Celebrity Psychings

Mary Weiland Hopes Her Memoir Helps Someone “Connect”

Alicia Sparks — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:29:04 +0000

Back in May, I told you about Mary Forsberg Weiland’s then-upcoming memoir, Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock ‘N’ Roll & Mental Illness.

The book has since released and there’s been an increase in attention paid to that particular Celebrity Psychings post, which is sort of unfortunate because, well, it doesn’t exactly offer any “news.”

This morning, however, I was directed to an interview with Weiland posted yesterday at ARTISTdirect.com - an interview that does offer some news. Well, some insight, at least.

Upfront, ARTISTdirect.com editor Rick Florino describes the book -

In her book, Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock ‘N’ Roll & Mental Illness, she chronicles her extraordinary life with equal shades of whimsy, humor, honesty and hope. From an international modeling career and her marriage to legendary Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland to struggles with mental illness and addiction, Mary has crafted a poignant and essential portrait of growing up. It’s impossible not to identify with many of the moments in this tome—some heartbreaking, some hilarious, all real. It’s easily one of the most powerful books you will read this year.

- which (fortunately) doesn’t quite line up with what many of the Blabbermouth readers had to say after the initial announcement of the book.

During the interview, Weiland talks with Florino mostly about the process of writing the memoir, pointing out that:

She had to “interview” many people about herself because much of her “memory is horrible,” which helped her “learn a lot” about herself.
Music is often a trigger for memories, and in addition to Stone Temple Pilots she listened to some Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Radiohead, Winger, and Lisa Lisa.
Although she’s grown, she still feels like she and the four-year-old Mary Weiland “are the same person.”
She hopes the book is indeed a “coming-of-age book for girls,” as Florino suggested.

I found most all of the interview interesting, but the question that stuck out for me the most (aside from the ones related to music and “coming-of-age”) was the one about readers taking away from the book something on a philosophical level:

Is there anything that you want people to take away from the book on a philosophical level?

I think it would be great—and I don’t know if someone is going to get this from actually reading it or if they need this information when they read it—but I put a lot of love into this book, whether it was for my family, for Scott, for my kids or somebody else that might be going through what I went through. It grew from love—trying to be authentic and hoping that somebody could connect. That was what I took with me every day when I sat down to write. I think it’s a special vibe to have now when there are so many negative things out there.

I’ve always imagined the two most important things that can come from a memoir like this are the author’s therapeutic experience of telling her story, and the reader’s therapeutic experience of reading about the same kinds of life’s ups and downs she has gone through. In sharing such personal experiences, the author not only helps herself, but she can also help others.

Be sure to check out the ARTISTdirect.com interview to read the entire Q&A with Weiland.

NBC Nightly News Honors Charity Work Of Celebrities

Alicia Sparks — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:05:25 +0000

In case you missed it, NBC gave its Nightly News “Making a Difference” series a celebrity spin last week and shined the spotlight on five celebrities who are currently heavily engaged in charity work:

Alicia Keys, for her work with Keep a Child Alive, the organization that provides life-saving medication, support and care to children and families in Africa that have been affected by AIDS.
Bon Jovi, for the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation (which “exists to combat issues that force families and individuals into economic despair”) and his partnership with Help USA (a partnership that’s helping create homes).
Tim McGraw, for his and Faith Hill’s charity Neighbor’s Keeper, which “seeks to strengthen communities by contributing to diverse projects with primary emphasis on children’s initiatives.”
Glenn Close, for her work with the mental health advocacy organizations Foundation House and Bring Change 2 Mind.
Halle Berry, for her work with the Jenesse Center, which is a domestic violence program that offers shelter, training, legal services, health services, and counseling for women and their children.

Although Glenn Close and Halle Berry are the only two celebrities in that list helping out with organizations directly related to mental health and/or mental health services, that certainly doesn’t undermine the mental health and wellness help the others indirectly provide with their charity work.

Actually, “indirectly” might not be the best word to use.

