Rihanna rocked it on 20/20 last night...

R E S P E C T

Rihanna did women--most particularly young and possibly abused women-- PROUD last night on ABC's 20/20 with Diane Sawyer.

I've had a change of heart and thought regarding her timing of this interview. Let me explain.  

Rihanna is still (rightfully) angry over the beating she endured at the hands of Chris Brown. Yes, she does have a new cd coming out in a matter of days, but so does Chris Brown. If and only if viewers (and cd buyers) have no conscience or compassion, they'll still buy his stupid cd.  Rihanna was incredibly eloquent and forthcoming last night regarding that fateful evening in February, wherein she was left beaten, bitten, bloody and alone in a strange neighborhood. (Remember, that little pu$$y, Chris ran off after he did his number on her.) The timing of this interview is going to kick Chris Brown in the nuts and his bank account. Bravo. Seriously.


Once I listened to Rihanna thoughtfully explain what she went through over the weeks following the beating, I understand completely why she didn't hit the airwaves to talk about her troubling situation. I, like other bloggers (and the public at large) FORGET that celebrities are human beings. There is no way in hell I would've hopped onto Oprah's couch two weeks after being beaten up by a boyfriend. Would you?? I doubt it. 


These past few months have given Rihanna distance from the situation, to some extent. I appreciate how she said that her wounds may have healed, but the flashbacks of the beating are always there, haunting her--and that remnant from the abuse never goes away. This is where Rihanna spoke to other young victims of abuse. She knows these girls look up to her. 

I felt maternal and very, very proud listening to this young (and now stronger) woman speak to the entire world about the humiliation she suffered at the hands of the man (?) she thought she loved.  AND she did it in front of the entire world.


The video of last night's 20/20 is on ABC.com if it's yanked from YouTube. If you missed it, I strongly suggest you watch it--and watch Rihanna. I believe Rihanna was completely sincere in every word she shared. She didn't simply bash Chris Brown. She spoke about her weakness, her embarrassment of the infamous photo being leaked, her father hitting her mother and the cycle of abuse that she witnessed. Rihanna has every reason to seem a bit hardened right now. The person she loved and trusted the most shattered her world. But I think she knows exactly what she wants--and doesn't want--in a relationship now. 


I applaud Rihanna for not making the intervew a sugar-coated, puff piece made simply for ratings and cd sales.


I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on Rihanna and this interview.

**Help is available to callers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Hotline advocates are available for victims and anyone calling on their behalf to provide crisis intervention, safety planning, information and referrals to agencies in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Assistance is available in English and Spanish with access to more than 170 languages through interpreter services. If you or someone you know is frightened about something in your relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−SAFE (7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224.** 

 

Rihanna's PR machine thinks it's time she discussed that whole Chris Brown thing...oh, and her new cd!

Oh, Rihanna.

Where to begin? I'm disgusted, but totally not surprised that the timing of RiRi's new cd, "Rated R" (bleh) and the fact the she's finally addressing the domestic abuse she suffered at the hands of Chris Brown. I realize, of course that she is in show business, and that means lots of money for lots of people. Why waste a perfectly good opportunity to promote one's new cd by NOT offering to talk about the controversy? Psssh.

I'd have a whole lot more respect for Rihanna had she spoken out after she had gathered her thoughts soon after the attack. Yes, there were court hearings that may have prevented some of what she could have offered other victims, but the timing of these interviews (including 20/20 Friday night with Diane Sawyer) just reeks of opportunistic record lables and PR crap. (Sorry that whole last sentence was REDUNDANT.)

Here's a snippet of an interview Rihanna gave Glamour Magazine:

Glamour: Let’s talk about this past year—you’ve obviously been through some difficult things. How did the people around you help you cope?

Rihanna: My friends and family have been extremely supportive, and everyone has been there for me. But at some point you are there alone. It’s a lonely place to be—no one can understand. That’s when you get close to God.

Glamour: Are you referring to the [Chris Brown] incident?

Rihanna: I am talking about starting with the night [before] the Grammys and then on. That was not the only thing that occurred this year. The picture leaking…it was one thing after another.

Glamour: You’re talking about the photo [reportedly of Rihanna’s injured face taken by police after Brown assaulted her] that was allegedly leaked by cops. You handled that so well; you kept silent in the press.

Rihanna: It was humiliating; that is not a photo you would show to anybody. I felt completely taken advantage of. I felt like people were making it into a fun topic on the Internet, and it’s my life. I was disappointed, especially when I found out the photo was [supposedly leaked by] two women.

Glamour: How has this event changed you as a person, as a woman?

Rihanna: I’m stronger, wiser and more aware. You don’t realize how much your decisions affect people you don’t even know, like fans.

Is it just me, or does Rihanna seem more upset about the leaked photo, showing her sad and beaten, than the actual assault itself? If she's more concerned about the behavior of the women who may or may not have leaked the photo, there's a problem.

Rihanna has been given a huge opportunity to speak out against domestic violence. I hope she says more about the REAL subject on 20/20. Too many young women still believe she "deserved it".

Rihanna? Do the right thing.  

Taylor Swift and Kanye West Reuniting on SNL?

