Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Today's Blind Item

This aging Academy Award winning actor is having trouble getting parts for the first time in his life. Not because there are no offers, there are lots, but our actor cannot remember his lines and is showing first stage signs of Alzheimer's.

51 comments:

sun08 said...

Jon Voight

MISCH said...

Yes, I read that a while back..sad.

RL said...

This is sick. You won't out gay people but you'll "reveal" mental illnesses??? Weak. I won't be visiting your site anymore.

ms snarky said...

@RL
I think I have to agree. It's sad and damaging, not fodder for gossip.

ms snarky said...

except I'm not leaving the site.

timebob said...

there was footage on TMZ and he had no clue how to use a parking meter with a credit card. But then again, Harvey Levin had no clue either. He did seem a bit disoriented. Hope it isn't him but if it is I hope Angie finally forgives him and patches things up.

bflogurl said...

Alzheimers is not a mental illness, its a degenerative disease.

Still not a tasteful subject of gossip.

Ice Angel said...

Jack?

MontanaMarriott said...

I'm sorry but where was this BI revealed?!?! It was posted like all other BI are, it has yet to or may never be revealed, we won't know till reveal day. Not sure what all the outrage is about.

RocketQueen said...

Me either, MM. Alzheimer's is hardly anything to be ashamed of. Best wishes to whoever it is!

ms snarky said...

Alzheimer's is nothing to be ashamed of, but it can be very damaging to a person's career if it's not general knowledge. Remember how long it took Terri Garr to reveal her MS (or MD, I can't remember) because she had to work and if it got out, it would cost her roles?

Sadie said...

I'm gonna go with Jack - simply because we are used to seeing him in many things but lately? NADA

MISCH said...

AGC had a reveal last year, saying that the family was keeping it quiet so he could work as long as possible.

RocketQueen said...

To be fair, ms snarky, having alzheimer's DOES compromise one's ability to work...at least it did for my grandmother. Perhaps it's just time to retire?

Bit dams said...

Talking shit is talking shit. Its funny that some people think there can be moral high ground when it comes to gossip.

weezy said...

Alzheimers' doesn't just affect his ability to remember lines, but (gradually) all social and physical skills. How to open a door, keep oneself clean, etc. He eventually wouldn't be able to remember his blocking, wouldn't recognize his makeup and costume people, etc.

Little Miss Smoke and Mirrors said...

Alzheimer's is NOT a mental illness, for fuck sake!

Jasmine said...

Jon Voight!

And count me as another confused person regarding the anger people are feeling about the BI.
Uh, he never said he WOULD reveal the actor's name. And why do you haveta compare it to him not outing gays? Then thats just a slippery slope to comparing/casting judgement on which groups are more sacred than others.
As ME so artfully put it: talking shit is talking shit- its a freaking gossip site- get off your high horse.

Sarah J. MacManus said...

How about we just leave out the health issues that could affect anyone and are either 1) none of anyone's business, 2) personal and tragic, 3) cruel to mention. You know, the ones about mental illness or diseases, abortions, stds. I mean, I don't even really enjoy coming here and reading anymore.

Silly shit like weird behavior, yeah, or secret romances, or secret kindnesses, or being divas. Yeah, that's fair game.

But some of this personal stuff, revealed or not, it's just least common denominator bs and the world has enough of it.

Missjenny619 said...

Sadie -

I am actually worried about Jack Nicholson. No photos of him courtside at Lakers game last season and he hasn't been to any awards shows for at least a year or so. Usually, he is a permanent fixture at those events and whomever is hosting the awards show (and/or the camera crew) usually always points him out.

Not sure if he is this BI or not, just stating that I hope he is happy, healthy and still wearing his signature shades with a smirk. Love him!!!

ms snarky said...

for the guessing, my first thought was Jack also. But (back on my high horse, hee!), I hope he is perfectly healthy.

msgirl said...

As someone who has a disease myself, I don't get the anger over this blind. I'm very upfront about my MS, and see absolutely no reason to be ashamed. I understand why Teri Garr kept it secret, even now people who don't know anyone with it have grave misunderstandings.

Alzheimers is a tragic disease so I feel for this person (I first thought of Jack too) and their loved ones. I don't see a reason to hide. As for invasion of privacy here, there is no reveal.

I feel compassion for this person, not anger over the blind.

MISCH said...

There was a Jack blind last year also, about him not being able to have sex anymore due to some crazy STD, there was also an interview where he said he hates sex today because you have to worry about all the STD's and that it's just not fun anymore....

Anonymous said...

:( We just put my dad in a home because of dementia/Alzheimer's. I really don't feel like reading about it here. It's not gossip.

Jason Blue Eyes said...

Anthony Hopkins?

Baka Neko said...

Doesn't Jon Voight have a movie that just wrapped up? I would say Jack Nickelson because I haven't heard of any movie he has been in after last year.
Whoever this is, I hope them and their family the best. not really sure where the anger about this blind came from. The person should not be ashamed but not all blind items are about people who should be ashamed of themselves.

