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You'll Never Guess What I'm Most Thankful For....

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Today, most people are deeply thankful to those they know who've shown them kindness, generosity, and compassion. They thank God they know people who support them and tell them how wise, talented and beautiful they are. I sure as hell am beyond grateful to them as well.

But flip that coin a second. Some people's day is ruined because some dude not only cut them off in traffic, but decided to give them the finger. Some can't fathom why their mother still adores making them feel like a fat ugly failure. (Hint: Mommy don't feel so hot about herself.) Some are crushed that their newly rehabbed brother showed up today clearly high as a kite. Some are revolted when grown-ups use twitter to do everything they can to destroy another person's life, family, livelihood or reputation.

And on the surface, of course I'm the same.
But scratch me a little deeper, and you'll discover quite the opposite is true.

You see, I've been a freak all my life.
I was 6 feet tall at 12 yrs old, and I was a loud, inappropriate, book-obsessed, learning disabled, corrective shoe-wearing theater nerd.  I learned at a very young age that others' cruelty, hurt and betrayals not only empowered me, they made me a better person. You hurt me, I only become stronger.
In fact, I believe with all my heart that there's a direct correlation between other people's cruelty towards me and my own triumphs: as a person, a writer, a teacher, and an actress.

How do I know this to be so?
Well, if I may be so tacky, I'd like to share a brief paragraph from my book GUTS. This is from the end of Chapter Three "The Freak Has Landed," where I write about what I went through in Catholic grade school, especially the torment I went through by Amy Grable, who was as stunning and popular as she was vicious.

*By the way, many have asked me...of course Amy Grable is not her real name! She was a kid. However, the events I write about are very real.

The event I want to share with you occurred many years after grade school, a few years after 3rd Rock was a huge success. I was home in Wisconsin for the holidays and hit the local mall with my sister Julie. It was there that I ran into the barely recognizable Amy, who now was as hideous externally as she'd always been internally. It was as if her sick and evil soul had had a bloody battle with her beauty, and her beauty lost. Badly.
Very, very badly.

She was thrilled to see me and asked me for my autograph, a moment that was so powerful I swear it resonated all the way back to the 8 year old me.
I smiled as if it was all perfectly normal, while inside I shook with the power of a million feelings.
I wanted to write:

"Dear Amy
It must suck to know you peaked at twelve
Love
Kristen"
Instead, I wrote something kind & general.
She happily walked away and I sat down, pale-faced and in shock....
"As I sat there on that cement bench, next to a plastic fern, it struck me that maybe I had triumphed, after all. Not because of dumb stuff like looks or fame or success. Or even lack of body odor. 
Maybe I'd triumphed because instead of crushing me, this person had unwittingly forced me to become someone interesting. A person who knows that the greatest curse in life is when it’s handed to you on a silver platter. Someone who knows it’s so much better to have to fight for what you want. Someone who understands that the more people tell you you’re going to fail, the more you’re driven to prove them wrong. 
Someone who shows you that, at the end of the day, funny and interesting will always kick pretty and perfect’s ass. 
I mean, think about it- if there weren’t people like her to torture people like me, would people like me even exist? 
Now, what I really wish I’d written was this: 
"Dearest Amy,
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Love,

The Freak""
There will always be many Amy Grables throughout our lives. I certainly still have a few. And while I instinctively wish they didn't exist, or I have a knee-jerk reaction of anger when someone lies about me, slanders me, or cuts me down....the real truth is,  at the end of the day I'm grateful to them.

There are many Amy Grables on Social Media, far more than in the Entertainment Industry. I see the damage they cause every day.

But today I woke up wondering what our "Amy's" would think if they knew they've done far more good for us than bad?
They've led me to some of the funniest, best, most loyal people I never would've met otherwise.
They've forced me to learn how not to be reactionary.
They've taught me even more compassion & grace.
They've taught me forgiveness.

And above all,  all our Amys...just like the Amy of my grade school, have all made it abundantly clear that they live a life so miserable I wouldn't wish upon....well, Amy Grable.

So to all the Amy Grables in everyones lives....Today I want to thank you.
May you someday find the peace and joy you clearly crave.

We're all so grateful to each of you.

Love to you all

KJo







Pinky

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Pinky Johnston died at 7:07 pm tonight, on Saturday November 29th, 2014.

I had to give her a small tribute, or I'd go mad.

Pinky was rescued by the ASPCA in NYC.  She was a breeding bitch, and clearly starving when they saved her. By the time I met her a month later, she had been fed well & treated beautifully by the ASPCA.
I'll never forget that day as long as I live.
She was the very first of 100s of dogs I was planning on meeting.
Her name then was "Cookie," and the second I sat on the floor to say hi, she immediately plopped in my lap and looked up at me.
I laughed, looked up at my friend Anouk, and said "Well, I guess she's the one!"
The adoption lady was like "Are you sure? You don't want to see any other ones?"
"Nope. She's the one. I know it."

And she was.




The day I adopted her. We were in & out of the ASPCA in about 20 minutes.


The 1st of many kisses. I thought it was a bit much since we'd just met, but I soon discovered it was "her thing."

Later, the cop who rescued her sent me these pics of what she looked like when they found her.
I simply could not believe it. I still can't.



Here's the part that kills me the most...she gazes at this bitch who starved 
& abused her, with LOVE in her eyes.

I'm not proud to admit that many, many times I've stared at that woman's leg, utterly consumed with a desire to put her in a cage, starve her for months on end & force breed her.



Later, we went back to the ASPCA to thank her Vet & Victoria Wells, the behavioral expert there.
Victoria became a good friend.


The following are my very favorite pictures of her. 


6 months after I adopted her. True love.


This cracks me up. It looks like we're on the cover of some romance novel. Settle down, girl.


Pinky would come everywhere with me. Work, road trips, hotels, you name it.  Here's a photo shoot for PETA, and she was just always there....unobtrusive or needy. As long as she was near me, she was happy.

Whenever they'd move these rickety wooden stairs over for me to get on the horse, 
she'd follow me without hesitation. Like "What? I can ride a horse. You won't even know I'm there."




Had to sneak in a lick.



Every morning.



This one kills me.


After every taping of The Exes, Pinky bowed with me.



Pinky adored kids. My neice Elsa.


Livia Basche, David's daughter.


So sick with Lupus. She was my constant companion.


Oh how she adored Fagsy


Thank you Fagsy, for giving me my most treasured possession.


Ferozan


Ed


Bill


Sarah
                                     
                                                                           John



Dar


John Raphael & Ferozan




Elsa again


Every day, rain, snow or sun, Joe Reilly would take her on an adventure. She LOVED him.


Aly, who finally met her recently. I'm so happy she was able to!




Her beloved Paula



My BFF Jackie



But next to me, the person she adored most in the world was David.

There are so many more, Morgan, Devon, and so many others. But I can't seem to find them and I'm too heartbroken to continue.


The hills will always be alive with the sound of Pinky....


One last bow.
















Goodbye, Pinks.
You've touched so many people,
and made me a better person.
You'll always be in my heart.
It was an honor knowing you.

My 1st guest blog! It's pretty damn amazing, if you ask me.

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Hi guys!

I'm so proud to be able to share with you my very first guest column.

When I created this blog in March,  my objective was always to share not only my own writing, but I also wanted to provide a voice to those who otherwise wouldn't have one.

I'm thrilled and honored to present to you the very first guest column on kjosbigmouth.com.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I did work with the author on editing the piece, she'd never written anything before in her life.  But her truth, rawness, and maginficent spirit just blew me away.

Following her story, I'll share some more important information on this magnificent warrior.
Until then, I hope you enjoy her heroic story of terror, hope, joy, strength and the extraordinary power of love.

I'm so honored to share with you...


                                                           Lena's Last Stand
by Lena Zeller 

"Judge me all you want but keep the verdict to yourself"  

 author unknown 

Our eyes met in the mirror.  
I've never seen her look more beautiful in her entire life than she did at that moment. We both knew this dress was "the one".  I was shocked and mortified to realize I was sobbing with loud abandon, drawing stares from the other customers in the store. I knew I was doing the ugly cry, which is completly out of character for me, but how could I not? 
I wanted to explain that my hysteria wasn't simply because shopping for your child's wedding dress is one of the most important, powerful, joyous, and special experiences a mother could ever share with her daughter. 
I wanted to let these impossibly lucky women understand how blessed they were. That my tears were the result of being slammed out of no where by a brick wall of sorrow, grief, terror and deep, bone-chilling regret. 
Because I now know I'll never see her wear this dress again. (And not just due to the fact that she's groom-less.)
You see, I'm dying.   
A few weeks ago, I was told that I have less than nine months to live. At best. At worst, I'll be gone within the month.
           I've battled different medical horrors for over 2 decades.

           Way back in 1996, I was diagnosed with lupus. Little did I know that that was just the 

           beginning.  Over the years, and so many Doctors and specialists I lost count years 
           ago, I've relentlessly battled so many issues, ranging from stage 4 kidney failure to  
           Ulcerative  Colitis. I'd list the rest of the diseases I've grappled with every day for the 
           past 20 years,  but it would take too much time. Time I no longer have left.
   
          The hilarious irony is, none of these are why I'm dying. The cause of my imminent  
          demise is due to a disease with a disappointingly  benign and relatively innocent 
          sounding moniker: "Shrinking Lung Disease."

          I prefer to call it what it is: My Death Sentence. This disease is so rare, there are only 
          59 known cases in the world. Well, now there are 60. That's me, ole lucky number 60.

          I have two choices:
          I could do a new chemotherapy, which even if it was "successful" chances are 
          astronomically high that I'd die within 1 to 9 months of treatment, anyway. 
          My other choice? Death by suffocation. By my own lungs. 
          Yeah, those are my choices. (Or what my doctors refer to as my "options.")

         I'm filled with rage. I keep thinking about how for years I kept telling all these doctors
         and specialists, the people I trusted to help me get better, that I couldn't breathe.
     
          But as any auto-immune patient will tell you.....most of us are used to being treated 

          either like hysterical hypochondriacs, drug-seekers or drama queens. And by the time 
          all these Doctors with their fancy degrees finally saw that I was telling the 
          truth, it was too late. 

          So I  die, and they'll think "Darnit, that's too bad" as they cheer their son on at his 
         little league game or giggle at a sitcom in bed with their mate or try to decide which 
         luxury SUV to buy this year.
      
         I'm a fighter. I've been kicking lupus's butt for most of my life. And my extraordinary 
         daughter has been by my side for every hideous, painful, boring, funny, heartbreaking 
         and devastating moment. She is why I've fought so hard.

         But how do I begin to tell her I've finally lost? How can I fight when no Doctor has any 
         hope? It's as if I'm Mohammed Ali without arms. Or Dale Ernhardt, Jr. in a car with no 
         brakes. Or Greg Louganis performing the dive of his life off the edge of the Grand 
         Canyon. Or Baryshnikov discovering mid-dance that his legs have disappeared.
         
         I'm scared of death.

         I wish I wasn't, but I can't seem to help it. I keep wondering what I did to piss God off 
         so much. I have so many regrets. I should have finished school. I should have stayed 
         married. I grew up in a tiny town and didn't kiss peoples butts like the rest of the crowd 
         did. I've always been honest and spoken the truth. I spent the last fifteen years of my 
         life hidden from the world so I didn't get sick and make lupus worse than it was. I was 
         told that I need to stay away from germs or I could die. (That didn't work so good.) Is 
         my isolation why I've been chosen? My smart mouth? My brutal honesty? My many  
         mistakes? Why? Why? Why? WHY ME?

          I've always had such simple dreams. I've never drempt of wealth or fame....I just     
         wanted to be loved. To be a good wife. A loving daughter. To raise a good human being.       
         To watch my daughter fall in love and marry a man who truly sees her spirit. 

          I can't look her in the eyes and tell her I'll never get to see her wear that beautiful dress
          on her wedding day. I'll never be able to hold her children in my arms, or hear their          
          soft breath as I rock them to sleep. I'll never feel their hand holding mine as they
          attempt their first steps. Who will she confide in, tell her dreams to, her fears? 
          
          What about my mom who just had a massive stroke? How do I tell her that I may not 
          be there when she comes home? How do I tell my brother goodbye? I talk every day on 
          the phone for hours with him. What about my Daddy, who works to this day to 
          support my mom and me? He tries to tell me that God is good And I won't have to 
          suffer any more. My daddy is my biggest hero, yet I only realized this a few years ago.

          I need more time. Time to love. Time to apologize to anyone that I may have been rude 
          to, because I was hurting or suffering. I need time to make sure someone will be there 
          to listen to my daughter and give her the best advice. I need to know who she is dating 
          and make sure he knows she is a princess and deserves respect and to be spoiled. 

          I pray there is a man worthy of her love. And I pray he has a mother who will love her 
          like I do. 

          I can't stop wondering....
          How can I cram a lifetime into a millisecond?         
          Is there really this beautiful place called Heaven?
          Is God really going to take care of me as my father tells me?
          
          And, above all....how do you die gracefully? 

          I hope I can do it. I cry every day, thinking of  my daughter in that beautiful wedding 
          dress. And I suddenly know that I will be with her on her wedding day. I'll be there  
          when she is rocking my grand babies to sleep. I will be there. I am in her heart, that  
          heart that is so full of love. 

          My greatest accomplishment in life is named Brianna Alycen and I will cherish every 
          second I have with her and my brother and my parents. I am blessed with the 
          biggest hearts in the world and they all love me.
          My parents. My brother. My daughter.  
          I'm not ready.
         
         I may not be lucky,
         But I am blessed...
         I love deeply, and I'm deeply loved in return.

         How many can say that?


          Lena Zeller
           

Brianna, Lena & a friend.

       
Thank you so much for reading.

I hope you found it as powerful & truthful as I. And I sincerely hope reading this has put any dramas or annoyances or money problems or paper cuts back in perspective.

Lena has one last wish...She wants to come to LA to see my Lupus Doctor.
If you can spare a few dollars, I believe hers to be a worthy cause. I've gotten to know Lena & her daughter, and they're truly beautiful souls.

But what's most important is, I hope Lena feels good about this tribute to her incredible spirit. I'm so proud I'm able to give her a voice.

Love, 
@kjothesmartass
         


SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE IMPLORED ME FOR AN ADVICE COLUMN

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Ok, only one person has, the deelightful VeronicaValli.com. But since I know very little, yet insist upon inserting my opinion anywhere I possibly can, I decided..."why not"?

This is for those who'd prefer their Questions remain anonymous, or for those verbose creatures out there (yeah, me too.)

Please ask all Questions by noon on Jan 1st.

If I don't know the answer, or think your question is rude or dumb, I won't answer.

(But I might give the latter some shit.)

If nobody asks anything, well...Yay 2015

Love,

KJO

PS. If you haven't already, do peruse the rest of my blog.

Dear Prudence

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Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?                                                       Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day  
The sun is up, the sky is blue                                                                              It's beautiful and so are you                                                     
Dear Prudence, open up your eyes
Dear Prudence, see the sunny skies
The wind is low the birds will sing
That you are part of everything
Look around round
(Round round round, round round)
(Round round round, round round)
Look around round round
(Round round round, round round)
(Round round round, round round)
Look around
Dear Prudence, like a little child
The clouds will be a daisy chain
So let me see you smile again
Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?
Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play?                               
Dear Prudence, won't you open up your eyes?                                               Dear Prudence, let me see you smile                                                               Dear Prudence, won't you let me see you smile?

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm devoted to rescuing Pit Bulls. Over the years, they've brought me such joy. However, as I was browsing the internet looking for a pitty to rescue, I came across an English Bulldog Rescue. Welcome to Southern California Bulldog Rescue - Southern California Bulldog Rescue

I grew up with English Bulldogs, and have always adored them. So I thought "What the hell...I'll check it out." That's when I saw Prudence (then named Nala.)

This is the picture I saw & fell instantly in love with:



This is from Tami, one of the wonderful foster volunteers from The Southern California Bulldog Rescue:

"Prudence came from the East Valley Shelter.  She was about 6 to 9 months old.  When I got the call asking for us to come get her, the medical ward was full and they didn't really have room for her.  So we rushed over and got her, and she came to my house.  She was scared and had almost given up, as if she thought the world was against her and nobody really cared.  But she stood like an angel in the bath while I scrubbed her, getting rid of all the scabs she had, watching the little bit of fur she had running down the drain, and just promising her everything would be okay for now on.  I gave her plenty of kisses and love, and kept telling her every day that she was going to get better and that I would always love her.
When I took her to the vet, he confirmed she had demodex (DUH!).  We also discussed the fact that she had spina bifida, and would always be incontinent and need a diaper.  That was totally okay with me.  Diaper dogs are great.  They never pee or poo in the house, and you can put cute diaper covers on them.
Within just a few short months, she was clear of demodex and was ready for adoption.  And along came this amazing woman who e-mailed me at 9 at night saying she fell in love with her and wanted to meet her right now.  I couldn't get my phone to dial quickly enough to figure out who she was and if she understood Nala (now Prudence's) condition.  As soon as YOU said you didn't care she wore a diaper, my heart started beating a million beats a second, as I realized this could be her forever home.  YOU ARE AMAZING!  And I hope you can help people recognize that special needs dogs are amazing companions who deserve life and love as much as a normal, healthy dog."

Here's what Prudence looked like when Tami rescued her:






Prudence today:




Thank you, Tami, and everyone who rescues & fosters animals.

Its because of people like you that I've known the most incredible love.

KJo
&
Prudence Pinky Johnston



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I've decided to take down GUTLESS for now.
Thank you so much for all your comments. I read every one.

Right now I'd prefer to focus my energy on positive things, like SLAM, The Exes, my next book, friends, family...
And, as always, Prudence the Princess of Poop.



Oh, and don't think I forgot about that Q & A blog...Sorry. got a wee bit sidetracked there.

Much Love & Kisses

KJo

PS...to Adrienne, who commented on GUTLESS that she was the one jumping in & answering people's questions...I didn't mind in the LEAST. You gave very wise feedback. However, since I asked people to ask questions, and you answered w/o signing your name...to some, it appeared as though I was the one answering people's questions, and I wasn't. That's all, just clarifying to people. Thank you for your lovely remarks & support.

PPS...those sneakers are my skateboarder friend Stefan Janoski's. He's a BADASS, just google him.


KJo's Kolumn of Adequate Expertise

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Off the twitter and it feels so good....

First of all I wanted to say that I had been planning to take a twitter break at this time for months.

I knew there wouldn't be new episodes of The Exes for a while, and it seemed like a good time. So, I decided to share my cyberbullying tale & then go.
(Which I later took down, I didn't want to have to read that poison every day. Blech)

Initially, I planned my usual month-long break, but now I'm just not sure. Twitter is full of amazing people, but they have no good policies in place to protect people. Assholes, I can handle. People who enjoy telling me I suck? Love it. Perverts? Piece of cake. But full-blown psychotically obsessed, hate-filled nutcases? No siree, not my wheelhouse.


The part that troubles me most is imagining that happening to a kid. And I know it does, every day, all the time. I just can't  even imagine how esteem shattering & depressing that would be.

This is why I'm  trying to address some policy issues with Twitter. They can't help that some people are nasty, or lunatics, but their policy of suspending an account, yet allowing them to instantly open another is laughable. I know they've made some efforts with their blocking policies, but it's not even close to good enough. It should be like face book, where if you block someone you're both gone from each others' world. Zero access.

It would be ideal if they allowed only one account per person, but I aint holding my breath.

If things improve, I'll be back. If not, it doesn't seem like a healthy idea for me, despite the fact that 98% of the people I've met have been truly great.

It's that  teeny tiny 2% of virulent poison that infects everything.

I know, I know, shut up already.

Fine. I know you've all been dying for that Q & A blog I keep dangling, but for once I actually have a good excuse for being so tardy. This was a suprisingly tough one, much harder than I thought. Not gonna lie, I thought it would be some addiction questions mixed in with a whole lotta "how tall are you?"s and "whats Joseph Gordon Levitt really like"s? I was even ready for some shallow "where did you get that blouse?" questions.
Instead, you guys astounded me with all the wise, genuine and thoughtful questions you sent me here, on twitter, and in emails.

There were a few questions I was completely unqualified to answer, so I asked some smart people. It took a while to get all the information (smart people are busy.) When I finally heard back from them I  spent 3 nights after work writing it. It was pretty damn good, I think.

Maybe my best blog post ever.
I wouldn't know, since I deleted it by accident. I couldn't fucking believe it.
*helpful hint: always save writing when battery low.

Let's give it another whirl, shall we?


Some questions I've edited to get right to the question.  Even a few compliments, which completely goes against my actress nature. I really welcome others feedback & input...as long as it's not a lecture. What works for you aint always what works for others. It's best to share you're story, and what worked for you, or how you relate, instead of "You shoulds" or "Why haven't you's?"


I decided to keep everyone anonymous, only because I wasn't sure who cared about that.


Finally, consider this feedback from a friend. I'm not a doctor, a psychiatrist, or some sort of recovery expert. 


But then, neither was Dear Abby, so....



1. "Charmer" asked:"What's more fulfilling? A harmonious life or a successful career?"

Dear Charm, (may I call you Charm?) 
It depends what you're idea of a successful career is. To me, they are one and the same. 
They're both equally fulfilling.
However you and I may have a different idea of what "success" is. 
It took me a long to understand what it really means, to me. And it has absolutely nothing to do with money or fame. Believe it or not, those can destroy you (Example: well, me. And a crapload of others.) 
To me, Success is: You enjoy what you do, get some sort of fulfillment from it, and it makes you feel vital. This can range from being a schoolteacher, a waitress, a mom, a taxi driver, the CEO of a Bank, etc etc etc.

It's very difficult to balance life & career. Some days are way more fulfilling than others, in every way.
I just try to be generous, grateful, and honest. That's changed my life and my career in profound ways.



KJo 


2. 'Depressed in Daytona" asked:
"Hi Kristen,
While I don't have experience with alcohol or substances, I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, anxiety, and a few other things. For a few months I tried therapy, but it didn't really help. 
I moved to FL to see if sunshine would help it along. Big mistake. I feel like I have absolutely no coping mechanisms left. If see a dead animal on the side of the road, I cry, and then I feel like a moron. It's eating my self-esteem. My question is, do you know of any resources (organizations, etc.), that help people without insurance?"

Dear "Depressed"

God, I can't describe how much I relate to this. 

I suffered for about 6 years with a debilitating bout of clinical depression, right at the height of my career. I think you know this already...but therapy is hugely important, at least it was to me. I also found medication essential to help me crawl back out.
Oh, and getting sober sure as hell helped.
So did telling the truth and being vulnerable enough to ask for help.

I really feel for you. I used to think "If I moved I'd be happy" or "A different job" or "If I lost weight" or "Had a different/better boyfriend" or "Better teeth" or "Was shorter" or IF IF IF.....


I venture to say that your unhappiness more than likely has nothing to do with your circumstances, or where you live. You can't just "snap out of it" and you won't wake up and find yourself "cured," and things would be just as bad anywhere else.  I'm NO trained psychiatrist, obviously. I'm just someone who knows the deep, unrelenting and indescribable pain you're in.


That said, please take my input as you would a pal, NOT anyone trained to handle those with clinical depression. I can only share with you the 4 things that worked for ME: Getting my ass sober, anti-depressant medication, therapy and hard work.


I went to different therapists for years, nothing helped. (Der, maybe cause I never mentioned the real issue?) Then when I got sober, I had to try three different shrinks before I met Dr. Mary,  and I finally understood how essential the right person is. She utterly changed my life, in fact, I kind of wrote GUTS for her. Every week, I'd read her a new chunk or chapter and she was the best audience imaginable. Weeping, oohing, clapping, you name it. 

But more than that, she got me. I haven't seen her in 2 years, (she's in NY, I've been in LA) and I still think of things she said constantly. My point is, the most important thing is finding the right person or place for YOU.

Really good therapy, to me, is really just a conversation about yourself with someone wiser than you, who's completely honest with you. Someone you feel safe enough to share exactly how fucked up you really are, knowing they wont judge you or punish you. 

Someone who doesn't say "and how did that make you feel?" 
"Gee, Fantastic, Doc. That's why I brought it up, weeping." 
The good ones aren't all that easy to find. But they exist.

Here are a few links I found that I hope are of some help to you: 


*OrmondBeachcounseling.com This place seems cool, offers sliding scale....Ormond Beach Counseling Center • 200 E. Granada Boulevard, #206 • Ormond Beach, Florida 32176 • 386-269-0428 

*Mental Health America of East Central Fla.http://www.mhavolusia.org 
*And finally, I've found Psychology Today to be a very helpful, concise overview of different therapists. All anyone has to do is type in "Psychology Today Therapists in (your area)/your issue." 
Here's the link for your area, specific to depression: therapists.psychologytoday/com

In terms of no insurance, I haven't a clue...but hopefully one of the above links can assist you with that.

