Posts Tagged ‘autism’

Jenny McCarthy & Jim Carrey’s Online Love

January 13th, 2009

In his latest comedy Yes Man, Jim Carrey must say "yes" to every opportunity that comes across his path. In real life, the comedian, 47, has already said yes to a lifetime of love with girlfriend Jenny McCarthy, 36. While these two are happily content to stay unmarried, McCarthy tells OK! that Jim is truly the love of her life and credits him with helping her son, Evan, (who was diagnosed with Austism at 2) get better.

"Jim is a natural therapist," she explains. "Evan had a lot of anxiety issues, and Jim would soothe his fears by letting him know that it was safe to try something new."

The party of three seem pretty tight. So what do they do when Jim is away making movies? According to Jenny, she and her funnyman pick up right where they left off at home!

"We text about four times a day. And we talk about three times," she reveals to OK!. "I go online and check him out. I tell him his outfit looks cute!"

Jenny says she and Jim also use a web cam from time to time!

"I haven’t done any dancing, but I make him do that!" she says. "It’s nice! With the iChat, we’re always afraid that there’s a third party watching! We’re a little bit careful, but it’s a great way to have that face connection!"

You’d think with two comedians in the house, life would be non-stop laughter, but Jenny says she and Jim are much more serious than people think.

"It’s not that we are that funny — like ‘ha, ha, ha,’ when we are with each other" she explains. "I think that’s because we have to do that so often — Jim now more than me. I’m a little more serious now with my work. We talk about real issues."

Jenny McCarthy: “I’m So Blessed”

October 30th, 2008 / Author: OK! Staff

Jenny McCarthy’s son, Evan, is a pretty lucky little boy. Who else gets to goof around with Jim Carrey? OK! spoke to Jenny, 36, at FAO Schwarz at Macy’s in Miami, where she talked about her new book and why she considers her 3-year relationship with Carrey a blessing.

"It’s great. Honestly I’m so blessed," she says. "His characters are way better than mine."

When it comes to playtime, Jenny says Evan and Jim amaze her with their creativity. "He [Evan] came out of his bedroom dressed as Darth Vader and started to recite some of the dialogue and Jim, I guess every guy knows the complete dialogue to Star Wars,  completely picked up the dialogue and they had an entire scene together," she recalls. "It was the most surprising, awesome thing a mom could ever witness."

Other than Star Wars, McCarthy says her son is into "dinosaurs and flying dragons, anthing that can destroy people."

 

Evan, 5, was diagnosed with Autism shortly after turning 2. McCarthy has written a new book, Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds, which details her struggle with raising an Austistic child.

"A mother warrior is a mom who never gives up hope no matter how hard the situation is in front of her," she says. "She’s a mom who will break down walls and do anything, even go against mainstream authority if it means saving her child and those are the women that I walk with now."

 

Evan is doing well now, but Jenny says it takes all of her energy to focus on his well-being. "I’m so grateful I’m not having any more children because I got my butt kicked so bad with Autism, I feel like my energy is best served continuing Evan’s progress and helping thousands of other moms who need direction to get their kids better," she says.

With all of the hard work she puts in each day, does she ever take time out for herself?

"I always make sure I do something for myself even if it’s taking a bath twice a week with no one bothering me," she tells OK!. "But in terms of balance and being a mom there’s really no such thing. It’s always lopsided. I do get some ‘me’ time when I travel and I’m in a hotel room by myself and I watch Judge Judy."

 

While she says she’s never "really been into TV," Jenny admits that Jim has helped get her into one particular show. "Jim’s just got me really into House," she says. "We bought the DVD season and watch them back-to-back-to-back and I love it because there’s so much medical stuff that I learned with healing Evan that I kind of know what he’s talking about now."

But, she adds, "My favorite average night at home is shopping on shopbop.com while watching TV, because I have to be doing two things at the same time otherwise I lose my mind!"

Jenny McCarthy vs Barbara Walters

October 1st, 2008

Don’t cross Barbara Walters!

Star Jones and Kathy Griffin learned that the hard way, but now Jenny McCarthy has lashed out at the talk show heavyweight.

In her new book, Mother Warriors, which describes her 6-year-old son Evan’s autism treatments, Jenny claims that before her 2007 appearance on The View, Barbara said, “Most doctors do not agree with anything you are saying. Isn’t that true?”

 

Barbara then ordered her to answer “yes” to the same question on air.

“I watched her face transform into rage,” Jenny recalls in the book. “I stood there again in shock that someone in journalism I regarded so highly was not only being vicious, but also trying to alter what I would say in an interview.”

Holly & Rodney Peete Respond to ‘Savage’ Autism Remarks

July 21st, 2008

Football great Rodney Peete and his wife, Holly Robinson-Peete, lashed out on Monday at remarks radio host Michael Savage made about children diagnosed with Autism.

