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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 6 January 2020
Carrie Fisher bio as sharp, endearing as its subject

By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL a unique, wise humor that cocaine and Percodan to
Associated Press would grow over the years." try to calm the howling in
"Carrie Fisher: A Life on "Carrie Fisher: A Life on the her head. Recovery from
the Edge" (Sarah Crichton Edge" is a compassion- an overdose on the set of
Books; Farrar, Straus and ate portrait of a complex the 1981 comedy "Under
Giroux), by Sheila Weller personality whose up-and- the Rainbow" came with
"Star Wars" fans may feel a down life rivals the Hol- an official diagnosis, which
lump in their throats when lywood travails of Marilyn she rejected in favor of
Carrie Fisher appears in the Monroe and Judy Garland thinking she was just a drug
finale of the world's most in its mixture of charisma, addict. It would be several
popular film series. "The talent and self-destruction. more years before she re-
Rise of Skywalker" was sup- Fisher's story is a sad one, alized the emotional highs
posed to be Princess Leia's certainly, but also lively, and lows, manic shopping,
movie __ and Fisher's char- tart and funny because she racing thoughts and non-
acter would, at last, take was all that and more. So stop talking were textbook
center stage. is Weller's engaging book. bipolar behavior.
As with so much of her life, Tapping Fisher's many An overdose in 1985 fol-
Fisher's moment instead be- friends, she fills her pages lowed by rehab changed
came another great thing with anecdotes illustrating Fisher's life. She not only ac-
that almost happened, not the pains and joys of a life cepted that she had the
unlike a childhood upend- that often went over the dual diseases, she also de-
ed by celebrity parents, edge — way over. cided to write about them
a marriage to singer Paul Little Carrie was a preco- and the other strains she
Simon marked by break- cious charmer — and why felt. The autobiographical
ups, and an acting career not, given her parents were novel "Postcards from the
hobbled by drug addic- a sparkling actress, Debbie Edge," published in 1987,
tion and mental illness. Her Reynolds, and a teen idol, led to a new career as a
public persona as a tough, crooner Eddie Fisher. Their novelist. Writing the screen-
irreverent truth teller hid a busy careers left Carrie and play for the movie version
deep streak of insecurity her brother to be raised opened another venue for
and neediness. by a grandmother and a her skills — as a script doc-
"For all her bravado and governess, home at times tor she would pep up "Sister
charm," a friend told biog- their mother's hotel rooms. Act" and "Lethal Weapon
rapher Sheila Weller, "Car- Carrie's relationship with This cover image released by Sarah Crichton Books shows "Car- 3" (both 1992) and other
rie was as fragile as a but- her mother was one of love rie Fisher: A Life on the Edge," by Sheila Weller. films.
terfly." and co-dependence but Associated Press In time Fisher developed a
Fisher believed that in also competition for atten- public image as a witty if
her weakness there was tion. If Reynolds was smoth- poo" with Warren Beatty, made little use of a good troubled observer of life in
strength. Weller writes, "Her ering, her father was distant and her second, in 1977's singing voice to avoid com- general and Hollywood in
honesty about her prob- and self-absorbed. "Star Wars." With unexpect- parisons with her father. particular. One of her re-
lems gave her a strength — Reynolds' connections ed superstardom at 19, Fisher had been showing flections: "Money and pow-
empathy toward and relief helped Fisher to win her first she put aside her desire to signs of bipolar disorder for er don't change you. They
for others with problems; film role, in 1975's "Sham- become a writer. She also years, self-medicating with reveal you."q

Rose McGowan defends tweet apologizing to Iran after strike

By JOHN CARUCCI hostage by a terrorist re- cuse Hollywood producer
Associated Press gime. We do not know how Harvey Weinstein of sexual
NEW YORK (AP) — Rose Mc- to escape. Please do not misconduct, making her a
Gowan's tweet that apolo- kill us." major figure in the #MeToo
gized on behalf of the U.S. The head of Iran's elite Quds movement. Jury selec-
to Iran for "disrespecting force and mastermind of its tion is scheduled to start
their flag and people" in regional security strategy, this week in New York in a
the wake of an airstrike that Gen. Qassem Soleimani, sexual assault case against
killed the country's top gen- was killed in a U.S. airstrike Weinstein based on allega-
eral was not anti-American, early Friday. The attack has tions from two other wom-
the actress said in the face caused regional tensions to en. Weinstein has pleaded
of harsh criticism. soar. not guilty in that case and
"I don't support Iran over She faced outrage over denies any maintains any
America. I want America to Friday's Twitter post, with sexual activity was consen-
be better," McGowan said some suggesting she move Rose McGowan poses for a portrait in New York on Friday, Jan. sual.
during an exclusive inter- to Iran. McGowan ac- 3, 2020. McGowan has filed a fed-
view with The Associated knowledged that her tweet Associated Press eral lawsuit alleging Wein-
Press on Friday. was unusual. stein and two of his former
Her tweet read: "Dear "I woke up, I stupidly looked "So, I just thought I would do around this. A very strange attorneys engaged in rack-
#Iran, The USA has disre- at Twitter. I was going to something a little strange thought, I understand." eteering to silence her and
spected your country, your the bathroom, and I was or unusual ... bloodshed McGowan, 46, who is derail her career as she
flag, your people. 52% of like, 'what?'" She added should be avoided if you known for her role in the prepared to accuse him of
us humbly apologize. We that she doesn't believe can," she said. "And I kind "Scream" movie franchise, rape. An attorney for the
want peace with your na- the governments of either of just thought, what if I was one of the earliest of mogul has called the suit
tion. We are being held Iran or the U.S. take a really bizarre way dozens of women to ac- meritless.q