It's hard, hard work, no doubt about it.  Please don't get discouraged! 
Like I say...Recovery, from anything aint for pussies. 
Please keep me posted..
KJo

PS. If anyone out there with more knowledge on this, or who's aware of Insurance-free therapy/programs in Daytona, please don't hesitate to share. 



3. "I'm in a pickle "wrote:

I had to hide my recent medication change because I am told I don't need my meds. I am also told I don't need to go to the Doctor for stuff, I am just old. I am 49 & I am not old, which I told this person that several times. How do I not feel sneaky about hiding meds? Or feel guilty when this person cries because I stand up for me?



Dear Pickle

I'm 47. So no, you're not "old." Not to me anyway.
And yes people DO need to go to a Dr, especially us old hags. (Me, not you.)

It's very difficult to address this in depth, without certain details....For example, is this a mate? A friend? Could their concerns be legitimate? Is the medication potentially addictive? Have you ever had addiction issues in the past?

I used to be a BRILLIANT pill hider. We could be having dinner, face to face, talking intimately and you'd never see the 6 Vicodin I took throughout. You wouldn't suspect anything either. About a month or so after rehab, I was having dinner at my house with one of my oldest, closest friends. 
I had a headache, so I secretly popped an Advil. 

I didn't realize until the next day. I called him & said "Hey Hickey, remember last night when I coughed & said 'I  think I'm coming down with something?''"
"Yeah"
"I fucking lied. I'm so used to sneaking pills that I can't even take an ADVIL like a normal person."
"You'll get there, sweetie. I'm so glad you told me." Then he added, with a hint of admiration "I didn't have a clue."
"No one did" I said woefully

My point...Jesus, what was my point? Ah! It's that secrets are really, really bad. Keeping something like a medication you actually need from a loved one is addictive behavior. (I'm not saying you, or anyone else is an addict. But follow that road, and suddenly everything blows up in your face.)

There's some good news if you're an addict though. The road will blow about 100 xs faster. So, theres that.

Regardless, Pickle...I sincerely hope your loved one begins to accept your ancient ass. 

And NEVER, EVER, EVER stop standing up for yourself! 
EVER.

Love 
K


3. "Wassup" wrote:

You stick up for women and don't bash them on Twitter. Was there a specific incident in your life that inspired you to be this way? Also, you speak your mind about a lot. When saying something against the grain about a celebrity are you ever afraid of the backlash?


Thanks darling Wassup...

Maybe because I was bullied in school, I can't stand when I see people doing it to others, especially kids.
There has been a deeply upsetting trend on twitter of the meanest, sickest, terrible behavior. I had no clue people could be that mean, as adults. I'd stick up for anyone being bullied, on social media or in life. WE ALL SHOULD.
(I've even privately asked people to ease up on someone who was trashing ME. Swear)

Re: speaking my mind hmmm.....Nah, I don't care. Well, only if I inadvertantly hurt someone's feelings. Sometimes my sense of humor & bluntness and, well smartassyness is misread. But I never ever wish to hurt someone. Maybe give them a little shit, you know?

Celebrities? I only slap the wrists of a few. And only if they really irritate me. But I'm not some celeb-hater. For example, I used to give a certain singer grief (For incessantly posing in a bikini, day in & out.) That is, until I realized the shocking amount of hate already being spewed at her. So I stopped mentioning her completely. Awful.
By the way, who made up the rule that all celebrities (I hate that word, sorry) must  like each other? Does every taxi driver have to adore every other one? Every Lawyer? Every dog walker? etc etc
Probably the same asshole who came up with C-List, Z-List, etc.


4. "A Twitter Pill To Swallow" asked

On Twitter, If I have a follower who follows someone I dislike greatly, do I unfollow them? Sometimes I notice people I like and respect follow people that make me question who they are. 

Dear Twitter

I say no.  If that person has never trashed you, spread lies, acted in ways you found repulsive,  etc...why punish them for having poor taste?

5.  "Suboxone Sweetie" asked...

I've been clean from Opiates for 16 months. This whole time I've been on a medication to assist me. (Suboxone) I need a total hip replacement but I keep putting it off.
Will I know when I'm ready to get off Suboxone?

Hi "Sweetie"...

This is a question you need to address with your addiction Dr. and Osteo guy. (Wouldn't want all those fancy degrees to go to waste.)  Then, whenever you feel ready, you can come up with a comprehensive plan to taper off. 

Opiates are a maddening, delicate issue very few really understand. I have way too much respect for the power they wield than to casually toss you some answer. Both of the recovery Doctors I asked said the same thing: "It depends."

I do feel qualified to share something regarding your hip replacement. It's what my addiction psychiatrist said after I fell & broke all those bones. I called him in fear about all the pain meds I was taking, and he said "Kristen. You're a patient first, and addict second."

I don't know why, but it gave me such relief. All these years I thought it was the opposite.

I wish you the very BEST of luck, it's not an easy journey. 

My respect
K



6. "Curious George" asked:

Why do you interact with fans so much?
Does it ever affect your sobriety when so many seem to want you to save them?


Dear George

Interacting with those struggling helps keep me sober. That's the main reason. 
Sometimes it weighs on me too much, or begins taking a toll, and I leave social media.

My recovery matters way too much to me. 
xx

7. "Please Like Me" asked 

 I have an incessant need to be liked. How do I get over it & not care anymore?

Dear "Please"

Try Twitter. Everyone will despise you at some point or another.

Seriously, the only thing that helped me was the slow process of learning how to like myself. Now, how I feel takes precedent over desperately trying to make everyone else happy. Or trying to be who I think you want me to be.

Finally, fuck off.

That help?

Love 
K


8. "Hopeless" asked 


I've been clean/sober since 1995. 
I've been so depressed lately and feeling hopeless, feel like giving up, which would inevitably lead to using again. I'm in a hole trying to claw my way out but am afraid I'm sinking deeper. I'm in week 2 of almost complete isolation. 
How do you do it all? How do you keep going even with all the obstacles in life?

Dearest Hopeless,

You already know this, being a recovery warrior: you need to get some help, some self-care, go to meetings...reach out to someone in real life. Not internet.
Please, Hopeless, do this as soon as possible. 

How do I do it? (Took out "all" cus no one does it all.) I swear to you, there's no magic. Some days SUCK. But I have a support system I can contact anytime. I make sure to TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. 

My deepest wish for you, and all those suffering from addiction and/or depression: There is relief. You just have to seek it.

My very very best to you, sweet hopeless


I'm going to leave it there for the moment.
I hope you've had a laugh and found some comfort here.

MUCH More to come.....


Love

KJo

PS. Be a lamb and tweet, post on Facebook, would you? Thanks ever so much.






One Of Those People

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You know those people?
The ones who don't bother to ask before forcing you to endure endless photos 
of their children, their pets or, God Forbid, a 20 minute film of their Anniversary cruise?

The people my sister and I have always snickered about behind their backs?
Well, ha ha ha. The jokes on me.
I've become one of them. 
"Hello. My name is Kristen and I'm hopelessly addicted to showing people photos of my dog. Wanna see?"

I'm not sure when it all began, but I blame my parents.

It didn't get really bad until my beloved dog Pinky, who died in November.
I began tweeting pics & updates about her on twitter or here...
It was only when my English Bulldog puppy Prudence entered the picture that all pretenses of sanity left me.
Now co-workers, dry cleaner employees, gas station attendants, 
and even the rude gentleman at the 7-11 down the street are all constantly subjected to 
a barrage of pictures of my dog.
God help me, for the 1st time in my entire life, I've even caught myself doing baby talk

I do have a modicum of sanity left, which is why I'm warning you that this post
is only for those who are either so bored they'll read anything, or for that tiny percentage of you who just can't get enough of hearing about & seeing photos of other people's pets.

Please know if you're sane and/or have a life and/or couldn't be less interested, 
my respect for you knows no bounds.
See ya for the next one.

However, I'm not gonna lie, you yummy animal nutters are still my faves.
Therefore, without further ado,
I present to you

Prudence



Okay, so for starters, she sleeps with her tongue out. 
Every single time. 
No exceptions.




 Actually, come to think of it.... the tongue is out A LOT










And if it aint her tongue,
it's her teeth





Seriously, how fucking dare she be so cute?

(She's wearing a collar made by my friend Lisa, who makes specialty dog collars. 
I wanted a "black tie" look for special occasions. She'll create anything you want! Check out pepperjanedesigns.)

The following are a few samples of her "My life is just HELL" look, 
which she thinks will get her attention/food/toys

(Yes, it works, dammit)







The next is so cool....Pru and Pinky, together 

(the Pinky painting was done by my dear friend @FagsyMalone. If you haven't yet, do take a gander at his hilarious, smart, charming, thoughtful & brutally honest blog FagsyMalone)


Next to eating food/my flip flops/my sneakers, sleeping and shitting,
Prudence's  very favorite thing is to ride in the car.

She spazzes out, running circles around the car, so excited....
 but once we leave the driveway, 
she's cool as a cucumber


Sometimes way cool


She's perfected the "one-tooth pout."
Drives the fellas walking by bonkers.


Sometimes she acts out this whole drama, 
pretending that instead of walking by....I really want her toy
(I don't)







Damn her & her damn tongue is all I can say



I guess I should stop before I really embarrass myself. 
Besides, someone needs their diaper changed.
         


For more on Prudence's background & how I found her, click here. 
But if you're too lazy to click on a link (Yay me too!), she wears diapers 
because she's incontinent due to Spina Bifida, not because they're cute or whatever.  
I mean, for God's sake I do have some pride left.

There will never be another Pinky, but I gotta say, Prudence makes me laugh every single day.

Thanks for letting me share my dogs with you guys.
Love you 

KJo






ALL NYC PEOPLE, PLEASE HELP! "DOG WALKER LOSES WOMAN'S PIT BULL AFTER MELTDOWN"

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PLEASE RETWEET, POST ON FACEBOOK

Dog walker loses woman’s pit bull after meltdown

It’s every dog owner’s nightmare.
An East Village woman entrusted her beloved pooch to a neighborhood dog walker while she was on a business trip — and he lost the pet in the cold, she told The Post on Tuesday.
Modal Trigger
Bogle was in London on business when the incident took place.Photo: Chad Rachman
“I’m absolutely devastated. I want my dog back. I seem like I’m holding it together, but I’m not. I’m on the verge of a complete breakdown,” said Morgan Bogle, 33, who owns a vegan fashion company.
Bogle said she trusted her longtime dog walker to care for her sweet pit bull mix, Sugar — a rescue animal she adopted in The Bronx four years ago — while she flew to London on business last week.
But the man flipped out while she was away, kicking the front door of her apartment Monday while shouting and swearing, witnesses said.
“He was screaming, ‘F–k you! Let me in the f–king house now!’ ” a witness said, adding that Sugar was nowhere in sight.
“He seemed manic . . . I told him, ‘You’re acting like a lunatic.’ He was muttering stuff, but it wasn’t coherent at all,” the witness said.
A neighbor texted Bogle, and she sent a friend to the dog walker’s apartment. The pal spotted the man hiding behind a trash can outside and “acting strange,” Bogle said.
She said the pal called police, but they found no sign of Sugar.
The dog’s collar and sweater were discovered inside the apartment — but the walker had no explanation as to where she was, Bogle said.
“I realized it was going to be 7 degrees outside and that Sugar was nowhere to be found . . . I just want my dog back home,” Bogle said.
Bogle quickly flew home, and she and friends have been posting dozens of lost-dog posters around the neighborhood offering a “reward for safe return.”
She said she has had the same dog walker for three years and never had any trouble.
One neighbor called him a fixture in the neighborhood.
Bogle, who runs the animal-friendly fashion company Freedom of Animals, is offering a $5,000 reward.
Anyone with information should email her at findsugarNYC@gmail.com.
Sugar also goes by “Shugy” and is friendly with people, she said.
FILED UNDER     

Prudence Porn

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Well, since all you animal nutters asked, 
I FINALLY figured out how to load videos on this dang thing. 

Oh, and for anyone who clicked this link hoping for real porn, 
Sorry. 

All sound effects provided by Prudence


Prudence gets pushed



Prudence wears a purse 



Morning glory

   

          
Bully stick

    


Prudence listening to Wayne & David chatting outside my dressing room



Playing is simply exhausting



Prudence & Pinky



That's all I got, for now. 
There'll be more!

If you haven't yet....please check out the rest of my blog.

For all my twitter or FB pals, I'm enjoying my social media vaycay. Please keep in touch here!

Love 
KJo & Prudence







The Ghost of Arzy

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I don’t know about you guys, but I'm desensitized to almost every awful news story.   
For example, when Matt Lauer says "A man in Florida (Or Texas, it's usually one of those 2 states for some reason) was arrested yesterday, charged with the murder of  45 little schoolgirls,” or I hear that  “A bomb went off in such and such High School”
or a friend tells me that a  “Mudslide killed thousands in Italy, " I may feel a small ping of  sympathy or fascination. Sometimes I may even get upset for a few minutes, until my roommate’s dog Rio decides to shit on my bed or I’m running late for a dinner date, and poof. Like magic, I never think of those poor wee schoolgirls or those muddy Italians again.

Thankfully for the most part I'm inured to disaster or pathos or another's pain. How else would I survive? It doesn't trouble me too much, I know I'm not alone. We all do it, in one way or another. I mean, I'm pretty sure that very few surgeons or Nurses or Doctors were instaneously cool when groping through someones innards the very first time. Right? I bet most of them were as grossed out as you or I would be at the idea of touching someones rotting bowel. (I betcha some even had difficulty keeping down the delicious egg sandwich they had recently eaten in the cafeteria.)

But I wonder how soon  the sights, smells, the textures  all started to feel familiar? To feel like "just another day at the office"?  I'm guessing much faster than we might think. Within a few days, at most. A man who'd been clammy & nauseous one day, is suddenly calm as a cucumber.

I haven't read any surveys, but I'll venture to say we’re all like this.
We become so inured to others pain & misery that it simply doesn’t register, because we have to protect ourselves.

However, every now & then something I read or hear about will punch through my chest,  grab me by my throat and haunt me, like a fucking ghost.  And he only way to exorcise the damn thing is to try to do something about it.

Sometimes the hauntings are relatively brief, like Katrina or 9/11. Oh, they're still there, mind you. The images, the feelings, the horror. But they've quietly stepped aside, making room for other ghosts.
Others seem to be more permanent. Like the desperate need for a sober high school in NYC. I’ll never forget`hearing about it for the first time-- I was 7 months sober and walking in the West Village with Joe Schrank on a gorgeous fall afternoon.
Joe told me how many lives sober high schools save, and that there are so many successful ones all over US, yet not one in New York City or State. Now, I don’t have children. I don’t really like most teens. Until this day, I certainly had zero investment or interest in the NYC public school system. 
Good for Joe. I’ll give him a donati...
But then he tells me that the Boston area alone has 4 such schools. That teens in NYC who want to stay sober are forced to go to school up there.
And that the NYC Board of Ed wouldn't even entertain this idea.
That pissed me off.
I immediately joined forces with this fight. I emailed the Chancellor of schools office  and explained that Sarah Jessica Parker and I needed to see him urgently. (Settle down, she's a friend of mine.) When I showed up alone, I explained she was ill.

This bitch (the ghost, not SJ) has haunted me for six long years as I created a board (www.slamnyc.org) and have fought for one simple goddamn thing: a “yes” from The NYC Board of Ed. No money. No space. We will provide all of that. JUST A YES so we can begin plans.

But the ghost that’s been with me the longest is how some human beings treat animals. My oldest & best friend in the world, Jackie, her sister Wendy and their entire family are staunch rescuers. I’ve been with Jackie on a freeway when she somehow saw a dog darting through trafffic, and spent the next 4 hours trying to capture the terrified pooch, taking it’s stinky ass to a vet, and driving it to one of the many rescue organizations she knew of.

In college, I spent many a hungover Saturday am helping them set up the weekly pet adoption fair her family organized. It’s through Jackie that I was blessed with Stella and Lulu. Not to mention I became a life-long supporter of rescue organizations, and will always admire the crazy, loving people who do this work.
Jackie made me see a film ‘Blinders’ by Donny Moss (Chilling & magnificent. If interested, I think they sell on Peta website) which is about the horse-drawn carriages in Central Park. The film angered me so much that I even agreed to pose in the altogether. Come on-- fighting abuse with nudity? That works, no?


All this preamble is because this week, I saw something happened that made my blood run cold. And  I was grabbed by the throat by the ghost of a sweet gentle dog and knew I needed to do something. His name was Arzy.


Here’s a part of the tale, from The Bangor Daily News:
Maine man fighting back after police allegedly shot, killed his dog in Louisiana
Brandon Carpenter, a  musician from Portland, said Wednesday that a Louisiana police officer shot and killed his dog Monday morning, even though the “incredibly friendly” dog was on a four-foot leash.
“That dog wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Carpenter said of his 90-pound dog. “Everybody loved Arzy. Everybody said, ‘Oh, he’s so friendly. So gentle.’ He was an angel in dog form.”
The 28-year-old musician had hopped a freight train from Lafayette, Louisiana, to Sulphur, Louisiana with a friend. The duo was on their way to stay with friends in Lake Charles, Louisiana, their backpacks, guitars and the 14-month-old Newfoundland-Labrador-golden retriever mix in tow, when they got off the train in the early morning.
“We were exhausted, and as we were walking, it started to rain,” Carpenter said.
They decided to find a place to sleep a little out of the rain, and clambered into the back of an empty box truck that was parked in the lot of the city newspaper, the Southwest Daily News. About 10 minutes after they got in, Carpenter said, they jolted awake by a police officer who drew his gun and ordered them to get out.
“We did everything he asked us to do,” Carpenter said, adding that he tied Arzy to a fence with a short leash when Officer Brian Thierbach of the Sulphur Police Department told him to secure his dog. Thierbach put the men in handcuffs and ordered them to get on the ground, facing away from the dog. Then the officer asked if the dog was going to bite or attack him, Carpenter recounted.
“I said no, it’s an incredibly friendly dog. He’s a big teddy bear,” he said.
According to Carpenter and a witness, the officer pet the dog for a few seconds.
“His tongue was out. His tail was wagging. That’s my dog,” Carpenter said. “Arzy maybe did a little sniff, like do you want to play? Then [the officer] jumped down from the back of the truck and shoots my dog in the head. I watched him convulse his last breath and twitch the life out of him.”
Carpenter said that the officer threw their belongings out of the truck. Carpenter said “‘You didn’t have to shoot him.’ The officer smiled at me and said, ‘He nipped at my foot.’ But Arzy did nothing like that.”
Eyewitness Eric Midkiff said in an official statement to police that Arzy did not attack the officer. “He also stated that he saw the dog wagging his tail and acting in a friendly manner, and that it was when the dog bumped against Thierbach that the officer immediately responded by shooting the animal,” the newspaper account stated.
A few days later, The Huffington post  gave more details and an update:
While Carpenter could not see what happened between Thierbach and the dog, Eric Midkiff could. Midkiff, the circulation manager for the Southwest Daily News, told HuffPost last week that he drove into the parking lot at some point after Thierbach had cuffed the men.
Midkiff said he stood about 20 feet away, and could see the officer standing on the back of the box truck petting Arzy.
"The dog was rubbing up against the cop," Midkiff said. "He would rub the dog's back and then push him away. All of a sudden, he just jumped down and shot the dog in the head."
Though Thierbach later claimed the dog bit him, Midkiff was adamant that he could see both the officer and dog clearly and that no bite occurred.
"That dog did not bite that officer," he said. "The dog was wagging his tail, his tongue was hanging out."
Carpenter whipped around when he heard the gunshot. "I saw the blood start to run down his face," he told HuffPost. "I'm watching my dog die while I'm sitting in cuffs."
He also said Arzy, who he raised since puppyhood, was an "incredibly friendly dog" and had never acted aggressively towards anyone. "He was just a big teddy bear that you had to feed," Carpenter said.
Carpenter added that Thierbach "seemed to be fighting back a smile" after the shooting, and when he asked the officer why he was smiling, he "smirked" and replied, "Well, he nipped at my foot."
The Sulphur Police Department and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office launched a joint investigation into the shooting that found Thierbach "violated the Sulphur Police Department's Departmental Policy and Procedure regarding Use of Force and Personal Conduct and Behavior," Sulphur Police Chief Lewis Coats said in a Thursday news release obtained by KPLC-TV.Thierbach resigned before "final disciplinary action" was taken against him.
"The resignation of Officer Thierbach was accepted so that the officers and community can heal and move forward," Coats said in the release.
I believe that this deserves justice. As does Arzy. Brandon and his supporters have started a FB page Justice For Arzy. Please, visit it, like it, voice your support.

I would be destroyed if some officer shot my pit bull Pinky. 
Thank you to Carly for keeping this issue front & center. I hope this helps.

We support you, Brandon! 

And Arzy clearly was incredible. He must've been, it takes a lot to grab my throat these days.


KJo



Post-script:

Since I was 20, I've rescued many dogs. Especially those considered "hard to place" (slightly older, difficult breeds like pit bulls or German Shepherds.) As you guys know from my post Stella, I have a special love for these kinds of dogs. They won't win any beauty competitions, but each & every one of them was kind, obedient, grateful, loving, and non-aggressive.

I love it when someone who's paid 2 grand for their dog from some fancy breeder comes over and is shocked by how well-behaved my dogs are. "You mean they don't eat your shoes? Or bite children? Or jump up on you? Or piss all over your house?"

Nope. None of them have. Some people say I've been lucky. But I know the truth....in almost every case, rescued dogs are eternally grateful. They will never be spoiled. They will love you for the rest of their life.

Now, if someone I know buys a dog from a store (meaning a puppy mill)...well, I'm happy to say that's never happened. But if it did, I daresay I'd like them a lot less. Jackie would de-friend them.

I rescued Pinky from the ASPCA around 61/2 years ago. She was a breeding bitch, used to breed fighting dogs.
She was starved. Here are 2 pictures from the day she was rescued (By a cop, not all of them are bad):


Note the owners' leg to the left, and the officers feet on right. I've thought many, many times about this woman. How well-fed her leg looks. And, despite obvious mistreatment, Pinky was looking at her the way she looks at me...with adoration & love.



See?


She is the light of my life.

Jenny, I Got Your Number

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“Better a witty fool than a foolish wit”
                  -Shakespeare, 12th Night


Perhaps the most gratifying part of becoming an old hag is finally understanding that there’s a yin and yang to almost everything in life.

Yes, even with social media.
The beauty of it is that it gives a voice to so many deserving people.
The ugliness of it is that it also gives the same to so many undeserving.

I’m not proud of the fact that for a great portion of my life, I had a profound mistrust of people. In fact, I’d go so far as to say I even disliked most of them. This is partially due to the “ick” factor that happens when one becomes suddenly famous: There you are, the same idiotic buffoon you always were, and overnight you’ve become the prom queen. 
It’s just kind of gross. So there’s that.
But admittedly, most of my aversion to people I attribute to my chronic, life-threatening addiction, and the horrific depression and self-hatred that accompanied it.

Which is why, pretty much from the age of 25 until I got sober at age 39, I trusted only a tiny group of people I’d known for many years. The rest of the world I would smile politely at, certain they wanted my friendship simply because I happened to be smashed on the head with the famous stick.

For years I walked the streets of NYC with a baseball cap & sunglasses, wearing a grimace so icy it would rival Victoria Beckham’s. I emanated “STAY AWAY FROM ME” from every pore of my being. This was not because I was snotty, or had a glorified sense of who I was. It was out of fear, mistrust and misery.

As I got sober, and the shackles of doubt and shame were shed, I slowly became open to people. I began to enjoy life again. I was utterly shocked to learn that I actually enjoyed  meeting strangers, and had fun talking to just about anyone. The biggest shocker was when I realized that I didn’t even hate being famous anymore. 
In fact, I found it kind of sweet. Wow, people saying nice things to you, everywhere you go? Yeah. Torture.

I became soft and happy and trusting.
Unfortunately, this evolution coincided with my first foray into social media.
I’ve always had slight timing issues, so I wasn't all that surprised.
What did surprise me, however, was how easy it is to be catfished when you can’t see someone’s face or hear their voice.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m still a savvy bitch who can smell a liar or a con artist 10 blocks away.
In real life.