Taking care of one’s mental health and wellness goes way beyond properly managing and treating mental illness with medication and/or therapy. Mental health and wellness are often related to overall health and wellness, so it’s pretty easy to imagine that the help Alicia Keys is providing people affected by AIDS, Bon Jovi is providing people affected by economic hardships, and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are providing to communities in need of children’s programs all assists in the overall health and wellness - and mental health and wellness - of the people.

You can check out the series online, and if you’re interested, be sure to check out each organization’s website to learn more and find out how you can help, too.

Actress Debi Mazar SPEAKs About Bipolar Disorder

Alicia Sparks — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:28 +0000

Last Thursday, actress Debi Mazar joined the likes of Glenn Close, Paige Hemmis, and Joe Pantoliano.

Mazar didn’t launch her own mental health campaign, but the actress did take part in a panel discussion as part of the SPEAK and Be Heard…Living With Bipolar Depression campaign, where she talked about how bipolar disorder has affected one of her family members who was diagnosed with the disorder 10 years ago.

According the Mazar, her family member dealt with symptoms of bipolar disorder for years before getting an accurate diagnosis, beginning proper treatment, and learning to manage the illness, which is so often the case with many folks dealing with mental illness.

“I am proud to be part of the SPEAK and Be Heard campaign to recognize other families just like mine who are dealing with this disease,” said Mazar. “The goals of the campaign are to offer a voice to people with bipolar depression, inspire hope in families who are struggling with this disease, and show that success is possible with the right treatment and the support of friends, family, and health care professionals.” (PRWeb)

SPEAK and Be Heard is sponsored by AstraZeneca, and while the campaign’s website is down at the time I’m writing this (except for the page I linked above), you can learn a little more about it when you check out the DBSA’s SPEAK and Be Heard overview.

The press release provides www.facingbipolar.com (another AstraZeneca-sponsored site) as a resource for learning more about bipolar disorder, a website that provides facts about bipolar disorder, including information about bipolar disorder symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment; information about bipolar mania and bipolar depression; tips for finding support in your area; and tips for choosing a doctor.

However, know that you can also find a wealth of information about bipolar disorder at:

The National Bipolar Foundation
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
The National Institute of Mental Health’s section on bipolar disorder
The National Alliance on Mental Illness’s section on bipolar disorder

And, of course, Psych Central’s own introduction to bipolar disorder.

John Mayer To Raise Money For Veteran Charities

Alicia Sparks — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:48:13 +0000

In addition to Tobey Maguire, another famous name in veteran- and PTSD-related news lately is seven-time Grammy Award-winning musician John Mayer.

Mayer’s fourth studio album, Battle Studies, is scheduled to hit shelves on November 17, 2009, and in addition to the same-day performance at Beacon Theatre (one that Fuse.tv will stream live) and the North American tour that kicks off in February to promote the album, Mayer will perform two shows with the John Mayer Trio in December - events meant to help raise money for two veteran-related organizations:

In place of Mayer’s annual Holiday Revue, these concert events will raise money for two veteran’s charities – Military Outreach Ministry Camp Pendleton (MOM) and NCIRE – the Veterans Health Research Institute. MOM is a nonprofit organization that supports young military families of all faiths and NCIRE is the largest non-profit research institute affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Among other investigations, NCIRE researches the causes and best treatment for post- traumatic stress disorder and other combat-related injuries. (www.jambase.com)

Whether or not you’re a fan (actually, sometimes it seems like Mayer is one of those people for whom there is no middle ground - you either love him or hate him), you have to admit raising money to help organizations that help our nation’s veterans is pretty damn cool of him.

Learn more about Military Outreach Ministry Camp Pendleton and NCIRE online, and don’t forget to check out additional PTSD resources as well as learn how you can email veterans, troops, and their families about them.

(John Mayer heads up courtesy of Michele Rosenthal, mental health advocate, public speaker, blogger, writer, workshop/seminar leader and Licensed Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and founder of the PTSD advocacy organization Heal My PTSD, LLC. To learn more about Michelle’s work and Heal My PTSD, check her out on Twitter and Facebook.)

