Scary Mommy
{{Short description|American website for mothers}}
{{Infobox website
| name = Scary Mommy
| logo =File:Scary Mommy lgo.png
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| url = {{URL|https://www.scarymommy.com/}}
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|headquarters = New York City, United States
| commercial = Yes
| type = Online media
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| owner = Bustle Digital Group
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| launch_date = {{Start date and age|df=yes/no|2008|03}}
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Scary Mommy is a website that produces content targeting mothers, specifically focusing on parenting, motherhood, current events, and pop culture. The site is owned by Bustle Digital Group, and the website is based in New York City.{{Cite web |title=Scary Mommy founder Jill Smokler leaves company to explore next life stage |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/features/baltimore-insider/bs-fe-jill-smokler-leaves-scary-mommy-20180515-story.html |access-date=2023-03-22 |website=Baltimore Sun |archive-date=2023-03-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322131717/https://www.baltimoresun.com/features/baltimore-insider/bs-fe-jill-smokler-leaves-scary-mommy-20180515-story.html |url-status=live }} Scary Mommy began as [https://www.jillsmokler.com/ Jill Smokler's] personal blog and exploded into a massive community of mothers. The site peaked around 2009-2015.
History
Scary Mommy was founded in March 2008 by [https://www.jillsmokler.com/ Jill Smokler] in Baltimore, Maryland. A companion book titled Confessions of a Scary Mommy was published by Smokler in April 2012 and became an instant bestseller. Scary Mommy Nation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was established by Smokler in 2013, which raised money for families who weren't able to afford a Thanksgiving dinner. In 2014, the website and its service earned its first Webby Award in the "Family/Parenting" category, which was then followed by additional Webby Awards in 2015 and 2018.{{cite news| last =Rosen| first =Jill| title =Baltimore's Scary Mommy debuts scary new book| newspaper =The Baltimore Sun| date =April 3, 2012| url =http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/baltimore-insider-blog/bal-scary-mommy-20120327-story.html| access-date =September 23, 2018| archive-date =November 30, 2017| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20171130033043/http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/baltimore-insider-blog/bal-scary-mommy-20120327-story.html| url-status =live}}{{cite news| last =Rosenthal| first =Dave| title =Confessions of a Scary Mommy| newspaper =The Baltimore Sun| date =April 9, 2012| url =http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-confessions-of-a-scary-mommy-20120409-story.html| access-date =September 23, 2018| archive-date =December 4, 2017| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20171204051950/http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-confessions-of-a-scary-mommy-20120409-story.html| url-status =live}}{{cite news| title =Best Sellers: Combined Hardcover & Paperback Nonfiction: Sunday, April 29th 2012| newspaper =The New York Times| date =April 29, 2012| url =https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9806E7D6123EF93AA15757C0A9649D8B63.html| access-date =September 23, 2018| archive-date =August 13, 2023| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20230813212039/https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9806E7D6123EF93AA15757C0A9649D8B63.html| url-status =live}}{{cite news| last =Kim| first =Susanna| title ='Scary Mommy' Blogger Raises Money to Give Away Thanksgiving Meals| publisher =ABC News| date =November 12, 2013| url =https://abcnews.go.com/Business/popular-mommy-blogger-raises-117000-weeks-pay-thanksgiving/story?id=20852119| access-date =September 23, 2018| archive-date =July 14, 2016| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160714143104/http://abcnews.go.com/Business/popular-mommy-blogger-raises-117000-weeks-pay-thanksgiving/story?id=20852119| url-status =live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.webbyawards.com/winners/2014/web/general-website/familyparenting/scary-mommy/ |title=Scary Mommy |publisher=Webby Awards |access-date=September 23, 2018 |archive-date=July 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711123047/http://www.webbyawards.com/winners/2014/web/general-website/familyparenting/scary-mommy/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.webbyawards.com/winners/2015/websites/general-website/familyparenting/scary-mommy/ |title=Scary Mommy |publisher=Webby Awards |access-date=September 23, 2018 |archive-date=November 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112070339/http://webbyawards.com/winners/2015/websites/general-website/familyparenting/scary-mommy/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.webbyawards.com/winners/2018/mobile-sites-apps/general/lifestyle/scary-mommy/ |title=Scary Mommy |publisher=Webby Awards |access-date=September 23, 2018 |archive-date=August 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813212046/https://winners.webbyawards.com/2018/apps-dapps-and-software/general-apps/lifestyle/49413/scary-mommy |url-status=live }}
In February 2015, the website was acquired by Some Spiders Studios, with Smokler staying on as chief content officer for the next three years. Smokler left Scary Mommy in May 2018. In 2020, Some Spider Studios acquired Fatherly, and in 2021, Bustle Digital Group acquired Some Spider.{{cite news| last =Britto| first =Brittany| title =Scary Mommy founder Jill Smokler leaves company to explore next life stage| newspaper =The Baltimore Sun| date =May 16, 2018| url =http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/baltimore-insider-blog/bs-fe-jill-smokler-leaves-scary-mommy-20180515-story.html| access-date =September 23, 2018| archive-date =September 21, 2018| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20180921140448/http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/baltimore-insider-blog/bs-fe-jill-smokler-leaves-scary-mommy-20180515-story.html| url-status =live}}{{cite web | url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/348658/fatherly-acquired-by-some-spider-pools-parentin.html | title='Fatherly' Acquired by Some Spider, Pools Parenting Resources | access-date=2022-11-14 | archive-date=2022-11-14 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114174927/https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/348658/fatherly-acquired-by-some-spider-pools-parentin.html?utm_source=pocket_saves | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/bdg-some-spider-scary-mommy-1235024995/ | title=Bustle Digital Buys Scary Mommy's Parent Company for $150 Million in Stock | date=21 July 2021 | access-date=14 November 2022 | archive-date=14 November 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221114174921/https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/bdg-some-spider-scary-mommy-1235024995/ | url-status=live }}
Content
Scary Mommy originated as a parenting and motherhood blog by Jill Smokler. The blog incorporated the Scary Mommy Confessions feature, which enabled users to share anonymous messages related to motherhood. Scary Mommy also launched a channel on Snapchat's Discover feature in 2018.{{cite news|last=Precourt|first=Stephanie|title=Most controversial mom blogs|publisher=SheKnows|date=December 14, 2011|url=https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/847747/most-controversial-mom-blogs|access-date=September 23, 2018|archive-date=January 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102193421/https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/847747/most-controversial-mom-blogs/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Brusie|first=Chaunie|title=The most shocking Scary Mommy confessions ever|publisher=SheKnows|date=September 7, 2015|url=https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1089719/scary-mommy-confessions|access-date=September 23, 2018|archive-date=January 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102193424/https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1089719/scary-mommy-confessions/|url-status=live}}
References
{{reflist}}{{Bustle Digital Group}}