However, on social media I’ve made a few truly terrible choices, stupidly believing that people were exactly who they presented themselves to be. I’ve been burned badly a few times, people lying about their addiction or exagerrating crises to get my attention.
Recently I was betrayed by a popular blog writer I had begun to trust as a friend. 
I’m not going to refer to her actual name, or the name of her blog, not because I’m concerned for her privacy or any sort of retribution from her. I could care less. 
I just refuse to give her or her blog anymore interest, attention or hits. 

Let’s call her “Jenny.”

Some of you may have no interest in this post whatsoever, and some might find it interesting. But I found out there are many out there who were also taken in by this same woman, so I decided to finally speak out about what happened to me. I know there are some (a rapidly dwindling number) people who still believe in her. I'm hoping that this will at least make you stop and think. Because it will happen to you, too, sooner or later.

For months, I bit my tongue as she spread devastating and completely false stories about me, my health, my sobriety, and even the legitimacy of my beloved non-profit organization. 
The worst part?
She did all this to me for absolutely no sane reason. I was completely supportive of her, constantly telling my followers about her, tweeting about her and offering her nothing but kindness and friendship.

She decided to attack everything I held dear and besmirch my reputation for one reason, and one reason only: To entertain Jenny.
Tee fucking hee.

I'll be the first to admit that I have many flaws. I’m bossy, impatient, easily frustrated, jump to conclusions, like to think I know better, interrupt often and, like any good addict/actress, I've been known to occasionally lean ever so slightly towards self-involvement.

However, I’m loyal to the death. I would never intentionally hurt anyone. I’m generous to a fault, loving and I do my damndest to never lie. To myself or anyone else.

Despite doing not one thing to warrant Jenny’s sudden and public smackdown of me on twitter, in the months since I did  my best to ignore the nonsense as she and her followers went to town ripping me apart. 

However, recent and incontrovertible facts have come to light. People who once believed in her like I did have been very hurt. And I finally became aware of the damaging and  horrible lies she gleefully spread about me to anyone who would listen.
Finally I decided to take a stand and clear my name.

Jenny, Jenny, Who Can I Turn To?

Jenny is a very clever gal wrote an entertaining blog about nonsense. At the time I discovered her, she had a large, passionate and devoted fan base. Her blog was sprinkled with occasional posts about her personal life, but it was mostly comprised of very detailed and shocking  “blind items” about this c-lister or that d-lister. 
She presented her information as absolute truth. 
She claimed her sources were either her favorite subjects’ personal assistant, her best friend from childhood, an oscar nominated actress, or another dear friend who's a tabloid staple.

I’ve since discovered that her blinds were either false (an easy deduction, since almost all never came to fruition) or they were plagiarized from another gossip blog. As for her sources? Well, since nobody in hollywood would be stupid enough to hire an assistant without having them sign a legally binding confidentiality agreement, and since this particular assistant is still employed by the celebrity Jenny loved to write about, there goes that source. As for her two super famous bffs? Apparently neither of them know who she is.

Regardless, I'm sure these people have way too much going on to be constantly feeding complete nonsense about Leanne Rimes or Brandi or me to some insane blogger in Chicago. But that's just a guess. 

Right about now you might be asking yourself “You, Kristen? You, blessed with such class and elegance? How did you ever become a fan of a gossip blog?!!”
I know, I know. In my defense, Jenny, like all good sociopaths, was really charming and funny. And, as totally repulsed as I am now by everything about her, I concede that she’s a pretty decent writer. 
Plus, there was this...

Last summer, I was sicker than I've ever been in my life. I had no idea what was wrong with me, and no Doctor seemed capable of giving me a diagnosis. For the next 6 months I was so weak I couldn’t stand, walk or even hold my own head up. My white blood cell count was that of a dead person’s. Most of my days were spent lying in bed. The few times I ventured out to either go to yet another fruitless Dr appointment, or to force myself to go to work, I had to wear a neck brace (otherwise my head would limply fall forward on to my chest) and I was confined to a wheelchair. I saw many, many specialists, and lived a nightmarish existence I’ll share with you in greater detail some other time. (I'm sure you can't wait!)

The bottom line is, I was finally diagnosed with Lupus Myelitis in late December, and, after some intensive infusions and treatments, I’m almost in complete remission and I feel fantastic. I've never been so grateful in my life. I kid you not when I say the experience was even worse than what happened to me in London when my Guts blew up.

Since I couldn’t go up or down stairs without agonizing effort during those long, lonely 6 months, I was pretty much a prisoner in my bedroom.  
It would have been the perfect time to write a brilliant novel or simply read a trashy one. 
But I couldn't really concentrate, so I ended up whiling most of the days away on the computer. Jenny’s blog became kind of a way for me to connect to the outside world. She made me laugh and I instantly liked her. We had begun tweeting each other, and eventually began exchanging emails.

It was at this time a few trusted people I’d known on twitter for a long time began warning me away from Jenny. They told me she was a scammer, a con artist, and a felon. She’d embezzled a ton of money and even spent time in jail. Rather recently, she'd been accused of fraud.

This gave me only the briefest of pauses. 
After all, I’d done some pretty embarrassing things when I used, and she had already paid the price for her mistakes. I decided to ignore all the warnings.
I'm an asshole.
This is how it went for months. Me, bored out of my skull, being entertained by Jenny’s blog posts & the amusing people who commented on it.

Then, in October, Jenny offered to wear a SLAM t-shirt as she ran in a Marathon. She said this would bring some much-needed attention to my non-profit foundation dedicated to building NYC’s 1st sober high school. Even though I didn't really look at it as a huge deal, I thought this was a lovely gesture and thanked her profusely both privately and on twitter.

The day of the marathon, I even tweeted my thanks to her while being prepped for a spinal tap at the Mayo clinic, where I was for two weeks. I shared what was really going on with only a small number of people, and by this time, Jenny was one of them. 

Remember those friends of mine who had warned me about her? Well, it turns out they were trying to warn others about her and basically causing Jenny hurt and pain. I wrote one of them a few times and pleaded with her to stop saying mean things. 
Here's one of the letters I wrote, which I eventually shared with Jenny:

Listen, I wanna talk to you abt Jenny. You of course are TOTALLY welcome to your beliefs, and who knows? Maybe someday I'll say "you were right!"
But the one thing I wanted to say is: she says she was struggling with addiction stuff when all this was going on yrs ago. Yes, she did wrong shit, she went to jail, and decided to change. She's worked hard to stay drama free with all the blogging stuff.
I guess what I'm saying is, if people judged me on who I was 7 years ago, I'd have no friends.
If you don't like her for what she does today, well, then that's your biz. .
But it seems most of your anti-Jenny stuff is abt her past.
She has never mentioned you or any of this to me, in a tweet or DM, ok?  But just as I would try to defend you, I'm trying to defend her.
If you don't care about any of this, and just don't like her, cool. That's your deal. I respect that.
But if I saw someone I liked saying something about you, I'd do the same.  I'm just sensitive to someone being hated for behavior they regret deeply. I'm a big believer that people can change...after all, I did.

And so they stopped, despite their strong feelings that Jenny was a con artist. Not a negative word was uttered about her for months, at least that I saw.

Okay, so you know how you get that funny tickle on the back of your throat when one of your friends is angry with you? Or that odd feeling in your chest when you feel something you’ve done or said has maybe hurt someone you care about? But you're clueless as to what you did? If you think back, there were warning signs that they were gonna blow. Oh shit, I knew something was off! Or Fuck me, I knew I shouldn't have hit on her husband at their wedding! Dumb, dumb, dumb! Then, when the bomb goes off, there’s almost a relief.

But our gal Jenny doesn’t believe in warnings. No sir. Our gal Jenny's more like an Al Quaeda terrorist who happily munches on warm nuts in First Class seconds before causing death and destruction. In January she lashed out at me so suddenly, with such stunning force, that when I read her tweet during a rehearsal, I recall actually saying the words “What the fuck” very loudly.

She was enraged that I didn’t thank her properly for wearing a SLAM t-shirt for
the marathon she had run months ago. She accused me of being unsupportive, and was furious that she paid $300 to run in this marathon, all for nothing. She was sick of me “playing both sides of the fence” and “not standing up for her when it counted.”

It was an absurd, insane display of pettiness, jealousy and madness. (Not to mention I subsequently found out the entrance fee for this particular race was $63.00. Not $300)

She then wrote a vicious blog about it, which I chose not to read. But I got the gist. I was a fucking D-list, ungrateful psychotic cunt.
Wow. Okay then. See ya, psycho. Sorry I stood up for you & supported you.
At the time, I wrote this twit longer about it:
I know there's been lots of twitter drama since last night, and since I don't have a blog (nor will I read anyone else's)...here's my truth. Take it or leave it.I don't know how I stumbled onto Jenny's blog/twitter, but she made me laugh my ass off. Her writing is superb, cutting, observant. I became a big fan fast, and soon we struck up an email friendship.When this happened, maybe 6-8 months ago, suddenly people I've known for years warned me off her. She's shady, she did this & that, felon, blah blah blah. Which I didn't care about. Since I'm an addict in recovery & have made so many mistakes in my past.... I would hate for someone to judge me based on those, only to throw them back in my face years later.However, a few longtime pals felt very differently about Jenny. This was awkward, and I was very clear with them that I hated that they were talking about her. I approached them on numerous occasions, asking them to stop saying such negative stuff about Jenny. As my friend T will attest, I wrote LONG emails to her on Jenny's behalf.I never did so publicly on twitter because, frankly, I wasn't interested in getting a rise out of everyone else & inspiring even MORE feuding.Unfortunately, I guess my friendship with Jenny and the other ladies made it seem like I "played both sides of the fence" which in my opinion, is not true. I NEVER ONCE said a negative word about Jenny to them, and vice versa. I LIKED THEM BOTH.
I totally enjoyed reading Jenny's blogs, interacting with her followers, and our occasional emails. I did, and still do, think she's incredibly talented. I'm also very grateful she volunteered to represent my non-profit organization by wearing a t-shirt in a marathon she ran, which I expressed to her at the time.
 However,  it has clearly become too uncomfortable & hurtful to Jenny to be friends with her. This really bums me out, and even though I don't like the way she did it, I guess I understand why.
I really wish old crap could stay in the past here on twitter. But, I always say "it's my twitter, I'll write what I want"....so I guess I have to respect the same toward others.I will not trash Jenny or anyone involved with her, I'm not interested in more drama. I'm serious. I'm still really sick with Lupus, I have IV infusions nightly, and frankly...I hate it.If anyone's looking for me to join some feud, I got better shit to do.And, as always with this stuff, I wish my friend Lynn were here.I will always remain a huge fan of Jenny's writing.
KJo 


And that has been the only thing I’ve said about Jenny publicly since January.
If only she had done the same. I guess her meltdown was questionable for even her most devoted followers, and she was called out on it. To such an extent that she was pressured into making up shit about me to explain the reasons for her insane behavior.
I don’t know this for a fact. It’s just a guess. 
But how else to explain the fact that she proceeded to tell many people such libelous and damaging lies about me, my sobriety, my sanity, my reputation as an actress, the veracity of my illness and the legitimacy of my non-profit organization?

I can't go into further detail, for many reasons. But lets just leave it at: this woman did everything in her power to destroy the very things in life I've worked hardest for. The things I hold most dear.
Jenny. Jenny. Jenny. 
You went way too far.
You should NOT have made up such horrible, blatant lies about my sobriety.
You should not have made whatever you wanted and claimed it as truth.

You’re very, very lucky I’m not suing you. 
When you spread lies about my sobriety, you potentially negatively impacted my book sales.
When you make up hideous shit and claim it’s “insider scoop” from a beloved, Oscar nominated comedian, you potentially negatively impact my career.
Unlike you, I work for a living. 
You are a lying, stealing, con-artist who’s spent a nice chunk of time in jail for embezzlement.
I hear one more word out of you about me or anything I’ve spent my life busting my ass to build, I will call my attorney.
And I will sue you.

My management team is reaching out to your famous "friends" right now.

I’m from the midwest too, bitch. I throw down just as hard as you. And I’m sane.
I win.


Seeing the Possibilities in The Impossible

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Well, it finally happened.
Dreams really can come true. I've learned you need only one thing to make the impossible possible.
It's not money. Luck. Ambition. Support. Or even hard work.
All those are key.
But the one aspect ESSENTIAL to making any dream a reality is to never, ever, ever give up.

As I sit here, tears streaming down my cheeks, I know that no matter what else happens in my life; no matter how shitty my week has been or how difficult it is to have people question your character or sobriety....none of it matters.

Because today I get to share with all of you this....the best news of my entire life, thus far.

Thank you all who've believed in us & helped so much, for so many years. We love you.

Kristen



SLAM's founders Kristen Johnston & Joe Schrank

SLAM board president Thom Krauss & Kristen Johnston
MEDIA RELEASE 
After an eight-year odyssey, today SLAM announced it's bringing a recovery-focused  program to a NYC public high school 

New York, 23 March, 2015 – 

The drug and alcohol epidemic in the United States is a national health crisis, especially among our teenagers. According to the US Government and Columbia University, one out of every five teenagers in the US meets the medical criteria for addiction. 
The number of teens in New York City and state suffering from drug and alcohol addiction are well above the national average--- OASIS reports that in the state of New York, almost 160,000 teens age 12-17 have a substance abuse problem. If a teen is lucky enough to be sent to a rehab, 90% of them relapse upon returning to school. 80% in the first 30 days. 
 
This is why SLAM (Sobriety, Learning, and Motivation) was created eight years ago. Founded by Kristen Johnston, Thom Krauss and Joe Schrank, SLAM is a nonprofit organization committed to creating New York City’s first recovery supported tract within a high school. SLAM is a board comprised of New Yorkers from all walks of life who all came together out of their shared desire to help teens struggling with addiction. SLAM has had priceless support & guidance from Michelle Lipinksi, the creator and principal of Northshore Recovery high school, one of the first sober high schools in the Boston area.  
Today, SLAM’s board is incredibly proud to announce a collaboration with Lavelle prep in Staten Island- a school already renowned for its curriculum...and now the first NYC public school to take the extraordinary step of implementing an intensive recovery program specific to the many teens in NYC seeking recovery from drugs or alcohol.  
“We are beyond thrilled to announce this new partnership with Lavelle Prep; it’s an incredible step forward,” says Joe Schrank, recovered alcoholic, founder of TheFix.com, and leading NYC addiction expert. “We at SLAM believe that New York City kids suffering from addiction deserve a school where they will not only receive a top-notch education in a recovery-centric environment entirely free from drugs and alcohol, but also learn the crucial life skills necessary to grow and thrive for the rest of their lives." 

“Addiction is our black plague,” says SLAM's Executive Director  Kristen Johnston, an Emmy award winning actress who's also a passionate addiction advocate and the author of the bestselling memoir GUTS.  "Addiction is an epidemic that kills hundreds a day, many of them children. This is a disease that doesn't just destroy the lives of those suffering from addiction. There's also a terrible toll on those who love those suffering. As a society, we can no longer afford to bury our heads in the sand, hoping if we ignore it, addiction will just go away. We must change how we navigate every element of this disease, and we must do this now." 
Mr. Schrank agrees “Of course we’re focusing on teens who need recovery, as well as providing support for their loved ones. However, since more than 11 million children are living with an addicted parent, helping those kids will be our focus as well." 
SLAM’s program will include not only Lavelle’s top-notch college preparatory curriculum and extensive additional support and counseling to help recovering students reach their full potential, but it will also support students with an impaired parent. SLAM will act in an advisory capacity as well as fund-raising to provide much needed support, including an on site CASAC (certified addiction and substance abuse counselor). 
Ms. Johnston adds “Since it’s well documented that adolescents who use drugs or alcohol prior to the age of 21 years old are FIVE times more likely to develop long term addictions, there’s only one way to successfully fight this epidemic. We have to start at ground zero: with our kids." 
NYC addiction psychiatrist and SLAM board member Dr. Scott Beinenfeld agrees "It is essential to begin to address the disease of substance abuse as soon as possible. At 20, 25 years old…it’s too late. Not for sobriety, of course. But too late to stop the terrible negative toll addiction will take on their lives, and ours, for years to come." 
The stats don't lie: if a teen struggling with addiction attends a recovery high school, 70% of them graduate clean & sober.  
For interview and media queries, contact Annie Scranton at o: 212.254.4730c: 732.642.7192f: 212.257.6441annie@pacepublicrelations.com 
For more information on SLAM, or to make a donation
http://slamnyc.org

Keeping The Marble

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My very stubborn, brilliant & beloved young relative Karl Herschede has struggled a long time with alcohol. He wrote me 3 years ago after reading GUTS & admitted he was scared. He couldn't seem to stop drinking red wine.

Karl is the younger brother of my wonderful brother-in-law, August.  Up til then, I never knew him that well, we'd only see each other at holidays and other family gatherings. Despite his quiet nature, I've always loved his sense of humor. That, plus he'd always help my mom put up her endless Christmas decorations every year, which made me adore him.


We've only really gotten to know each other in the past three years, in long emails. In his missives to me, I was always impressed by his intelligence, self-awareness, and desire for sobriety.  He shared with me his dawning comprehension that all of his unhappiness, loneliness & depression, every bad thing in his life were all rooted in his inability to stop drinking.


Despite his brutal honesty about his addiction, every time I suggested different paths to recovery to him...from certain rehabs I knew he'd like to 12 step meetings to addiction psychiatrists to sober friends of mine I felt could help him, he remained absolutely, utterly convinced his willpower was enough.




He was strong. He was smart. He was independant. And he definitely didn’t need any help.
(Sound familiar? Or is that just me?)

And you know what? His plan worked! 

For a week. A few days. A month. But over & over again, he would relapse and apologize to me, as if he betrayed me. 
I'd always tell him it's not me he's betraying. 

Finally, Oct 7th of last year I recieved an amazing email from him. 

"Kristen,
I'm sorry for letting you down in the past but I'm hoping you can help me now. It's been a long 2 1/2 years since I first reached out to you and things haven't gotten any better. In fact, they've gotten even worse. I need help; I'm ready to accept it. I know I spurned your help in the past but if you are still offering I think rehab would do me greatly."
I was astonished. I truly never in my wildest dreams thought he'd ever ask for real help.

So, I hooked him up with this incredible place in Brooklyn I knew he'd love.  It's called Rebound Brooklyn, and the two men who run it, Joe Schrank and Dr. Scott Beinenfeld both saved my stubborn ass, so I figured they were his best shot.
I knew he couldn't afford it (WHY THE FUCK DOESN'T INSURANCE HELP COVER REHABS???), so that night I wrote him this:
"Karl,  I'm covering your stay there. Just so we're clear, this is a one time deal. You miss this flight on Friday, change your mind again, go on bender. etc....that's it. No more help from me. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. 
I pray you take it.If not, I'm afraid I can offer you nothing else. 
Much love
K"
He responded:
"Kristen, 
Thank you from the deepest of my soul. I've never said that before....this is the kindest thing that anyone has ever done for me." 

He went to Brooklyn. 


I've received many emails & texts from him since, but what he shared with me last week blew my mind.

When I asked him, a very private, proud man if I could share with you guys, I assumed he'd say no, or at least want to be anonymous.

Instead he responded "Absolutely! Use my name. Something to be damn proud of.”


Yes it is, Karl Herschede. Damn proud.

"Kristen
Six months ago, when I was in Brooklyn, an old man grabbed my elbow and brought me over to the corner of the basement room we were in. He had a gift for me.
Looking me squarely in the eye, he gave me a marble.

Baffled, I looked up at him.  
"Karl" He said bluntly "If you think of drinking ever again look at this marble and remember this moment.  And if you do drink, throw this marble away because you’ve fucking lost all of yours. Ok?" 

I still have my marble.

Today marks six months of sobriety and is something to be proud of. It's not six years, sixteen years, twenty-six years or more (John and Paul, two guys I have to thank the most in my community, fall into that regal length of time) but I'm off to a solid start. And of course, my biggest thanks goes to Kristen. The one person who believed in me enough to kick my ass all the way to Brooklyn and start me on my way. 

It’s possible to keep a marble, even after years of losing them.

Karl"

If you or anyone you know can relate to Karl's journey, I wanted to share this with you because there IS hope. Recovery is possible for ANYONE, regardless of age, how many rehabs they've gone to, relapses they've suffered, crushing failures & disappointments, endlessly causing pain for those who love you the most.


Just remember: Sometimes, there is no braver or stronger choice than asking for help.

That one took me almost 40 years.

And Karl....I'm DAMN proud of the man you're becoming. You inspire ME.


K


Good Little Sober Girl

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Speech I gave in Baltimore, on May 13th, 2015 at a luncheon to raise funds for Father Martin's Ashley, a local rehab for women


Thank you so much for asking me to be here today, and to such an extraordinary event.
Does it stagger anyone else that there’s almost no stigma or shame associated with getting wasted or puking on someone’s shoes?  In fact, it’s encouraged. It’s even considered entertaining television to watch people struggle with their addictions.

We live in a society that tells us, over & over, that using is fine.  It’s only when you QUIT that you’re judged. It’s only when you QUIT that you’re encouraged to be quiet, to be anonymous. It’s only when you QUIT, and if you’re God Forbid, open about it, or even dare to write a book about it, that suddenly you’re treated as if you’ve done something wrong.

We HAVE to change this. We HAVE to, because whether we like to admit it or not, this is an epidemic, and more and more people are dying.

There are so few diseases that cause the sufferer to become someone worthy of people’s derision, causes them to hurt the people they love most, act in ways they themselves know is destroying them, and where there is so little support out there for those that suffer from it. Mental illness, eating disorders, and addiction. Or, as I like to call it, the trifecta of Judgement.
Social media has been a fascinating & powerful way to connect with those still suffering. I admit, my reason for joining Twitter was to promote my book. Which it has. 
But I’ve been staggered by the DELUGE of people reaching out to me, sharing the dark secrets they’ve carried in shame for years. I never could have imagined how many people are in so much pain & just need to connect with someone who won’t judge them. 
Many of those people are sober today, not because of me. THEY did that. 
But because I listened, didn’t judge, and shared with them any information I possibly could, maybe they felt that they weren’t worthless.

It is, without exception, the greatest thing I’ve ever witnessed in my whole life.

And it shows you that anger, hatred, secrets, judgement & “Just Say NO” might NOT be the best way to navigate this horrific epidemic.

Of course, like anything, there’s a dark side to it as well. As an addict who’s “out,”I often get slammed with people’s bitterness & anger.The worst part is, every single day I read something that underscores how misunderstood addiction is, and how far we still have to go.

For example, here's an actual interaction from just the other day:
I wrote:  “I bet if Ebola killed 100 Americans a day wed be FLIPPING out. Yet drugs kill that many, MOST of them r TEENS.”
Which inspired someone to respond with: “Can't choose Ebola. Can choose not to do drugs."
I wrote back: “Many think this. It's untrue. Addiction is a brain disease, has been for 40 years. Please research”
His response: “Addiction equals weakness. Nothing more.”

What’s disturbing isn’t really the exchange itself, what’s disturbing is how often I have it. No matter where I am, over & over, every single day, sometimes many times a day, I hear the same thing….people tell me addiction is weakness, a choice, addicts are stupid, lazy, selfish. 

I couldn’t begin to estimate how many times I’ve been accused of calling addiction a disease as an excuse, because I’m incapable of accepting any responsibility for my choices.

It doesn’t matter to these people that the medical community long ago labeled addiction a disease, and did so before my own parents were even born. Despite reams of articles written by brilliant scientists who spend their lives researching addiction, millions of books, articles, blogs, all available on the internet…They're wrong.
These people know the truth. And the truth is…addiction is a moral failing that only happens to the weak.

While my 1st instinct might be to verbally throttle these people, I know that this is an opinion shared by a huge portion of society. Including my mother.

So I try not to lecture, or rattle off stats. That doesn’t work. 
I try not to get angry, because that only closes minds, which is the opposite of what I want.

All I ask of people is to just try to open their minds to the concept that we might have a differently wired brain than they do.

You see, it's up to us.
It’s urgent we reach people, because we’ve moved past epidemic. 
We’re now in the bulls-eye of one of the worst health disasters of the century, and without question the death toll has reached crisis levels.
I feel compelled to try to open people’s minds to the reality of this, and the true devastation it causes.
So many lives cut down way too young.
So much loss, even for those in recovery.
I lost forever the chance to give birth. I lost a wonderful man who loved me. I lost many incredible friends. I lost jobs. 
I lost money. (Hundreds of thousands) I lost my self-esteem. I lost my reputation. I lost. And lost. And lost.

I stopped many, many times. I’m a very strong-willed person. And I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t ever really stop. 
I knew nothing of recovery, I had no examples of someone who had successfully stopped & was proud of their life.
Racking my brain, all I could ever seem to come up with were these 2 options:
I could quit & spend the rest of my life miserable in a church basement, complaining to a bunch of sad sacks, desperately wishing I was high….
or I could keep using and die.
I chose death every single time, no hesitation.

