The other day, I explained that while I didn’t think her intentions were malicious, I thought it pretty cool of Twilight star Kristen Stewart to clarify why she used the word “psychotic” when she described some of the fan situations she’s experienced.

Psychotherapy Brown Bag owner Michael Anestis agreed, and chimed in with his thoughts about “ignorance” versus “malice,” asking what I thought about Senator Grassley’s comment on AIG executives and suicide. (In case you missed it, Senator Grassley remarked that AIG representatives should follow the Japanese example, take a deep bow , and then either “resign, or go commit suicide” – class act, that one.)

I’ll tell you what I think.

I think that even though the majority of the country is forming an AIG lynch mob, Senator Chuck Grassley’s comment was the very worst mix of both ignorance and malice. Where Kristen Stewart is an 18-year-old trying to get her bearings in the world of celebrity, Senator Grassley is a 75-year-old who’s served in the senate for 28 years. His “ignorance” can’t be blamed on youth and lack of experience, and he’s able to spread his malice from a government position.

I think that while there’s a bit of leeway when it comes to using words like “crazy,” “insane,” and some of their synonyms to describe certain shocking, unbelievable, or exciting events, there is absolutely no leeway whatsoever when it comes to suicide.

Suicide means death, Chuck, and death is permanent. Perhaps even more outrageous than your suicide suggestion is that you had the nerve to get defensive during an interview with NBC’s Domenico Montanaro, claiming “I hope you recognize rhetoric […] and I shouldn’t even have to answer that question….”:

Pressed by Shuster, who asked if Grassley had any regret for his phrasing, Grassley struck a defensive tone.

“I’ve stated that you oughta be able to tell rhetoric when you hear it,” the Iowa Republican said.

Seriously, Chuck? That is the line you’re going to feed us? That we are the ones who …

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I have no way of knowing, obviously, but I would imagine going from roles such as an insignificant character who doesn’t even make an appearance until the end of the movie to playing opposite one of Hollywood’s newest and hottest heartthrobs in the movie adaptation of one of the world’s, well, hottest book series would be enough to overwhelm any actress.

This is one of two reasons why I wasn’t surprised or offended when Twilight star Kristen Stewart (who plays the insecure and accident-prone Bella Swan to Robert Pattinson’s dazzling and crookedly smiling Edward Cullen) described some of her experiences with the movie fans as “psychotic situations” during a recent NYLON interview.

“Anywhere we’d go for Twilight was a psychotic situation. The sound was deafening, and it’s thoughtless, as well… “

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Dear George Clooney,

I recently read about the letter PETA Founder and President Ingrid Newkirk sent you asking for permission to use the perspiration from your gym towel to flavor a line of tofu she planned to dub “CloFu.”

You know the one.

In her letter, Ms. Newkirk explained to you the science behind unique odor profiles and the gas chromatography used to confirm the stability of a stimulant matrix (your sweat, Mr. Clooney). She basically wanted to use your sweat to attract tofu virgins and, hopefully, convince them to make bean curd part of their diets. This scent science isn’t new, but, as far as I know, using it to flavor food is.

Please do not take offense, Mr. Clooney, but I would probably vomit if I got a whiff of CloFu. I’m sure you smell delightful (though, after a trip to the gym…maybe not so much), but the idea of smelling sweat-scented food is revolting. The idea of eating it? Even more so.

So, thank you – thank you – Mr. Clooney, for denying PETA the rights to market your bodily fluids and odors and use them to attract people to eat a certain kind of food. I just hope Newkirk doesn’t get mad at you, diagnosis you with a mental illness, and try to get Alan Rosenberg to kick you out of the Screen Actors Guild.

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In a January Mirror article about her then latest film, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Drew Barrymore reflected on the ups and downs of her life, and a couple of days later I reflected on Barrymore’s seemingly endless supply of optimism and happy-go-luckiness.

Now, with both Beverly Hills Chihuahua and her latest film He’s Just Not That Into You finished, her directorial debut under her belt and rumors of moving on to Eclipse circulating (which, I admit, has my own little circle of fellow Twilight fans raising their eyebrows), Barrymore is intensely focused on the long awaited April release of HBO’s Grey Gardens.

And why does Grey Gardens, a television movie based on the 1975 documentary about Jackie O’s cousin Little Edie Beale, have Barrymore buzzing?

Friday, as I was standing in line at the grocery store and scanning the magazine rack for something to distract me from how grossly I was breaking my budget, I realized six of the eight magazines on the rack were splashed (“blasted” is probably a better word) with pictures and an assortment of exclamations about the current “Chrianna” situation. Whether they were reporting rumors of marriage or Rihanna’s family’s reactions to the situation, six out of eight magazines had dedicated significant portions of their covers to Rihanna and Chris Brown.

It’s no secret the public has been shocked and outraged since news of Chris Brown’s abuse first hit the media, but Friday night, I couldn’t help but wonder why the public is so shocked and outraged. Why do we care about how Rihanna handles the situation? What does it matter to us how her family and friends have reacted?

