Farrah Fawcett Interviewed
In the Los Angeles Times and at ProPublica, Charles Ornstein’s excellent article "Farrah Fawcett: ‘Under a microscope’ and holding onto hope" describes Farrah Fawcett’s fight not only against cancer, but also against tabloid journalists and the UCLA medical establishment. The Times piece also includes snippets from the videotaped interview.
Here’s a brief quote:
"In a three-hour conversation with The Times in August — her only media interview after being diagnosed with anal cancer in September 2006 — Fawcett denounced the National Enquirer for publishing leaked details about her illness, including some that she said were false. And she criticized UCLA Medical Center for failing to protect her medical records from snooping employees.
"The former Charlie’s Angels star, 62, said she set up a real-life sting operation to prove to UCLA that one of its employees was leaking her medical data to the Enquirer. She also talked about the pressure she felt from the hospital to donate money to set up a foundation in her name.
"Above all, in a firm voice that betrayed no hint of her terminal illness, Fawcett described how she was deprived of the choice that most other cancer patients have: when, and even whether, to share information with family, friends or strangers."
***
I’m not sure what’s more disturbing about Ornstein’s piece.
If it’s to be reminded that publications — whether in print, on the air, or online — thrive on famous people’s misfortunes ("If you build a sewer, they’ll come swim in it, drink the water, and beg for more" — isn’t that a line from a movie?)
Or if it’s to be reminded that the powers-that-be at UCLA’s medical center seem to be as scuzzy as the scuzziest paparazzi. (And I thought they’d have learned something after the Yakuza scandal a while back.)
Or if it’s to be reminded that time moves on inexorably for all of us, and that my favorite star when I was a kid will not be around for very much longer.
"I’m holding onto the hope that there is some reason that I got cancer," Fawcett tells Ornstein at one point, "and there is something — that may not be very clear to me right now — but that I will do."
So, here’s ardently hoping that Farrah Fawcett will win her battle against unethical — and illegal — behavior both in the media and in the medical establishment.
Farrah’s Story, a documentary chronicling Fawcett’s fight against both her illness and the ruthless media, will be aired on NBC this Friday, May 15, at 6pm PT.
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Tags: Charles Ornstein, Charlie's Angels, Farrah Fawcett, Farrah's Story, ProPublica
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luminous smile.
DE LA BEAUTE A LA POURRITURE
Pathétique, poignant, cruel comme un miroir renvoyant l’image de notre propre condition : Farrah Fawcett, ex-beauté incarnée, est en train de s’éteindre quasi en direct sous les caméras de télévision américaines. Cependant elle croit encore à un miracle, priant avec ferveur pour que la vie triomphe de son cancer alors qu’elle est en phase terminale.
Sur son visage, le masque de la maladie, de la vieillesse, de la hideur : notre masque potentiel.
Le plus effrayant : savoir qu’un humain peut passer de la gloire la plus complète à la misère la plus totale. Tout n’étant qu’une question de temps. Ce qui arrive aux êtres “immortels” peut nous arriver à nous aussi, simples mortels que nous sommes…
A travers son agonie nous assistons à notre propre fin.
Madame Fawcett ou l’histoire de la beauté qui devient décrépitude. Quand un destin de gloire finit dans la déchéance. Lorsque les sommets insolents de la jeunesse éclatante se concluent par le plus noir abîme… La maladie.
Avant la mort.
Raphaël Zacharie de IZARRA