Dumbass Kanye and Taylor Swift last month

on the VMAs

I really hope the rumors of Kanye West crashing Taylor Swift's hosting and performing appearance on SNL are false. I'm sure all the SNL writers think this would be super-funny, but ya know what? It's like rewarding a toddler with a cookie for setting his kitten on fire.

Kanye West will be the only winner in this situation--everyone will laugh a little and say, "Oh, Kanye!". I hope the mostly-male writers at SNL aren't bullying Taylor just for ratings.

Taylor--and her young female fans--derserve more than being reduced to a quick joke.

Natalie Portman believes that eating meat is just as bad as rape. Wow. Really?

Someone needs to keep her mouth SHUT.

So here's the thing. Natalie Portman has equated eating meat with RAPE. I will be so bold as to say her stint at an Ivy League university taught her NOTHING. It sounds to me that fooling around with (read: snorting coke and eff you see kaying Sean Peen Penn while he was still married) gave her the license to say completely stupid things like this:

"I say that Foer's (who wrote an essay for The New York Times magazine) ethical charge against animal eating is brave because not only is it unpopular, it has also been characterized as unmanly, inconsiderate, and juvenile. But he reminds us that being a man, and a human, takes more thought than just "This is tasty, and that's why I do it." He posits that consideration, as promoted by Michael Pollan in The Omnivore's Dilemma, which has more to do with being polite to your tablemates than sticking to your own ideals, would be absurd if applied to any other belief (e.g., I don't believe in rape, but if it's what it takes to please my dinner hosts, then so be it)."

I'm more than appalled by Portman's statement. It bears noting, too, that she was one of the many "artists" who signed the petition for the release of child rapist Roman Polanski. Clearly, this naive young woman has no idea what kind of horror rape victims suffer by comparing the assault to merely eating a cheeseburger.


I would be very pleased if Portman took a moment to truly think about what she said regarding a very serious issue. I'd also be happy if she spent some time hearing the very real stories of women and children who have suffered the atrocity of rape. 

1/800-656-HOPE

Yes. It's yet ANOTHER Lindsay Lohan Post. WhatEVER.

 

Is that what I think I see peeking out?

 

LINDSAY!! Get your GD ass to rehab.

Right. This. Minute.

Hot. Fucking. Mess. This 23 year old young woman is going to die young. I hate to be the one to announce this sad story, but believe me, the writing is on the bathroom stall wall. Just look at her. Here's Drunk/Drugface at the prestigious Whitney Museum Gala last night. 

I don't think Lindsay looks coked-up here. I think she looks drunk and woozy. Is she swallowing Oxycontin now? Her crazy Pot-Calling-the-Kettle-Black father, Michael is blabbing to any media outlet that will print his words, thinks she needs to be back in rehab. Of course, he's stating the obvious, but Lindsay has already been to rehab, what THREE times? If she doesn't wanna go--it won't do a damn bit of good.

Lindsay is a runaway bullet train that hasn't wrecked--yet.

Oh, and ssshhhh...I love her pink coat.

Roman Polanski is caught by Chris Hansen on "To Catch a Predator"--lured by the sweet tea!

I know this supposed to be funny; I mean, I think it is. EVERYONE wants to see Roman Polanski questioned by Chris Hansen from To Catch a Predator on NBC. This mash-up of an old interview with the serial pedophile and "respected auteur" along with bits of Chris Hansen doing his best "I'm Chris Hansen".  Funny stuff.


What's not so funny is how un-effing-remorseful Polanski seems.  He's NOT sorry, and feels he's done his time. After all, he can't help it that he has a thing for young girls. What's the problem??


God, I hate this piece of shit. I'd like to post the most current list of pro-child molesters in Hollywood (WHAT? Isn't that what they are??) for your perusal.

Isn't it ironic that even though it's an alphabetized list, Woody Allen is FIRST?

Woody Allen, Pedro Almodovar, Monica Bellucci, Gael Garcia Bernal, Bernardo Bertolucci, Ethan Coen, Robert Cohen, Penelope Cruz, Jonathan Demme, Stephen Frears, Terry Gilliam, Buck Henry, David Heyman, Larry Levine, David Lynch, Michael Mann, Jeanne Moreau, Alexander Payne, Brett Ratner, Isabelle Ruh, Julian Schnabel, Martin Scorsese, Tilda Swinton, Julie Turcas, Isabelle Adjani, Harrison Ford, Taylor Hackford, Isabelle Huppert, Jeremy Irons, Neil Jordan, Sam Mendes, Camille Meyer, Mike Nichols, Natalie Portman, Salman Rushdie, Kristin Scott Thomas, William Shawcross, Steven Soderbergh, Diane von Furstenberg, Margaret Walker, Scott Foundas

via (LA Weekly).

Eff ALL of you. We'll see how supportive you artistes are if your child is the victim of molestation--and judging by the size of the list, I'd say someone's kid already has been given that lovely opportunity. Nice.

Dress of the Day - Janet Jackson at amFAR Milano 2009

Wow. 

Janet has kept a fairly low profile since her brother, Michael's death. (Unlike a certain brother .**COUGHJermaineCOUGH**) But Janet worked it OUT in Milano (because I went to Italy, I can say Milano...heh.)

