Comments on: The Million-Dollar Sure Thing

By: writingforsix

writingforsix — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:29:16 +0000

I loved your post on this subject. As the mother of four children, all of whom have a genetic autonomic malfunction, (their bodies don’t always regulate heart rhythm, blood pressure, endocrine system etc), I applaud you for speaking your mind on this.

I’m a writer as well, but I would never prostitute my children’s lives to fatten my bank balance. I’ve never once sold anything about my children’s health issues and I don’t plan to either.

I’m a mother first, then a writer.

Sonya

By: Pat Holt

Pat Holt — Mon, 11 May 2009 21:26:05 +0000

I think it’s the bandwagon approach by the increasingly incestuous book/movie/documentary/charity/newspaper industries that bugs me more than the father’s role. But yes I do worry that the spotlight is already so relentless, so global and so searing on this autistic boy — not just now but for the rest of his life because with this much celebrity, he will never be left alone — that it can’t be healthy for anyone, subject or reader included. Wasn’t the million-dollar book advance enough for Dad to finance the journey? Did he have to bring along a documentary film crew, or option the feature movie rights with himself as scriptwriter? I’m a reader/viewer so I get to ask these questions because too often the corporate “families” that spew out this stuff like pablum don’t want to do the hard work of considering and publishing better works by unknowns.

By: PigeonGirl

PigeonGirl — Sat, 09 May 2009 22:32:06 +0000

IMHO, how else would you even be able to do such a thing if you couldn’t “capitalize” on your field enough to raise the money to do this? After seeing the news clip, and reading the book, I was pretty impressed at the resourcefulness of the father. I realize I may be naive, but who
among us wouldn’t raise the money if we could to help one of our children? And possibly, if
the only way to do that were to “commercialize” the thing, well, so be it!
If no one is saying this is a farce, an untrue depiction, I just don’t see the problem.
Do not judge anyone til you’ve walked in their shoes~

By: Donna Flagg

Donna Flagg — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:55:24 +0000

Or, at the very least, we can hope that it helps other people who are struggling, irrespective of how much money the father makes, since it’s impossible to know the real truth of his motives.

By: ravenwest

ravenwest — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:26:00 +0000

This is a difficult piece. On one hand, you can view it as exploitation of an incapacitated child, on the other you can view it as parents finding a way to cope with the enormous financial pressures and emotional stress caused by having a special needs child. This is not the first time, nor the last, when someone goes out to make money off illness. See “The Soloist” just released “feel good” movie.

Maybe it’s these times which call for stories about hope, even if they generate huge amounts of money. If there is an audience for these types of human interest stories, what is the harm? While the child could possibly suffer as a result, the opposite might also be true; that as a result of the publicity and media spotlight he’ll have the best life possible, and his parents will have a better chance at a “normal” existence.

Whichever way you look at this, at the end of the day Rupert’s son is still autistic and no amount of money, fame or fortune can change that fact. Perhaps this book, movie and whatever else, is one way to help Rupert get out of bed in the morning.