For years I believed I was a miserable, selfish, self-hating monster.
And in many ways, I was.

In the 8 years since I've gotten sober, I’ve worked very hard to become a good human being. I do everything I possibly can to help addicts and remove some of the stigma associated with this terrible disease. I speak all over the country. I’m trying to give a voice to the voiceless, and show people that recovery is possible. That not all addicts (or, for that matter, actresses) are selfish, spoiled brats without the willpower to face real life. I’m still deeply flawed, in fact, one of the reasons recovery is so difficult is because suddenly you have to deal with the REASONS you used, the harm you caused...and as many in this room can attest, it aint pretty. 

But most of all, what has absolutely staggered me, is how many have been suffering in silence for so long.

Addiction is so misunderstood, so misrepresented, so embarrassing, such a secret to so many that I’m terrified that nothing will change unless WE START TALKING ABOUT IT. There are so many misguided, misinformed people out there, that even those who claim they want to “help” addicts can do terrible damage.

In fact, one of the most ironic, mortifying, and enraging events of my entire life occurred to me a month ago, after I spoke at a luncheon just like this one.

Normally, I never accept speaking engagements while shooting my TV show ‘the exes’, for obvious reasons. I also was diagnosed last year with Lupus Myelitis, and even though I am thankfully in remission, I do get exhausted very easily. My health & sobriety take priority over EVERYTHING, so I’m very careful not to overextend myself. (Believe me, a very new concept for me.)

Unfortunately, life isn’t always tidy, and because these events have to book speakers many months in advance, sometimes the schedule gets complicated. Therefore, due to scheduling changes beyond my control, it turned out this event landed smack dab in the middle of work. I wanted to cancel, badly...but it was too late. I couldn’t do it to them. Besides, it seemed like a wonderful organization, and they would pay me a nice fee, which, I always donate most of to SLAM,  the non-profit I founded to create NYC’s first recovery high school.

Plus, I wanted to be a good sober girl.

I arrived the night before the event, exhausted,  and was driven 45 minutes right from the airport to the VIP party.  The instant we pulled up, a woman came out to the driveway to greet me. “You’re LATE.” 
What a welcome! This rude woman was the organizer of the annual lunch (let’s call her Carol.) 
The entire evening felt a bit like a dog & pony show, and I was the pony. While there, I did meet someone very special, who changed everything. The hostess of the party had a 14 year old daughter, who offered to give me a tour of their stunning home.

We sat on the dock for a bit, and she shared with me that she was really struggling. She had started at a new school earlier that year, and was being bullied mercilessly for her height & her love of reading. I fell in love with this sweet, smart, lonely girl. When I found out she would be at the luncheon the next day, I asked Carol as well as her mom if it would be okay if I threw out the speech I’d written, and read a 12-page chapter from GUTS instead. This chapter, called “The Freak Has Landed” was about how I was bullied in grade school because of my height & love of books. 
They both agreed that it was a great idea.
I even warned Carol that there were a few swear words (I think I say shit twice). She said “great!”

The next day, I gave a press conference, and then the luncheon began. After a few awards were given, it was my turn. The chapter normally takes 20 minutes for me to read a loud, but I edited it the night before. I couldn’t have been up there much longer than 15 minutes.

While reading the chapter, my legs started feeling wobbly (which they do from time to time due to my Lupus, especially if I stupidly wear heels). Since there was a small step near the podium on the stage, I perched on that. 
I was almost to the end when suddenly, the host walked onstage, clearly cutting me off. I was stunned. 
I said “But there are only 2 paragraphs left.” 
From the audience, Carol started unenthusiastically clapping. I was dismissed.
Humiliated, I was escorted to the lobby to sign my book, however since people were still in luncheon,  I sat alone in the lobby for 15 minutes.

I’m not proud of the fact that I burst into tears. I felt disrespected  confused and angry. I tried to address it with Carol in the elevator, but she literally rolled her eyes at me. I was totally baffled. What the hell is going on? 

I got on the next flight back to LA & back to my real life, my true friends, my amazing job.  
I decided to just forget the whole luncheon thing.
The next day, I skimmed a lovely article written about the event in the state’s paper someone had sent me.
It wasn’t until the 2nd day that I finally understood Carol’s disgust. That same writer from the day before wrote a new article on the event, and the tone of this one was VERY different. Asserting that I was “in disarray,” “a mess” that I swore incessantly, I sat on the edge of the stage,  and I rambled on from my book for 45 minutes. 

Carol added comments so cruel they took my breath away. They all but flat-out accused me of being wasted.
The entire tone was judgmental, cutting and vicious. The worst part is, no one even bothered to call me for a comment.
When my manager, (who had spoken to Carol 100s of times that week alone) called her, furious, Carol explained that they were all very worried about me. 

Which of course makes TOTAL  sense. I mean, if I’m ever concerned about someone’s sobriety, why try to connect with someone close to them who cares about their well being (in this case, my manager.) 
Instead, I’d go straight to the press & eviscerate their character…I mean, really. Which is more helpful?

That’s when I realized I will always pay a price for once being an addict. 
Now, I’ll cop to being exhausted, not wanting to be there. I’ll admit it was NOT my finest hour.

But to many,  I’m no longer allowed a shitty day, to be tired, to have lupus, or swear. If so, the conclusion is immediate and swift: “She’s relapsed.”

When the story hit, because I was an addict for so long, and lied for so many years, I knew that any denial on my end would be laughable. I can’t begin to estimate the thousands of lies I told & denials I made for decades…so I didn’t even bother.

I will say this, however: I may relapse, God Forbid. It’s a terrifying & very real possibility for EVERY addict.  However,  if I ever do relapse, I deeply hope I’d have the grace not to show up high at a RECOVERY EVENT. 

The impact of this article was grave, and I’ll tell you why:
Not only did it absolutely crush me, and really upset countless people in recovery and friends who left messages, reached out to me on social media, & via email, panicked that I had relapsed. 

Despite 8 years of recovery, I was suddenly thrust back in time, and I felt just like I did all those years ago: guilty, silent, full of shame, and utterly helpless. A pill-popping lush. That’s when I remembered what someone in the program once said to me...”You can’t control what others think of your recovery.” That’s when suddenly struck me: I’m not that person anymore. I know who I am. I know what I did & didn’t do. I know myself, and trust myself, finally. 
And, at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. 

So, I got over it. The reason it was so grave is the impact it could’ve had by those struggling with addiction who happened to read that utter dreck. I couldn’t help but imagine them thinking “Well, now I can never tell a soul. If this is how an organization supportive of addiction speaks about someone they think has relapsed? How could I ever tell my parents, friends, co-workers? If this lady is so disgusted, I can't bear to see what their reaction would be.”

So, just from this one article, they continue to suffer in silence.  Just one little article.

Since then, I’ve often wondered how many were harmed by the article? And how on earth people can be so cruel? I mean, let’s say, for arguments sake, that I had in fact relapsed. My God, where’s the kindness? The empathy? The compassion? Especially from those who should know better?

It just astounded me. But it also lit a fire.

How can so little be known about a public health crisis as massive as addiction?
Where are all the fundraisers, the charity balls, the angry marches, the fiery speeches from capitol?
Where’s our goddamn quilt?

My initial reaction was to vow that I would honor my commitment here in Baltimore, and then never do it again. I mean, I may not be in Mensa, but I’m no dummy. 

But after a bit, I changed my mind. You can write, or say anything you want about me, you can try to destroy my reputation, question my sobriety, toss hate at me and tell me to keep my mouth shut like a good little sober girl.

Guess what? I won’t. 

Kristen Johnston


UPDATE: GUTLESS

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The original version of this blog was posted Tuesday, February 3, 2015. I kept it up a week, then took it down. I made my point, and I didn't want to have to read such nastiness on my own blog.

However,  it recently came to my attention that Bullyville, a renowned & very popular site that aggressively goes after cyberbullies & pedophiles has now focused on my cyberbully...vinniespina.com

Mrs. Spina has apparently renewed her assaults on me on twitter, out of misplaced rage. 

Therefore, I have no choice but to re-post the below, with the original comments. I'm closing any new comments.

I hope someday twitter finds a way to better protect those that are there simply to laugh, talk to people, and discuss issues.

Until then, tread lightly, my smartasses.

*The twitter handles of these people have since changed.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

UPDATE: GUTLESS by Kristen Johnston

Warning: Materials included NOT for the faint of heart or those in possesion of any kind of soul.

This is not a story I want to tell, at ALL. In fact, I’d rather be doing something fun, like getting my arms chopped off.

It’s about a cyberbully.
More specifically, my experience with a cyberbully.

I’m a busy gal, I’ve been in this business a long time, and trust me, the last thing I care about is what people (especially those I don’t respect) think or say about me.
And when they’re hiding behind a fake name on twitter, I care even less.

However, after years of blocking and ignoring and reporting and blocking and ignoring this one particular situation, I’ve decided to finally address it,  for one reason only:
Because there’s one thing that’s even worse than when someone terrorizes you for no reason, completely determined to destroy anything that matters to you.  And that would be if a kid or someone with low self-esteem went through what I have… yet it happens every day.
No wonder people are killing themselves.
That’s why I decided to share my story. To say you’re not alone.

To be clear, this isn’t about mean comments. This isn’t something that you can block, ignore & it’ll go away. This is day after day, multiple accounts all created with the sole purpose of ruining your life.  This is about creating hate & porn-filled websites using a version of your name. This is multiple blogs filled with lies absolute lies about your reputation printed on a blog, as if they’re facts.

All of this, simply because I refused to block someone this woman hated.

The fact that this type of slander and disgusting terrible lies were allowed to continue while Twitter sat by, barely lifting a finger to help…it blows my mind. 

I dunno, but if someone is consistently proven to be a terrible scourge who tries to destroy people and twitter suspends them…how on earth are they allowed to create dozens of different accounts that same day, and continue on with their behavior?

I never wanted anything bad to happen to this woman. 
I JUST WANTED HER TO STOP.

Now, I certainly don’t blame bullies or terrible people on Twitter. I’m well aware there are shitty people everywhere. But when Twitter doesn’t enforce it’s own TOS, or take real, true, proven cyberbullies seriously..most people feel Twitter doesn’t give a shit about them, as long as the promoted ads are running, who cares about anything else.

Which is why pretty soon it’ll just be the loons left, after they’ve forced everyone else to leave. 
Unless Twitter changes how they navigate the sickening behavior I describe below…

For Many years I've advised others to block cyberbullies & trolls. I still believe this is wisest & most effective, and I’ve done the same. However, in this one particular case I learned the hard way that it served to only exacerbate the issue, because for the past 2 1/2 years, I’ve been trashed and bullied by a disbarred lawyer/housewives blogger named Vincenza Spina and more recently, her cohorts-especially a gentleman named Brandon King, a self-proclaimed hacker who has multiple arrests and a long documentation of criminal behavior.

These two and a few of their pals have spread terrible lies about me and many others with abandon and zero regard to the truth. There are countless victims in their wake. 

Ms. Spina alone has caused many innocent people to leave Twitter. As far as I’m aware, she’s tried (and in a few cases succeeded) to destroy people’s careers & hurt their families. She’s called their bosses, made outrageous claims of illegal and immoral behavior they’ve supposedly done, accused them of harassing her, reported many to the IRS, released old, sealed arrest records (which she’s not above doctoring), posted peoples names and addresses, and in many cases (including mine) accused people of pedophilia or supporting it. She and Mr. King adore that one.

Until yesterday, I've never said one word about them publicly on twitter. I've only mentioned them in DM's in support of some victims of theirs who've reached out to me.

Before I go any further, I think it’s important to give you just a small taste if what I’ve been navigating for the past few years. Here's a twitter conversation that took place just a few days ago between Ms. Spina (she is currently @Buk_WheatMedia @BuckWheet) & Mr. King (currently @PirateLabCorp, @Psycho_Loyler)

A few helpful tidbits: 

*I’m “KJo”
*The 'LOLyer' they refer to is my own lawyer, a gentleman I was finally forced to hire in November after Ms. Spina crossed the line by posting my private emails to another party that she altered to suit her purposes on her "entertainment" blog trashing me. 
*The “Uniballer” is my friend Ed, a victim of testicular cancer. 
*Queenz Of Media is my friend Grace, a brilliant transgendered woman they accuse of being Michael Johnson, an alleged black prostitute with AIDS. She is white, doesn’t have aides, and her birth name was not Michael Johnson.
*Both Ed & Grace are among the very few who are unafraid of these people.

Since some of the following don’t seem to be posting, I also wrote them here…(joy)
These are from Brandon King to Faux:

*Kristen Johnson (sic) is friends with Michael Johnson aka QueenzOf Media a convicted  
  Pedophile, prostitute & admitted drug user.

*She uses a transgendered prostitue @QueenzOf Media to target people including children.

*She's too stupid to realize all her dms are avail through subpoena, when that gets out she'll 

  prolly end up in jail.

*She can't even get a bit part on TV. She's washed up. The End.


*She fails at everything apparently


*That washed-up D-list actress is a whack job.


*I bet Michael & his buddies have gang bangs on KJo.


*You gotta know KJo loves slobbing on Michaels Knob. EWW! That is one rank human being.


*That washed up D-list actress needs to get back on drugs, might help her personality cus she's    

  digusting sober. LOL.

*20 years later no one cares about her except trannies, trolls and the dregs of society, she's a 

  winner, derp.

*If it wasn't for John Lithgow no 1 would even know who she is or care she sucked on that  
 show anyway, every1 hated her character.

*Mostly cus her character was actually just her cus she can't act, she rode Lithgow dick to

  minor celebrity.

*Meh she's not a fraud she's a scumbag, she should have done the world a favor an OD'ed. She 
  sucks as an actress and a human being.

Here are a few of Vincenza Spina aka Faux aka @Buk_WheatMedia’s tweets:

*She surrounds herself with addictive personalities, easily influenced & tells them who to 
  follow, what to think & who to attack. 

*She's the ring leader. Her emails & DM's will be #Gold


*She keeps it under wraps by sending Cyst & Desease letters (Faux's adorable lawyer-speak for 

  Cease & Desist letters) to try to quiet legit stories mainstream picks it up. #BAAAAAM



                           


Now, while I may suck as an actress, as an addict in recovery who celebrated my 8th year of sobriety in March,  someone wishing I’d overdosed is truly the lowest form of humanity there is. Especially coming from a gentleman with a well-documented  history of drug issues himself.
Regardless of the terrible things he’s said about me, I would never wish death upon him.

It’s also worth noting that I’ve done nothing to incite this rage.

Also, as many can attest, I’ve often DMed their other victims who were angrily tweeting about them & asked them to stop. 
That it's WHAT THEY WANT, and I don't want good people turning into hideous venomous hateful creatures. 
Let's leave that to them. 

In fact, these people would be quite surprised to know that I'm far from the "leader" of this "movement" against them. I certainly hope my DM's are "subpoenaed." Though the idea that either of these creatures would take me to court is laughable…for what? 

"Your honor, this woman has dared to defend herself against the multitude of lies & years of harrassment we've spread against her. HOW DARE SHE???!!"


Now, I admit I'm deeply flawed.

I don't know much, but I am positive about these things:
I'm loyal to a fault, 
I would never intentionally harm anyone, 
I try never to lie and I can't stand it when other people do.

THE BEGINNING


About four years ago, I was new to social media and was being  harassed by someone who couldn’t understand why I couldn't cure him of his addiction. I had no clue how best to handle it, so I mentioned it to an actress friend of mine who had more social media knowledge than I. She instantly said she said she had the perfect person,  a woman who was an expert and ran a wonderful anti-cyberbullying site in her spare time.


That's how I met Kitty.

I liked her immediately, and eventually became email friends. Kitty had fantastic advice as to how to navigate this sort of thing...the best way to report to twitter, law enforcement, etc. Because this gentleman was somewhat of an ongoing issue, and I ended up having a few other undesirables over the years,  I happily compensated her for her time, wisdom and effort. 
I also donated to her anti-cyber bullying site, providing her interviews, allowing her to use my name & photo to promote her work....and, I tweeted about her & her site quite often.

That's when the lovely Vincenza Spina entered. 


VINCENZA LEONELLI SPINA


She went by the handle @FauxRealityEnt then (she’s had many name changes since), who wrote a housewives blog (which at the time, was fairly popular). From now on, I'll refer to her as Faux.


Here’s why Faux began focusing on me. We interacted a few times right after I was on WWHL when GUTS 1st came out. She seemed okay, if a bit nasty, and I tried reading her blog but I don’t watch the Housewives and had no clue who anyone was. Plus, it was poorly written and seemed incredibly mean-spirited. 

Shortly after a tweet where I once again mentioned Kitty’s site, Faux began demanding I denounce Kitty and her husband as pedophiles. She had PROOF. 
I told Faux that I could’t do that. Kitty had done a great job for me, and that's all I knew of her. 
Faux kept insisting this woman raped kids, blah blah blah….

Kitty would write me daily in hysterics, so deeply traumatized by what Faux was doing to her. I felt just awful for her.
So I blocked Faux.  I guess she didn’t appreciate that so much.

Thus began her campaign of lies & hate against me. I kept hearing from people that she was constantly tweeting me cruel shit & writing derogatory blogs abt me on her website, accusing me of “SUPPORTING A KNOWN PEDOPHILE,” of being bi-polar, a bully, a psycho, that I’ve relapsed, that my charity is just a front to swindle $$, that I trash everyone, I’m a hypocrite & she can prove it (she never has) and that I have no career (which, coming from a disbarred attorney to a working actress is pretty amusing.) Nothing was off limits: my sobriety, the truthfulness of my book, my intentions behind helping other addicts.

I never read them, I’d just hear about them.
I never once responded.
I never said one word about her on Twitter until yesterday.
In fact, I never even reported Faux to twitter until a few months ago, in November. 
And that was only because I had to.

Soon, I began to learn that I was far from her first victim. In fact, I soon discovered that over the years this woman’s been on social media, people of ALL ages have been forced to suffer an ungodly nightmare brought upon them by Ms. Spina, a woman they’d never met. Careers destroyed. Children used as pawns of retribution & put in harms way. People’s names & home addresses posted.  Terrible lies. Pathetic accusations. So much terrible suffering.
All caused by this one person on twitter, and the few others who support her. 

Now, I'm a big girl.  People have every right to have whatever opinion they want about me.

But lying? Defaming?  Trying to get me fired? That’s another story. 
I'm sick to death of sitting silently by as these losers spend every minute of their unhappy lives spewing their noxious venom all over me & everything I've worked so hard for.

Which  is why, after careful consideration, I  decided to finally share my story of cyberbullying. This is my truth. No one else's.

Yesterday, I asked my lawyer if what's been happening to me all these years could be considered cyber-bullying. He replied:
"Cyber bullying is defined as harrassing or posting mean messages about or to a person online.  In your case, there have not only been malicious messages placed online about you via Twitter, there have been lengthy, untruthful and slanderous blogs defaming your person, character, employment and cruelly questioning your general concern to help others without any merit whatsoever.
To clarify, these online blogs and articles claim the exact opposite of what you do which is help people.
The online postings, blogs and articles paint you in and untruthful negative light solely for these losers to make themselves feel better and disparage someone for no reason whatsoever.
Therefore, I would certainly say that you are a victim of cyber bullying. In the process of cyber bullying you they have defamed you as well."
So, there you have it. I'm being cyber-bullied.
Sadly, I'm far from alone.

I'm not talking about the guy who wished death on you because you tweeted you hate country music. Or the woman who says really mean stuff about you. Or that high school classmate who can't seem to stop subtweeting about you.

Not that they aren't charmers, those li'l bully-wannabes. These are people you block and never look back.
I’m referring to someone from Facebook or Twitter who is absolutely determined to do everything they can to destroy your REAL life, your family, your career, your children and anything else you care about.


Back to Kitty. I tried to help her, (mostly just supporting her emotionally, and I did think what Faux was doing to her was unbelievably malicious) and when she claimed to be flat broke & begged me to help pay the retainer for an attorney who “said she had a slam dunk case of defamation against Faux,” I decided to send her the 2 grand. I even made an email appeal to others to help if they could. (Quite a few did.) More on this in a second.

Then, due to Lupus, I left twitter. I told Kitty I'd done all I possibly could for her, but that I had to deal with my dire health issues. She seemed to understand.

But 3 months later I learned she still hadn’t hired an attorney. I asked for a grand back, telling her she could keep the other half. She said something about having spent it all on her husband’s medical bills. Ok. Whatever. 
I wrote her back, saying that I understood. Could she at least email me a tax-deductible receipt, and I’d consider it a donation to her anti-bullying site?
“ABSOLUTELY”
I never got it.

I came back on on twitter briefly, long enough for another woman to DM me (private message) saying Kitty was trashing me behind my back & she went into details. I was astonished. I replied something like "I can't believe it! After all I've done for her...I've supported her with this Faux thing, plugged her site. I've even given her like 8 grand over the years!"
(I pulled this amount out of my ass. It could be more, could be less. I paid her many times in many different increments. Plus, the 2 grand for the “lawyer fees")

I soon left twitter again to treat my Lupus and to get away from all the toxicity.
That’s when, unbeknownst to me, Faux somehow got her hands on these DM exchanges, tweeted them & started writing blogs saying I accused Kitty of conned me out of 8 grand, etc. I had NO clue about any of this. I was off twitter, in the hospital at time.

Kitty (who never emailed me about this) apparently took the fact that I didn’t defend her publicly as….I don’t know…..as some sort of permission to betray me? I don’t know.

All I do know is Kitty ended up sending Faux many of our email exchanges. She’s publicly admitted this. The most ironic part is they were all written trying to support her.
I guess she did this to get Faux’s attention off of her & on to me?  Good for her, she was successful. Hope that feels good.

Someone would always send me the links to Faux’s blogs and (like all of her tweets) I never read them. 
However, I would immediately forward the link to a dear friend of mine, ex-FBI agent who’s now a cyber bully expert.

Every single time, year after year, month after month, he’d say the same thing to me: “It’s not against the law to write mean stuff.  Just ignore.”
Cool. I did so, happily.
I have better things to do than pay attention to some squawking asshole trashing me.

Then, for some reason, in November, Faux decided to kick it up about 300 notches. (I think she was reported by someone & assumed it was me?) She apparently wrote yet another lengthy, scathing & full of bullshit blog on her website about me, which I dutifully sent to my friend, expecting the same old response. Therefore I was shocked when he immediately wrote me back saying “Kristen, you need to get a lawyer. Now.”


To this day I still haven’t read this blog, but know a lot about it. In it, Faux decided to not only eviscerate me & my charity, but also accused me of being Bipolar, the most despised bully on Twitter (seriously, you gotta laugh at that one), a liar, a drunk, among many other things. She cced my bosses at TV Land & The Exes (Who have been well aware of her lunacy for a some time.)

So I hired a wonderful lawyer, a decent, kind, & tenacious man who had dealt with Faux before. He's been AMAZING.  He’s written a C & D letter to Ms Spina & her attorney hubby demanding they take the offending blog down, which she rejected in a ridiculous & truly hilarious manner. (Don’t worry, you’ll see for yourself soon enough.)

But oopsies. She made a very dumb move (especially for a former lawyer) and chose not only to post in her blog some of the private emails between myself & Kitty, but she posted them completely RE-WRITTEN.


This was obvious, as quite a few others had been sent the same exact email a year previous & had the original email. It was also proven by some computer expert on one of the many anti-Faux blogs that exist now.
Plus, I can spell, she can’t.


Here's mine, followed by what Faux altered & posted on her blog:






What Faux & Mr. King don't know is that my "LOLyer" has nothing to do with getting their many twitter accounts shut down. This is due to their many other victims, as well a wonderful friend of mine who happens to work at twitter, and he’s shown twitter legal department the years of torment they’ve spewn on me, and mostly dozens of others. He refers to it as “Whack a troll." 
Day after day, more of the same people create dozens of accounts with the same evil objective, are shut down, and instantly create yet more accounts  the whole thing begins again. They also took my twitter handle & made a disgusting porn site. I’m beyond over it.  
I JUST WANTED THE BLOG WITH THE ALTERED EMAILS REMOVED.
Here are a few from Faux & Brandon last week.






and a few more







Here's where they try to embezzle me out of 10 grand to "buy back" the hate blog kjothesmartass.com





Faux claims she has “tons” of dirt on me, many emails & texts & DMs proving what an insane bipolar narcissist I am, and they will be enough to put the final nail in my ruined    career. (which, coming from a gal who doesn’t have one herself to someone who actually works is kinda ironic, no?) 
Regardless, they never appear.