ANYhourglassfigure! Janet has never looked more luminous and elegant. The draping of this midnight blue Versace dress is perfect for her figure. Janet has opened up about her food issues:

via news.softpedia.com:

"Speaking of her weight, the singer recently opened up about her struggle to maintain her figure in check, saying that she often piled on the pounds because she was what they called a comfort eater. Feelings of isolation and abandonment made her insecure, which, in turn, pushed her to eat to feel better, Janet revealed in a recent magazine interview, as we also informed you. To help other women who may find themselves in such a situation, Janet is currently working on the release of a diet and self-esteem book.

“It was originally about weight loss. But I wanted it to be more about my triggers. I can be an emotional eater. Of late, I have been doing that, yes. It started when I was very little. My brothers were gone on tour a lot, and I would miss them so much. Certain things in my life would become triggers. I wish I’d had a book like this when I was that young. People forget that everyone has things going on. It’s still important to face reality, and not that I’m running, but sometimes you just need to get away for a second.” the singer recently said of the upcoming book. "

It would be nice if Janet spoke about any possible dysfunction within her family that may have driven her to becoming an emotional eater. I'm sure there are thousands of women of all ages who can relate to her situation on some level.

Women (and men) are all different. I never looked to food for comfort. I consider food a "reward" for being happy. If I'm not feeling happy, I don't eat. It's as though I don't deserve to eat. I may have mentioned this before. I wonder if anyone else understands how I rationalize that way of thinking.

Do any of you, my darlings, have stories you'd like to share?

Woody Allen Supports Release of Roman Polanski. Oh, REALLY?

How appropriate.

Oh, Woody. Oh, Roman. You're both just misunderstood artists, aren't you?

Dear readers, we need to simply come to terms with the fact that some people in this world are given a pass. These special, sensitive and gifted men are to be admired, not punished for their past, um, "issues". Everything they do is art...that's what should be recognized. Yes?

How about NO? I cannot believe the fact that so many directors, actors and other industry types are coming to Roman Polanski's defense after being arrested in Switzerland on an outstanding U.S. warrant for child rape. Oh wait. Yes, I can.

In case you're not entirely familiar with the crime that was committed by Polanski back in 1977, here's a summary.

via The Smoking Gun, an excerpt of unsealed grand jury testimony of the initial against Polanski.

"Two weeks after Polanski plied her with Champagne and a Quaalude, Samantha Gailey appeared before an L.A. grand jury and recalled Polanski's predatory behavior in a Mulholland Canyon home owned by Jack Nicholson.

The teenager's troubling--and contemporaneous--account of her abuse at Polanski's hands begins with her posing twice for topless photos that the director said were for French Vogue. The girl then told prosecutors how Polanski directed her to, "Take off your underwear" and enter the Jacuzzi, where he photographed her naked. Soon, the director, who was then 43, joined her in the hot tub. He also wasn't wearing any clothes and, according to Gailey's testimony, wrapped his hands around the child's waist.

The girl testified that she left the Jacuzzi and entered a bedroom in Nicholson's home, where Polanski sat down beside her and kissed the teen, despite her demands that he "keep away." According to Gailey, Polanski then performed a sex act on her and later "started to have intercourse with me." At one point, according to Gailey's testimony, Polanski asked the 13-year-old if she was "on the pill," and "When did you last have your period?" Polanski then asked her, Gailey recalled, "Would you want me to go in through your back?" before he "put his penis in my butt." Asked why she did not more forcefully resist Polanski, the teenager told Deputy D.A. Roger Gunson, "Because I was afraid of him."

Roman Polanski drugged then sodomized a 13 year old little girl, ran away to France to live a life of luxury with parties and lovely homes and continued to work on his art--and win an Academy Award for Best Picture for The Pianist. He was arrested over the weekend in Switzerland at a film festival, where he was to receive a special honor.


Do you think Polanksi's "been punished enough"? These fellow "it's okay to rape a drugged-up 13 year old because she was asking for it and it was the '70s, man artists most certainly do think he has suffered more than enough, and have signed a petition to set Polanski free:

via The Guardian UK:


"... including Polanski's fellow directors Michael Mann, Wim Wenders, Pedro Almodóvar, Darren Aronofsky, Terry Gilliam, Julian Schnabel, the Dardenne brothers, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Wong Kar-Wai, Walter Salles and Jonathan Demme. Actors Tilda Swinton, Monica Bellucci and Asia Argento, as well as producer Harvey Weinstein have also put their names on the petition. Yesterday, Weinstein stated he was "calling on every film-maker we can to help fix this terrible situation".

Awesome, huh? Or is it just me who's holding a grudge against this piece of shit?

MacKenzie Phillips was molested by her Papa John **RE-POST**

I'm re-posting this blog I wrote back in July of this year. Mackenzie Phillips is appearing on Oprah tomorrow, and I felt it was worth another read. I've also added the commerical. Try to catch the repeat of the show at night if you miss it tomorrow afternoon.

Mackenzie said that she would do heroin with her asshole father all the time. In fact, John, who died in 2001, shot Mackenzie up with heroin for the first time. And on the night before her wedding to Jeff Sessler in 1979, her dad tried to stop her from marrying him.

