AGE OF AUTISM

Jenny McCarthy is the new Bill W.

By Kent Heckenlively, Esq.

If you had a problem with alcohol in the late 1960s or 1970s you might be quietly approached by someone who said they were "a friend of Bill W."  Bill Wilson was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous and those who had been through his program identified themselves as “a friend of Bill W.”

To be a friend of Bill W. meant you understood certain principles, such as asking forgiveness of the people you’d harmed, and turning your life over to a higher power.  One of my good friends became a “friend of Bill W.” before I met him and remains one of the finest people I know.  He sometimes talks about how much AA means to him and how he has gone onto sponsor other people to become "a friend of Bill W.”  But not a lot.  Being "a friend of Bill W.” also means being humble, regardless of the number of people you may have helped.

The other day I joined a gym.  I haven’t belonged to a gym for years, but for me it’s the best way to exercise.  I know others can be diligent and throw their jogging shoes on and run out the door, but that just isn’t me.  I need a gym.

And since it had been more than a decade since I’d lifted a weight I paid for a couple sessions with a trainer.  The beefy trainer in his early twenties seemed as if he lived a life light years away from my concerns.  In the midst of setting up a work-out routine he asked me about my hobbies, and I mentioned that I wrote for a web-newspaper on autism because I have a daughter with the disorder.

“Do you know Jenny McCarthy?” he quickly asked.

Generation Rescue Announces Rescue Family Grant Program

From our sponsor Generation Rescue: We are proud to announce our Rescue Family Grant program! Generation Rescue is offering a grant program for first time biomedical autism treatments that may not otherwise be covered privately or by other third-party funding sources such as school districts, county programs, insurance, and/or other grant making entities.

We are now accepting our first round of 250 applications for our Rescue Family program; applications must be received by July 15, 2009.  Applicants who meet the grant program criteria and complete the grant application will be considered for a Rescue Family grant. Rescue Family grants are based on economic need within the applicants specific geographic area.

Jenny McCarthy Inspires at Autism One

Live from Autism One in Chicago. Jenny speaks to a a packed house. So packed there's an "overflow" room with a video feed.

Behind the Scenes at “The Doctors” with Jenny McCarthy

By J.B. Handley
 
I’m grateful to the producers of The Doctors for running their show on Jenny McCarthy’s new book Healing and Preventing Autism and the debate over vaccines and autism(Details HERE). It takes courage in today’s media environment to put a show on national TV like that – hats off to them.
 
About two weeks before the show, I had an interview with one of the producers over the phone. This is a pretty normal part of preparation for any TV appearance where you discuss your plans for how to approach the show and the producers share some guidelines with you on their goals for the show, etc.
 
I did my best to explain to the producer that we would be bringing some serious energy and knowledge to the show. Specifically, I told her:
 
“You need to tell your doctors that they better be prepared and know their stuff. If we show up and they start making sweeping statement like ‘the science has shown that vaccines don’t cause autism’ we will kneecap them on their own stage.”
 
To further my point, I encouraged her to pass along a newly created website, Fourteen Studies, where the doctors could review all the science on vaccines and autism in one place and get a better understanding of our arguments. She took notes, wrote down the name of the new website, thanked me for all the background, and our call was done.

Twitter with Jenny McCarthy! JennyFromMTV is Live!

By Kim Stagliano

Jenny McCarthy is now Twittering at JennyFromMTV. Go check out the glamour and glitz of a Hollywood star!  (Last I checked, Jenny was watching a guy eat a Cinnabon on an airplane.)  Cinnabons are so not GFCF...  I'm not even sure they're food. More like diabetes in a box.

Kim Stagliano is Managing Editor of Age of Autism. Follow the A of A Tweets at FromAgeofAutism.

The Doctors TV: Jenny McCarthy and JB Handley on Autism

Tune in to The Doctor's (HERE) today to watch Jenny McCarthy and J.B. Handley (co-founder of Generation Rescue) discuss autism.  Click HERE to find your local listings.

Watch Part One HERE.

Watch Part Two HERE.

Watch a Web Exclusive w/ Dr. Kartzinel HERE.

Jenny McCarthy Inks Deal with Oprah's Harpo Productions

Managing Editor's Note: From The Hollywood Reporter by Nellie Andreeva. Congratulations, Jenny.

May 3, 2009, 11:00 PM ET

Jenny McCarthy is poised to become the next star in Oprah Winfrey's media empire.

McCarthy has inked a multi-year overall deal with Winfrey's Harpo Prods. to develop projects on different platforms, including a syndicated talk show that the actress/author would host.

The first collaboration under the pact is a blog by McCarthy on Oprah.com, which launched on Friday. Like other Winfrey proteges-turned-TV moguls, including Rachael Ray and Dr. Phil, McCarthy has been a frequent guest on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

McCarthy talked to the chat queen about her struggles with her son's autism in conjunction with the releases of her best-selling books "Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism" and

"Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds." McCarthy also was part of Winfrey's Friday Live panels twice, including this past Friday.

Read more HERE.

New HuffPost: Jenny McCarthy's Autism Crusade

Click HERE to read and comment on a new HuffPost by Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald.  Dr. Fitzgerald is referring to Jenny McCarthy and Dr. Kartzinels' NYT best selling book, Healing and Preventing Autism. 

Dr. Snyderman, what was that you were saying to Matt Lauer, "There is no controversy?" Why do so many doctors, skeptics and even autism parents think healing or preventing autism is a BAD thing?  

Yes, Man! Jim Carrey on HuffPo "The Judgement on Vaccines is In?"

Read and comment on Jim Carrey's HuffPo piece, "The Judgement on Vaccines is In?" HERE.

Recently, I was amazed to hear a commentary by CNN's Campbell Brown on the controversial vaccine issue. After a ruling by the 'special vaccine court' saying the Measles, Mumps, Rubella shot wasn't found to be responsible for the plaintiffs' autism, she and others in the media began making assertions that the judgment was in, and vaccines had been proven safe. No one would be more relieved than Jenny and I if that were true. But with all due respect to Ms. Brown, a ruling against causation in three cases out of more than 5000 hardly proves that other children won't be adversely affected by the MMR, let alone that all vaccines are safe. This is a huge leap of logic by anyone's standards. Not everyone gets cancer from smoking, but cigarettes do cause cancer. After 100 years and many rulings in favor of the tobacco companies, we finally figured that out.

The truth is that no one without a vested interest in the profitability of vaccines has studied all 36 of them in depth...

Larry King Live Airs the Jenny McCarthy, Jim Carrey Program Again Tonight

Finally, a great re-run!

Tune into CNN tonight for a second airing of Larry King Live featuring Jenny McCarthy, Jim Carrey, Dr. Jerry Kartzinel, J.B. Handley, Dr. Bernadine Healy, Dr. Max Wiznitzer and a public health official from New Jersey.