What a Shithead!

From People magazine, via Brooke:

Tom Cruise has some harsh words for Brooke Shields about how she coped with depression.

The "War of the Worlds" star, who had a tiny role 24 years ago in Shields's movie romance "Endless Love," condemns the actress's admission in her new book, Down Came the Rain, that she took medication to cope with postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter Rowan.

"I care about Brooke Shields because I think she is an incredibly talented women, (but) look at where her career has gone," he tells Access Hollywood in an interview.

Cruise, an ardent advocate of Scientology, which condemns mind-altering prescriptions of any kind, says: "When someone says [medication] has helped them, it is to cope, it didn't cure anything. There is no science. There is nothing that can cure them whatsoever."

Instead, Cruise, 41, suggests that women take "vitamins and exercise," and warns that what Shields is promoting is "irresponsible." Despite this, he adds, "I wish her well in life."

As for her career, Cruise says: "Look, is she happy? Is she really happy?"

Shield's rep have not commented on the matter. But as New York's Daily News reports, Shields's professional life appears to be fine. The former "Suddenly Susan" star, who turns 40 at the end of this month, is currently headlining the London West End revival of "Chicago."

I don't even know where to begin with this one. I always suspected he was an asshole, but this takes the cake!

I have many, many friends who suffered from PPD that was severe enough to require medication. I'm sure I don't even know about still other friends and acquaintances who did the same. As for me, after I had Stephanie, I did get depressed, but it seemed to me more of an adjustment problem than a chemical imbalance, and sure enough, I felt back to normal after a few months. I think if it had been true PPD, I wouldn't have gotten better on my own. I was mostly just having an identity crisis, because I was suddenly feeling very alone and incompetent and unsure of myself and bored and frustrated and tired—oh was I tired! My familiar roles of wife and editor and friend and cook and reader and traveler and so on all went out the window after I gave birth. All of a sudden I was almost entirely a mom, and I had a real screamer for a baby, so I didn't even feel as though I was doing a good job at it. I didn't have any problems after Pete or Julie, presumably because I'd already worked through that first big identity crisis.

It is often very hard for women to admit that they feel depressed after having a baby. They get the idea that they're supposed to be so happy and fulfilled—but it isn't as simple as that. Some women really do go through a chemical change that doesn't right itself. We've all read the horror stories in the news about the women who kill themselves and/or their baby because of PPD. I guess Tom Cruise thinks they should just pop a One-a-Day and do some sit-ups. Idiot.

Comments

[Lynn]

How funny that your wrote about this. I was just fuming over the article myself. What right does he have to comment on this issue?

[Karen]

Don't you just love when people (men OR women) who haven't given birth sit in judgment over people who have? ARGH!

[scott]

I don't think it's about being a celebrity or about being an asshole or about having a smile that's somehow evocative of that big flaming eye from The Lord of the Rings. It's about believing in shit that you have no good reason to believe in. It's a tale of bad epistemology. And maybe bad taste.

[Margaret]

Yes, when is the last time that Tom gave birth? Or worried about a thing except how he looks? I can't tolerate people who judge others when they have NO clue what they are talking about.

[leah]

The scary part is that there are people who are actually going to read what he's said and take it to heart, as if he's an authority on anything other than having a head that's too big for his body.

[Brooke]

I say 1) how dare he criticize how Brooke Shields coped with PPD when it's something he has never and will never have to experience and b) when exactly did he become a pharmacologist??

[Dee]

He must be related to the yahoos pharmacist who won't fill women's prescriptions that are against their religious values. I didn't see the article but am blown away and disenchanted. What a dick!

[Ellen]

Movie stars know EVERYTHING!

I always suspected he was an idiot. At least Brooke has a private life. She shared a part of herself and he criticized it? What a man.

[Tonya]

Hmm. I hope he comes down with a serious bout of clinical depression. Or! Better yet! Schizophrenia! I know it's rude to wish that on anybody, but OH WELL. What a dweeb.

[Amber]

People have their own ways of dealing with certain issues. He has not had to go through it yeah, but he does have an opinion that he thought was right and felt that people should know. Let him say all he wants at least people who have gone through it or knows someone who has gone through it know how hard it is and should speak about it. Let people know what you went through and tell them how you got through it! Speak loud enough you just might get through to the person who is not understanding on this issue!

[Joletta]

What right does that dickhead Tom Cruise have saying, "Medications won't cure your depression!" I think that is just not right at all! I just had a baby and sure you get depressed, but it's because all it takes is a little adjusting to having a baby. And if any woman out there needs to take medication for there depression, so be it. I would let any woman out there know if you just had a baby I know what you're going through. I've been having depression and crying for no apparent reason. You go girls! More power to you if anyone decides to take medication.