Common sense and basic human compassion tells me we care about Rihanna’s well being; Americans as a whole are not cool with domestic violence and most people care about what happens to their fellow humans. We want to protect the abused and punish the abusers and we want to help stop situations like this from happening in the future.

But our outrage over the Chrianna situation suggests more than just concern about a fellow human being’s welfare and a need for justice – it also suggests fear.

What are we afraid of?

From Elizabeth Hurley and Jasmine Guinness donating photos for the Women’s Aid auction to the many entertainment writers and producers who shine educational spotlights on mental illness, it’s always good when you can report on something beneficial a celebrity is doing for the mental health community.

According to the Los Angeles Chronicle, Fox’s new Glee actress Naya Rivera (second from the left) is scheduled to participate in the Foothill AIDS Project Celebrity Bowling Tournament on April 19, 2009 in Covina, California.

“I absolutely love bowling even though I’m not the greatest at it. I’m so excited to be a part of this event, it’s a great cause and I’m always more than happy to help in any way I can to support community organizations,” shares Rivera.

Since 1987, the Foothill AIDS Project (or, FAP), has worked to improve the lives of people with – or at risk for – HIV and AIDS. The organization provides services related to advocacy, education, testing, and support; mental health and substance abuse; and housing, transportation, and food in San Bernardino County as well as Los Angeles County’s San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys.

So far, I can’t find any information about additional celebs participating, so if you hear or read anything new, feel free to let me know!

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Well, it’s not all eyebrow-raising news on the celebrity domestic violence front this week. It seems actress/model/advocate Elizabeth Hurley and model Jasmine Guinness have both donated pictures of their kids to be used on stamps that will be auctioned off to help raise money for Women’s Aid.

Women’s Aid is a national domestic violence charity in the UK, and it works to provide protection, raise awareness about domestic violence, and offer services to victims of domestic violence.

The Women’s Aid website includes a mind blowing number resources for victims of domestic violence and advocates. In addition to information about mental health resources, the site also provides:

• A list a free resources such as handbooks, posters, leaflets, and educational toolkits.
• A Domestic Abuse Directory to help domestic violence victims find refuge and services.
• An events calendar that focuses on events related to domestic violence, substance abuse, and legal issues.
• Domestic Violence A-Z, which is – you guessed it – everything you could possibly need to know about domestic violence from A to Z.

Women’s Aid has several active campaigns right now, one of which is the ongoing ACT Campaign, which has included a variety of famous faces.

The stamp auction in which Elizabeth Hurley, Jasmine Guinness, and their families are participating is being held on eBay, so head on over if you’re interested in bidding!

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If you could become part of any band’s “inner circle” – travel with them, party with them, witness their creative processes – which band would you choose?

For me, it’s Dave Matthews Band – hands down. (No surprise there though, right?)

I’ve pretty much idolized DMB – and their music – since ’94. Under the Table and Dreaming opened up a whole new world of music for me, and a few years later “Crash Into Me” became – and remains – my all-time favorite song.

Although I’d probably pass out if given the chance to hang out with such musical genius, I don’t think it’d be detrimental to my mental health. Bill German, however, can’t say the same about his time spent with the Rolling Stones.

“When a patient tells me his mother thinks something’s wrong or his buddy thinks he’s ‘crazy,’ I tend to pay attention to that. These people have insight that I don’t.”

That quote came from a therapist friend of mine a few years ago when I was first becoming active in mental health advocacy, and the idea has since stuck with me. It just makes sense.

When your mother notices your moods have become alarmingly erratic, or your husband becomes concerned because you no longer want to do anything that involves getting out of the bed and showering, or your best friend can’t get you to do any of the things you used to love doing – these are all situations in which the people who spend the most time with you might be picking up on a problem. These are all situations in which these people can actually help you – even if they’re just helping you recognize the possibility of a problem. Sure, it may tick you off (“You’re overreacting!”, “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”, “You’re not even a doctor!”), but you trust these people. Chances are they have your best interests in mind and they’re not going to broadcast your business or use your troubles for their own personal gain (as opposed to the media).

Bottom line: When it comes to your mental health, sometimes an unsolicited diagnosis from people who are close to you (as opposed to an unsolicited diagnosis from the media) can be pretty helpful.

But what happens when you get an unsolicited diagnosis from a professional via the media?

Baffled, skeptical, and outraged are just a few of the words to describe how many fans reacted to the reported reconciliation (or, attempted reconciliation – I have no idea how it’s going) between Rihanna and Chris Brown this weekend, so I can’t help but wonder how the public will feel about what the rumor mills are currently churning out regarding Amy Winehouse and her estranged husband, Blake Fielder.

Winehouse returned to the UK yesterday after a much needed vacation in St. Lucia (during which time she signed control of her finances over to her parents, Mitch and Janis – a wise move, in my opinion), but there are some conflicting reports regarding what Winehouse plans to do now that she’s back home.

While some entertainment websites are reporting that Winehouse’s upcoming album will include a few not-so-flattering digs at Fielder, others are reporting that Winehouse is looking to save her marriage.