Tobey Maguire Urges PTSD Awareness, Responsibility

Alicia Sparks — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:55:50 +0000

Veterans Day is supposed to be a day of honoring our military veterans for all their dedication to and sacrifices for our nation, and while Veterans Day is always an important day, it seems that now - with PTSD on the rise and tragedies like the recent Fort Hood massacre - honoring America’s veterans is more critical than ever before.

And, actor Tobey Maguire believes we should go beyond just honoring our active troops and veterans and take steps to more thoroughly educate ourselves about what our troops are dealing with and learn how we can help them.

On December 4, 2009, Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Natalie Portman will hit the big screen in the new Jim Sheridan-directed war drama, Brothers, a film that affected Maguire - who plays Marine Captain and Afghanistan captive survivor Sam Cahill - in such a way that the actor is urging Americans to become more aware of what our troops are going through and take more responsibility for the results.

“In the area of our veterans coming home with traumas or PTSD or whatever, it’s one of those issues that isn’t pretty to look at,” Maguire says. “We ask these people to fight for us and risk their lives, and certainly potentially alter their outlook of the world or how they react to things. I think it would be nice for us as a society to have some more awareness of what they go through, and to take on some more responsibility for the results of our asking them to go over there.” (Los Angeles Times)

Will his very watered-down glimpse into the lives of our nation’s service men and women prompt Maguire to go beyond just urging Americans to become more active and actually become a celebrity spokesperson for the cause?

Eh, probably not - but it’s wonderful that his role in the movie had such an effect on him.

If you’re looking for ways you can become more aware of the issues our troops are dealing with long after they return home, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, get started by checking out resources such as:

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD
The National Institute of Mental Health’s publications about PTSD
The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Gateway
Military.com’s Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Overview
The PTSD Forum

Also, thanks to Mental Health America, its partnership with Prescription Audio, and its Operation Healthy Reunion program, you can also send an e-card to veterans, troops, and their families letting them know about how they can access a free PTSD audiobook and numerous mental health fact sheets and resources.

(Tobey Maguire heads up courtesy of Michele Rosenthal, mental health advocate, public speaker, blogger, writer, workshop/seminar leader and Licensed Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and founder of the PTSD advocacy organization Heal My PTSD, LLC. To learn more about Michelle’s work and Heal My PTSD, check her out on Twitter and Facebook.)

Where Does Rihanna Go From Here?

Alicia Sparks — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:17:47 +0000

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past week or so - or, for some reason, haven’t visited anything online except your email - I’d be willing to bet you’ve at least caught a whiff of Rihanna’s upcoming interview with Diane Sawyer tonight on ABC’s 20/20. It’s the first time the star has spoken publicly, and at length, about not only the night Chris Brown physically attacked her, but also the whirlwind of events that followed including how the media storm that followed made her feel like “Britney Spears” and how she wanted to forget the entire thing and for life - and their relationship - to just return to normal.

Although you’ll have to tune in tonight to catch the entire segment, Good Morning America showed brief clips from the interview yesterday morning and this morning, both of which feature Diane Sawyer and Rihanna addressing issues we looked at here shortly after the incident became public and it looked as though Rihanna might reconcile with Chris Brown - for example, the concern that, by going back to Chris Brown, Rihanna might be sending the wrong message to girls about abusive behavior:

“It’s completely normal to go back. It’s not right. I learned the hard way, but again, this is what I want people to know [...] When I realized that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed, I could not be easy with that part. I couldn’t be held responsible for going back.” (ABC News)

In addition to questioning Rihanna’s decision to go back to Chris Brown, we seemed to wonder - perhaps even on a daily basis - about the couple’s every move for a long while after the incident. Chris Brown lost endorsements and movie promotion spots, and we speculated (still, for reasons unbeknown to me) whether Rihanna would lose her endorsements, too. We also wondered about the third-parties involved (specifically Rihanna’s father and Puff Daddy or P. Diddy or Diddy or whatever - I cannot keep up with that man’s names) and whether Chris Brown was an abuser and what label meant.

