Dana Plato had it all and blew it

[JRDM]

It seems like people never see themselves the way other people see them. Dana Plato had just about every gift a person can have. She looked like the all-American girl: blonde hair, blue eyes, and cute smile. She had a likeable personality and was very talented. If I was given all the gifts she was, I would take full advantage. However, it seems like she was lacking in one gift: peace. If you don't have peace you don't have anything. I know she got on drugs and got in trouble with the law. I haven't heard the whole story. Was her family not there for her? Did she not have anyone to help her? It's such a shame. What a waste.

[Ireneparalegal]

Once you become addicted to drugs or alcohol, you are addicted until you decide you want help. No one can help anyone who doesn't want help. If Dana did not believe she wasn't an addict, then no one can force her to get help. The first step in getting help for an addiction is ADMITTING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.

You can have the best things in life and still feel insecure and become an addict. Drugs don't care whether you are rich or poor, famous or not, once you have tried drugs once, most likely you can end up an addict. Dana either was not secure in herself for whatever reason. She probably felt as if she wasn't going to get any more work in the business and felt hopeless. The most beautiful and the most financially secure people don't always have peace and happiness in their lives.

[guestguest]

What I find interesting is that, in a show filled with "very special episodes", no one seemed to learn anything from them. Dana got pregnant even though there was an episode about teen pregnancy; she did drugs even though there were a couple of anti-drug episodes; she committed robbery - didn't she learn anything when Arnold stole that comic book?! Yet she (and Todd Bridges) ended up having these problems in real life. So it makes me wonder if they were just ignorant of the lessons learned from doing this show, or if their personal problems clouded their judgment so much that they didn't realize the trouble they'd be getting into.

[Ireneparalegal]

^^^Doing a sitcom abt special episodes is just that, a sitcom with special episodes. Do you honestly think people who do tv sitcoms are really learning life's lessons? If that were the case then no tv star should have problems.

The sitcom world and the real world are two different things.

[guestguest]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

^^^Doing a sitcom abt special episodes is just that, a sitcom with special episodes. Do you honestly think people who do tv sitcoms are really learning life's lessons? If that were the case then no tv star should have problems.

I was thinking that there would have been some exposure to the problems caused by the subjects of each of these episodes, and that maybe they would have learned something from them. I know I grew up watching a lot of these shows and learned some of the lessons they taught. I figured the people who actually appeared in them might have, too.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by guestguest

I was thinking that there would have been some exposure to the problems caused by the subjects of each of these episodes, and that maybe they would have learned something from them. I know I grew up watching a lot of these shows and learned some of the lessons they taught. I figured the people who actually appeared in them might have, too.

Easier said than done.

[70s show watcher]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

^^^Doing a sitcom abt special episodes is just that, a sitcom with special episodes. Do you honestly think people who do tv sitcoms are really learning life's lessons? If that were the case then no tv star should have problems.

The sitcom world and the real world are two different things.

right irene and also the actor are so busy learning lines and worrying about the show itself that they really dont have time to stop and think about learning anything but the next script

[catlover79]

Some people can handle the pressure, and others can't. Freddie Prinze is another example.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by catlover79

Some people can handle the pressure, and others can't. Freddie Prinze is another example.

We can make a list that is endless of actors and actresses who have hit rock bottom. Some of whom never made it back alive.

You'd have to be naive to think that money, looks and fame guarantee you happiness or that one should be happy and appreciative:

GG Allin, cult psychopathic punk rock singer and country and western singer who fronted The Jabbers, The Scumfucs, The Murder Junkies among other bands.
Matthew Ansara, actor, son of Michael Ansara and Barbara Eden
Bridgette Andersen, child actress, Savannah Smiles
John Belushi, comedian/actor
Len Bias, college basketball star
Tommy Bolin, Deep Purple musician
Elisa Bridges, Playboy Playmate
Lenny Bruce, comedian
Tim Buckley, musician
Casey Calvert, Hawthorne Heights Musician
Ken Caminiti, baseball player
Truman Capote, writer
Steve Clark, Def Leppard musician
Montgomery Clift, actor
Dorothy Dandridge, actress
Nick Drake, musician
Kevin DuBrow, musician
Bobby Duncum, Jr., professional wrestler
John Entwistle, musician
Brian Epstein, Beatles manager
Chris Farley, comedian/actor
Rainer Werner Fassbinder, film director
Keith Ferguson, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, musician
Judy Garland, musician/actress
Trevor Goddard, actor
Tim Hardin, musician
Bobby Hatfield, musician (fatal heart attack was triggered by a cocaine overdose)
Mitch Hedberg, comedian/actor
Margaux Hemingway, model/actress
Jimi Hendrix, musician (sleeping pills)
Curt Hennig, professional wrestler, also known as Mr. Perfect
Billie Holiday, jazz singer, composer
Shannon Hoon, musician
Elizabeth Ann Hulette, Professional wresting valet, also known as Miss Elizabeth
Anissa Jones, actress
Russell Jones, musician (overdose on cocaine and prescription painkillers)
Janis Joplin, musician
John Kordic, hockey player
Heath Ledger, actor
Eugene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb, American football player
Sonny Liston, world champion boxer (possible)
Donyale Luna, model
Phil Lynott, musician
Frankie Lymon, musician
David McComb, musician
Aimee Semple McPherson, evangelist
Jonathan Melvoin, musician
Keith Moon, musician
Marilyn Monroe, actress (death of a barbiturate overdose has still not been proven)
Jim Morrison, musician (fatal heart attack triggered by a heroin overdose)
Brad Nowell, musician, Sublime
Lani O'Grady, actress, Eight Is Enough
Bryan Ottoson, musician
Marco Pantani, cyclist
Gram Parsons, musician
Robert Pastorelli, actor
Christopher Pettiet, actor
Christopher Penn, actor
Kristen Pfaff, musician
River Phoenix, actor
Rob Pilatus, acting singer Milli Vanilli
Dana Plato, actress
Edgar Allan Poe, author (one of several possible theories; see Death of Edgar Allan Poe)
Elvis Presley, musician
Freddie Prinze, comic, actor Chico and the Man, self-inflicted gunshot wound while under the influence of Quaaludes
Glenn Quinn, actor
Dee Dee Ramone, musician
Elis Regina, Brazilian singer
Brad Renfro, actor
Don Rogers, American football player
Bon Scott, singer AC/DC, Aspiration brought on by alcohol intoxication
Edie Sedgwick, model/actress
Bobby Sheehan musician, Blues Traveler
Eric Show baseball player
Tom Simpson, cyclist
Hillel Slovak guitarist, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Anna Nicole Smith actress and media celebrity
Layne Staley, musician
Gary Thain, bass guitarist Uriah Heep
Ike Turner, musician, bandleader, talent scout
Enrique Urquijo, Spanish musician
Sid Vicious, musician
Andrew Wood, musician and singer
Paula Yates, TV personality

[catlover79]

^ How about Peter Deuel (Alias Smith & Jones)?

[littlebelle]

Rest In Peace Dana. You're in a better place now.

[blink]

Here's some more.

Adam Rich, actor (substance abuse)
Jodie Sweetin, actress (meth/coke)
Lauren Chapin, actress (heroin)
Mackenzie Phillips, actress (substance abuse)
Judy Garland, actress (alcohol)
Michael Jackson, musician (anorexia/prescription drugs)
Maureen McCormik, actress (coke)
Brian Bonsall, actor (who knows)
Hank Williams Sr., musician (alcohol)
Keith Whitley, musician (acohol)
Paul Petterson, actor (alcohol)
Karen Carpenter, musician (anorexia)
Mary McDonough, actress (anorexia)
Mary-Kate Olsen, actress (anorexia)

Yes, sometimes fame, high ambitions, and brutal reality just don't mix.

[blink]

Originally Posted by littlebelle

Rest In Peace Dana. You're in a better place now.

Rest In Peace Dana. You always made me smile.

[Mr. Television]

Rest in Peace Dana. Your fans will never forget you.

[browneyes106]

Dana's story was tragic. I really wish she would have found peace. RIP Dana.