DANIEL AND TREVOR

Daniel Radcliffe is explaining why he has just filmed a public service announcement for The Trevor Project, the leading organization focusing on suicide prevention efforts among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth.

Because his parents were both actors, "I grew up knowing a lot of gay men and it was never something that I even thought twice about — that some men were gay and some weren't," the "Harry Potter" megastar said Friday. "And then I went to school and (for) the first time ... I came across homophobia. ... I had never encountered it before. It shocked me.

"I have always hated anybody who is not tolerant of gay men or lesbians or bisexuals," he added. "Now I am in the very fortunate position where I can actually help or do something about it."

The result is a PSA that was filmed Friday at the organization's Wall Street offices. The announcement is scheduled to air sometime this spring.

Radcliffe first became aware of The Trevor Project, founded in 1998 by three filmmakers, while he was appearing on Broadway in the 2008 revival of "Equus." Their movie, "Trevor," which won an Academy Award for best short film, concerned a gay teen who attempts suicide. The Trevor Project allows young people to call in for counseling or just to talk.

"I have described myself as being 'gently eccentric' and slightly different as a person just because I've had a very different set of influences growing up than anybody else in my peer group did," the 20-year-old Radcliffe said. "I've always felt very lucky to have the life that I've had. I never had to cope with anything serious about my religion or sexual orientation or anything like that.

"I think it's important for somebody from a big, commercial movie series like 'Harry Potter' and particularly because I am not gay or bisexual or transgendered. ... The fact that I am straight makes not a difference, but it shows that straight people are incredibly interested and care a lot about this as well."

source: CJonline.com

DON'T GIVE UP- RIP ANDREW

I really feel very sad for Walter Koenig, who played Chekhov on Star Trek and who I had the pleasure of meeting on a couple of occasions.

The LA Times is reporting that his son, Andrew, was indeed found dead in Vancouver.

Here is an excerpt from the latest story from the LA Times:

A tearful Walter Koenig appeared at a press conference Thursday evening to confirm that a body found earlier in the day in Vancouver's Stanley Park was that of his son, missing "Growing Pains" actor Andrew Koenig.

"My son took his own life," Walter Koenig said, wife Judy at his side.

Both parents and about 10 of Andrew's friends had returned to Stanley Park -- which at 1,000 acres is larger than New York's Central Park -- on Thursday morning to conduct their own search. They split into teams, Walter said, and after about two hours a call came from the other team saying that Andrew's body had been found. Walter and Judy then went to the site.

The Koenigs pleaded with others who might have depressed family members to recognize the signs.

Walter Koenig appealed to those who might be in emotional pain: "If you can learn anything from this, it's that there are people out there who really care, and you may not think so, and ultimately it may not be enough, but ... before you make that final decision, check it out again, talk to somebody."

Said Judy: "Don't rationalize away anything -- connect with each other if there's something that's bothering you, because there's love out there."

The trouble is that when things go bad for people, when life kicks you in the ass these days most people in our world turn a blind eye.

They make excuses or simply disappear...I know because I have suffered with severe depression a couple of times in my life.

Everyone loves the jester but when he cries it ruins the fun and people tend to run away...the exact opposite of what should be done for someone silently suffering.

Different people deal with stress, emotional sadness and pain in different ways. Some are cutters and some turn to substance abuse.

Ones like Andrew Koenig may smile on the outside while dying inside. And is very hard to help someone if you don't know they are in pain.

So to my friends, readers and anyone out there that may be thinking of giving up- don't.

Walter and Judy are right- even if it seems like it...and even if so-called friends don't seem to care there is someone somehwre that will...so talk about how you feel, let it out and don't give up.

Again my condolences and prayers go out to Walter and Judy.

I am lucky to have my partner...because when I feel like giving up, when it seems like the whole world has gone to shit, when the people you thought were friends and said they loved turn out to be demons in disguise, when life takes a big shit on me he reminds me to listen to this song...




...and then I remember that if I give up today I will miss what will be good tomorrow...things pass...life is about change.

Stopping it before your time may end up causing you to miss a few miracles that may have come your way if you hadn't gave up.


YOU CAN READ THE REST OF THE LA TIMES PIECE HERE.

This is a clip from CBS news:

Download:

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Download:

FLVMP43GP

I'm Going To Fly Away...

Don't let the past remind us of what are not now...

I love that lyric from this song...and I am thinking of a very special person I still miss...that came into my life for a long while last year and then for all practical reasons went away. I miss you my friend.

This is Crosby Stills and Nash at the Woodstock festival in 1969






Stephen Stills wrote this about his then-girlfriend, Folk singer Judy Collins. In their 1991 boxed set, Stills said: "It started out as a long narrative poem about my relationship with Judy Collins. It poured out of me over many months and filled several notebooks. I had a hell of a time getting the music to fit. I was left with all these pieces of song and I said, 'Let's sing them together and call it a suite,' because they were all about the same thing and they led up to the same point."

that's all for now...