Now more than ever, we need to be there for each other.
As you’ve probably heard by now, and you probably also saw the incredibly depressing teaser being shared around social media, Dr. Phil will be airing an interview he conducted with The Shining‘s Shelley Duvall on his show today. Unfortunately, Duvall’s life is in shambles at the moment, as she appears to be in financial trouble and also suffering from severe mental illness.
“For more than a decade,” writes the official website for the “Dr. Phil” show, “actress Shelley Duvall has been leading a life of near isolation, far away from the glare of the bright lights of Hollywood.”
In the wake of the teaser hitting the net, many criticized Dr. Phil for exploiting Duvall’s mental health for the sake of ratings, and one of his harshest critics this week was Vivian Kubrick, daughter of The Shining director Stanley Kubrick. In a letter she posted on Twitter, Kubrick called the interview “appallingly cruel,” and nearly 2,000 people re-tweeted the sentiment in support.
No matter which side of the fence you fall on here – you could argue that Dr. Phil is helping Duvall even if he’s also exploiting her, which is a bit of a tricky stance to justify – what we can all agree on is that complaining does nothing. Demonizing Dr. Phil does nothing. And that’s why our hearts were warmed this morning to see that Vivian Kubrick is doing something to help.
Over on Go Fund Me, Kubrick just launched a fundraiser to get Shelley Duvall the help she needs, and we encourage all fans of Duvall’s work to check it out, spread the word, and pitch in.
Wrote Kubrick:
Like many older movie stars, embarrassed finances is not uncommon. Showing your love and support for Shelley Duvall by making a donation can start her back on the road to independence and perhaps back to health and for her fans, more superb performances!
Head over to the Shelley Duvall Go Fund Me campaign to help out.