MISCH said...

It's Jon Voight that was confirmed last year.

NicScott said...

This just makes me sad.. :( I hate old age and what it does to people... I hope whoever it is doesn't go downhill too quickly.. :'(

FrenchGirl said...

Robert De Niro is my guess : i know he was fired from a movie (EDGE OF DARKNESS)because he was unable to deliver his lines

ChasingHeaven said...

Just read a study in Psychology Today that a cure for Alzheimer's is on the horizon...there's hope!

Princess said...

I think it's either Jack Nicholson or Robert DeNiro

Jackie said...

Jack's last movie came out in 2010. Only has a rumored role after that. But, he only does maybe one movie a year or so.

John Voight has a movie in post right now. Was part of the TV show Lone Star last year.

Di Niro has a bunch of movies in post- or pre-production.

I hate to say it, but I'm going with Jack.

Jeri said...

Aging with all its' cruel little jokes really sucks.

Jeri said...

and yeah, I know the alternative.

Snakeoiler said...

I don't think that revealing this blind would affect this actor's ability to get work. The disease itself IS already affecting his ability to get work, and Hollywood is a small town. Every casting director will know this, if they don't already, long before New Year's Day, when Enty might reveal it.

Mango said...

My mother had Alzeheimer's or Dementia (it was never accurately diagnosed) and it was so sad. She thought her dad was still alive, she thought *my* dad was still alive. She couldn't remember something that happened the day before but she could remember things that happened 40 years ago. It was heartbreaking.

libby said...

I will vote on the tastefulness of the blind. My vote is based upon these facts:
I have 3 'mental illnesses' (that I know of) (a 'blend'), plus a brain disorder for spice.
I have or have had every embarrassing 'poop' or 'vomit' disease there is.
I have many friends with HIV.
My GM died of Alzheimer's.

My vote is the 'sad' blinds are FINE. In my opinion, they remind me that everyone's human, and vulnerable. And I feel a little less weird.

SKT said...

I'm not going to get angry, but I will say that I love blind items and look at it as a way to get away from my boring job.

I read all the other articles and saved this for last and when I read this blind I instantly got sad and almost regretted reading it. I'll agree with whomever said I feel compassion and not anger

To sum it up I come here to laugh and be grossed out not to feel sad but that's the beauty of life depending on how you look at it

ardleighstreet said...

I have also heard this about Sean Connery which sadly breaks my heart.

Star and Flurry said...

What about James Caan?

kathrynnova said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
kathrynnova said...

don't want to know or guess - medical topics are confidential for a reason. this is really really sad.

Katja said...

@libby much love from me to you! You are a wonderful dear person here. Telling us about something that can or will in someway touch us all is important.

In real life I don't really care how the people we gossip about with millions are, what they have or who they see. They have the money to fix it.

I want info from @libby and everyone else to learn how to help

whateves= I want a mac back! I hate these pc's\

Rose said...

There was that video a couple years back with Jon Voight talking to the media and he could get his grand kids' names right. That would make a lot of sense. People picked on him for it, how sad if it is true.

BlahFrickinBlah said...

I think it's bullshit to out people's medical conditions. Such as Billy Idol's progressive blindness problem a few reveals ago.

It's up to the person themselves to make it public. What if the person doesn't have Alzheimer's? Not all memory problems are related to Alzheimer's. This could be an assumption by some casting directors. Like someone said above, there is a reason why people's medical records are kept private.

As for people saying it can help the public or educate them, it's not their job for them to become the spokesperson for the particular disease/disorder. Sometimes being sick is a job itself.

I have dealt with a couple chronic illnesses and I do hide them from employers because it has screwed me in the past. People say they are understanding but most aren't.

rareavis said...

Wow. That's a lot of heated reactions!

rareavis said...

My vote goes to Dustin Hoffman

sunnyside1213 said...

I think Angie and her Dad have reconciled because of his problems. Wasn't he in Italy when they shot the Tourist?

Megley said...

My dad has Alzheimer's/dementia. He thinks all of his siblings are still alive, that my mom and sister are still alive, and despite his illness, he is quite happy and content. We didn't tell him that his last sibling passed away recently, because 1: what would be the point?, and 2: if believing that his sibs are alive makes him happy, then I'm happy.
It is sad, and heartbreaking, but it's life.

Anonymous said...

Mango and Megley, I hear you. We're going through it now. And Megley, I would've done that too. I figure at some point, I'll have to do it.

Jenn said...

I've only lurked before, but I wanted to add my two cents, because we just lost my dad to this illness. Part of my grief is angry -- I spent so many years, as his only daughter, worrying about his health, that I forgot to worry about anything else. I'm 28!

Initially my mom and I thought we'd lost him to complications from Alzheimer's. Wrong. An autopsy revealed cause of death as an untreated concussion that subsequently caused his three-month decline. We were shocked.

I want to remind the other caregivers to be good to yourselves always. If you don't, you will make yourself sick. I know it doesn't always seem like there's time in the day, but trust me, there's plenty of time.

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