Although I’ve only watched the two clips from the interview so far, it seems as if Rihanna has regained her footing since February. She seems to have come to terms - healthy terms - with what happened to her. She knows it wasn’t her fault. She also seems to have learned a lot about love, the kind of obsession she mentions, and relationships in general.

So, where does she go from here?

Now that she’s broken her silence, can we expect to see Rihanna take on the role of some kind of spokesperson against domestic violence? Rita Smith, the executive director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, thinks she’d be good at it.

Or, now that she’s had her say and issued her advice and warning to other women, can we expect Rihanna to try to detach herself as much as possible from the past and move forward with nothing more but the wisdom she gained from it?

Perhaps we’ll find out tonight.

Until then, what do you think she’ll do? For that matter, what would you do?

Bid To Meet Glenn Close At 3rd Annual Karla Smith Foundation Dinner Auction

Alicia Sparks — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:13:33 +0000

If you were excited about the chance to bid on “God of Carnage” tickets and schmooze time with James Gandolfini and Marcia Gay Harden, you might also be happy to know that at its third annual dinner auction, the Karla Smith Foundation is going to accept bids to meet Glenn Close, the Oscar-nominated and Tony, Emmy, and Golden Globe award-winning actress and the famous face behind the new mental illness organization Bring Change 2 Mind.

On November 7, 2009, the Karla Smith Foundation will hold its third annual dinner auction at the Fountains Conference Center in Fairview Heights, Illinois, and in addition to a trip to New York, a trip to West Palm Beach, a baseball autographed by Albert Pujols, jewelry, and a week spent at Camp Ondessonk, attendees will be able to bid on the Glenn Close package (it’s not really called that; I just made it up) which includes a meeting with Close and:

Travel and accommodations
Theater tickets
A tour of the set of Close’s hit television show Damages

If you’re wondering, “Who is Karla Smith? What is this organization that’s offering such awesome auction items?”, the Karla Smith Foundation website sums up its history and purpose best:

Karla Smith’s seven-year struggle with bipolar disorder began when she was 19. It culminated with her suicide at age 26. In her memory, the Smith family continues her commitment to help other families face these challenges.

Karla Smith Foundation, founded by Tom, her father, Fran, her mother, and Kevin, her twin brother, is an avenue to share family experiences which similarly impact thousands of others.

(Of course, you can learn more when you peruse the entire website.)

To my understanding, you have to attend the dinner auction to be able to bid, so it might not be the most convenient thing for those of you who don’t live near Illinois; but, if any of you do attend, be sure to stop back by and let us know how it goes!

Are We Exploiting Daniel Johnston?

Alicia Sparks — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:09:42 +0000

Out of those of you who weren’t familiar with Daniel Johnston when I told you about his performance at the Austin City Limits Music Festival last month, I’m willing to bet more than a few of you found him interesting (even if you read only my brief introduction to him).

So, I thought I’d pass along Fiona Shepherd’s interview with Johnston over at Scotsman.com.

Apparently, a new Daniel Johnston biopic is currently in the works - which Shepherd addresses along with lyrics to various Johnston songs - but what I found most interesting was Johnston’s comments on the first film about him, Jeff Feuerzeig’s 2006 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston:

Johnston’s response to the film is ambivalent. “I didn’t know what to think about it because it was such exploitation,” he says, “but I finally surrendered and just decided that it’s kind of humorous.” So did he feel exploited? “Not at the time when they were filming,” he says. “It didn’t seem like it until the movie was finished. Even the title was a surprise – man, that’s pretty radical.”

Johnston felt exploited? Well, that’s completely understandable.

At the same time, however, I wonder if he felt like the documentary did any good (you know - aside from the “humor” part). I am in no way an expert on Daniel Johnston, but over the years I’ve ran into reader and viewer comments on various sites where fans have clearly stated Johnston’s successes despite his struggles with mental illness have inspired them - given them hope, and an example of living proof of the fact that people can succeed and live their dreams, regardless of what “obstacles” might stand in their way.