Mackenzie writes, "I had tons of pills, and Dad had tons of everything too. Eventually I passed out on Dad's bed. My father was not a man with boundaries. He was full of love, and he was sick with drugs. I woke up that night from a blackout to find myself having sex with my own father. Had this happened before? I didn't know. All I can say is it was the first time I was aware of it. For a moment I was in my body, in that horrible truth, and then I slid back into a blackout."
 
I think I'm going to wretch. 
 

Color me completely not surprised about this revelation. We always knew Mackenzie Phillips has led a pretty effed-up life, and now throwing some childhood molestation by her father, John Phillips (from the Mamas and the Papas) everything just falls into place, doesn't it? It all makes a lot more sense now.

"I've always known I would write this book," Mackenzie says in press material obtained by The ENQUIRER about the as-yet untitled tell-all.

While the publisher, Simon Spotlight, has not publicly confirmed Mackenzie's molestation admission, it released a statement saying the troubled actress would reveal a "shocking, lifelong secret."

John Phillips died in 2001 - and Mackenzie is now finally healed enough to talk about the details of her painful childhood, says the insider.

"She'll reveal when the molestation first occurred, how long it lasted and how it affected her entire life."

Mackenzie, who has been married three times and has a 22-year-olds on, Shane, hit showbiz at age 12 in the 1973 movie American Graffiti. She went on to play rebellious teen Julie Cooper on the sitcom One Day at a Time. But problems with drugs and alcohol have plagued her for most of her life.

Her addictions led to the downward spiral of her career, arrests and many stints in rehab, as well as two near-fatal overdoses."

Damaged goods. That's the life-long label those of us who know how it feels to lose your childhood to the hands of a pervert. A dear friend of mine, who knows this dark shame as I do said to me,

"... no matter how much we move forward, we feel damaged, like something so special and deep inside us was broken and will never be repaired, that it CAN'T ever become whole again no matter how hard we try or who is there to support us."

We have good days and bad. Certain things are reminders. I probably won't read Mac's book. I don't need to.

I don't use what happened to me as an "excuse" for feeling damaged...it's the reason.

Beyonce` in Sydney - Sings "Halo" to Tiny Leukemia Patient

Beyonce` can really do no wrong (aside from The House of Hideous Dereon,), can she? I imagine her to be a lovely young woman, and judging by her graciousness toward Taylor Swift last weekend during that whole mess with that idiot Kanye West, she had done it once again.

At the very end of an concert she was performing in glorious Sydney, Australia, Beyonce` helped a tiny cancer patient up onto the stage as she sang the lovely "Halo" to this little dolly named Chelsea. 

The video speaks for itself.

Chelsea, you have the prayers of the world...

Serena Williams? I got your back on this one. Repeat after me: SEXIST MEDIA

Let me get this straight. Women are not allowed to lose their temper on the tennis court, but it's accepted and even thought of as "cute" or "fierce" when a MAN does it? Oh, HELL no. Serena Williams has been made the athlete poster girl of bad behavior due to her outburst on the court, and frankly, I'm not having it.


With all the talk about "is civility dead" going on right now, I refuse to lump Serena Williams in with Kanye West or Ron Wilson. Totally. Different. Situations. I did a little research on the of the coyly nicknamed "Bad Boys" of tennis. Read for yourself. 

via ESPN

Re: John McEnroe

"McEnroe played with a competitive fire and a fierce determination, traits that the public adores. But he also constantly argued and put down umpires and linesmen for what he perceived as bad calls.

"I know I can see the ball better than the officials," he said. "I can 'feel' when a ball is out or not. What's so frustrating is to know you're right and not be able to do anything about it."


and Re: Jimmy Connors

"While tennis fans enjoyed Connors' gritty style and his never-say-die attitude, they often were shocked by his antics. His sometimes vulgar on-court behavior -- like giving the finger to a linesman after disagreeing with a call -- did not help his approval rating. During the early part of his career, Connors frequently argued with umpires, linesmen, the players union, Davis Cup officials and other players."

Connors even called a line judged "an abortion" during one outburst. Jesus H. Nice one.

and via TIME Magazine :

"Jimmy was taught to be a tiger on the court," says his tigress mother. "When he was young, if I had a shot I could hit down his throat, I did. And I'd say, 'See, Jimmy, even your mother will do that to you.' "

Sigh. Serena lives in the internet and full-blown media era, whereas these "boys" only had instant replay. I don't believe they were totally mic'd the way athletes are today. I found an excerpt of Serena's apology. I guess women just can't get as passionate about their game as the "Bad Boys". How many of you out there (women) have lost your temper during a game of soccer, tennis or basketball? 

Serena has been nothing but an admirable role-model to young women throughout her  entire tennis career. NOW she has to apologize in a public way that the Boys didn't have to back in the day:


"Last night everyone could truly see the passion I have for my job. Now that I have had time to gain my composure, I can see that while I don't agree with the unfair line call, in the heat of battle I let my passion and emotion get the better of me and as a result handled the situation poorly. I would like to thank my fans and supporters for understanding that I am human and I look forward to continuing the journey, both professionally and personally, with you all as I move forward and grow from this experience."

