Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Mackenzie Phillips

We met one day on a private bus that was taking a group of us to Magic Mountain we were lucky because A&M records and Ode Records had arranged for a VIP tour of the amusement park. I was 12 years old and she was 15 and already a rising star. There was nothing but sassy sparkle and fun in her eyes. We immediately became fast friends. I went every where with her and it was fun. Drugs maybe but my memory was pot occasionally nothing more serious we were children and for me I wasn't as motivated to be high as I was to be an actor and serious about my career, even then.

Then her first car a flaming red Mercedes convertible and by then I was older, we were fast and running around. "Kids" in Hollywood with everything available, yet still managed to get sleep and not be taken advantage of. Oh sure we would hang out with rock stars but I know for myself I didn't sleep with them. No, I was ambitious and clever in that I was able to traverse the scene without to much collateral damage. It could be that I thought I was a legend in my own mind, which I did. I always thought I was famous and fabulous even when I wasn't.

Also I couldn't stomach a week of say cocaine or anything harder then pot. My dad drilled the wisdom into our heads that anything stronger was lame and I must say he was right.

I mean sitting up for nights in succession wearing the same smelly clothes going over the same conversation or no real interesting conversation wasn't appealing to me. Plus I was jaded I had met everyone at least once who was anybody and by the time it got super strange and druggie and ugly I was out of it, moved on. I completely lost interest in this scene .

It pains me today to hear about Mack and her exploits. I know she is needing to share the misery and I know she is needing to purge get attention but will it help her cause or hurt her cause?

I stopped hanging out with her the day before she crashed her jeep on route to Big Sur with Sherry Goffin and Tatum O Neal. I stood in her kitchen and screamed at her that she was ruining her life with drugs and that to me it was boring, she was boring. We stopped being best pals right then and there.

It was and is one of the saddest things watching a dear one devolve into heavy drug use and I don't recommend it. A heart break.
I was no fan of John Phillips he was possessed. I could tell he would do anything for drugs and that is frightening.

The short time I spent in NYC with him was long enough. I had a few weeks there and it still is one of the most traumatizing times. I never stuck a needle in my arm still won't. I saw a lot of things that weren't nice, seriously, I am not a fan of squalor either. Junkies (rich ones too)for some reason dig squalor. So does she need to tell the public she had sex with dad?

I guess so...I care about Mackenzie and I am in pain for her today because she is outing her life in a way that feels counterproductive to what would be more peaceful and better for her in my immodest opinion. I am not saying she should hold in the bad information, only I imagine this will make her a freak or more of one and that pains me. It feels like social suicide. Where do we go from there?

I am in pain for her.

3 comments:

Charles said...

That was a hard read, like witnessing a car wreck of the soul. She obviously couldn't keep it in any longer. Whether or not she was able to purge her demons this way, only time will tell. I knew something more than normal (if you call it that) Hollywood former child star problems was at work when she got busted at LAX a year ago-a question with no answer :( What guy didn't have a crush on her during the 80s? I don't feel she went about it the right way, either. But I don't think there is a right way.

glt said...

Smart little cookie you were. Thank you, daddy. I lost my best friend to the drug-obsessed world when I was about 25...heard he died 8 years ago...

Unknown said...

Growing up too fast seems to be the way of the Hollywood life. I believe Mackenzie should have worked through this in private. We all have made bad decisions in our life, it is up to us to acknowledge them and move on. Thank you for sharing your account as a witness.

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