She’s tried desperately to get any news outlet to pay attention to her, has giddily bragged about all her “contacts” at this or that entertainment outlet, and often tweets about how me, or this or that celeb will freak out when her story on them runs in the very near future. 
They never appear.

The reality is, I happen to know that many of these editors & writers do whatever they can to avoid her, ignoring her many pleas to contact her about her “dirt” on people.

So many lies. So many empty threats. 
She has also threatened many times to post my attorneys’ Ceast & Desist letter.
Let me save her the trouble. 
I've included the C & D letter below, as well as her response. I am sure Faux and her cohort will do everything they can to try and discredit it or spin it to their benefit.

However rest assure this is the God’s honest truth and whatever lies or stories they write in response to this blog are exactly that, lies, a spinning of the truth and just another act of online bullying and harassment to achieve their goal to defame and hurt me.   

I hope they do...every single disgusting lie they tweet & blog is being closely watched, and all they do is dig themselves in deeper & deeper. The most interesting part? All of this has been out of my control for a while now. It is all in the hands of people far wiser & more powerful than I.

There's more. Much more. But I don't have the stomach to repeat it.
As God is my witness, every single word above is 100% the goddamn truth.
Thank you for reading.

Sincerely,

Kristen Johnston
aka @kjothesmartass


Here is the Cease & Desist letter sent to Vincenza Spina aka Faux Reality Entertainment:




December 3, 2014


VIA EMAIL: 


Fr Entertainment, LLC d/b/a FauxRealityEntertainment.com and 
Patrick Spina (Registered Agent) and
Vicenza Leonelli Spina (Owner and Operator)
2186 Linwood Ave
Fort Lee, NJ 07024

Re:CEASE AND DESIST of the posting of false and defamatory articles and blogs pertaining to Actress and Writer Kristen Johnston
​​
Patrick and Vicenza Leonelli Spina:

We are litigation counsel to Kristen Johnston. I am writing with regard to your blatantly false and defamatory blog written and posted on your website, fauxrealityentertainment.com, Twitter and other social media by you and your company. In addition, you intentionally, willfully and maliciously have taken my client’s private emails which you have no right or authority to possess and which you knew were altered by your online cohort named Kitty McCaffery (hereinafter referred to as “Kitty”) and subsequently published it so as to bolster your non-existent “proof” of Ms. Johnston’s non-existent negative behavior. All of your actions described herein violate Federal and State Laws and subject you to civil liability and potential criminal liability.

Ms. Spina:  THE ARTICLES YOU HAVE WRITTEN AND POSTED ABOUT MS. JOHNSTON ARE HIGHLY DEFAMATORY, COMPLETELY FALSE AND VIOLATE FEDERAL AND STATE LAW

 On November 15, 2014, you wrote and posted an article on your website, fauxrealityentertainment.com alleging that my client has a bipolar personality on social media”, “inserts herself into controversy, promotes and encourages her followers to engage in Twitter warfare in an effort to commit bullying online” (insinuating she engages in cyber-bullying). Your article then attempts to include examples of this alleged behavior; however, it clearly includes incomplete and misleading information.

In February 2014, you wrote and posted several articles on your blog as well as Twitter stating Kristen Johnston knowingly supported and funded a website (RiseandStand.org. an anti-bullying website run by Kitty McCaffery), which you accuse instead profits off of victimsand commits cyber-bullying. This article further insinuates that my client was well aware that this was the purpose of the website, yet still participated in funding and supporting same. These articles and the statements contained therein are false, incomplete and misleading. They were made willfully and maliciously and knowingly solely to fuel your irrational desire to defame, cause harm to my client financially and in terms of her reputation.

Publication of these incomplete, misleading and totally untrue statements andinformation gives rise to liability for defamation since your presentation may imply an actionable and false assertion of facts. Ringler Associates Inc. v. Maryland Cas. Co. 80 Cal. App. 4th 1165, 1180, 96Cal Rptr. 2D 136, 149 (2002); see also, Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co., 497 U.S. 1, 19, 110 S. Ct. 2695, 2706, 111 L. Ed. 2d 1, 18 (1990) (Incomplete facts may still imply false assertion of fact.) “Although the truth of an alleged libel may be proven as a complete defense, it is not a defense to show that a statement contained in a publication, if taken alone, is literally true, when other facts are omitted which plainly refute the false impression of the partial statement. A statement is not true or even substantially true if, by implication, an entirely untrue impression is made by the omission of part of the facts.”, Express Publishing Co. v. Gonzalez, 350 S.W. 2d 589, 592 (Tex. 1961); See also Toney v. WCCO Television, Midwest Cable and Satellite, 85 F. 3d 383, 392 (8th Cir. 1996) (recognizing cause of action for implied defamation where defendant omits important facts). 

Furthermore, it would be immaterial whether the story’s untrue assertions are made as statements of unequivocal fact or by innuendo and implication. In either case, substantial liability will arise since it is well established that “defamation by implication stems not from what is literally stated, but what is implied.” White v. fraternal Order of Police, 909 F.2d 512, 518 (D.C. Cir. 1990). A defendant in a libel case is accountable and liable “for what is insinuated as well as for what is stated explicitly.” Kapellas v. Kofman, 1 Cal. 3d 20, 33, 81 Cal.Rptr. 360 (1969). It is clear that you are writing and posting articles online via your website and other social media and blogs which clearly are false, misleading and are done with the specific intent of malice, willful reckless disregard for the truth and, most damaging, with the specific intent to cause harm to my client personally, as well as to her reputation, thus committing defamation with the intent to cause prospective economic damage to her career and reputation. 

Mr. and Mrs. Spina, as a former and current attorney, I am sure you are aware that publishing a story predicated on obvious biases which omits or buries key facts and/or makes misleading assertions cannot qualify as a “fair and true report” under California Civil Code §47(d). A newspaper report is “fair and true” if it captures “the substance and gist, the sting of the libelous charge”, and while an article need not track verbatim the underlying proceeding [posting or information] the numerous articles you have posted have deviated so far from reality, are so substantially different from the truth, and are neither fair nor true.  

Your companies have clearly crossed all legal, moral and ethical allowances established, therefore you have clearly overstepped all legal boundaries.  Colt Freedom Communications, Inc. 109 Cal. App. 4th 1551, 1558, 1 Cal Rptr. 3d 245,250 (2003).

Furthermore, to the extent you believe that simply by republishing another’s statements; you have no liability, you are mistaken. At common law, one who republishes a defamatory statement is deemed thereby to have adopted it and is therefore held liable. Khawar v. Globe International, Inc., 19 Cal. 4th 254, 276, 79 Cal Rptr. 2d 178, 191-192 (1998). Moreover, the fact that you take another’s postings and report them does not provide any privilege or safety for you and your companies either. See above references to case lawdiscussing “insinuations.”  Your articles clearly take incomplete postings and statements and you piece them together to suit your goals of defaming and harming many others, including my client;  this is defamation.

On your blog, @FauxReelMedia a/k/a Faux_Reality a/k/a @_Faux_Says, a/k/a you, Vincenza Spina have unlawfully possessed an email of my client which you knew your online cohort “Kitty” had altered. This heavily altered emailed contains false and misleading statements which you knowingly published to further defame my client, in violation of Federal and State law as explained more fully below.   

Based upon the foregoing, I am demanding you immediately retract, remove from your website/blog, Twitter account and other social media the articles, any blogs or tweet’s referring to my client which you have posted over the past two (2) years.  Your inflammatory accusations are intentional, willful and malicious.  They are causing my client substantial emotional distress, financial damage, and a negative impact to her reputation and career. 

My client has chosen to never engage publicly or cast aspersions toward you, despite years of your completely unwarranted attacks, hoping that you would simply stop your attacks; however, since it is clear you refuse to stop, Ms. Johnston, as well as her legal counsel and management team have finally decided she has no choice but to take action.

Should you fail to comply with this cease and desist demand, my client will avail herself of any and all legal and equitable remedies available to her.

Ms. Spina and Faux Reality Entertainment, FR Entertainment LLC:  THE ARTICLES AND TWEETS YOU ARE WRITING AND POSTING, AS WELL AS THE THREATS MADE TO MY CLIENT TO CAUSE FUTURE DAMAGE TO HER EMPLOYMENT AND REPUTATION CONSTITUTE CYBER HARASSMENT AND STALKING UNDER 18 U.S. CODE §2261A AND CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE §646.9 

Federal Law, 18 U.S. CODE §2261A and California Penal Code  §646.9 specifically prohibits a person from engaging in a course of conduct specifically aimed at intimidating and harassing an individual which causes or is reasonably expected to cause emotional distress to  another.

It is clear that your several intentionally misleading, inaccurate and incomplete articles, written and published over a lengthy course of time (at least two (2) years between your website and twitter postings), constitute and establish a clear level of intent and your desire to stalk, harass and cause substantial emotional harm and financial damage to my client.  This violates Federal and State law and constitute criminal conduct as per the Statutes language and definitions contained therein.

In addition, you have gone so far so as to intentionally and willfully take possession of my client’s emails, which you knew were altered by “Kitty” and publish them to create false impressions, statements and characterizations of my client’s opinions, desires and actions to further pursue your goal of defaming and harming my client. This is clearly prohibited by Federal and State Law and is criminal. 

Once again, I am demanding on behalf of my client that you immediately retract, remove and take off of your website, Twitter account and other social media the articles, blogs and statements you have posted about her within twenty-four (24) hours of receiving this letter.Your failure to do so will result in my client seeking any and all civil and criminal remediesavailable to her. 

YOUR POSTING OF MY CLIENT’S PHOTOGRAPHS AND ALTERING AND POSTING OF EMAILS VIOLATE FEDERAL CODE 17 USC §106, §501 AND RELATED SUBPARTS AND STATE COPYRIGHT LAWS
CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE § 3344

The articles and postings you write, publish, and reproduce violate Federal and State copyright laws.  Specifically, Federal Law prohibits the copying and displaying of photographs and written documents without authorization.  See 17 U.S. Code §106, §501 and related subparts.  In addition, California Civil Code §3344 and the common law right of publicity specifically prohibit the copying and publishing of photographs and written documents without authorization from the publisher.  

In your articles and postings you are specifically using my client’s photographs and written documents without authorization which constitutes a violation of Federal and State copyright laws as noted above.  I am demanding that you immediately cease and desist from further publication of her photographs and email letters and remove same immediately from all your articles and online postings. My client is entitled to all damages associated with your use of the photographs and emails as well as all attorney’s fees and costs as per Federal and Statelaw. In addition, your unauthorized use of these photographs and emails may subject you to damages of $150,000 per violation. 

Demand is hereby made that you contact me within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of this letter and confirm that (1) you will immediately cease and desist from further use of the photographs and emails; (2) remove all photographs and emails from your articles and postings on all social media; and (3) make a substantial payment to my client for her damages.

Again, your failure to comply with this demand will result in my client availing herself of any and all legal and equitable remedies available to her.  

Ms. Spina and Faux Reality Entertainment, FR Entertainment, LLC:  THE PUBLISHING OF YOUR FALSE AND DEFAMATORY ARTICLES VIOLATE THE COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT 47 U.S. CODE § 230 AND SHOULD YOU NOT COMPLY WITH THIS DEMAND ALL SOCIAL MEDIA, REGISTRARS OF YOUR WEBSITE AND SERVER HOST OF YOUR WEBSITE AND BLOGS WILL BE CONTACTED TO REMOVE SAID ARTICLES,  POSTINGS AND BLOGS

The Communications Decency Act ("CDA") does not immunize a user of interactive computer services from a defamation claim arising out of her republication of statements authored by a third party, when the user knew or had reason to know of the falsity of those statements.  Stephen J. Barrett, et al. v. Ilena Rosenthal 9 Cal.Rpt.3d 142, A096451 (Cal. App. Crt., 1st App. Dist., October 15, 2003) reversed 40 Cal.4th 33, S 122953 (Cal. Sup. Ct., November 20, 2006). The social media blogs, websites, server hosts and registrars will be held liable for allowing you to maintain your website, posts on blogs and social media of your defamatory, inflammatory, malicious statements and for all damages associated with same. 

 Simultaneously with the sending of this letter, I am sending equally as informative cease and desist letters to each and every social media website, registrar and server host bywhich your website is maintained and your blogs and posts are published to remove same or suffer harsh economic damages and be the subject of injunctive relief requested in Federal Court. You and your companies will also be included in said litigation.

Your actions are unequivocally done with malice and with no substantive purposes other than to subject my client to harassment, stalking and defamatory remarks in your desire to harm her reputation, financially and emotionally. You are subject to punitive damages which I assure you are in the millions of dollars and to which my client will vigorously pursue should you not comply with these demands.

Ms. Spina and Faux Reality Entertainment, FR Entertainment, LLC:  YOUR COMMUNICATIONS TO MY CLIENT’S EMPLOYER CONSTITUTE INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE WITH PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC RELATIONSAND SUBJECT YOU TO ALL DAMAGES SUFFERED BY MY CLIENT

On several occasions, you have contacted my client’s employer by intentionally and willfully sending defamatory and false written communications (via email, blogs and articles) which serve no purpose other than to disrupt my client’s relationship with her employer and cause her economic harm.  This violates California Law, See (Youst v. Longo (1987) 43 Cal.3d 64, 71, fn. 6 [233 Cal.Rptr. 294, 729 P.2d 728].) and Federal Law as you are doing so using interstate communications to do so.  See Federal Communications Act.

I am demanding on behalf of my client that you cease and desist from any further communications with my client’s employer or any and all other business associates of my client.  Your failure to comply with this demand will result in my client seeking injunctive relief and legal relief for the damages suffered.  


CONCLUSION

Ms. Spina, my client has been a well-known Actress and Writer in both Hollywood and New York City for decades. Ms. Johnston has thick skin and is well aware that people have the right to state their opinions about her, good or bad. However, your articles, posts and blogs on your own website and other social media, as well as your determination to sully Ms. Johnston’s reputation, employment, as well as cast aspersions on her sanity and defame all the incredible charity work she has devoted her life and income to are far from opinions and critiques.  

They are a direct campaign by you to willfully and maliciously attack my client’s character, reputation and livelihood.  Your actions have placed my client in a position of having to respond to your misstatements and misrepresentations in order to preserve same.  

We are well aware of Ms. McCaffery’s involvement in this situation, and she will be dealt with separately.  

My client is providing this one opportunity for you to comply with these demands before we initiate legal action.  

You have twenty-four (24) hours from this moment to provide me a written notice (directed to my attention) stating that you have removed any and all articles, photographs, blogs, and tweets from your website fauxrealityentertainment.com and ALL social media/twitter accounts.  

Your failure to do so will subject you to costly litigation and the damages my client is entitled to.

Nothing contained herein is intended as, nor should it be deemed to constitute a waiver or relinquishment of any of my clients’ rights, whether legal or equitable, all of which are hereby expressly reserved.
Yours truly,



LORNE E. BERKELEY
​​​​​​​​For the Firm
LEB/vvm

14747 N. Northsight Boulevard
Suite 111, PMB 309
Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Patrick J. Spina, Esquire PC
97 Lackawanna Avenue, Suite 201
Totowa, NJ 07512

Abuse@godaddy.com (Registrar and Server Host for fauxrealityentertainment.com




December 3, 2014
Re: FauxRealityEntertainment.com and @FauxRealityE v. Kristen Johnston
Lorne E. Berkeley, Esq

I am responding on behalf of the owner of FauxRealityEntertainment.com and @FauxRealityE. The website is not nor has it ever been FR Entertainment, LLC or in any way associated with that entity. That is a falsehood published by Kristen Johnston’s friend, Jill Ishkanian. I trust that Patrick and Vicenza Spina will respond to you if and when they are served.


It appears that Kristen Johnston found the perfect attorney to feed her craziness. Your letter is replete with misstatements of the law, absurd assumptions and false facts.


@FauxRealityE tweeted with Johnston on three separate occasions during the 3 years on twitter, all having to do with 3 articles pertaining to her over a year’s time. The handful of tweets (to which she responded) were neither harassment nor cyber bullying by any stretch of the imagination. Simply because Johnston cannot handle criticism or being called out on her social media shannanigans does not mean she was harassed. That’s absurd. And for you to cite the California Penal Code is even more absurd.

First and foremost, your accusations are baseless. If Faux Reality is in any way disrupted by you or your client’s baseless accusations, it will be us who come after Johnston, you and your firm for every injunctive and monetary remedy provided by law.

Secondly, Faux Reality has never harassed or bullied Kristen Johnston. It reported on Johnston, Kitty McCaffery and Rise and Stand attacking a legitimate business (Bling is the New Black, hereinafter “Bling”) by claiming Bling was infringing on Crochet Michelle’s copyright (Crochet is a close friend and business partner of Johnston). Rise and Stand went so far as to say it was working FOR/WITH Twitter! Johnston endorsed Rise and Stand and it’s antics. That was the first interaction with Kristen Johnston – a legitimate reason for the interaction with her -- Not to harass but to report how Bling was being improperly targeted. Johnston, McCaffery and/or Crochet repeatedly published that Bling had stolen and violated Crochet’s copyright . Johnston attempted to collect money to sue Bling for the copyright infringment with the assistance of McCaffery. Faux Reality published an article on the incident and the victims that lay in the wake of Johnston and McCaffery. It is Johnston who has been “in bed” with McCaffery so to say that McCaffery is a “cohort” simply because she forwarded Johnston’s email is laughable. Johnston should be publically apologizing to Bling for what she did and continues to do to that business thru McCaffery (and now her latest thug Queenz Of Media – Skyler St Coxx - Yes, your client is using an entity owned by an internet prostitute who terrorizes women on line and has been banned by many websites).

Third, as far as emails, McCaffery sent emails that were sent to her and to over 50 others by Johnston to prove the following: (1) Johnston contributed money to commence litigation against Bling for violating
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Crochet’s copyright; (2) Johnston sent out emails to solicit funds for the litigation; (3) Crochet never had a copyright; (4) At some point Johnston and McCaffery discovered that Crochet lied about holding a copyright; (5) Neither Johnston nor McCaffery ever corrected their public statements that Bling violated a non existent copyright. In what State is it a crime or a civil violation for McCaffery to forward emails that she and others received regarding Johnston’s participation in the slander against Bling? Your allegation that Faux Reality somehow altered email is ridiculous. Faux Reality has the electronic version that was sent by McCaffery, so stop with your baseless “chest thumping.” If your client claims the emails have been altered, forward the intact emails and Faux Reality will post same. Furthermore, your interpretation of the law is strained. A recipient can disclose email – McCaffery disclosed it to prove that Johnston was lying to people about how much she paid McCaffery. Faux Reality received the email and tweeted same.
Fourth, Johnston’s direct messages indicate that she paid McCaffery $8,000 but Johnston’s email indicate she paid McCaffery thousands less. Either way, money exchanged hands and it was to prompt Johnston’s “friends” to get McCaffery to pursue litigation against Bling for a non existent copyright.
Fifth, how exactly do you state that McCaffery is a“cohort” when Johnston is the one who has been funding her thousands of dollars and publically endorsing her? Johnston’s lackey is currently on twitter tweeting that McCaffery was hired “to investigate Faux and Friends.” Your allegations defy logic.
Six, Faux Reality has never emailed Johnston’s employer. Good to know she is employed with all the time she devotes to social media, twitter wars, blogs and twitlongers trying to explain her shadiness.
The three articles regarding Johnston and her shady association with Rise and Stand, McCaffery, Queenz of Media, Jill Ishkanian are accurate and will remain on the Faux Reality website.
Johnston is well known for her tactics in tweeting so that her followers attack people who she perceives have slighted or criticized her. The Faux Reality witness list will be long and all consuming. Johnston encourages some of the biggest abusers on twitter to assist her – people she herself labeled bullies to me AND OTHERS in Direct Messaging before she joined forces with them. 
This is one of dozens of direct messages Johnston has sent people regarding Queenz of Media who Johnston now encourages to attack on her behalf: 
(This was from 4 yrs ago, some tweet saying "Q is accusing me of being a drunk." I can't seem to be able to post it.)

As far as your claim that “your client never engages,” that’s comical. Johnston was on her soap box tonight as usual. This is one of hundreds of examples of Johnston engaging without provocation. “Margaret” did not @ Johnston and Margaret’s tweet was from November 25, 2014! – So why did Johnston search thru Margaret’s timeline for a tweet THEN mention Faux? That’s not just engaging, that’s obsessive creepy bi polar social media behavior:
You identify @FauxReelMedia, @Faux_Reality and @_Faux_says as ”blogs.” They are not. They are twitter handles. They are not owned by Vincenza Spina. Faux Reality has not unlawfully obtained any email, nor altered any email. Faux Reality was forwarded email FROM ONE OF THE NUMEROUS RECIPIENTS of the email. So if these are the lies that you forwarded to Twitter to get Faux Reality related accounts suspended, we will deal with you, your firm and your client for attempting to censor and negatively impacting the website.
As far as the image made part of the November, 2014 article, the image was taken from twitter, given the appropriate tag and is being used in an article to inform, not to advertise or to profit.
Thank you for quoting the California Penal and Civil Code. Aside from the fact there are jurisdictional hurdles, none apply in this case. What does apply, however, is the fact that your client Kristen Johnston has encouraged and promoted Rise and Stand, Kitty McCaffery, Queenz of Media, Jill Ishkanian, ThorazineDrip and approximately 30 troll accounts to publish private, financial and employment information about Faux Reality, my friends and their children. Several have already contacted the police, federal authorities and lawyers – all tied to your client.

Therefore, I suggest your client publically apologize to Bling, Faux Reality Entertainment and publically condemn the posting of confidential information by Kitty McCaffery, Jill Ishkanian and Queenz of Media (Skyler St Coxx) and retract any cease and desist letters to Twitter and my providers, barring same, I suggest you name the correct parties, perfect your jurisdictional deficiencies and clean up your client because Kristen Johnston is as dirty as they come.


FauxRealityEntertainment.com 



65 comments:

It's simple: some people want their 15 minutes of fame, and want to get it for free by taking on the famous. Give 'em an inch and they'll try to move into your beach cottage. Sad, really. I hope these people get help.
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I just can't stand that someone wished you had OD'd. It is horrific what some people will do just to make themselves feel better. 
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The response to the C&D reads as a psychopath, interesting Faux Reality brings "bling" in to this. 
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I thought my comment posted?
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Correction Kristen,
Vincenza Leonelli Spina went by the following handles that we all know of; by usuing all these handles, Vincenza Spina Leonelli name squats.
Gregslosehole,FauxRealityEnt,FauxRealityE,FauxRealityE,Faux_Rises, The Antello names, Buckwheat_media Bukwheat_media
There are so many names, Vincenza name squats these names because she knows she will be suspended with in due time.

I like how Vincenza tries to spin the truth. She did a post on Kristen. Illana Angel documented what happened at the Leann Rimes concert because she was there, Vincenza was not there, Leann Rimes is either feeding Vincenza this information or Vincenza is making it making it up.
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my mind is playing tricks on me. I was reading the comments and went to reply and realized I had two browsers open,I refreshed and this comment is not there. I wanted tell this brave person she is couragoues for speaking up.
[url=http://imgur.com/9izncpC][img]http://i.imgur.com/9izncpC.png[/img][/url]
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it was my comment, Its okay and thank you. For some reason she took it down and its okay. 
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I have not taken down any comments, anonymous

Kristen
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This hurts my heart for you. In the words of Stuart Smalley, "You are good enough, you are smart enough and doggone it, people like you".

Seriously though, I'm sure that you understand that these kind of people are just inexplicably hateful and cruel. But, every victim of bullying should be told that for every ONE bully full of shallow hate, there are MANY people full of a much deeper and appreciation and affection for you. Those who lack your strength and confidence often forget that.

From my perspective, you are smart, funny, talented and tough. I am impressed by you as an actress and author, appreciative of your passion for animals and inspired by your struggles with addiction and fight for your health. I suspect that my appreciation for you will continue to grow as you continue to impress and inspire people through your specific conflict with these callous cyber bullies and, by extension, the overall problem of relentless bullying.
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Just like a psychopath, Vincenza's response has nothing to do with the Cease and Desist itself. Vinnie attempts to make herself look like a hero by "reporting" on issues that have nothing to do with her. 
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I loved the part "long witness list". ������������ How many of her personalities does she plan on bringing?
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This is all just insane. Its a shame people have so little going on in their own lives that they have to resort to trying, i repeat, TRYING to destroy the life of a very talented, caring, smart, strong, successful and amazing woman. My heart goes out to you kristen for having to even acknowledge these sociopaths, let alone deal with them. I wish there was something that all of us that adore you could do, to somehow make all this go away so that you could get back to doing what we and you love, interacting and communicating with all of us that love you and making us laugh! Thinking of you, and in total support of anything you need from us...
We will see you at a taping very soon!
Laura
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Kristen,
I am sorry that you have to put up with this, it makes no sense how or why someone can spend their life literally harassing people.
I read the original post and wanted the link about Vinnie's disbarment?
There are other things missing as well. I thought your original post had something about Faux doing something to your friend Ed am I reading this wrong? I bookmarked the original post yesterday and am commenting here since this is the new post.

