As the case with former child star Amanda Bynes gets stranger by the minute, it would almost seem at home as the plot of a bizarrely inappropriate skit on the actress’s old “The Amanda Show.” Sadly, that is not the case and the reality seems to be that Bynes’ is yet another tragic tale to be added to the long list of child stars that crumble under the pressures of fame after hitting adulthood.
Between the DUIs, the odd tweets, the drastic makeover and incomprehensible actions, you would think the public wouldn’t be shocked by anything Bynes did at this point, but her behavior this week proved otherwise when the troubled actress was arrested by NYPD Thursday evening for allegedly throwing a bong out of her apartment window while trying to keep it from police.
It all went down when an employee at her building called the police regarding Bynes’ blatant marijuana smoking in the lobby, which led to the apartment showdown involving the now infamous bong throw into the street below. While she was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, she was also forced to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at Roosevelt Hospital, an evaluation that apparently did little to address the actress’s mental state as she was released on her own recognizance mere hours later.
Since her run-in with the law, Bynes has taken to her favorite podium, Twitter, to denounce almost everyone involved in the snafu, and even some innocents that weren’t. From alleging the NYPD sexually harassed her (which the NYPD says is definitely untrue), to randomly attacking singer Rihanna with insults like “Chris Brown beat you because you’re not pretty enough,” it appears no one is safe from the wrath of Bynes.
It all boils down to yet another sad chapter in the downfall this past year of the once promising actress, who at the young age of 12 already had her own TV show. It’s unclear what led to the series of mishaps culminating in the latest scandal. Perhaps the roles weren’t floating her away as frequently as they had in the past, which is a problem many child actors face. Regardless, I think what is clear is the 27-year-old could use a good old intervention and get back on the right track. After all, once Courtney Love starts telling you to get it together, it’s probably a wise idea to follow suit…
Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and the Aftermath of the Revelation Heard ‘Round the World
To be honest, I can’t recall a time when Angelina Jolie hasn’t looked pretty flawless on the red carpet. She continued the tradition last night in London when she made her first public appearance since undergoing a double mastectomy in February.
In support of fiancé Brad Pitt’s new film “World War Z,” Jolie stood by her man for the premiere, but not without Pitt himself extolling Jolie’s strength throughout the difficult time. “I think the world of her, she is an amazing woman,” Pitt told People magazine, before going on to talk about the support from the public, saying “I’m very touched by the reaction, it makes me very emotional.”
Jolie also conveyed gratitude for the waves of support she has received since she went public in May about the preventative procedure. The actress lost her mother in 2007 to a long battle with ovarian cancer, and when she found out she had a gene, BRCA1, that predisposed her to cancer, she knew the operation would provide her with the best chance of never having to put her children through what she endured.
As she opined in her May 14th article for the New York Times, “My Medical Choice,” her breast cancer risk has now shrunk from 87 to 5 percent. The eloquently written article also provides emotional support to women going through similar situations, with Jolie writing, “For any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options. I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life, and to make your own informed choices.”
And it seems Jolie’s support and courage has been returned tenfold over the past few weeks, as Jolie remarked at the screening, “I’ve been very happy just to see the discussion about women’s health expanded and that means the world to me.”
While Jolie and her relationships have been tabloid fodder in the past, it’s so refreshing to see this outpouring of support in a challenging time for one of the world’s most recognized couples. Between their large brood of children, humanitarian work, and of course, acting, they seem to stay quite busy, but never lose sight of what is important. So many wishes of continued happiness and health to the Pitt-Jolie family!
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