It’s probably a pretty safe bet that The Devil and Daniel Johnston WASN’T the first (or only) thing that gave EVERY fan insight into Johnston’s personal life, but it’s also probably a pretty safe bet that the film WAS the first thing that introduced SOME people to his story.

Does that make it an even trade? A few moments (days, weeks, years) of feeling exploited for a lifetime of inspiring and offering hope to people dealing with the same kinds of issues?

Win ‘God of Carnage’ Tickets, Meet & Greet With James Gandolfini & Marcia Gay Harden

Alicia Sparks — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:57:48 +0000

Speaking of celebrities and mental health organizations, Joey Pantoliano’s No Kidding, Me Too! is now one of the charities you can support when you bid on or buy “items” at CharityFolks.com.

The announcement I received stated -

Win tickets to the Broadway show “God of Carnage” (including meet and greets with stars, James Gandolfini, and Marcia Gay Harden), a set visit to “Nurse Jackie” and “CSI”, an appearance as a character in an upcoming work by acclaimed writer Patricia Cornwell, and much, much more!

- but featured on the CharityFolks.com page for No Kidding, Me Too! right now, I only see the auction for the “God of Carnage” tickets and meetings with James Gandolfini and Marcia Gay Harden. I don’t know if that means the other auctions have already ended or if they’re still coming up.

And, while we’re on Joey Pantoliano’s efforts, remember his trip to Iraq a while back? The NKM2 website now features a video and photos from that trip where he, along with Dr. Bob Irvin, a psychiatrist at McLean Hospital, and actress Lisa Jay, showed troops his documentary (also titled “No Kidding, Me Too!”) and held discussions with them about mental illness and coping mechanisms.

It is absolutely heartbreaking to listen to these soldiers talk about thoughts of killing themselves. Most of us can’t imagine what they’re going through - or have gone through - and I expect that kind of inexperience and unawareness doesn’t help these men and women any once they get home. Fortunately, organizations like Joey Pantoliano’s No Kidding, Me Too!, Glenn Close’s Bring Change 2 Mind, and Paige Hemmis’s Blueprint for Hope represent just a small handful of the people - celebrity or not - out there who not only care about and want to help folks struggling with mental health problems, but who also have personal life experience with these very kinds of issues.

‘Brangelina Exposed’: Anyone Interested?

Alicia Sparks — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:13:54 +0000

If you’re struggling with issues in your personal life (say, mental health problems, a rocky pseudo-marriage, or a tumultuous relationship with your family, for example), I imagine the last thing you need is a fairly well-known investigative reporter and best-selling author to write a book about your woes.

Yet, that’s exactly what Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (really, more emphasis on Angelina Jolie) are getting when Ian Halperin’s new book, Brangelina Exposed, hits shelves on December 1, 2009.

Halperin, who’s probably currently most notable for penning the July 2009 New York Times bestseller Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson, but whose resume also includes Love & Death: The Murder of Kurt Cobain, Celine Dion: Behind The Fairytale - A Very, Very, Unauthorized Biography (nice disclaimer), and Shut Up and Smile: Supermodels, the Dark Side, apparently leaves no stone unturned with Brangelina Exposed: According to UsWeekly.com, the author parses “through Pitt’s marriage to Jennifer Aniston and the ‘real reason’ for their infamous split,” “hones in on Jolie’s dark past, reporting ‘new details of her volatile relationship with and estrangement from her father Jon Voight, her struggles with suicidal impulses, her heroin use, her sexual exploits and her remarkable rise to become an Oscar-winning actress’,” and uses the book to “introduce ‘the key figure behind the scenes who orchestrated her makeover into a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.’”

Whether it’s out of respect for the celebrities’ privacy or out of frustration over scandalous gossip overload, celebrity bloggers and their readers - for the most part - aren’t reacting favorably thus far. I imagine reactions might be a bit different if the book were, say, at least co-written by one or both of the stars, but, as it is, we’re getting some pretty serious and personal information from a supposedly heavily-sourced third party.

So, will I be standing in line at Borders on December 1?

Only if Stephenie Meyer finally wraps up Midnight Sun and the release date just happens to be the first day of December.

In other words, no.

What about you?