- Serena Williams 

I call bullshit. Sexism is alive and well in 2009.

Tila Tequila is a little plastic liar.

Liar, liar PANTS on fire...

and not just from STDs. 

Y'all know I'll defend a bitch if I feel she's truly been smacked up (RIHANNA!)...I just don't feel this Little Tykes (Dykes?) Plastic Daycare Doll was ever telling the truth about Shawne Merriman "choking" her. (TMZ posted pictures of her purple eyeshadow "bruises" on her ARMS yesterday.)  

Please check out what Wendie (the best writer on Evil Beet ) had to say about this whole made-up piece of Lie Cake: http://evilbeetgossip.film.com/2009/09/07/no-charges-filed-after-tila-tequilas-abuse-allegations/

and


http://evilbeetgossip.film.com/2009/09/11/and-scene/



"San Diego Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis will not be filing charges against Shawne Merriman of the Chargers. He was placed under citizen's arrest by Tila Tequila after he allegedly choked her and refused to let her to leave his apartment Sunday. Apparently no one bought it.. ESPN reports:

"After a thorough review of the investigation into the Sept. 6, 2009 incident at the Poway home of Shawne Merriman, our office has determined there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any crime was committed. The case is now closed."

Way to set back the very serious issue of domestic violence back a million years, Dumbass. Women have a hard enough time coming forth with very real cases of having the shit beaten out of them without skanks filing false reports like Tila Tequila apparently has done.

I swore I'd never talk about her on this blog, but this issue needs to be noted.


If you or someone you know is being abused, please contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) 1.800.787.3224 (TTY)
Anonymous & Confidential Help 24/7. Translaters are available.



Domestic violence is no joke.

Today is September 11th--Take a Moment...

 

Yes, just take a moment to remember. 

We all remember where we were, whom we were with and that horrible sense of fear and dread as we watched the horror unfold on TV.

 

We all get caught up in our day-to-day lives, working, family, traffic...so many things aren't really as important and worrisome as they may appear. 

Don't take anything for granted. Think about how truly blessed we are; look at the bigger picture. Tell your family and friends how much you love them. It could all be taken away so swiftly.

We will never forget.

Melanie Griffith Checks Back Into Rehab

It's being reported that Melanie Griffith has checked into the Cirque Lodge in Utah for substance abuse.

Melanie has struggled with substance abuse since she was young. I would imagine she's had a tough time of things. Sure, she's married to hunky Spanish actor, Antonio Banderas. I think she actually struggles with that, in that people are cruel and say things like, "what's he doing with her?" That can't feel good. Women in Hollywood, for the most part are not allowed to age, hence all of Melanie's plastic surgery. I have a feeling she's quite insecure about a lot of areas of her life. It's sad, and it has taken its toll.

I feel badly for her and hope she can work things out.

Michael Vick? Aww HELL No. Apology NOT Accepted. WARNING: Horrific photo

THIS is what dog fighting IS.

Michael Vick - still a cold-hearted criminal.

We're all supposed to say "Oh, Michael. You're forgiven." Guess what? I don't forgive him. This letter or blog or whatever it is, is simply a device to gain public sympathy. I've posted this dumbass's attempt at gaining our forgiveness, when in reality, all he really wants is to make a mighty fine living again in the NFL--and this is how it's done, apparently:

Vick (or someone on his payroll, perhaps) writes:

I’m sorry. That’s the place where I need to begin. My feeling of remorse. I ain’t never written a blog before, so putting my thoughts down on paper is a challenge - however it’s a challenge I must face. I can look a 250 pound linebacker in his eyes at the line of scrimmage and have no fear. But expressing myself when I know that there are millions of people who are so angry with me, and rightfully so, is a challenge unlike any other I have faced before.

What I did was horrendous. Awful. Inhumane. And I’ve no excuses for my actions. It makes my heart hurt now to think about what I’ve done. And I’m gonna be real honest, it took a while for me to get to this place.

Sitting in a prison cell didn’t make me feel remorse. It was meeting so many animal lovers, speaking with them and looking them in their eyes. Staring at them. Looking so deep into their eyes that I began to feel their pain. Allowing that pain to enter into my body is when I started to understand how bad it really was. I have been trying hard to connect with people who feel this pain,because for my whole life I was disconnected from the suffering of animals. And you might say, “come on Mike, how could you do those things to those dogs?” And you’re right…I
ask myself those questions every day. What kind of person does this? How does a human-being treat dogs or any animal with such pain and cruelty? And the hard part for me is the answer to these questions. Because the answer is ME. And I am trying so hard right now to become a better person, because who I was, I am ashamed of.

Cause see, my whole life has been numb. I was numb to the violence in my community…cause I saw it all the time, ever since I was a child. I mean, how does one grow up in a city that’s nickname is Bad Newz? You can probably guess that from the jump, ya’ know I’ve seen some bad things in my life. And football was the only way that I could escape. As a kid, I even used to go out fishing, and most of the times I wouldn’t catch a darn thing, but just needed to get away from the chaos every once in a while. So, when the commissioner called my name as the #1 draft pick in the NFL - the first time a black quarterback had ever been chosen as the #1 pick, I thought my life was all good. But, what I didn’t realize then, that I have begun to realize now, is that even though I had more money in my pocket, big cars and big houses, I was still numb. And when I say numb, I ain’t talkin about not realizing the stuff that was going on around me, it was just like I was living life asleep. However, that is still no excuse for what I did. But let’s not forget that there are still hundreds of thousands of young people growing in similar environments and seeing violence at a young age has severe consequences.

