Taylor Momsen in the Hot Seat for Smoking on 'Gossip Girl' Set

Fri, 29 January 2010 22:20:59 ET

Snapped puffing smoke on the New York City set of The CW's teen drama series on Wednesday, January 27, the Jenny Humfrey depicter is criticized for sending 'the wrong message to kids'.

Teen star Taylor Momsen has been slammed for being a bad role model for her young fans. The 16-year-old actress/singer was quick to draw criticism from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free America after she was captured on camera smoking a cigarette on the set of "Gossip Girl" on Wednesday, January 27.

Expressing his disapproval on the Jenny Humphrey depicter's decision to light up, the foundation's director Patrick Reynolds told Us Magazine, "She really has an extra responsibility to bear as an actress idolized by little girls out there." The anti-smoking activist added, "For her to be smoking sends Evidence shows that stars do influence kids to smoke."

Taylor Momsen won't likely to be troubled with the criticism though. She has previously stated that she doesn't care much about being a role model, as telling The Sunday Times, "To be honest, I don't f--king care. I didn't get into this to be a role model. So I'm sorry if I'm influencing your kids in a way that you don't like, but I can't be responsible for their actions. I don't care."

"Honestly, if I'd have ended up as Hannah Montana, I don't know if the show would have gone as well," the lead singer of post-grunge band The Pretty Reckless elaborated. "I probably would have told them all to go f--k themselves by the time I hit 11. And I don't know how that would have gone down. It's great for Miley [Cyrus], but I really like where I am right now and I feel really fortunate to be able to really be myself."

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