Tomorrow Oprah is doing a show on depression--it's lorraine bracco plus the husband of a former supermodel plus a country singer who's wife committed suicide. I won't be able to watch the show, and that's probably OK. I find that Oprah can be kind of cringeworthy on depression---I don't think she gets it, or "gets it". I think Oprah thinks depression isn't real; I think she doesn't give enough attention to mental illness; and I think when she does give attention to it, she tends to sensationalize instead of inspire/inform. (She'd never treat the stories of overweight or abused people like she tends to treat people with mental illness). I hope at least one of you watches it and blogs about it. Also, I was on the Jane Pauley show with Lorraine Bracco and while she was a very kind person, I didn't think she came across as authentic or particularly informed. And I know she's being paid top dollar by Pfzier to talk about her depression. I find all of this, well, depressing. I really love Oprah Winfrey and her show---I watch it whenever I can and am with her on so many important issues---I have learned so much from her show and her example--but damn, so far she hasn't done mental illness in a way that feels right. Also, full disclosure, her people booked me a couple of years ago and then canceled the night before I was supposed to fly out because they decided they only wanted celebrities on their show about bipolar disorder. Which is just mad manners.
No comments:
Post a Comment