Jenny McCarthy on Access Hollywood

Access Hollywood talks to Jenny McCarthy about her heated dressing down by Barbara Walters after she was on The View during her promotion for Louder Than Words. Jenny explains that she didn't understand where Barbara's anger and refusal to believe Evan was in recovery, was coming from, until she learned that Ms. Walters had a sister with special needs. Was there a lingering guilt that more wasn't done for that sister?  Guilt is like kerosene for anger, isn't it? Is that behind much of the anger within certain factions of the autism community today? Guilt that not enough was done for children who are now adults? Guilt or fear of trying to help one's own children? Who has the time for guilt? We have children to help. You can buy Jenny's newest book, Mother Warriors and Louder Than Words HERE.

There's no embed code, but you can click to the Access Hollywood on the OMG! site HERE.

Comments

[FeFe]

This video clip is gone from the web. All links are broken. Barbara Walters has power! Can someone expand on the info, please, as these comments are cryptic, to me.

[Karmic debt]

"This idea of bad karma at least explains why Barbara does not believe in biomed, recovery or the DAN movement, and does not speak openly about her own child with autism. She must think her child "deserves" it."

I seriously doubt this is Barbara's interpretation of karma. If it is it shows that she has not entirely "got" it. Because all that karma does is put you in a situation whereby you have lessons to learn from the experience.

Whether you learn from it, how you deal with it, whether this experience even makes you a better person for it - is what karma is about. Its not enough to be a fatalist and accept the situation, it is how you perform as a person in the circumstances you are facing that determines whether or you have paid your dues. As long as you are in the quagmire of your former self, your situation and circumstances will not change. THIS, if nothing else, is what I have learned over the years.

[Jessica]

Oh no wait, I posted too soon, doing a wee bit of digging led me to this quote by Barbara in the January 2006 edition of "Ladies Home Journal":

"If I believe in anything, I'm inclined to believe in reincarnation because it can explain people's misery — that you were not great in your past life. Otherwise it's just too hard to understand why children are born blind or deformed or retarded."

That's it! All of our ASD kiddos are paying their dues for their past lives. Now I can sleep at night.

This idea of bad karma at least explains why Barbara does not believe in biomed, recovery or the DAN movement, and does not speak openly about her own child with autism. She must think her child "deserves" it.

[Jessica]

Not only does Babs have a sister with special needs, she also has an adopted child with autism. Funny how some celebs are outspoken and honest, while others try to hide in shame.

Do you think that if someone came on The View, talking about being a breast cancer survivor, and Babs' child was also a survivor, she would mention it?

What is so shameful about autism?

[Lisa Clark]

Guilt,grief,remorse,anger, and blame. All emotions of parents that mourn the Autism diagnosis. Then comes the happiness, the triumph, the euphoria of a breakthrough brought on by an entire life being completely changed for your little one. How dare that self absorbed hag attack Jenny. She is the beacon for those of us that will never give up,never back down. Even when it seems like the fight is lost, she will still shine,and say it's possible. We will continue to make progress, we will continue to rise above, the truth will not be swept under the rug anymore. We are here ! We are loud ! We are not afraid anymore! For everyone whos is willing to fight there is hope.

[nhokkanen]

Consider the source -- Barbara Walters, a conflicted and imperfect diva who dates back to the Bronze Age. She probably took some heat from doctors and so she offloaded it onto Jenny, unfortunately.

Billy Bush was respectful; he did a good segment. It boggles the mind that Access Hollywood, the National Enquirer and the Comedy Channel do better autism/vaccine reporting than much of the mainstream media nowadays.

[On Barbara Walters]

Hmmm is it right to get livid at a messenger of hope - for several thousand kids today - just because the mighty Barbara Walters' book had already possibly gone to print. Would the story of her pain pale in comparison to Jenny's story of triumph?

If she had truly lamented over what might have been regarding her sister's life she would have broken down and cried. Getting mad at Jenny doesn't seem to be the right kind of reaction - to my mind.