Thursday, October 25, 2007

Copycat Jenny



One of the things that bugged me the most about the whole buzz about Jenny McCarthy's recent mediastorm, was the fact that, while people insist that she is bringing a "new message" of hope and autism treatments, her book is talking exactly about the GF/CF and antifungal therapies already described on Karyn Seroussi's book "Unravelling the Mistery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: A Mother's Story of Research and Recovery", published SEVEN YEARS AGO.

Of course Jenny has an interesting personal story to talk about and she is entitled to write a book whenever she wants. But please, don't come and tell us that you're doing something no one else has done before. The main difference is that Jenny is a celebrity. I just don't think it is fair for her to take credit for the work that had already been done by Seroussi and other people who'd done original research and previously published about GF/CF diets and antifungal treatments as a possible treatment for autism.






And it seems this is not the first time that Jenny copies somebody else's book idea and uses her celebrity status to try and make money by writing a similar story. That happened when she wrote "Belly Laughs" (2004), which was supposed to show the real, funny and goofy side of pregnancy - something already achieved by Vicki Iovine's bestseller "The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy" (1996).

If I were one of those two original writers, I'd be pissed to see some celebrity taking credit for my ideas. In any case, I don't recommend the original books either. Seroussi still talks about the MMR and opioids effect as if they were true (by now these theories have been disproved by real scientists), and she's a GF/CF fundamentalist. And Vicki's book, although funny, is out-dated and irrelevant.

8 comments:

Casdok said...

Couldnt agree more!
Good post!

Anonymous said...

I really like 'girlfriends guide,' although it seems several lifetimes ago now. Thanks for pointing that out about the 'repeat.' I think they have every right to be miffed, but that's celbritidom for you I suppose.
BEst wishes

Anonymous said...

I found you through Photon in the Darkness. You mentioned that you had been called to do a study by the MIND institute. We did the CHARGE study there, and I would love to talk to you more, if you are interested. I live in the same area as you, I think...I have a son diagnosed with PDD-NOS; he's 3y5m.

Another Autism Mom said...

Bombaygirl, I'll be glad to talk to you more, you can reach me at anotherautismmom "at" yahoo "dot" com.

MiSScNeLLY said...

Wow I never realized that it was a repeat. I'm shocked no one really pointed it out as she went on tour talking about the "cure". I don't consider her a celeb, she's Jim Carey's girlfriend to everyone I know. ha ha. I have a new blog, please check me out.
http://meaningfuloutcomes.blogspot.com

Maddy said...

I'm finally catching up [I hope!] Nip on over and collect your award [Less than three award] when you have a free nano second.

[That would perhaps be sometime in the next few months if you're anything like me?]

Best wishes

Laura said...

I like your blog.

Well I saw her speak for the first time on Larry King two weeks ago as part of Autism Awareness Day. I seriously wanted to throw something at the tv. For the life of me, I can't understand why a movement self described as "biomed" would want as its spokesperson some one with zero science or medical background.

Anonymous said...

Whatever happened to Karen Seroussi? She was as egotistical as Jenny from what I remember from her book. I heard she left her husband...you know the one she raved about in her book. She was fake as hell.