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The Internet was all abuzz today with the bombshell that '70s child star Mackenzie Phillips had a sexual relationship with her father, the late musician John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas, for 10 years. Phillips's memoir "High on Arrival" hit stores today, and she appeared on "Oprah" to talk about her experience, which she termed "consensual incest."What followed was one of the most uncomfortable hours of television we've ever seen. When Phillips reads the passage detailing the first time she found herself having sex with her father (she had woken up from a blackout to discover what was happening and does call it rape), the audience is completely silent. The camera pans to a few shocked audience members.
Oprah Winfrey, meanwhile, is just flat-out flummoxed. This isn't kind, nurturing Oprah; this is confused, judgmental Oprah. She tries hard to hide her disgust at the 10-year relationship.
Phillips says she wrote the book to speak out about consensual and non-consensual incest because "I can't be the only person who has lived through this."
The sexual relationship ended when Mackenzie discovered she was pregnant and didn't know if John Phillips or another man was the father. Mackenzie had an abortion, which John paid for. John Phillips died in 2001.
But this being the "Oprah" show, we needed as "happy" an ending as you could find after 45 minutes of massively uncomfortable talk about incest. Phillips's "One Day at a Time" co-star Valerie Bertinelli comes out to lend support to her TV sister. Bertinelli talks about how "guilty" she feels about the bad rap Mackenzie got during their time on TV.
Phillips will be on "Oprah" again Friday to talk about the aftermath of her shocking revelation. Sister Chynna Phillips will also be talking to the queen of daytime television. Now that's going to be an uncomfortable family reunion.
Tell us: Should Mackenzie Phillips be the voice of consensual incest? Should anyone?
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Sunday 27 September
By Karry
As a fellow victim of molestation, I can understand her need to tell her story. I was molested by a supposed family member from the age of 9-13. I was a very angry teenager. When I tried to tell my story to my mom, it came out during a fight with her and she did not believe me. The only people I ever discussed this with prior to my blow up were my sisters, who stated to me that it was happening to them as well. When I told my mom, and she did not believe me, I told to talk to my sisters and they did not back me up. I felt very alone in the world. I never did drugs or got into trouble to deal with the issues, but instead did my best to keep to myself. I excelled in school and went on with my life. I was very angry with my mom for a long time after my blow up because she did not believe me and I also felt that she failed to protect me. I later went to therapy and was able to forgive my mom and then realized that she must have believed me on some level because we never saw this relative again after I told her. Every victim deals with their situation in their own way. So as for Mckenzie Phillips, I feel her pain. Nothing is worse than coming clean and then being judged so harshly. Maybe everyone should have some compassion instead of judging.
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Sunday 27 September
By Marty
I don't buy this story--she has been a junkie all her life and from early on in her life. She is broke now and needs the money and she is cashing in on her lies she told as a kid. How is it your sister good enough to bail you out of jail for a drug bust but she isn't good enough to be told hey I am writing a book about dad and going public. I would be furious with her if it was me to pull this sneaky deed. I say the reason she didn't tell them is because she wants money for her drugs and to shoot herself up good and give up fighting this drug habit. Had she told them then they would have had a chance to think about it and sue her before she came out with this. As it is she has left them in shock and they have got to feel betrayed by her.
If Oprah Winfrey is going to mess with drug addicts then she needs to have them get a hair follicle test done to see if they are telling the truth about being clean and sober. I believe one thing Mackenzie Phillips has always been as low as she can go in this life and will lie about anything just as all druggers do.
I don't get Oprah anyway--she was only good when she first came out--now she has doctors who aren't doctors--cooks or aren't cooks--drug addicts who she believes are clean and takes their word for it. Its like anyone can pull the wool over her eyes with saying anything to her. Why don't she do a through investigation of these people.
Oprah Winfrey is the new Jerry Springer and she should go back to acting she was much better at that then being a sleezy talk show hostess.
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Friday 02 October
By stacey
Time to get out of denial Americans...I am a professional counselor, and can tell you that sexual predators are far more likely to be found among family members than the "creepy guy on the corner." Oprah was a victim of incest herself, she is an IDIOT for projecting the very thing that happened to her onto this so called "troubled star." I have empathy for Phillips, and every other person out there, and there are hundreds of thousands, who have been preyed upon by there own....anyone remember the Hulk Hogan fiasco lately with his daughter Brooke? As long as we continue to ignore, lie, hide, and deny the truth that most sexual predators prey on their own families, they will continue to have a smoke screen to operate behind...WAKE UP!
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Sunday 18 October
By Bopco
Getting your last licks at the old "Limelight" and sucking a few bucks out of having some memorable name, like the old farts who play the losers tour in Vegas or AC Casinos, is all this is... Two Women who are "Has Beens, Who Never Were", saying anything and doing anything, to make a few bucks... Sorry, but anyone who knew John Phillips, knows this NEVER happened and is , At Best, an exaguration of perhaps a one time drunken, nonsexual, hug... John loved his daughter, he didn't "Lust" for her. He was a Stoner, who obviously wasn't a good role model. He is also a man who is probably laughing in his Grave and saying Good For Honey, make what you can... But he was also a man who mentioned many times that his daughter had mental problems... As for Valerie Bertinelli, she's an ageing "Cutie", making the most of having gone on a diet, after spending the last twenty years, stoned on pot herself and eating hostess twinkies... But even someone like me read the article and publicity, good or bad, means $$$... They were both simply two talentless Young Girls, who got a break and did a sit-com that had some Small Following, once... Neither has earned a dime in the last 15 or more years, but drive new cars and live where rents for a month equal mine for a year... Do the Math... My Mom was that leggy girl in that show about ... No matter, she had sex with me... I called Opera this morning... Coincidentally, she was also seeing a lot of John Phillips at the time this Horny Degenerate was doing his daughter... Sorry Folks, I know None of this ever happened...
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Wednesday 15 December
By selena
what's wrong with all you people. the woman has been abused by her father since she was a little girl. and like so many abuse-victims she wasn't mentally strong enough to run away. just because a child turns 18 doesn't mean they suddenly have the inner strength to run away and go to the police.
instead abused children tend to blame themselves, and keep blaming themselves way into adulthood. they often think that the abuse is their own fault somehow. and after all those years she's still trying to be 'daddies little girl' by trying to convince the world (and herself) that the lies he told her were true: that what he was doing to her was consensual sex.
she is not a whore (at least not for sleeping with her father), she's an abuse-victim who still has a very long way to go for recovery. she is still in the denial-phase.
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Wednesday 15 December
By selena
she's an abuse-victim. simple as that. and like a lot of abuse-victims she's in denial, blames herself instead of her father. takes responsibility for what was only HIS decision and never hers (sleeping with each other).
just because a child turn 18 doesn't mean they magically find the inner strength to run away from an abusive parent. many children stay with abuse parents long into adulthood.
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Saturday 19 March
By ferdinando
with her book Mack...validate the incest.. as a life style...
incest is more usual than thought
great Mack.. the book is the acknowledgement to daddy... you are proud of having been his female... his legitimate concubine... and you are pleased of having got pregnant by him...and all what it is evident after that....there was uncontrolled incestuous sexual intercourse between daddy and you....undobtedly you enjoyed every drop os semen ...of your daddy....
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