This is the only advice I can give you, Kristen. You are either going to have to file a lawsuit or go to the police for this to stop, I know Vinnie/Faux's type and that is the only way this will stop. I know it sucks and takes time and energy, just by reading some of the other blogs and with all these identities, after having her identity revealed, there is no shame and that is what is scary. Who does this person think she is to police the INTERNET?!

read your post about your new dog, bless you and thank you, for someone who rescues dogs, I know how hard it is to care for special needs dog, it's more emotional than anything, it's also rewarding. you'll never have to worry about sleeping alone. ;-) 
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Life is about lessons and learning. I have been the victim of this type of behavior on and off. I will say not to the extent of your's Kristen or others, but none-the-less, it has negatively impacted my life. Lesson one, I don't care how much a person has begged, made pleas for money, don't do it. If they have a legit charity, then donate to the charity. Giving money online is a suckers bet. Think of the good that could have been done with the thousands you gave to Kitty? Be smart, that means not getting personally involved with Twitter followers. I have never met one person on Twitter who was 100% honest. I have been told they are CIA, Black Ops, Ex LA Cops, Million Dollar Real Estate Brokers, hob knob with so and so and so on. Most of which leaves me thinking...if these people were so important, what in the hell are they doing on Twitter and posting like crazy? Most drink, most drug. I have spoken on the phone with several of my own followers and they were so drunk I could barely understand them as they told me they were drinking and on this major painkiller and then 2 minutes later say there were on another one...

I have been stalked, threatened and harassed on Twitter. I am just a poor slob who is Bipolar and have nothing for these freaks to take, they usually find that out and then move on. About 4 years ago I wrote a blog about the "Gangs of Twitter - When You're a Jet". None of this is new and while I think much of what and how you interact on Twitter is not in your own best interest Kristen I applaud your coming fourth and putting all the information on the table. The only way to defeat darkness is to throw light on it. This is what you have done.

Never in my life have I seen such ugly behaviors by people. I have a snark sense of humor and will offer my opinion but band together and set an agenda to destroy, defame or hurt another? It just disgusts me. I wish you well on this battle. Its is far from over. These types continue even when they are outed...they are very twisted individuals. As long as there is they can hide behind false names and in the darkness of the net...there will be those like Faux, Ada's Heart, Honnie and etc. who will attempt to do harm. Mintedroyalty 
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This woman has also targeted and harassed me. I had no idea who she was and she came out of the woodwork threatening me. She posted lies and threatened to contact my employer and my church. 
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Interesting that tne reply to the C&D started quite professionally and degraded into shorthand or 'online spelling' as the anger seemed to start rising. Clearly an unstable mind is behind this desponse.
Please take care kjo as this person seems fixated on you in a scary way. 
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When I saw these tweets, my mouth shot open in shock. Can't believe people can be so ugly. That "one-on-one conversation" defames a good person who doesn't deserve it. Kristen is one of the kindest people in the world. This kind of activity is ruining Twitter. One of the sweetest aspects of Twitter is communication between celebrities and fans. I don't understand why Twitter isn't doing more to track and block people who constantly open accounts just to harass/terrorize someone. This goes beyond mere trolldom to full-on stalkerhood and criminal behavior. Sickening.

I got to know you through 3rd Rock from the Sun, one of the greatest shows around, every cast member of which was PERFECT. Kristen Johnston, John Lithgow, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, French Stewart -- we couldn't have asked for a better cast. And then to read your book and interact with you on twitter and facebook, I learned what a warmhearted, lovely person you are. The fact that some sociopaths see a kind heart and want to stab it repeatedly is beyond me. I am glad you have an attorney to deal with this now. I hope that he can take some of the pressure and ugliness off you. I hate that you can even repeat the stuff those horrid monsters said to/about you. I hate that it has even invaded your consciousness at all. I am so sorry. If your fans can do something to help, please let us know. Don't take this all on yourself. Chris, harrysmom1

[BTW, i tried to tweet in support of your friend Ed but may have gotten the account name wrong. I am sorry they are attacking him, too.]

I'm watching The Exes and you just said the point of the wedding. ROFLMAO!!!!!
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ChrisCleo - My account no longer exists, Vinnie and Brandon used an automated system to mass report and have me suspended for the 3rd time, which is likely permanent.

Thanks for the support. 
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if only they could use their power for good. can you imagine? so many horrificly creepy commenters could be stopped. ~chris
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Koo MundayFebruary 2, 2015 at 12:42 PM
As much as you would hope that the human race has evolved, there still are those savage barbarians. The putrid vitriol and the disgusting manner in which they conduct themselves SHOULD be actionable. So sorry for all the victims, to have to defend yourself against baseless rumors is horrible. SMH
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dana rhodesFebruary 2, 2015 at 2:11 PM
Wow Kristen....That is absolutely insane. So sorry you are going through this. Speachless....
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Wendy SchevelFebruary 2, 2015 at 2:14 PM
I can not even fathom how anyone could be so cruel, nasty and disgusting. It is very sad to read all of that. You are a very strong woman, but I know that has to hurt. I am so so sorry. And by the way.. You are an amazing and entertaining actress. I adore you and always will. Good luck. I hope this will be the end of them trying so hard to ruin peoples lives.
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kimcandidFebruary 2, 2015 at 2:24 PM
There sure are crappy people out there in the world! I'm so sorry you are going through this, but god damn you make me so proud that you are standing up and taking charge of the situation!!! GO KRISTEN!!!!!
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LoriGFebruary 2, 2015 at 2:26 PM
Completely horrifying. I only saw a few of these tweets, but the ones that I did see were so twisted that I thought surely no one would believe them. When someone sounds like a lunatic, I generally disregard their words and assumed others would do the same. The tweets above are a perfect example. Dozens of hateful, twisted accusations then this, "I usually don't participate in shit talking...". You don't? Since when? 30 seconds ago? It's laughable.

I had no idea of the depth, scope and length of time this has been going on. No wonder you have been pushed to the brink. I had to temporarily unfollow poor Ed because he has been trying to defend himself and consequently, I see the engagement on my Twitter feed. I don't want to see it, it's ugly.

I hope your lawyer successfully puts an end to this soon. I hope the stress isn't exacerbating your lupus. I hope the victims in this have their lives and reputations fully restored. I also hope cyber-bullying gets a stronger advocate than Kitty. (How does an anti-bullying crusader share someone's personal emails?)

I imagine it is difficult to be encouraged by words of support after all this time, but I offer them anyway. It's great to see that you are staying on Twitter. Your strength is admirable and you have a powerful message that needs to be shared. You have guts, Kristen Johnston. You truly do.
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Crochet by MicheleFebruary 2, 2015 at 2:54 PM
it's insane to say the least. NO ONE should have to endure this type of relentless hateful harassment.

I love you. SO MUCH! You are a strong, empowered and brave woman who walks the walk every single day. They cannot take that away from you.

I pray for an end to this and am SO PROUD of you for sharing this because you , like always, are probably helping someone but coming forward with this.

I love you my dear friend.
xoxo
M
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Donnna BlackFebruary 2, 2015 at 4:08 PM
I had to stop in the middle of this just because the cruelty of this woman is horrendous. I know cruelty way to well, & you my friend do not deserve it. What amazes me is people really believe they can get away with distroying other people. Ms Kjo, you are a strong person who has taught me a lot. I like how you practice your own advice, & thrive with all your courage. I am proud of your sobriety, how you advise other's, your smartass humor, & yours strength. You deserve nothing but respect.
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AnonymousFebruary 2, 2015 at 5:05 PM
It looks to me like you are both guilty. You have stated facts and jabs at these people, which shows you have sunk to their level. Why open a forum then delete the posts you don't like? Did you egg any of this on? I believe you did. Talking about your private medical issues for sympathy just makes you look worse.Toughen up, turn the other cheek, and move on.
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KJoFebruary 3, 2015 at 9:05 PM
Dear Anonymous

You are one classy broad.
I have deleted NOT ONE comment, including your own utterly foul one.

If you only had the balls to sign your own name.

You are the height of misinformed, uneducated, offensive and deeply misguided.

Even so, I hope you never have to silently endure years of lies, torment, rudeness & depravaty.
I wouldn't wish this even on you.

Enjoy your time with your sick friends.

With zero respect

Kristen Johnston
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AnonymousFebruary 2, 2015 at 9:03 PM
Please do NOT apologize for Fauz aka Vincenza Spina or Brandon King. There are many that counted them as friends and are sickened to find out what they have truly been up to using their resources to go after people who did not fall in line with their objectives. Now that Vincenza has been 100% outed as who she really is in real life not just by the incredibly detailed an irrefutable dox done by Grace, but by others who have actually spoken to Faux aka Toni aka Antonella on the phone and confirmed 100% it is the same person and voice as Vincenza Spina in the videos. Subsequently, the Faux/King hate machine has ramped up several hundred notches.

What neither of them count on is the decent people who have woken up to the truth and will not stand by and let them get away with this. There are emails and other correspondence with those that USED to be their friends that WILL come to light if Vincenza and King continue down their path of harassment. The details of which will be most damaging to any hopes either of them have to forging ahead with lawsuits or salvaging what little is left of their tattered reputations.

Ms. Johnston, just know there are so many of us supporting you who are fans and know the real truth. Stay strong.
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JaneFebruary 2, 2015 at 5:19 PM
This is truly sickening. I couldn't even bring myself to click the links to see any further info. It hurts to know that you and many others have gone/are going through this utter nonsense. This is a whole kind of evil I didn't know existed. Wish you didn't have this story to share, but proud of your for exposing the truth.
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Bill StoutFebruary 2, 2015 at 5:44 PM
It's unbelievable how low people will go,
So proud of your work and heart,,,,Stay Strong
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KellyFebruary 2, 2015 at 7:04 PM
Vincenza is asking for proof you were harassed for three years. Considering Vincenza Spina changes her her name every other day, had many twitter accounts suspended and now the tweets don't exist, this is a true narcissist and con artist at work. Kristen, I am so sorry you went through this with Vincenza, the day Vincenza came on twitter as @gregslosehole she has always had targets.
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KellyFebruary 2, 2015 at 7:05 PM
That is another thing, Vincenza Spina deletes her tweets. Coward.
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AnonymousFebruary 2, 2015 at 7:36 PM
I'm sorry for all you have been through, as well as my friends. I never personally had interactions with these 2 people or even you. However when you go after my friends, especially their children...gloves are off! FTR I am the one that had the picture taken with Oliver Peck. Oliver was amused. There were MANY MANY MORE taken that night & I'm glad it got under his skin. I own the photos, they are all located conveniently on my camera & my computer...dated & time stamped with the location. So good luck to him...& Happy Birthday BK! HAHAHAHA ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)
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morgancraven97February 2, 2015 at 7:41 PM
I'm so sorry you have to go through this. You of all people don't deserve this. NO ONE deserves this kind of treatment from anyone. It's terrifying to think that there are people like this in the world and on social media. I'm SO proud of you for raising awareness and taking action to stop these people before they hurt anyone else. Love you, my strong, beautiful friend...
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AnonymousFebruary 2, 2015 at 9:49 PM
God damn, but after reading this I feel like I just witnessed the scene in the Wizard of Oz when the house came flying down and landed on the Wicked Witch of the East aka The New Jersey Devil Vincenza. Queenz is the Good Witch, Ed is theTin Man and you Kjo is Dorothy and all of twitter is chanting ding-dong the witch is dead!
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AnonymousFebruary 2, 2015 at 11:20 PM
I think your lawyer should ask for a psychiatric report on these people, once it gets to court.
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Usher BobFebruary 3, 2015 at 4:14 AM
This is appalling and disgusting and I truly marvel at your continued strength. xoxo
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AnonymousFebruary 3, 2015 at 6:01 AM
Some of you may remember Kristen attempting to contact an anonymous person who had reached out to her several months ago. I am that person. I believe I had three or four interactions with Kristen before she made the decision to find me.

I'd like to share my thoughts and I'd like those who read this really think about my statements.

First of all, now that Kristen has shared with us what she's been going through I am in awe she took the leap of faith to go out of her way to devise a full proof plan to allow me to reach her. For all Kristen knew, I could have been one of these immoral people trying to 'play' her. However, instead of ignoring me she took the risk. While these evil people are spending their time plotting and scheming, Kristen is goingout of her way to be productive in her recovery. For that I thank her.

Secondly, let's be realistic in our thoughts. I will not stoop to the level of these horrible people by stating their past or current issues and standings in society, but let's think about Kristen. Do any of you really think a working woman, battling a chronic illness, who is dedicated to lifting up addicts, spends any of her energy on these evil people?

Lastly, why do these people choose to attack WHAT Kristen is? In their words, a d-list actress, an addict, a manipulator, etc. I think all that have had any interaction with Kristen know WHO she is. She's compassionate, honest, caring, uplifting, etc.

I have a challenge. Let's all take a break from giving these terrible people any of our time and perhaps send Kristen words of encouragement,even if it's a one word tweet. Let's reach out to Kristen as she has reached out to us.

Thank you
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AnonymousFebruary 3, 2015 at 11:59 AM
Graciously and well said. Bravo
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KJoFebruary 7, 2015 at 11:43 AM
To my dear friend...
Thank you profusely for your kind words. I love you
K
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Jackie C.February 3, 2015 at 8:20 AM
I'm almost speechless. Almost. The hate I have witnessed on Twitter is sickening. For what it's worth just keep doing what I've seen you do, which is helping other addicts, promoting your show, sharing your book, and in general lifting people up and making us all laugh when we so desperately need it. xoxo
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MicheleFebruary 3, 2015 at 10:40 AM
Yesterday was my 30th wedding anniversary and our daughter gave us the best present she could ever give us. She entered a rehab facility in FL about 9 hours away. You are partly credited with this because your book had a profound effect on her. These are vile people. Thank you for your candor and your GUTS.
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Wendy CFebruary 3, 2015 at 11:12 AM
This just sickens me. I don't even nave the words to express how much. You know (I hope!) that I adore you... I, for one, thank God for you and for GUTS and for the laughter you have brought to my often laughter-less life! Thank you for all that you do and for bein the amazing person that you are!
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@QueenzOfMedia has been an eaxtraordinary friend of mine. She has supported me, and shown remarkable grace & kindness toward me during this very trying time.

Many years ago, she & I had a disagreement on another matter & I ended up blocking her. This was long before I knew of Faux or Queenz involvelment with her.

Re; James Gibney...He reached out to me once recently to express his support. I have no knowledge of anything else he's done. Since I'm now off twitter, it doesn't matter to me.

If he's caused harm to anyone, I'm so sorry, but that's your fight. My issue is solely with the people mentioned in my blog above. I can't take on every person, whether they've caused harm or not.

Finally, there are many, many people who believed in Vinceza Spina for years & supported her...who now see her for who she really is. Quite a few of these people have come forward wanting to help in any way they can.

Whether Mr. Gibney falls into this catergory or not, people change. I'm living proof.

If you'd like to express your feelings about him or anyone else not mentioned in my blog, I welcome you to sign up for your own blog where you can say whatever you'd like.

Please keep any comments solely focused on the blog above. I won't delete any, whether positive or negative.

However, from this moment forward, I will delete any comments that aren't about GUTLESS.

Thank you for understanding

I'll update you as necessary.

Respectfully

Kristen Johnston

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yep-I'm to chicken-s to sign this but just so you know Kjo, when you took time off to deal with lupus, was a good thing and hopefully you don't let the garbage go too far before taking a break, you are better than this nonsense.
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YOU DESERVE BETTER MY LOVELY FRIEND, YOU ARE A CLASS ACT AND ALWAYS A STEP ABOVE MOST, I HOPE TO SEE YOU RETURN SOON FOR THE SAKE OF ALL THOSE YOU HAVE HELPED AND THOSE WHO STILL NEED YOUR STRENGTH AND INSPIRATION, Kat
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Kristin, you have GUTS! What these Scumbags have done to you & others is a disgrace!
I can only speak for myself & say I've NEVER experienced this level of Bullying & can only hope that you, Kristen, come out with some justice & Peace. Hugs K
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I listened in to @hydrapotomos (Mike Arpey's) Blog Talk Radio show last night. Queenz came on and so did Ed Brophy and other victims of Vincenza Spina.

I had no idea she had gone this far and literally cost people their jobs to the point where they might become homeless. And that she continues to harass these people to this day. All over a disagreement on Twitter. How has she continued to get away with this? What a horrible human being

I hope Mr. Arpey can get the support he's seeking regarding a fund he mentioned (a non profit organization) designed to help people who are victims of people like Ms. Spina but who make lack the financial resources to take legal action.

Hearing first hand what she has done to others literally made me sick.

I'm sorry to see what you've had to go through Kirstin and I wish you and ALL of Vincenza's victims the best of luck and hopefully one day, justice.
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Wow! This is outrageous... I only speak for myself when I say that you've given your all for a lot of wonderful causes & people in your life. Including me who loves your GUTLESS blog for what it was originally intended for. That your hope & experience could reach out to others with the same affliction. Along with your hilarious sense of humor cuz God knows we all need that! Let's get back to basics & let Kristen do her thank!! :)
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49.   Just wanted to send you some love!

Adoringly,
Rainbow Fart
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I've recently started following you since I read GUTS, after being a long-time 3RFTS fan. I'm so sorry to see that people are wasting their energy on trying to pull you down.

After seeing the blog, the book, and the clips I've seen of you on The Exes and other work you've done, I'm a bigger fan than ever. You come off as a strong, funny, beautiful woman, and not least, a survivor. No... a thriver! Thrive on, sista. I hope this other stuff clears up soon.

Thank you for sharing your experience with addiction and sobriety in GUTS. I'm in awe. Your sense of self in your writing - your voice - is so strong to me, that's what I love the most. Wishing you all the best!

-Fellow Tall Girl
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Hello Kristen,
As I originally came across your blog unconventionally; I found your words to be quite inspiring, but also, I felt as though you wrote what people think. Being a celebrity, you have a great voice of help and encouragement that you can and have given to people, especially where your passion lies, which is with drug addicted teens and noble efforts to start a sober school. I am glad to hear that you have dropped Twitter. I personally do not have Twitter, as I wouldn't want just anyone following me. As I do have Facebook, the only 'friends' I have are people who I know, and mostly friends from church. I am sorry to hear that you have been treated so terribly by these people. I am certain that you have true and beautiful friendships in your life that are intimate and real. I just encourage you merely from one person to another to throw yourself into those relationships and into your work for teens. Unfortunately in life, there are more people out there who seek to build others up, and sadly, it will always be that way. You also have a great blog here, where you can share ideas and opinions. One nice thing to, is mostly,from what I've seen, is your blog readers seem positive in there responses. Maybe you might consider just having your blog, if that is something you decide to do. I had never heard about sober schools or SLAM until I came across your blog, but because of it, I did and was happy to donate to the charity(even though I wasn't able to donate much). I hope that you can find encouragement in my words, as that is what I intend in them. I do want to tell you, and I hope you are not bothered by it, but I was the one who answered the questions posted on your advice blog. I want you to know that it was in no way to undermine you at all, and the only reason I did it, was because I didn't want anyones feelings hurt that you didn't respond, or for some reason think there concerns weren't valid, and just took the time to do it when I saw it had been some time without response which I sure because you were busy. Forgive me if it frustrated you. But with having said that, I think your idea of wanting to do an advice column is good, and much more rewarding than Twitter probably is. I hope the best for you and your true friendships, and life passion of helping start a sober high school for teens.
Blessings,
Adrienne
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Oops I made a typo... I meant to say unfortunately there are more people out there who do not seek to build others up. I wish it were the other way around
Adrienne 
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One More Tale

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I'm so over discussing my past medical woes. Believe me, I can't wait to move on.
But before I do, I knew there was one last part of my tale left to be told, a last chapter, if you will....
The overwhelming reception I've received from people suffering from auto-immune diseases,  have inspired me to share with you a few emails I wrote to a small group of my closest friends & family throughout last fall/winter. 
They are verbatim, with certain names and identifying characteristics removed to protect other people's privacy.
 I'm hoping this can shed even more light on the baffling and chronic disease of Lupus.
While many suffer for years, or remain undiagnosed or improperly treated, I know damn well I'm beyond fortunate to be in remission (for now.)
However, I didn't feel very lucky at the time, as you'll soon see. 

I began feeling terrible in August of last year...


On Oct 5, 2013, at 3:09 PM, Kristen Johnston wrote:

Sorry to write a group email, but I wanted to fill a few friends & family in on what's been up with me.  
First of all, I'm ok, ok? Don't flip out.

Here's the scoop, nuts & bolts:


Over the course of  mid Aug/early September, I began to notice a rapid decline in my physical strength. When lying down, I felt fine. 


But it's become impossible for me to walk a block without resting. Like an old lady. On a stoop. Stairs? Impossible. I take it one step at a time like a toddler. My legs fill up with lactic acid, and my heart pounds out of my chest. My limbs feel like they weigh 300 lbs each. I can no longer lift my purse and my head has literally become too heavy for my neck to hold up.


I kept convincing myself I was just under the weather, not eating right, needed more sleep, etc. (Except none of those were true.) If I DID exert myself (like teaching an NYU class, or speaking after a screening of a documentary I'm in, 'The Anonymous People'), I'd have to sleep at least 24-48 hrs straight.


I finally decided to visit to my internist and he became alarmed at how low my white blood cell count was & sent me to a Hematologist.  After testing me, she suspected I had Anaplasma, a tick-borne illness.


I got on heavy duty antibiotics and the next day I felt a bit better. But then on Monday my health took a huge nosedive. (I prefer not to use the word "relapse," for obvious reasons)...I was teaching class & had to literally hold my own head up with my hands for the last half of it. I could barely walk out of the building.

Turns out I tested negative for tick (but sometimes you can still have a tick-borne illness & test negative)...but also everything else. No issues w: liver, kidneys, heart, pancreas, stomach. I'm totally, shockingly healthy...so she became concerned it could be my bone marrow.
Which would be bad. Leukemia bad.
However, if it WAS cancer, other aspects of my blood results would be abnormal & they're totally normal.
I've been back to her a number of times, each time testing for different things & my white blood cell count.

To get perspective, a normal white blood cell range is anywhere between 4.3 to 10.0. Mine has been fluctuating btw 1.8 to 2.0...which is, like, I dunno, a dead person's? Finally, I went in yesterday for a scheduled bone marrow biopsy - which is supposed to be agony. Dunno why, I mean a huge needle jammed into one's pelvic bone? Sounds fun to me!


However, she took my blood again before the procedure, and suddenly my wbc count was up to 2.8. (From 2.0 a few days before.) This made her VERY happy.  She decided she didn't want to do a very painful procedure unless totally necessary, which made me VERY happy.  I'm going back in 1st thing Monday am, and if it dives again, bone marrow biopsy.

I'm praying that tons of bed rest & turbo antibiotics do the trick.

Yesterday she said that I "completely baffle" her. (Duh. Who don't I baffle?) 

But in this case, she was referring to my blood results. I found out that if it IS a tick thing, all of this is really a new frontier for them, and they're learning new stuff every day. I did have a weird bite on my leg in Ct....so who knows? 
So, it's marathons of Long Island Medium & Dateline episodes for me.

You can all support me by not diagnosing me (I LOVE to do this, too...but YES I've been tested for EVERYTHING, and YES if it's low on Mon I'm getting 2nd opinion, which Dr supports).


If anyone in NYC wants to pay a very brief visit to me next week, I'd love it. I just can't get overwhelmed. (And the house is a mess, deal with it.) I have tons of  friends helping out.


I love you guys, and will do my damndest to keep y'all updated as soon as humanly poss. But don't fret if I don't respond to "how are you?" emails. Doing my best, promise. And the answer today is: better than yesterday. But I haven't moved much, so hard to be definite. Like I said, lounging, I feel 100% normal.


Last, please don't tell people about all this...you are who I'm updating for now & I don't want rumors spread. You'd be surprised how fast something like this can turn into CRAYZEE. 

Sorry if TMI. Just wanted to be clear. 

Love....

K

On Fri, Nov 8, 2013 at 7:24 PM, Kristen Johnston wrote:


Hi my dear friends...


