11 p.m. Tickets: $20. Info: thelaughloungecc.com, 954-800-0376.

More noteworthy skin: A couple of days after they celebrate shirtless firefighters, the Seminole Paradise will have something for the guys. Finally, right? Local entrants in the TropicBeauty Model Search will compete at 10 p.m. Saturday to see who moves on to the international finals (the CONCACAF of bikinis) in Las Vegas. Admission is free. Info: seminoleparadise.com, 800-611-1167.

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