Inspired casting: Bristol Palin plays a teen mom

Bristol Palin . . . actress? Well, let's just resort to that old line: "You be the judge." But Sarah Palin's daughter is acting and she will appear on the July 5 episode of "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" (8 p.m. on ABC Family).

What brings Bristol to a show like this? The obvious - conveying a positive message about teen pregnancy, and, at 19, Palin may be the most famous teen mother in the United States. Her son, Tripp, was born in December 2008 (ex-boyfriend Levi Johnston is the dad). According to the network, "Bristol Palin makes a special appearance as herself as one of Amy's (Shailene Woodley) friends at a music program for teen mothers in New York. Palin taped her appearance on the show in March 2010."

A clip of Bristol's close-up circulated recently, and while Emmys may not be forthcoming, she certainly knew her lines: "We're all teen moms and musicians," she tells Woodley's character. "This program is for teen moms."

She then added, somewhat cryptically, "You're the world's greatest French horn player, and I'm Yo-Yo Ma."

As soon as we get a comment from Ma, we will relay.