I figured I've put it off long enough and it's time for an update. In LA doing my damnedest to shoot 'the exes' but it hasn't been pretty.


I can't believe it, but after three long months I'm still really, really sick. I've been to a grand total of 12 Drs now, (each numerous times): Neurologists, Endocrynologists, infectious disease specialists, hematologist's, etc etc...

I've had every possible horrific procedure done, CT scans, nerve tests, blood test after blood test...and other than my white blood cell count being terrifyingly low, being unable to walk or stand  & my muscles being so weak I need a brace to hold my neck up, they can't figure out what the hell is wrong with me.

Yesterday, I spoke with 'the exes' producers and we all agreed that I need to go to the Mayo clinic next week and get this shit figured out. Which means I'm out of 2 episodes, which KILLS me. I'm already basically a ghost this season. But I know I have to. Trying to be 'funny' has been the challenge of my life, and this has thrown everything on the show completely out of whack.

I do know what it ISN'T. It's NOT: ALS, MS, cancer, anything involving thyroid or pituitary, a degenerative muscle disease, or AIDS. My liver, heart, pancreas, spleen, etc all normal. My lungs & chest are fine. (Phew!)

It's a complete mystery.

And truly humbling...

Walking up the stairs in my LA house is excruciating, so once I finally crawl up to my bedroom, I'm stuck. I have to have my roommate David or assistant Holly or friends bring me food & take care of Pinky.

I walk like a 90 year old. I need a wheelchair for anything more than 10 paces. Not exactly ideal when you're one of the leads in a physical comedy.


I've lost 25 lbs in 2 months despite eating well & drinking these horrible pressed juices Holly brings me every day.


Look, I'm not writing this to alarm you or get sympathy. I just felt you ought to know.

I'm sure I'll be fine, but almost 3 months of being unable to do anything for myself has taken a toll & I've become weepy.

However, I am still sober.

Don't know how I've managed that, but I have.

I love each of you a lot.

K

On Nov 14, 2013, at 6:20 PM, Kristen Johnston wrote:


Finally at Mayo clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona.


I never would have thought this before, but being pushed in a wheelchair everywhere isn't nearly as fun as this lazy gal imagined.  I mean, you think it'd be kinda cool,  just sitting & being pushed everywhere, but there are really no positives. The Airport?  Your face at everyone's ass level, and I discovered that waiting in the line at security has somehow given people carte blanche to recklessly fart to their hearts content. You're pushed by deeply unfriendly people, until you start spewing 20 dollar bills at them. Curbs mean nothing to these people, and after you're crammed a few times into them, you begin nervously pointing them out blocks away. One of the best parts is being shoved through a door, and they become distracted and the door slams back on your knees.


People discuss things about you behind & above you, as if your inability to walk has spread to your ear canals. Which is why I finally understand why old people are constantly yelling in paranoia "What? What are you saying? I can't hear you!"


I'm pretty used to being stared at, but I gotta say, it's way funner now--not to mention, you all know how much I ADORE when people feel sorry for me. People look at me with pity now. I can read their thoughts "OH MY GOD, what happened to that actress lady?"or "I had no idea that 3rd Rock lady was THAT old!"


If I wasn't sick, the hotel would be amazing. I have to be golf carted everywhere (a HUGE improvement over the chair...I just feel like I'm on a lot).


At the crack of ass this morning, as I was being carted to my car, I watched a very old man & his ancient wife as they hobbled towards the pool & I swear I was overcome with envy.  Because I knew I couldn't even walk that far. Impossible.

Envy was quickly replaced by fear.

In Scottsdale, everything  everywhere you look is brown adobe, which I'm guessing they insist folks do, so as not to distract your eyes from the giant brown mountains. Unfortunately, at certain times of day the effect just ends up  resembling a big ole pile of gorgeously sunlit poop.


Another disconcerting element I didn't consider until today is that the pooh-brown drug rehab I went to 7 years ago is very close to here.


Which is why, at 6am, as I drove through the murky brown morning, I suddenly had déjà vu....There I was, checking myself into another brown adobe building in Arizona desperately hoping  that the people within it would somehow save my life.

Yet again.

The people here at Mayo are incredible. My neurologist Dr. S met with me for a full hour in the am, and following that, I gave at least 1/3 of my blood.


Then, I had a few tests I'd had before (and oddly, didn't miss one bit), except these guys were WAY more thorough. (Translation: MUCH more painful) 
These tests included the ole "push a needle directly into a muscle & then send electric shocks into that muscle." (In all muscles of legs and arms. Repeatedly.)
Then there's part 2, where they shove a needle deep into you & move it around a bunch & it makes noises & info is somehow poured into a computer. When it touches a nerve it's beyond awful.
But this is just a prelude to another nerve/needle/electricity combo that was so painful it was all I could do not to scream. After I unclenched my jaw, I shakily asked  how many more times she'd have to do that.
She said, without a hint of irony "A thousand."
Literally, one thousand more jolts.
Then, it's time for my wrist. Same thing. 1,000 jolts.

The only way I stayed sane(ish) was by remembering that James Franco movie where he's hiking & a boulder traps his arm & he has to cut it off with a Swiss knife. So comparatively, a few thousand electrodes are NOTHING. The oddest part is, after a few hundred jolts, you kinda get used to it. It evolves from someone jabbing a hot screwdriver into your bicep to a bee stinging your arm over and over. 

At the end of today, I asked Dr S what he thinks it possibly could be so far.

He said we'll know once blood and test results come back, which is a phrase I never, ever want to hear again.

Despite all this I'm VERY glad I'm here!

If you got this, I love you dearly 

Kristen


On November 15, 2013 at 4:36:14 PM Kristen Johnston wrote:

I have a few fun & helpful  tid-bits for all you out there who's always drempt of someday going to the Mayo Clinic:

*When anyone says "Not really" in answer to"Will this hurt?," they're lying.
What they REALLY mean is, "More than childbirth."

*Whenever anyone says a procedure will take "20 minutes," this actually means at least 2 hours.

*Having an MRI finally answers this age-old, burning question:
"What would it feel like to be buried alive with the Muzak version of 'Evita' blaring in your ears, all while Governor Chris Christie jumps up & down over & over on the roof of your coffin?"

Not THAT bad, right?
Except for the fact that it goes on for 90 mins straight.
Oh, yeah...and you have to remain perfectly still the ENTIRE TIME.
Which means your face instantly becomes unbearably itchy. It's mental torture. All you can think about is that itch on your nose. On your chin. On your arm.
"Don't think about the itch. Don't think about the itch. Don't think about the itch."

*Last, just when you think "You know, I'm starting to miss having my nerves stimulated with painful electric jolts," are you ever in luck!

Today, I was treated to 2 hours of having 1st my foot & then my wrist be electrocuted.
She strapped something around my ankle, glued a bunch of electrodes all over my head, and WOOHOO!!!! PARTY TIME!!!!

The lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is Mon. Super excited.
I won't have any answers until Tues.

Of course, I'll keep you posted!

Well, I sure hope these nuggets of wisdom  come in handy for all you "Mayo-niacs" out there!!!

Love
K

On Nov 19, 2013, at 7:34 PM, Kristen Johnston wrote:

It's hard not to get disheartened. After countless Doctors ( in both NYC & LA), and two weeks here at Mayo, they still don't know what's wrong with me.

Dr. S said it's a 50/50 chance it's either a bug bite & immune system went haywire, OR I have something else, Transverse Myelitis, a neurological disorder affecting the spinal cord. OR something else.


So, the treatment for 1st option is to infuse me every day for an hour with steroids. If I show no improvement, it's time for a muscle biopsy (which can be performed at back in LA at Cedars Sinai). Everything is "and then we 'll move from there."


The GOOD news is, no cancer, bone marrow clean, no tumor etc.

My wbc count is 2.7, which still sucks.

But there is definitely an issue with my nerves & muscles. (Duh). He's narrowed it to top of my spine or base of my brain.

So that's the deal. 
I'll be home on Sun & continue my treatment with Dr. L, one of the neurologists.
Dr. S said it's a very confusing case.
No shit, Sherlock.

I'm sure you guys have many questions, so I've asked Dr S to write out his assessment in a email so I can fwd to you all.

I'm frustrated & sad. I just was so hopeful it would be something definitive. I know some of you want to talk to me, but right now I'm not in the mood. Gonna take a bath & crash.

Hopefully, my neurologist in LA can make sense of all these results and give me a goddamn diagnosis.

I LOVE YOU

Thanks for all your support!


I miss you guys.


But mostly Pinky.


Love


Dear Kristen:
Your evaluation to date suggests a problem in the central nervous system (spinal cord or brain) that may be causing you weakness. This is supported by abnormalities found on your neurological examination, abnormal somatosensory evoked potential testing (the one with the little shocks on the wrist and ankle, recording over the scalp with the glue-on wires) and the quantitative sensory testing (the test of feeling with the vibrating blunt stylus as well the warm and cold blocks on your hand and foot). Unfortunately we still can't specifically diagnose you, but great news in that there is no evidence of anything like a tumor or multiple sclerosis - the spinal fluid and MRI scans of brain, neck and midback are essentially normal.
The preliminary impression is therefore: 1) presumed transverse myelitis 2) possible additional muscle disease of unknown cause (due to a previously mild muscle disorder you didn’t even know you had). Consider this impression as tentative at this point. I have discussed your situation with your neurologist in LA, so he knows where we are.  If, after the prednisode infusion you are not noticeably and measurably improved (in terms of strength)  in 7-14 days, I would recommend pursuing a diagnostic muscle biopsy of the left shoulder (deltoid muscle.).
Sincerely,
Dr. S
On Dec 1, 2013, at 1:04 PM Kristen Johnston wrote:

Hi all....

Thank u so much for checking in....I can't tell u how much it means to me.

Short answer? I'm doing really really bad.
Sorry, there's no 2 ways about it. I am way fucked my friends. Ain't no funny spin I can find.

Basically, what happened is the steroid infusions made me feel slightly better. But 2 days after the 5th & final one I was worse than ever.

It didn't help matters that on Tues my neurologist (very esteemed, kind Dr, in his 60's) looked at all the Mayo results, ran tests & then said that he felt it was time I faced that there was a very real chance I'd never improve.
I was totally shocked.

"Are you saying that at 46 I could be bedridden the rest of my LIFE??!" 
"Yes."
"But... I've done EVERYTHING you people told me to! I fucking went to Mayo for 2 weeks! You need to fix me!"
He didn't know what to say, I could tell he felt bad.

"Look, Kristen, I've never seen a case like this before in my life. And I'm old."

Whatever. He took away my hope. I hate him. I'm switching Doctors on Monday.

So that afternoon my family arrives (staying at a hotel, trip scheduled long ago). My mother, sister & her family came to this giant house I'm renting & of course I'm lying upstairs in the bed like Baby Jane & I burst into tears when I see them.

I'm the girl who once left for a semester in Sweden at 15, a semester in Colombia at 16, & moved to NYC at 17 & has always been fiercely independent. I'm now utterly bedridden & unable to take care of herself.

It was decided that I should join them at their hotel for Thanksgiving. (I'd been in Mayo & hadn't even thought abt it...David was leaving to see his family, and I sure as hell couldn't be here alone for three days.)

So Julie's hubby says he'll make sure to book a sweet room for me & Pinky.  I stupidly insist upon driving myself there the next day. (I drive fine. Just can't walk. Weird.) I guess I still refuse to accept that I can't do anything I used to.

Ok, so let me give you guys a window into the reality of what this is truly like, without any jokes. 
I no longer have any strength in my upper spine, so unless the neck brace is on, my head flops totally forward onto my chest. All my muscles are gone, I'm so, so thin.

In the early afternoon, I begin. All I have to do is toss a few things in a duffle bag, and Pinky & I are off. A task that would take healthy Kristen about 5 minutes.


Here's how it really goes, now that I'm this creature...
Shove stuff in bag. Lie down, rest 15 min until heart rate calms & lactic acid leaves trembling arms & legs.Drag bag to balcony. Despite containing my computer I shove it with my foot until it tumbles down stairs.
Go back to bed, Rest 30 mins.
Pull on leggings. Rest. 

Shirt. Rest. 
Shoes. Rest.
Put on neck brace &  lie in bed, trying to work up the strength to move.
After a long time, I know it's now or never. 
I slowly shuffle toward stairs. Pinky follows.
I sit on stairs and slowly slide my bony ass down each step.
Exhausted, I lie in a puddle at bottom of stairs. My heart pounding, legs aching.
I pull bag on wheels outside & lie on chaise. So utterly exhausted I know I can't even walk back the few steps to shut the door (later, I have to call a friend to do it.)

I stumble down the outer steps to driveway & lie facedown on asphalt, weeping.
Legs trembling, I crawl in car, Pinky hopping in next to me. Rest.
With the last reserves of my strength, I somehow shove the bag in car. 

I sit there, gasping, heart pounding. I can't fucking believe this is my life.
I started this process in the early afternoon. 

It's dark now. I arrive at the hotel at 9 pm.

And that is what it's really like.

I will fight this thing, hard.
But I will not live like this for the rest of my life.
Sorry, maybe I'm a pussy. But I can't be this THING for the rest of my life.

I'm seeing new autoimmune dr & new neurologist Mon (Drs 16 & 17, including Mayo) on Mon.

But now this show I adored, worked so hard on, I'm now  dragging the whole thing down. If something doesn't change in the next week or so, I'm going to beg them to fire me.
Having some dark, dark days, my dear old friends.
Relish your legs. For me.

I really love you.
KJo

On Dec, 16, 2013  at 1:05 PM KRISTEN JOHNSTON wrote:


FINALLY.

It only took 5 months, 2 weeks at Mayo, and 18 Drs to FINALLY diagnose me with.....Lupus Myelitis!!!!


I've been tested before for Lupus, many times, all negative. But last week I saw Dr. Wallace, lucky Dr. 18 and an expert on Lupus and auto-immune diseases, and he was immediately fairly certain I have a rare form of Lupus, Lupus Myelitis (or Lupus Myositis). So, he submitted labs for a very specific Lupus test , and it's positive!

I never imagined I'd be so happy to have a diagnosis of chronic disease in my life.
But at least now we KNOW. At least we can take ACTION. 

I figured you'd have many Q's.... I pulled this from a Lupus website.
It's not curable, but very manageable through meds & nutrition.
I'm in a rush to try to shuffle to work (in 1 whopping scene this week), so there you have it.

Thank you all for your support.
Oh, and all F-bombs removed cus my mom doesn't like foul language.

Love
K

Goddamn Fucking Lupus!!!  (sorry ma)
What is lupus?Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years.In lupus, something goes wrong with your immune system, which is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs ("foreign invaders," like the flu). Normally our immune system produces proteins called antibodies that protect the body from these invaders. Autoimmune means your immune system cannot tell the difference between these foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues ("auto" means "self") and creates autoantibodies that attack and destroy healthy tissue. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body.Lupus is also a disease of flares (the symptoms worsen and you feel ill) and remissions (the symptoms improve and you feel better).These are some additional facts about lupus that you should know:
  • Lupus is not contagious, not even through sexual contact. You cannot "catch" lupus from someone or "give" lupus to someone.
  • Lupus is not like or related to cancer. Cancer is a condition of malignant, abnormal tissues that grow rapidly and spread into surrounding tissues. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, as described above.
  • Lupus is not like or related to HIV (Human Immune Deficiency Virus) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). In HIV or AIDS the immune system is underactive; in lupus, the immune system is overactive.
  • Lupus can range from mild to life-threatening and should always be treated by a doctor. With good medical care, most people with lupus can lead a full life.
  • Lupus has many different symptoms, and because of that, affects each person differently. Lupus can cause a mild skin rash or achy joints, or can involve the kidneys, heart, lungs, brain, or other internal organs. What most people do not realize, however, is how much effort it may take you to function day-to-day when you have to cope with extreme fatigue, chronic pain, memory loss, medication side effects, and/or visible skin lesions.
  • Lupus is unpredictable: It is a disease of flares (the symptoms worsen and you feel ill) and remissions (the symptoms improve and you feel better). Knowing that lupus is unpredictable may help other people understand your physical and emotional ups and downs as well as the changes that you may have to make to schedules, plans, and commitments.
How is lupus treated?
Lupus symptoms vary from one person to another. In many cases, the best treatment approach is with a health care team that will tailor treatment to your specific condition.
Today, physicians treat lupus using a wide variety of medicines, ranging in strength from mild to extremely strong. Prescribed medications will usually change during a person’s lifetime with lupus. However, it can take months—sometimes years—before your health care team finds just the right combination of medicines to keep your lupus symptoms under control.
There are many categories of drugs physicians use to treat lupus. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or “FDA” has approved only a few specifically for lupus, which include:

  • Corticosteroids, including prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, and hydrocortisone
  • Antimalarials, such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil®) and chloroquine
  • The monoclonal antibody belimumab (Benlysta®)
  • Aspirin
A rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the joints and muscles, generally treats people with lupus.
Once you have been diagnosed with lupus, your doctor will develop a treatment plan based on your age, symptoms, general health, and lifestyle. 
On Dec 17, 2013 at 3:30 PM Kristen Johnston wrote:

Hi Guys,

Looks like I get to spend another Christmas in the hospital. Can't wait. (actually, I'm so excited to have a diagnosis, I really CAN'T wait.)

Lemme explain: It's official. I have a "Lupus Myelitis" (or Myositis) which is…

"An inflammation of the skeletal muscles that causes weakness and loss of strength. Lupus myositis often affects the muscles of your neck, pelvis, thighs, shoulders and upper arms; difficulty in climbing stairs and getting up from a chair are early symptoms. Later symptoms may include difficulty lifting objects onto a shelf, lifting your arm to comb or brush your hair, getting out of the bath, and even raising your head or turning over in bed."
Gee….that sure SOUNDS EXACTLY like my symptoms. IN EVERY SINGLE WAY.

Yet, NOBODY could  figure it out?????? I'd been tested for Lupus, a number of times, it was negative. What I didn't realize, is there are many different tests. They just didn't do the correct one. (Seriously?!!??)


So heres my deal…..I'm checking in to Cedars 7am Thursday for 5 fun-filled days of IVIG, steroids, chemo and a whole bunch of other stuff. Dr. Wallace said if this works (and he's completely confident it will), I should feel WAY better within a week.

One week.
5 bedridden months spent in a quagmire of confusion & loneliness, and it could have been solved in A WEEK. To say I feel frustration would be a gross understatement…
There's not only the hellacious nightmare I've gone through, the SHITLOADS of money I've spent,  the thousands of hours spent in Drs offices, what my friends, family and all the people who had to endlessly take care of me & feed my dog did…There's also this tv show, that I love so passionately & believe in so much.
I know, I know, it's "just a TV show, your health more important", and of course I agree…but this is my career, my passion, my joy. I love it. I've worked so hard for many years to be sober & sane enough to appreciate it, and to me it's almost as important as anything else.

Just imagine all written scripts & planned plots being tossed a week before production. Not to mention imagine trying to write a different script, unsure if I'd ever be healthy enough to do it. Mark and all of the writers re-writing constantly, never sure if I'd even be able to show up, the actors trying to rehearse w/my stand-in, the stress on everyone 
"Does she have a tick disease? Oh, Thyroid? Now they don't know? When will she be better? Does she think she can do 2 scenes? Can this be over yet?",  Mindy & all producers in a perpetual state of scrambling & solving, all the talk shows & press I was supposed to do, promotional stuff, all cancelled, Sheryl the wardrobe gal dressing me as I lay on my couch, sobbing, David, who somehow did my hair in same position, while I tried to put on my makeup,  etc etc, etc...

It felt like we all worked so hard  for 21/2 years to reach a common goal & suddenly it was gone.


So many Dr's, so many opportunities to help me get better. So many agonizingly painful tests, all for naught. THAT IS WHY I"M PISSED. 


I mean, why on earth didn't  Dr. L, the guy who said (when I came back from Mayo) " You know, there's a good chance you'll feel like this for the rest of your life", that he was "baffled" by my case, and "had never seen anything like it in his 40 years in the medical field"….Why didn't he JUST SEND ME TO SOMEONE ELSE? 
How can all these Drs Why just shrug their shoulders & give up? How?

I have great insurance, access to brilliant Doctors & hospitals.
So if I was screwed, what about all those other people with no insurance, funds, access to great medical care? What are they supposed to do?

I'm filled with equal parts relief and rage, it's the oddest feeling.
Love, Kristen  


On Dec 22, 2013, at 1:20 PM, Kristen Johnston wrote:

Hi all...


Well, as I'm sure you saw from the multitude of news stories, I have Lupus & am dying. (Kidding! But some of them sounded that dramatic! Slow news day, perhaps?)


I wanted a few weeks to recover from the Lupus before people knew, so I was intentionally non-specific with the press, saying only that it was an auto-immune disorder. 

Sadly, people started saying really cruel things, making up awful rumors... that I had HIV, was dying, was just "trying to stay in the news" (??), even that I'd relapsed, etc.
So the next day I wrote on Facebook that I have Lupus Myelitis, to put an end to all the stupidity.
I would've preferred a month to acclimate to what I have & become more informed before everyone else knew...but as the song goes "You can't always get what you want..."

I checked into the hospital first thing Thurs to begin my treatments and I was shoved in the most depressing, tiny, beige room I've ever seen in my life .

The man next door was older than dirt & clearly the only objective he had left in life was to cough. Endless, loud, non-stop hacks. Then an occasional moan. Silence. Dead? ...and the coughing began anew.
The only thing preventing me from leaving was the fact that I was connected to a machine pumping steroids into me, and that I still can't walk.
I just lay there, getting more freaked out & pissy & weepy until finally Dr Wallace came by. 
"I HATE IT HERE" I said and he laughed.
"Kristen. You have an enormous amount of steroids in you. OF COURSE you're miserable."

We had a long talk about what medication would be ok to give me to chill me out, and we decided one Ativan would be okay. (Benzos were never my thing.) So that helped A LOT. Then, they started with the rounds of IVIG & chemo.


I was there 41/2 days, came home yesterday, and I really do feel MUCH better! I'm still weak & all that, but better.

Dr Wallace has a whole plan for me. Basically, I see him Fri where he's gonna hook me up w/a physical therapist, and start me on a daily pill called Plaquenil that supposedly works wonders.  He wanted to wait to make sure all these IV drugs accepted ok first. I get IVIG infusions every month for 6 months. 
Dr Wallace, a lovely man (who read my book, how cool is that?!), said he's fairly confident I'll be in full remission in 6 months-year.
Until then, I'll get better & better every day.
We hope.
I wanted to start on physical therapy this week, but he doesn't want to push it...he said my body is adjusting to A LOT. 


So that's where I'm at. 

Listen. I know I've said this to most of you...but THANK YOU. For all the love & care you've shown me. The visits, the emails, the concern...I feel very loved.
I can't WAIT to kick this fuckers ass once & for all!
Sorry for the F-bomb ma! But you gotta admit, in this case it fits!!!

I love you all & thank you so much for loving me.


I'm excited to slowly get back to work in a few weeks!


Love

Kristen 


There it is. My story.
Now I can move on.

I hope it helps someone out there feeling lost & lonely.

Love
KJo

I Hate Women

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 Oh, alright, that’s not quite true, but you have to admit “I hate most women,” doesn’t have quite the same zing. Of course, I’m excluding the women I’m friends with and the women I’ve yet to meet whom I would be friends with. But let’s be honest: most women are assholes.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it goes without saying that men are assholes, too. But we’ve known that since forever. Ask a man if he’s an asshole and he’ll instantaneously say “yep” then scratch his balls, fart and pass out again. But ask a woman?  Her mouth will fall open and her eyes will well up with tears. Eventually, she’ll stammer “I...I...Of course not! How dare you!” The tears begin to fall “I am a wonderful mother, a terrific wife, a fantastic boss, and a loyal friend. I’m devastated you even asked!” 


She’ll storm out of the room, will never speak  to you again and spread horrible and vicious lies about you until the day she dies. But it’s not her fault. You see, she’s has been raised to believe that the truth means nothing. It’s people’s perceptions that are essential. It’s one of society’s best kept secrets: men are blamed for ruining everything, while the fairer sex, who’s devious and reprehensible behavior has escalated even more catastrophically in the last 20 years, continue to walk away without so much as a slap on their delicate Chanel-laden wrists.

