We all know that Mackenzie Phillips was addicted to drugs. Would it have been smart to have an episode where Julie experimented with drugs? Sort of like a PSA type episode, to enlighten teens AND Mackenzie about the dangers of drug abuse?

No I don't think it would've been a good idea. Might have made her addiction worse.

No I don't think it would've been a good idea. Might have made her addiction worse.


Interesting point, although showing her first hand the dangers of her addiction, might have been somewhat of an eye opener.

Maybe for a day or two but then she would have probably been right back to it. It takes much more than a tv episode warning about addiction to help beat one or prevent one.

Maybe for a day or two but then she would have probably been right back to it. It takes much more than a tv episode warning about addiction to help beat one or prevent one.


That is true, I wasn't saying acting in an episode was miraculously going to cure her addiction, just bring attention to it.

Valerie saw what it was doing to Mackenzie and yet, it didn't keep Valerie from trying drugs herself. :eek:

I will say though, seeing people become addicts (celebs as well) was enough to keep me from ever touching drugs. I didn't want to ever become addicted.

Valerie saw what it was doing to Mackenzie and yet, it didn't keep Valerie from trying drugs herself. :eek:

I will say though, seeing people become addicts (celebs as well) was enough to keep me from ever touching drugs. I didn't want to ever become addicted.


There was an afterschool special YEARS ago starring Helen Hunt as a teen who did coke and jumped out a window and started cutting her arms with glass. I can't for the life of me remember the name of it.

There was an afterschool special YEARS ago starring Helen Hunt as a teen who did coke and jumped out a window and started cutting her arms with glass. I can't for the life of me remember the name of it.
There were so many afterschool specials. Let me see if I can find it on the net.

Ok, the information I found gives two drug-related movies with Helen called ANGEL DUSTED and DESPERATE LIVES.

Ok, the information I found gives two drug-related movies with Helen called ANGEL DUSTED and DESPERATE LIVES.

THANK YOU... I think it was Angel Dusted. I watched it in school and it scared the crap out of me. :lol:

THANK YOU... I think it was Angel Dusted. I watched it in school and it scared the crap out of me. :lol:
:thumbsup: I am glad I was scared to death of doing drugs. I got better things to do with my life than that crap. ;)

:thumbsup: I am glad I was scared to death of doing drugs. I got better things to do with my life than that crap. ;)


Although I was scared, I still experimented myself for about a year and a half.

Although I was scared, I still experimented myself for about a year and a half.
Sorry to hear that. But good to know that you didn't become an addict and spiral downward like so many.

I think that it would have made a good episode. Teens do experiment with drugs and that is an issue that this show could have done really well with.

Valerie saw what it was doing to Mackenzie and yet, it didn't keep Valerie from trying drugs herself. :eek:

I will say though, seeing people become addicts (celebs as well) was enough to keep me from ever touching drugs. I didn't want to ever become addicted.
Same here.

I agree with Nancy Eie that having an episode where McKenzie Philips does drugs might hit a little too close to home for her. That would be like having Tracy Gold do an episode of Growing Pains where she's aneorexic. Maybe if a different character, like Glen Scarpelli (is that the kid's name?) was the drug addict, then McKenzie could have done a PSA at the end. After all a sitcom is all about acting, but it's nice when it sends a message.

Andrea

I agree with Nancy Eie that having an episode where McKenzie Philips does drugs might hit a little too close to home for her. That would be like having Tracy Gold do an episode of Growing Pains where she's aneorexic.

Andrea


Tracey Gold is who I was thinking about as I was reading this thread. I had flashbacks of Growing Pains.

Anyway, I also was thinking that Julie doing drugs could be a good storyline but I would not have followed through with it. Not at all with all the Mack and drug situation.

Someone said that Valerie experimented with drugs? For me, I have never had an interest dealing with drugs. It is a waste of time to me. :p :rolleyes:

^ Yes, Valerie wrote about it in her recent book.

Why not? Diff'rent Strokes did it. Remember the Nancy Reagan episode? "just say no". Both Todd Bridges and Dana Plato were using drugs at the time of that episode.

Good point littlebelle but I am still glad that the writers did not go that route. It probably would have been too much.

^True. It's sort of different because they didn't physically have one of the Drummond's use drugs, they just talked about it.

There was an afterschool special YEARS ago starring Helen Hunt as a teen who did coke and jumped out a window and started cutting her arms with glass. I can't for the life of me remember the name of it.

Helen Hunt jumps out a window. Then freaks out.

https://youtu.be/pl7-fxVnDZw