| In 1983, I founded a non profit organization, the | | | | Some make it to the betterment of their own lives, the |
| Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC), to serve as | | | | lives of families, friends, and society. And some sadly |
| a bridge between the entertainment industry and | | | | don't. However if these insights portrayed on these |
| health and social issues. With these 25 years of | | | | programs can help with efforts to heal or help in our |
| experience, I believe I am qualified to respond to the | | | | empathy and understanding, then that can be a good |
| finger-pointing, poking, prodding, lens clicking and tittering | | | | thing. |
| that surround celebrity rehab. And I've got something to | | | | This access to the private lives of celebrities who face |
| say. | | | | constant scrutiny and challenges unimaginable by most |
| First and foremost, the celebrity rehab we read about | | | | people- is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it |
| is not a joke for people's amusement. Thanks to our | | | | exposes us to the waking nightmare that losing control |
| tabloid-driven pop culture, we-and our children-have | | | | of one's life can be, but on the other hand, it has |
| unprecedented access to what addiction and mental | | | | opened dialogue about addiction and mental illness that |
| illness look like. Britney Spears, Amy Winehouse, | | | | has, until now, been hush-hush. While I, like most of |
| Lindsay Lohan and over two dozen other people | | | | America, am concerned about Britney Spears's |
| gained headlines in 2007 for entering therapy and | | | | welfare, as well as the health and safety of her |
| addiction recovery centers. | | | | children, I am encouraged that we seem to have a |
| These are lives at risk, out of control, not jokes, and | | | | national shift from bemused fascination with her |
| not reality television shows taking place on the streets | | | | spontaneous antics to recognition of her condition as |
| of Hollywood for public amusement. If we pay | | | | critically ill, and a new awareness of the real point of |
| attention, we can see complex stories unfolding before | | | | rehabilitation: to get better. |
| our eyes. One of EIC's primary principles is to be | | | | So the next time you get a peek into the lives of |
| non-judgmental in our approach and respect creative | | | | Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Mel Gibson, Kirsten |
| freedom afforded in our great nation. For those who | | | | Dunst, Pat O'Brien, Eva Mendes, Marc Jacobs, Jesse |
| make assumptions about substance abuse and mental | | | | Metcalfe, Eddie Van Halen, and others, be grateful for |
| health problems, I ask: | | | | what you've got and respect these people for seeking |
| Don't you think that every individual is entitled to | | | | treatment. If their stories make you query your own |
| kindness, compassion, and empathy-- Especially during | | | | actions, consider following their example and get help. |
| a time when he or she is emotionally and physically | | | | Thanks to public attention to the recovery process, |
| struggling? | | | | which can and often does include relapses, we must |
| These issues affect every cross-section of our | | | | stop mocking and start understanding. These stories |
| population regardless of gender, socio-economic | | | | may be the gift others find to deter the sadness of |
| status, race or religion. The reality is-- most of us can | | | | losing friends, family and great, late artists like Heath |
| name at least one person in our lives who has been | | | | Ledger, Brad Renfro, and well, you know the list. |
| devastated by some form of mental illness or | | | | John Goodman recently made a telling comment about |
| substance abuse. If you're laughing now at Britney | | | | his recent work in rehab: |
| Spears, will you be laughing in five or ten years when, | | | | "For my family and myself, I voluntarily took the |
| heaven forbid, your niece, uncle, sister, brother, even | | | | necessary steps to remain sober the rest of my life." |
| your mother or your own son or daughter loses | | | | Go for it, John, and thanks for sharing. Yes, "thanks for |
| control of his or her life? Will it be funny then? | | | | sharing," that often-repeated mantra: When anyone, |
| There is a stark contrast between tabloid journalism, | | | | but particularly someone who receives national or |
| and gossip mongering programming that does nothing | | | | worldwide attention because of his or her name, |
| but flame the fires of misinformation-- and media that | | | | shares experiences of such a personal nature, it really |
| makes a difference-- sheds a light, educates, and may | | | | does mean something in the big picture. |
| just save a life. What we often don't realize in our | | | | Going to rehab or seeking professional counseling for |
| collective rush to judgment, is that the entertainment | | | | a mental health problem should be a personal and |
| industry can be an amazingly powerful ally in creating | | | | private experience, void of judgment. However, since |
| awareness and sensitivity to public health and social | | | | it's not for so many, why don't we support those who |
| issues by airing programs that accurately depict the | | | | face it openly and learn something? Cheers to media |
| realities and the subsequent challenges we all may | | | | that enlightens us. And cheers to John Goodman and |
| face. | | | | everyone else who has the strength and courage to |
| VH1's Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, A&E's | | | | ask for support and to do so in the public eye. |
| Intervention, HBO's Rehab-- are among important, | | | | So now, why don't we try to stop making assumptions, |
| revolutionary shows that serve the public in a unique | | | | pointing the finger and practice a bit of compassion as |
| and valuable way. Highlighting those first steps to fight | | | | celebrities as well as anyone who may be struggling |
| the struggles that come along with addiction and | | | | with mental health issues or addiction, work to win their |
| mental health problems, is a process not unlike walking | | | | lives back? |
| through a maze blindfolded. It's scary and it isn't pretty. | | | | |