What do Kanye West and Kim Jong Un have in common? Ok, maybe Dennis Rodman, but they have something else: They got some buzz for being new dads. Mothers may get most of the attention, but dads get their online due as well. Here are the 11 most searched papas, ranked by cumulative buzz on Yahoo! in the past 12 months.
Kanye West
Barging into a Grammy Award winner’s moment and castigating a president are just two outrageous moments that have split the public over Kanye West — and maybe his child-rearing techniques. So far, though, the son of an English professor has reportedly voiced some stern rules about keeping his baby — born June 15 — out of the public eye, be it reality TV or magazine spreads. “Like, this is my baby,” he told the New York Times in a revealing profile. “This isn’t America’s baby.”
Jay-Z
The media mogul and one-half of a super-duper power couple welcomed Blue Ivy Carter on January 7, 2012. Wife Beyoncé may have the platinum streak, but Hova is singing lullabies too: In fact, he joined up with Rockabye Baby to make “Lullaby Renditions of Jay-Z,” including “Empire State of Mind,” “Run This Town” and “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem).”
Hugh Grant
Few people knew that the cinematic heartthrob-turned-privacy advocate had become a dad until Hugh Grant announced it on Twitter to get journalists off his back. “And to be crystal clear. I am the Daddy,” he added for good effect before returning to his campaign for an accountable press. That’s quick work, considering that his first, Tabitha, was born in 2011. Intriguingly, his publicist had described his affair with Chinese actress Tinglan Hong had been “fleeting,” but his relationship with Hong seems mighty productive.
Channing Tatum
Talk about a productive period. The Alabama native son moved into A-list territory in 2012 when he turned to laughs in “21 Jump Street” and “Magic Mike” — based on his own experience as a stripper. He and his wife Jenna Dewan, who co-starred with him in “Step Up” (2006) also announced that they would be having a “little Tatum tot.” Daughter Everly was born May 31 in London and heralded online with the happy parents’ message, “Welcome to the world!” He’ll be playing his first dad role onscreen in “White House Down” (out June 28), but will be a little preoccupied protecting Jamie Foxx.
Steve Martin
Hugh Grant had his first child at age 51, and the late Tony Randall had his first child when he turned 80. Still, it was still surprising to hear that first-time-dad Steve Martin, 67, and his wife, Anne Springfield, had a baby girl in December — probably because he’s played dads (“Cheaper by the Dozen,” “Father of the Bride”) for so long. He’s kept quiet about the name, although he tossed a hypothetical to David Letterman: “We’ve thought about the name quite a bit. ‘Conquistador’. What do you think? I didn’t want to go with one of those Hollywood weird names. ‘Conquistador’ is a statement.”
Jeremy Renner
Another relationship with an ex- that has proved fruitful? Jeremy Renner and his former girlfriend and Canadian model, Sonni Pacheco, became parents on March 28 to a baby girl, Ava Berlin. Mom lives in his Los Angeles apartment with his roommate, but the busy Renner has been spotted shepherding the twosome.
Vince Vaughn
The comic actor has three big projects: “The Internship,” with Owen Wilson, is already out; “Anchorman: The Legend Continues” premieres near Christmas; and in between will be the birth of his second child. Wife Kyla is due in August. A growing family means a bigger house, and daddy Vaughn just dropped a down payment for a five-bedroom, six-bathroom house north of Los Angeles.
Ian Ziering
There are some TV shows whose alums inspire a faithful following, such as “Full House,” “Saved by the Bell,” and “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Ian Ziering, aka Steve Sanders, now has another baby girl. The new baby was born April 25, which happens to be the same day as his first daughter, 2-year-old Mia Lauren (pictured), was born. One less date to remember, although let’s hope sibling rivalry doesn’t rear up in later years. As for what Ziering’s doing now, he lost his pregnancy empathy weight for a guest headlining gig with the Chippendales in Las Vegas.
Wiz Khalifa
Wiz Khalifa has been such a proud daddy of son Sebastian “The Bash” Taylor Thomaz — he has called him a “perfect young man” and “the coolest dude I know.” In fact, the rapper not only only broadcast news of his son’s birth to his Twitter followers, but also followed up the next day with “Thanx for all the love guys. Bash took his first poop, had a good meal now he’s peacin.” Now that’s the truth.
Harvey Weinstein
Harvey Weinstein has four daughters — three from a previous marriage, and one with current wife, designer Georgina Chapman. Now the 61-year-old producer harbors hopes his first son won’t be a mall rat. “I’m so tired of going to Forever 21 and Abercrombie,” he joked to People. Dashiell was born April 11, and as you guessed, his name’s an homage to the detective-story writer: On their first date, the lovely Chapman tripped and fell “right on her butt,” Weinstein told CBS, just like an opening scene of “The Thin Man.” Chapman read the book, and they had the boy.