Now that I’m trying my best to wake up, I know I have a lot of work to do. And this isn’t about trying to win a Super Bowl ring or a MVP trophy…this is about trying to save lives. I think back to when I use to play football and of course I use to see all those kids in the stands wearing #7 jerseys. And I would never want them to look up to the Michael Vick who did all of those terrible things to the dogs. I know where I need to do the most work is with all of the people around the world who continue to fight dogs. Let me be straight forward with y’all: What I did was wrong, and what you’re doing is wrong. We must stop dog fighting, and I will do everything in my power to be a voice of someone who has finally woken up from the numbness, and knows just how bad it really is. My mission now is to be a source of service to save many animals. I am working very closely with The Humane Society and will be launching a new campaign shortly. If I had one hope in life, it would be that my actions will speak louder than my words. I know it will be hard to forgive me until you see my sincerity through my actions, but I promise you and I promise myself that that day will come.

Lastly, I accept this challenge, not of writing this blog, but of redeeming myself.

Uh huh. So, you looked into "doglover's eyes", did you Michael? How about the DOG's eyes? Maybe they are still just a piece of meat and a wad of cash?

You know, serial killers become "numb" to seeing blood and torture, too. Sometimes they begin with animals. And NO. I'm not saying that's where Vick was headed. Where's the MONEY in that?

Feel free to challenge me on this one, guys. (I have a feeling you won't.)

American Journalists to be Pardoned

Euna Lee and Laura Ling

Former President Bill Clinton meeting
with N. Korean officials

This is a terrific relief...the two American journalists, Euna Lee and Laura Ling, who have been held since March of this year will be given a pardon. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il today in Pyongyang, in an attempt to secure the release of two U.S. journalists. The detained reporters, working for Al Gore's California-based media venture, Current TV, were sentenced in June to 12 years in labor camps for entering the country illegally with "extremely rude political motives."

North Korea is considered a "rogue nation". It has a very closed, fearful and even paranoid sensibility that is carried on the shoulders of this nation's people. Is the dictator Kim Jong Il responsible for the atmosphere in N. Korea? Many defectors (and most everyone else!) would say, "yes". It's often strange and difficult to negotiate, if you will, with a "crazy" megalomaniac. It appears Bill Clinton and Kim Jong Il managed to work through egos and politics in order make sure the right thing was done for these women.

But as a side note? Don't go sniffin' around Communist countries, kids. They don't take kindly to that kind of behavior.

I'm quite the hard news gal, aren't I?

Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett on Separate Vanity Fair Covers for September Issue

Fallen King

I'm really interested in reading both of these articles and will assuredly buy both issues. Will you? I'd love to hear your views. Here are excerpts from both issues:

via The Huffington Post and Vanity Fair Magazine:

"Before his onstage crotch grabbing, his plastic surgeries, his rumored addictions, and, at the lowest point, his child-molestation accusations, Michael Jackson was known for his talent, not his troubles. And for years, Vanity Fair’s Lisa Robinson followed his career, getting to know a singer she describes as “one of the most talented, adorable, enthusiastic, sweet, ebullient performers I’d ever interviewed.”

In her article “The Boy Who Would Be King,” one of two cover stories in the September 2009 issue (to read about the other one, on Farrah Fawcett, click here), Robinson recounts numerous interviews with Jackson, beginning with their first meeting at his family’s home in Encino, California, in 1972, when Michael was 14.

L.R.: So what do you like to do in your spare time?
M.J.: Swim … play pool … We don’t go much out of the gate because we have [everything] here. When we lived in the other house, we would go to the park to play basketball, but now we have it here.

(Michael asks me more questions than I ask him; there are discussions about my maroon nail polish, buying antiques on Portobello Road, the Apollo Theater, Madison Square Garden.)

L.R.: Do you ever get scared onstage?
M.J.: No. If you know what you’re doing, you’re not scared onstage.

In the ensuing years, Jackson would take control of his career to a degree readers may find surprising. Even more surprising, perhaps, was his declaration in 1984 that the original mix of Thriller, his hit 1982 album, had “sounded like crap.”

L.R.: What?
M.J.: Oh, it was terrible. And I cried at the listening party. I said, “I’m sorry—we can’t release this.” I called a meeting with Quincy [Jones], and everybody at the [record] company was screaming that we had to have it out and there was a deadline, and I said, “I’m sorry, I’m not releasing it.” I said, “It’s terrible.” So we re-did a mix a day. Like a mix a day. And we rested two days, then we did a mixing. We were overworked, but it all came out O.K." Yeah. You could say "Thriller" came "out O.K." Wow.