Now, I’ll admit: I’m an actress, and actresses are renowned for being self-involved & icky. Which we suredly are. However, I’ve managed to convince myself that  by cleverly combining  self-deprecation, self-awareness and a decent sense of humor,  I’ve somehow  managed to turn these hideous qualities into charming "character quirks." I think. Anyway, we’re not even talking about me, okay? Jesus.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first: No blog post titled “I Hate Women” would be complete without touching upon how women are represented on television today. Not scripted television, which nobody watches anymore anyway. I’m talking about the scintillating ladies of reality television.  There has been an explosion of reality shows focusing on the lives of “real” women, although to be honest, not one woman I know lives the way these gals do. For instance, if one friend of mine despised another friend of mine & every time they saw each other they tried to blind each other with their acrylic nails, call me crazy, I’m not gonna throw an intimate dinner party & invite them both, hoping that copious amounts of Jesus Juice will magically heal their rift. I also manage to refrain from calling tabloids to feed them awful stories about my friends. So I can’t really relate to these “Housewives.”

But apparently I’m in the minority here. Due to the  insane popularity of these shows, it’s clear that the "dumbing down of women" in this country isn’t just a passing fad, like Chihuahuas as fashion accessories.  Nope, this shit is being fed to all of us in giant, gloppy gumdrops, and instead of waking up with a headache & no teeth, we want more. It’s here to stay. The new "reality" seems to be this: The dumber, sluttier, more talentless & personality-free you are, the more fascinated we are by you.  

In order to be cast on one of these shows, it appears these ladies must meet some fairly stringent criteria, beginning with an unhealthy relationship with booze and hopefully drugs. Normally, I have a real soft spot for a good addict, being one myself.  What’s not to love? What a shame then that almost every single one of these gals also happens to be a stupid, vapid asshole. I don’t care who you are, the combination of addiction and a low IQ will get you nowhere with me. It will, however, get you a five-year, multi-million contract with a network.

 Along with an addiction to alcohol or dolls, another criteria is an addiction to plastic surgery.  And not that subtle, “well-rested” crap, either. Ideally, upon gazing at her visage, the viewer should be equally torn between giggling and vomiting.  She must have a voracious appetite for money, yet none whatsoever for food. A lack of taste and self-awareness is a must. She can’t hesitate at the idea of mortifying her husband, friends and children. And  finally, she must crave fame, drama and attention, at the expense of all else in her life.

And here you thought getting cast on a reality show would be a breeze.

 Once this magnificent monstrosity has met all these criteria, she is cast in the show and another shallow, fish-lipped uneducated asshole is let loose upon the adoring masses. The prom queen wins again, and we love it. I’m not just talking about Bravo’s juggernaut ‘The Real Housewives’, although if there was a film called “I hate women” they would be a shoo-in for the Oscar. 

*It must be said that this isn't the case with all these lovely lasses. Some are hard-working, good people who are genuinly funny. But only a tiny percentage of them. Like, 1 to 2%.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve only managed to stomach a few episodes of those shows before bursting into tears of rage. I can’t help but picture Gloria Steinham or any other feminist  from the 60’s and 70’s watching these shows. I imagine them thinking “Well, if THIS is the equality we fought so hard for, I would have sat at home and read a goddamn book instead.”

These ladies are far from the only ambassadors of odious comportment on television. I wish. Just off the top of my head, there are: the rose-obsessed psychos on The Bachelor,  the expressionless fame-whores on the Hills, the hateful shits on “America’s Next Catalogue Model,” and we can’t forget that utterly noxious family who managed to spin their daughter’s sex tape into world domination. To name but a few. 

Things aren’t all that different in real life. (Well, I’m not sure you can count living in New York City as “real life,” but it’s real to me.) It all began the day I graduated from NYU. The girls I had befriended there were all really smart, funny and ambitious. But the moment we graduated, it was like someone flicked a switch. It took me a few weeks to comprehend why so many of my girlfriends had become strangers to me, until one day it dawned on me that the cool girl I sat next to in film class, the girl I spent hundreds of hours discussing the similarities between Buñuel and Hitchcock while stoned out of our minds no longer had any interest in becoming the next brilliant actress, screenwriter or director. While I was still trying to discuss ridiculous things like the audition I just sucked at, or berating Demi Moore’s latest film (in 1990, usually a sure-fire conversation starter), all I'd get in return was a blank stare, followed by a barely concealed yawn. I soon learned my friends now had far loftier objectives in their lives: to torment some love-struck bozo until he proposed, have a huge wedding, all while spending as much of his money as humanly possible.

I’ve never understood the fascination with marriage, which I’d like to tell everyone in my home-town doesn’t mean I’m gay. It just means I don’t see what the big deal is. Maybe I’ll change my mind if I ever have kids, but I doubt it. When I was younger and would day-dream about my future (which was pretty much every waking second of every single day), I never once envisioned myself married. My fantasies instead would revolve around flying to some exotic movie location with my adorable adopted son in tow. This is when I was nine or ten years old, long before Angelina made it "cool". 

As I grew older and one by one my friends got hitched, I became even less interested. Mainly  because once certain women are married, they seem to instantly morph into a semi-permanent state of smugness & superiority (which lasts until the divorce or rehab, whichever comes first.) She has won. You have lost. You are forced to act fascinated as she endlessly discusses her wedding in minute detail, even though you already suffered through it in real life. It’s almost as if she knows you got so hammered you puked in the bushes and had sex with a non-english speaking waiter.
   
Once that's been beaten into the ground, she begins to regale you with long monologues that sum up how happy she is.  How sweet her hubby is. How thrilled she is not to be alone anymore (unlikeyou.)  This is when we subtly move into a phase I like to refer to as ‘The Psychotic Yenta’.  She begins insisting you’re miserable and lonely (you're actually not, unless in her company), so she starts setting you up on blind dates with her hubby’s inevitably homely & dandruff-ridden friends. It isn’t long before you understand that "He used to be a model!" is just code for "He used to have teeth and hair!"
      
This is the phase in which you slowly begin to realize that this woman you once loved has now morphed into a stranger. Not only that, but a stranger you kind of dislike. But you desperately hang on, convincing yourself that the girl you’d skip classes with, the girl who let you weep on her bed for weeks after your 1st heartbreak, the girl who made you laugh until you cried, the girl who once knew every single word of every Violent Femmes song by heart--she must be in there somewhere. 
   
Sadly, she's gone forever. 

Because now she has CHILDREN. And if you don't have CHILDREN, you can't endlessly discuss the most boring topic on earth, THEIR SCHOOLING. This is when the relationship finally reaches it’s sad conclusion and putters out.  I mean, if you can't discuss THE CHILDREN or THEIR SCHOOLING, what the fuck else could one possibly talk about?

I have a special level of disgust reserved for the women who feel that simply because they've had a child, they're no longer held to the same niceties as the rest of us. For example, if you helpfully hold the door at Starbuck's open for them, not only are they absolved from saying "thank you," they don't hesitate to ruthlessly roll their 150 pound stroller over your flip-flopped foot.
        
I guess the screams of HER CHILDREN have dulled HER HEARING, because if you dare to yelp in stroller-agony, you'll be lucky if she allows you a disinterested glance before she skips  to the front of the line. 
         
Last year, I had just had lunch with a friend and wandered home, stopping to get an ice cream cone. There I am with my pistachio, happy, enjoying the pretty spring day, when I realize I'd inadvertently wandered to a block where a school was just about to let out a stream of youngsters. This was the calm before the storm. Range rovers & lexus's lined up and many, many mommies all having a good chat.
        
That is, until I walked by.
         
Because the conversation fell silent, I looked up from my cone just in time to see all of their faces scrunched up into expressions I immediately recognized as pity. I could almost hear their thoughts "Aww, that's so sad! All alone. I remember how lonely I was before Susie. Poor thing…"
         
It’s all I could do to refrain from cramming my melting cone into one of their pious faces. My face burned, and a block later I realized my white knuckled hand had crushed my waffle cone. A bit defensive? Sure. But any unmarried woman above the age of 35 will tell you that it’s not easy. 
       
Has anyone stopped to consider that marriage isn’t the Holy Grail for everyone? That some women are actually happier unmarried? I’m not saying I don’t love men. I adore them, and have wonderful & fulfilling relationships with them (unless they're cheating motherfuckers.) And I love children. I just happen to believe there are too many kids out there who need great homes, and have no inclination to pass my faulty addict genes on to another generation. I've always planned on adopting.

Maybe, just maybe, for some women, a full life means: a healthy relationship, non-toxic friendships, travel, and, if they're lucky, a career they love. 

The real truth is, I don’t hate women. At all. In fact, I love them deeply. I just hate what some women have become. I’ve watched as women have become their own greatest enemies. I see women on social media terrorize other women simply for supporting a celebrity they hate or following someone they have an issue with. I've been the victim of a female cyberbully on Twitter for years. I've seen young women torment each other so deeply I've lost sleep over it. It’s stupid, vicious, and deeply wrong.

We have to stop the insanity. Because we are the only ones who can truly help & support each other. Without each other, we’re lost. 


My Brilliant Idea (Update: All sketches sold out in 20 mins!)

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But please, enjoy this blog ...


The idea hit me a few days ago, out of the blue. 
"Good God, I'm a genius!"

I immediately called my friend, the designer Christian Siriano, who instantly agreed.

(With the idea, that is. Let's just assume he already knows I'm a genius.)
I hope you guys will agree, once you hear my evil plan.

However, before I unveil it, I wanted to build the excitement by telling you a little backstory first....

I know actresses name-drop designers all the time. Constant references to "My dear friend Narciso" or "I'm here to support my friend Marc" or "The funniest thing happened at Donna Karan's Hamptons estate one weekend" or "I mentioned this to my friend Calvin Klein" and the like are plastered all over magazines. 

Unfortunately, I'm probably one of the few actresses I know of who doesn't adore fashion, despite Tim Gunn once telling me at a dinner party that he's always admired my "effortlessly chic style."

*It's also worth noting that Mr. Gunn never returned my calls after saying he was dying to get dinner with me, so I don't know if he meant it or not.  Since I despise shopping with the hatred of a thousand suns, and a great pair of vintage 501's gets me far more excited than any Haute Couture, I'm guessing he was simply charming me. (With great success, since I repeated what he said about me to pretty much every single person I came into contact with for months.)


"But you love my effortlessly chic style, right? Right?"
         At Christian Siriano's runway show with my beloved almost-friend Tim Gunn
(My actual date is the wide-eyed gentleman behind us, John Early)

I've always loved Project Runway, and through the show I began to develop a real understanding of the creativity, artistry and pressure that goes into designing clothes. Since my friend Andy Cohen used to produce the show for Bravo,  he would invite me to attend the runway show finale at the end of each season (an impossible ticket to get, believe me.)  I'll never forget Christian's winning runway show, in person it was even more dazzling. It was clear he was extremely talented...edgy, classical, irreverent, while making women look fantastic. He was also very young,  said "That's fierce!" a lot, and to be honest, I just assumed he was a snotty prick like most designers.

Turns out, I couldn't have been more off-base.  I just love him and his smart, lovely boyfriend Brad Walsh. They are the funniest, least pretentious, generous & extraordinary friends.


Our unlikely friendship began seven years ago, when I was asked to host the Lucille Lortel Awards, a prestigious theater award show in NYC. Flattered they even asked me, I was feeling quite important and prestigious myself, until my manager Becca had to go and ruin it by reminding me I needed to start thinking about what I was going to wear. "Aw, fuck me. Now I gotta find a goddamned DRESS! Goddamnit Becca!"

I'll let you in on a little secret...dressing up for events isn't nearly as much fun as you'd think it would be. In fact, on my "good times" scale, I'd have to put it somewhere between having an impacted wisdom tooth removed and being cheated on. It's just misery, mostly due to the fact that I have never been, nor will I ever be,  a 'Sample size.' A Sample is what they call the one dress the designer creates to be worn on the runway, and it usually ranges from a size zero all the way up to the almost Lane Bryant-esque size 4.
So, yeah, I'm not even in that ballpark.

Of course, most designers will kindly offer to create a gown for you with your measurements...as long as it's for some huge awards show with tons of press.

If it's for anything else, the Sample is the one dress most designers will offer to lend you. Not a copy of that dress, mind you. That exact fucking dress, which was fitted to mold the body of a 6 foot tall 19 year old who's diet consists of radishes and champagne. We all know models are really tall & really thin, but until you see a runway show in person, you simply can't fathom how skinny most of these girls truly are. Sometimes they look like they're about to topple over from the sheer weight of a linen blazer. Most look angry, and who could blame them? You wouldn't be too chipper either, if you hadn't eaten in two years.

Despite the fact that I'd much rather stay home and read a book, due to my profession, sometimes I just gotta bite the bullet and dress that shit up. Over the years, I'd need dresses for benefits or broadway openings or theater award shows, and since there'd be photographers there, I wanted to look halfway cute. This is how I'd end up at some designers showroom, trying desperately to cram my girth into something originally created for a flagpole.

I was good and screwed, because despite being tall, I have a real body, with an ass, a tummy & big ol' knockers, which I'm relieved to say I'm usually quite fine with.  However, there's a special kind of humiliation felt when it dawns on you that not one piece of clothing in a designer's entire showroom fits. Or when 6 people finally manage to zip you into a dress and it rips completely open the instant you take a breath.  Or when you happen to glance up into the mirror just in time to see the designer roll his eyes to his smirking assistant behind your back...oh god. It's just really, really, really not fun.

I wish I could say the horror I experienced was all due to 'Sample' sizes. God, how I wish. Once, I was nominated for a huge acting award and a famous designer was fitting me for a gown. I was standing there zoning out as he and the tailor were crouching down, talking to each other as they pinned the back of the dress. Suddenly, I heard the designer hiss loudly "I KNOW THAT! But what am I supposed to do??!  Her ass is just way too big for this dress!"

It only takes a few words to cut someone in half. 
I pretended I didn't hear what he said, and managed to smile until they left (who says I can't act?)

After I wept thousands of humiliated tears, all that was left was anger.
And that, my dear friends, is when I said FUCK THIS SHIT. From that day forward, if I had to go somewhere fancy, I'd haul my fat ass to Neiman's or Barneys and spend thousands on ridiculously expensive designer dress I couldn't afford and would probably never wear again.
I did this for many years, donating the dresses to charity afterwards. As far as I was concerned, it was money well spent, because I'd rather be broke than ever feel like that again. 

Eventually, I just didn't attend events like that. I couldn't afford to.

Then came hosting the Lucille Lortel Awards. It was important I go, so people knew I was actually alive. Then Becca left me a message saying "Christian Siriano wants to dress you for the Lucille Lortel Awards," and I was filled with mixed feelings.  There was the tiniest spurt of hope, because my dress budget was just big enough to buy something from Forever 21, and only if it was on the half-off rack. But mostly, I was filled with dread.  I was only a few months sober, and I really didn't need some dick tormenting me because his dresses couldn't be pulled up past my thighs.

I immediately called Becca back "Make sure he knows that I'm not a fucking sample size. I'm serious, Becca.  I'm a size 10, sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller. Tell him that."

She called me back a few minutes later.  "He said he doesn't care what size you are. He's a big fan & really wants to make something for you."

I was so touched. No one had ever offered to do that for me before.
Then, I met him. He was warm, sweet, shy, funny and most of all...he didn't seem to be secretly  longing for a flagpole. He just wanted me to look great. We hit it off instantly, and for the first time in my life, I understood the joy of fashion. 

The day we met.

From that moment on, he's dressed me for countless events and talk shows, always generously overnighting dresses for me no matter where I am in the world. I always feel beautiful in his clothes, whether I'm thin or carrying a little extra junk around.

Thin

Junk

Regular

He and Brad spent many weekends with me up at a place I used to have in Ct. (Brad is an incredible musician, and photographer, which is why I have no pics of him!)

I know it's a long story, but I wanted you guys to understand why Christian means so much to me, and what kind of a person he is.

You've waited patiently long enough! Finally, it's time for.....

MY BRILLIANT IDEA

As most of you know, I've been trying for 61/2 years to build NYC's 1st (and desperately needed) sober high school.  Please click here for more info, or go to slamnyc.org.

We're still trying desperately to get a "yes" from the NYC board of Ed. Finally, someone from a very successful consulting group who creates dynamic new schools heard my plea & reached out to me. His company would work with all the confusing political & educational elements so the school can finally happen.

In order to hire this company, we need to raise funds.

Prints of Christian's stunning sketches sold like crazy on his website (in fact he just stopped selling them) so I asked him if he'd be willing to donate a few to help SLAM raise this money. 
He didn't hesitate. He also included 3 Originals, which he NEVER sells!

For the purposes of being able to RT and share the actual sketches, as well as purchase, I'm also including them in a separate blog entry.

If you'd like to buy, please let me know which number you want in comments below to reserve it  & I can explain further steps.

Once we've connected & your money is in, I'll send sketch!

100% OF THE MONEY WILL GO TO SLAM, and toward helping us hire this Consulting company. No one at SLAM receives a salary.

There are 3 originals & 3 prints. Each signed by Christian. (I'm happy to sign on back  as well, thanking you.)

You'll receive a tax-deductable receipt. Of course, if you'd like to donate more, we wouldn't say no!!!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO BOUGHT A SKETCH! 
I HAD NO IDEA THEY'D SELL SO FAST! 
I THANK YOU, SLAM THANKS YOU!

ORIGINALS

SOLD OUT
He NEVER sells these, this is very rare event!!!

$500.00 each
11 x 14
Acrylic & Pencil
High Quality Paper
Signed by Christian Siriano

1. SOLD

2.SOLD

3. SOLD

PRINTS

SOLD OUT!
$200.00 each
11 x 14
These are the very last prints of only 5 made.
High quality paper!
Signed by Christian Siriano (and me on back, thanking you if you'd like).

4. SOLD

5. SOLD

6. SOLD

Thank you, Christian!

Thanks everyone! I'll try to find more cool stuff to sell!

Love,
KJo

The Lost Souls of Social Media

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For most of my life, I looked down on Celebrities who felt the need to splurt the intimate details of their personal lives everywhere. I've always thought it was tacky. As an actor, I believe it's essential to keep a modicum of mystery so you're believable as different characters. Not to mention, it can make you appear desperate for attention.

If you read Guts, or any other part of this blog, you're probably thinking I'm an open book. But let me assure you, this is far from the case. Certainly, I'm now quite happily honest about certain aspects of my life. But I still believe other parts of my life are sacred and therefore, I keep them as private as possible.  For instance: I rarely share specifics of my love life, friendships, family nor have I ever let a magazine photograph my home.

I was raised to keep everything personal private. I was taught to hide, lie, or say "no comment." From a young age I undersood that whatever you present to people is what matters, not how you really feel. (Is it any wonder I became a pill-popping lush?) Therefore, when Social Media first came along, I completely ignored it. I knew next to nothing about it, except I was savvy enough to know that there is no crueler being on earth than a nameless, faceless entinty hidden behind a computer screen. It all sounded so hideous to me...why on earth would anyone open themselves up to the slings and arrows of the bitter and ball-less?



Everything changed when my book, GUTS,  came out in March of 2012.

As the release date neared, I was completely flabbergasted to discover that instead of the multi-million dollar press machine I was used to when promoting a television show,  I was now pretty much left to my own devices to sell my book. Instead of the nation-wide book tour and packed book signings I'd imagined, all I had were 4 book signings scheduled in tiny local book stores, each attended by less than 20 people. I was baffled.
This can't be right.

The final straw came at one event in New Jersey, when I looked in the store window to see 10 folding chairs, all empty save for  one bored woman eating a sandwich. I began to hyperventilate, and went to the parking lot to call my Literary Agent, torn between fury, humiliation and heartbreak.
"I don't understand, Lydia. Nobody's here. Has no one publicized this??!"
"Nowadays they don't really do book tours." She said "Most advertising is done through Social Media."
"Well, their social media person sucks."
"No, Kristen." She said, with eternal patience. "Most authors nowadays have a presence on Twitter and Facebook. Publishers rely heavily on an author's self-promotion. In fact, unless you're Stephen King, most books nowadays have literally no budget for promotion."
"Are you telling me that they paid me a huge chunk of money, and I spent a year & a half writing this thing with virtually no help--and yet---and yet" I felt myself going faint "No one will know it exists??!!"
"That's right. Unfortunately, it's all up to you."

I joined twitter and Facebook the next day.
And she was right. Talk show appearances, reviews and articles helped, but Social Media has been the most powerful tool in spreading the word about my book. In fact, without it, GUTS would've died a cruel, quick, painful death. It's why I retweet so many positive comments about it. I'm sure it gets rather annoying, and I do try to keep it to a minimum. But I'm all I got, I'm damn proud of it, and I've been determined to do whatever I can to make sure as many people as possible know about it. Every speaking event or book signing have been scheduled by me and my manager.

But the book was just the beginning.
I never could have imagined the great & glorious gifts being a "presence" on social media afforded me. I've met, and continue to meet and interact with truly extraordinary people from all over the globe. I've laughed my ass off, and even made a few dear friendships. It has changed me, forever, and I'm deeply grateful to it.

But by the same token, I never could have imagined the betrayals, frustrations, confusions and hurt that awaited me.

At first, I was dazzled, overwhelmed and so happy that so many people reached out to me to express things they'd never told anyone before. About their own addiction, their son or daughters', their husbands', their fathers', their mothers', their friends' addictions. I was, and still am, deeply honored that people trusted me with their hidden shames and terrible secrets. I've done my very best to listen, and help each and every one to the best of my limited capabilities.

Of course, I've always made very clear that I'm not a specialist, I've had no training in addiction or psychology. I'm simply an actress who who wrote a book. But I'd read and respond to as many as possible, always encouraging people to get real help.

After spending most of my life hating myself, feeling like a fraud, a waste of space....suddenly I was really and truly helping people. It was the best feeling in the world.

Unfortunately, it started to go bad as soon as I tried to establish boundaries with some of these people. Granted, most people instantly did their best to respect my requests. But there are those who refused to, leaving me in a terrible position. As someone who never even understood what boundaries were, let alone which ones were important to me until my late 30's--this was a completely new world.

Here are just a few of the boundaries that matter to me:

"For my own sobriety, I have to ask you to stop contacting me drunk or high."
"You seem to be angry I didn't respond to you right away.  Please respect that I work, have a life and can't be at your beck & call."
"I'm not equipped to handle this kind of crisis, please call 911."
"I've already given you the names & numbers of people in your area who can assist you, and you refuse to call them. Yet you continue to turn to me in constant crisis."
"Please don't write me that you're suicidal. How can I possibly help you? What is it you want me to say? Please call 911 and/or call a close friend/family member."
"I can't meet with anyone from Social Media for coffee. Otherwise I'd never leave Starbucks."
"I can't call your family member/friend and talk them out of their addiction."
"I can't get you an acting job."
I could go on and on and on and on....

You may think these are ridiculous, but each statement above I've had to write many, many times to many different people.

And even then, I can't begin to count how many times they were ignored.

When people refused to respect my boundaries, even people I considered friends, I knew I had no choice but to block them/end the friendship.  A few of them now hate me with a passion, conveniently forgetting the months and months of patience and generosity I showed them. Some have even gone so far as to spread lies about me, my mental health, my sobriety.

I've learned to ignore it, but I can't tell you how challenging it's been to finally feel deserving of boundaries for the 1st time in my life, only to be hated for trying to establish them.

So many people are so damaged and in so much pain. I really understand that.
And, God help me, I know the hell of addiction, and clinical depression.

What has blown me away is how deeply selfish and self-serving so many are. Another person's needs mean nothing compared to their own. They try to force their will upon you, manipulate, lie, pretend, gossip, do whatever they can to have their needs met.
And no matter what you're comfortable with giving, it is never, ever enough.

Once, someone on twitter helped me out with a bullying situation. That person, let's call her Karen, subsequently got involved with some pretty crazy women on twitter. Two other crazies didn't like this, and began demanding that I renounce Karen. But I refused to, because Karen had helped me. I blocked them. For a year since I've been attacked by these two women, one of whom apparently loves to rage about me in her blogs. I've never read them, nor will I.
I've never publicly spoken ill of them, nor will I.
But all this simply because I spoke honestly about my positive experience with Karen?

If you spend all day, every day, attacking people simply because they like someone you don't, something is very wrong with you.

If you attack someone, send them emails, or post their addresses or pictures of their children, or write letters to their place of employment, sadly, twitter will do nothing.

But anyone sane knows the truth: you are sick, and any punishment I could think of probably couldn't touch the miserable existence you wake up to every day.

A week ago, Fagsy Malone (my dear friend and the man who helped me design this blog) suggested I come up with a list of Twitter dont's. And I had every intention of writing a sassy, funny blog about it.

But I'm tired of the awful behavior I see on social media. I don't want to reprimand thousands of grown-ups for behavior they'd punish their own children for exhibiting.

Think about it. Really think about it. Does it make you happy? Do you feel fulfilled? Is spreading hate really that fun for you?

And for those addicted to being a victim, look within. The pride you feel when getting yourself help is something I could never give you.

KJo






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