The controversial remarks originally aired July 16 on Savage’s radio show, The Savage Nation, during which he called the disorder "a fraud, a racket…In 99 percent of the cases, it’s a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out…They don’t have a father around to tell them ‘Don’t act like a moron…Act like a man. Don’ t sit there crying and screaming, idiot.’"

 

In a statement obtained today by OK!, Rodney and Holly (who have an Autistic son) addressed Savage’s comments, saying:

"As a mother and father who have dealt with Autism for over a decade, we find it shocking that the individuals who name call and pass judgement on families like ours, have had zero experience with the disorder or its effects on a child and his/her family.

"Attacking fathers and insinuating that kids with Autism are ‘brats’ is irresponsible, insulting and painful to our children and furthers the backlash they face every day. In the African-American community many children go undiagnosed until the "window" of opportunity for treatment has been slammed shut. They are diagnosed on average 2-4 years later than other more affluent subsets of society. The American Academy of pediatrics recent and long overdue decision to encourage pediatricians to have every child tested for Autism by the age of two may help these children get a diagnosis and treatment, which needs to come early, hard and fast.

"For Savage to portray this important mandate negatively is malicious and misguided. We have seen our son beat the odds because he had an early diagnosis and access to treatment. We continue to work every day to help other families provide the same opportunity to their children."

OK! Interview: Jenny McCarthy

February 27th, 2008 / Author: cwillett

Jenny McCarthy wants to set the record straight — she and Jim Carrey have not broken up and she is not pregnant. Mom to Evan, 5, who was diagnosed with autism, the 35-year-old actress-turned-author (of Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism) is merely enjoying life as it is. "We couldn’t be happier," she tells OK!. Currently starring on In the MotherHood with Leah Remini and Chelsea Handler, a Web series inspired by real-life stories submitted by moms, Jenny opens up to OK! about her career, boyfriend and, what else, motherhood.

What’s the key to balancing motherhood and a career?
There isn’t a balance. You have to make the best of it because it’s always lopsided. I drag [Evan] around with me. That’s how I make the best of it.

How is Evan doing?
Awesome. He’s doing really great. I’m really proud of that kid.

How are things with Jim?
It couldn’t be better. I think there was a rumor going around that we broke up, but we couldn’t be happier.

How do you keep the relationship exciting?
One of our favorite pastimes is reading books. I read out loud, and he listens and lights a fire — it’s sweet.

How is the on-set chemistry between the stars of In The MotherHood?
Amazing. I kind of had a feeling it would be. I can’t believe out of the three of us that I’m the cleanest and nicest and purest of the group. People think that I might be boisterous and loud but with those two, I’m the quiet one in the group. But I love them, truly. I hope to continue doing comedic things with them because we are really good together.

What from your real-life job as a mother have you taken into this new part?
I’ve written so many books about Evan — about the funny things and not so funny things that have taken place — so I bring the depth of it in the character that I play, but I don’t have any of my own situations that I play out in the webisodes.

In your current film, Witless Protection, you play Larry The Cable Guy’s girlfriend. Were there a lot of laughs on set?
Larry is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever worked with, for real. It was weird that the lead of the movies was as nice as he was. I couldn’t believe that he wasn’t being a bastard at all. He would sit and sign autographs. It was fun. I have a very deep Southern accent. I play Larry the Cable Guy’s girlfriend who he leaves to go on an adventure with another blonde, but he comes back to me because he gets smart and we live happily every after in a trailer. [In Southern drawl] And we had critters on the set.

For more on Jenny, pick up the latest issue of OK!, on newsstands Thursday!

Autism Group Demands Apology From CBS

February 18th, 2008

A national autism advocacy group is demanding an apology from CBS over a disparaging remark a contestant on the reality show Big Brother made about people with the disorder.

According to the A.P., John Gilmore, the executive director of Autism United, said Monday that his group has been trying to speak with CBS executives since last Wednesday’s broadcast.
On that episode, a contestant named Adam Jasinski, who claims to work for an autism foundation, said he would spend his winnings on a hair salon for people with developmental disabilities "so retards can get it together and get their hair done."
His partner, Sheila, told him: "Don’t call them that." Adam responded: "Disabled kids. I can call them whatever I want. I work with them all day, OK?"

The letter from Autism United claims CBS made a "conscious choice" in running the quote and used it for "their own personal goals." On top of wanting an apology, the group is demanding that the network also pull the plug on Big Brother 9.

There was no immediate response on Monday from CBS. Big Brother has been condemed in the past for remarks its contestants have made about sexual orientation, race and ethnicity. The show revolves around a group of "houseguests" who are isolated from the outside world while under constant surveillance.

Autism is a complex disorder featuring poor social interaction and communication skills.

 

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