Fallen Angel

"For “Beautiful People, Ugly Choices”—one of two cover stories in Vanity Fair’s September 2009 issue (to preview the Michael Jackson cover story, click here)—Bennetts also spoke to dozens of Fawcett’s associates and intimates, from actor George Hamilton and agent Sue Mengers to Fawcett’s best friend, Alana Stewart, and O’Neal’s children Tatum and Griffin. The result is a definitive portrait of Fawcett’s meteoric rise, turbulent second act, and tragic final chapter.

The truth was that Fawcett had always been more complicated than the clichés, the realities of her life far darker than the sunny image she projected. The gap between her public image and private reality was wide: “I’m always more comfortable when I have on hardly any make-up, my hair is brown and I’m very unattractive,” she said.

The work that brought her solace in later years was a love of art that had nothing to do with fame, a private passion that inspired her to sculpt female nudes with an obsessiveness that seemed like an attempt to understand the world’s fascination with her own body. The documentary [Farrah’s World] that became her last appearance violated every rule of Hollywood image-making; no other star had ever exposed herself to a viewing audience while moaning in pain, vomiting, and losing her famous hair to chemotherapy. But Fawcett’s final triumph was to integrate the public and the private at long last, imbuing her death with a larger meaning and finding redemption in baring her head along with her soul.

"While it’s clear that O’Neal is no angel, he’s at least willing to cop to his own flaws. At one point, he describes himself as “a hopeless father” and offers as evidence this anecdote from Fawcett’s funeral:"

"I had just put the casket in the hearse and I was watching it drive away when a beautiful blonde woman comes up and embraces me," Ryan told me. "I said to her, 'You have a drink on you? You have a car?' She said, 'Daddy, it's me--Tatum!' I was just trying to be funny with a strange Swedish woman, and it's my daughter. It's so sick."

"That's our relationship in a nutshell," Tatum said when I asked her about it. "You make of it what you will." She sighed. "It had been a few years since we'd seen each other, and he was always a ladies' man, a bon vivant."

I'm so happy I haven't eaten yet today. I did dry-heave a couple of times just picturing that event in my head, FYI, so now you have everything in your head, don't you? My job is done.

Queen Latifah Speaks Out About Childhood Abuse

Lovely, talented and brave

Queen Latifah is speaking out about being a victim of sexual abuse when she was a child.

The Sun is reporting:

The rapper-turned-actress says a teenage babysitter preyed upon her, leaving her unable to form relationships as an adult.

Latifah, 39, told Essence magazine: "He violated me.

"I never told anybody. I just buried it as deeply as I could and kept people at an arms length. I never really let a person get too close to me.

"I could have been married years ago, but I had a commitment issue."

I doubt that a "commitment issue" is all Latifah has suffered. I have not made it a secret on this blog that I, too, am a victim of childhood sexual abuse. I know there are people out there (quite a few, actually), who wish I'd just shut up about the whole thing. In reality, I don't mention it that terribly often--it's just that most people don't care to hear about such matters EVER. I've suffered from many of the typical disorders that result from sexual abuse.

Seeing that this is MY blog, I can and will write about anything and everything I care to discuss. I commend Latifah, as a celebrity, for bringing attention to this horrific issue to the forefront.

Here are some staggering statistics:

The statistics are shocking

• 1 in 4 girls is sexually abused before the age of 18. (96)
• 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18. (96)
• 1 in 5 children are solicited sexually while on the internet. (30, 87)
• Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults (including assaults on adults) occur to children ages 17 and under. (76)
• An estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse exist in America today. (1)

Even within the walls of their own homes, children are at risk for sexual abuse

• 30-40% of victims are abused by a family member. (2, 44, 76)
• Another 50% are abused by someone outside of the family whom they know and trust.
• Approximately 40% are abused by older or larger children whom they know. (1, 44)
• Therefore, only 10% are abused by strangers.

Sexual abuse can occur at all ages, probably younger than you think

• The median age for reported abuse is 9 years old. (64)
• More than 20% of children are sexually abused before the age of 8. (76)
• Nearly 50% of all victims of forcible sodomy, sexual assault with an object, and forcible fondling are children under 12. (74, 76)

Most children don't tell even if they have been asked

• Evidence that a child has been sexually abused is not always obvious, and many children do not report that they have been abused.
• Over 30% of victims never disclose the experience to ANYONE.
• Young victims may not recognize their victimization as sexual abuse.
• Almost 80% initially deny abuse or are tentative in disclosing. Of those who do disclose, approximately 75% disclose accidentally. Additionally, of those who do disclose, more than 20% eventually recant even though the abuse occurred.
• Fabricated sexual abuse reports constitute only 1% to 4% of all reported cases. Of these reports, 75% are falsely reported by adults and 25% are reported by children. Children only fabricate ½% of the time.

Consequences of child sexual abuse begin affecting children and families immediately. They also affect society in innumerable and negative ways. These effects can continue throughout the life of the survivor so the impact on society for just one survivor continues over multiple decades. Try to imagine the impact of 39 million survivors.

Health and/or Behavioral Problems:

• The way a victim's family responds to abuse plays an important role in how the incident affects the victim.
• Sexually abused children who keep it a secret or who "tell" and are not believed are at greater risk than the general population for psychological, emotional, social, and physical problems often lasting into adulthood.
• Children who have been victims of sexual abuse are more likely to experience physical health problems (e.g., headaches).
• Victims of child sexual abuse report more symptoms of PTSD, more sadness, and more school problems than non-victims. (10, 16, 55, 72)
• Victims of child sexual abuse are more likely to experience major depressive disorder as adults. (55, 72)
• Young girls who are sexually abused are more likely to develop eating disorders as adolescents. (16, 40, 89)
• Adolescent victims of violent crime have difficulty in the transition to adulthood, are more likely to suffer financial failure and physical injury, and are at risk to fail in other areas due to problem behaviors and outcomes of the victimization.

Drug and/or Alcohol Problems:

• Victims of child sexual abuse report more substance abuse problems. 70-80% of sexual abuse survivors report excessive drug and alcohol use. (10, 16, 89)
• Young girls who are sexually abused are 3 times more likely to develop psychiatric disorders or alcohol and drug abuse in adulthood, than girls who are not sexually abused. (16, 40, 89)
• Among male survivors, more than 70% seek psychological treatment for issues such as substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide. Males who have been sexually abused are more likely to violently victimize others. (90)

Teenage Pregnancy and Promiscuity:

• Children who have been victims of sexual abuse exhibit long-term and more frequent behavioral problems, particularly inappropriate sexual behaviors.
• Women who report childhood rape are 3 times more likely to become pregnant before age 18.
• An estimated 60% of teen first pregnancies are preceded by experiences of molestation, rape, or attempted rape. The average age of their offenders is 27 years.
• Victims of child sexual abuse are more likely to be sexually promiscuous. (39, 59, 60, 70)
• More than 75% of teenage prostitutes have been sexually abused.

Crime:

• Adolescents who suffer violent victimization are at risk for being victims or perpetrators of felony assault, domestic violence, and property offense as adults.
• Nearly 50% of women in prison state that they were abused as children.
• Over 75% of serial rapists report they were sexually abused as youngsters.

Most perpetrators don't molest only one child if they are not reported and stopped.

• Nearly 70% of child sex offenders have between 1 and 9 victims; at least 20% have 10 to 40 victims. (23)
• An average serial child molester may have as many as 400 victims in his lifetime.

Keep a close eye on the children you love.

Newly Discovered LIFE Magazine Photos of Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn seemed so full of hope...

Sweet and un-sullied in 1950

Via The Gawker:


"In 1950 Life photographer Ed Clark received a call from an executive at 20th Century Fox lauding a "hot tomato" the studio had signed. She was an unknown named Marilyn Monroe. Clark photographed her later that year in Los Angeles' Griffith Park. Never-used negatives from the shoot were recently discovered.

Life has put eighteen of the shots on their website, part of an ongoing effort to digitize their entire photo archive. Clark is quoted in one of the captions as saying because she was an unknown at the time, he got to spend a lot of time shooting her in the park, a shoot in which she read poetry during her breaks. The only clue to why the photos were never published comes via an editor's note found with the negatives in the archives that read, "this take was over-developed and poorly printed."

I know I'm not the only woman who relates to Marilyn on some level. Whether it's enduring an abusive childhood or being seen simply as a body or an object, many women feel a sad kinship with Marilyn. She was more than just the icon with her skirt flying up and the bedroom eyes. I've studied and appreciated her since I was 10 years old and felt some sort of strange connection. These photos are indeed a wonderful find. There is a real sweetness in her eyes, that eventually died...before she did.

Photo by the late photographer, Richard Avedon

The light burned out much too soon.

Sigh. Poor Marilyn.

While we're on the subject of Miss Adam Lambert--AT&T, WTF??

Gosh, they make a darling couple.
I'm dead serious, by the way.

This "American Idol" controversy is getting juicier everyday. AT&T seems to have had a BIG hand in helping Kris Allen get more votes--in his home state of Arkansas, ya'll. According to TheHollywoodGossip.com it is being reported:

"According to a report in The New York Times, one of the show's biggest sponsors may have played a vital role in Allen's victory.

AT&T, by its own admission, provided phones for free text-messaging services at parties organized by fans of the Arkansas native.

At a pair of gatherings in Allen's honor - held during, and immediately following, last week's Tuesday night performance show - representatives of AT&T (whose network is the only one that can be used to cast American Idol votes via text message) passed around free phones.

No such efforts were made on behalf of Adam Lambert.

Moreover, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette states that AT&T employees actually instructed Allen fans on how to send 10 or more text messages at the press of a single button.

In a statement issued yesterday, a spokesman for AT&T didn't deny these accusations:

“In Arkansas, we were invited to attend the local watch parties organized by the community. A few local employees brought a small number of demo phones with them and provided texting tutorials to those who were interested."

Interestingly, Fox has refused to release the voting percentages or figures from this season.

Why would AT&T possibly favor Allen over Lambert? Might the company prefer a clean-cut, uncontroversial champion of a show it sponsors? We don't know.

But this rumor won't quiet critics that believe Lambert lost due to his sexual orientation."

Sigh. Whatev. Honestly. We all know Miss Adam is going to rock his glittery shit for many,many years. I still say not winning "A.I." was the best thing for his career. What do you guys think about all this?