Sunday, October 10, 2010

Newsy: Celebrities vs. Bullies: “It Gets Better”

“It gets better”
“It gets better”
“It gets better”
“It gets better”
“It gets better…there’s hope and there’s help”

“People are here for you, people who care and understand”

It gets better – that’s the message of the new Trevor Project PSA designed to help put an end to gay bullying and bullying in general. And celebrities are coming out to put a stop what is becoming a deadly epidemic.

REPORTER - “Other stars like Neil Patrick Harris and Glee’s Chris Colfer are also appearing in new public service announcements.

COLFER – “I know what it’s like to be bullied and teased every single day”

This campaign comes after the death of five different teens across the country because of gay bullying – the latest being Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, who killed himself after being outed online.

HLN’s Showbiz Tonight talks to radio psychology expert Cooper Lawrence asking why celebrities are coming out so strongly for this particular issue.

REPORTER - “This is something you just don’t often see in Hollywood. Today we’re seeing hard-partying reality show stars, sarcastic stand-ups joining together to stop bullying. So Showbiz Tonight has got to ask: what is it about the tragic Tyler Clementi case that’s inspired Hollywood so much?”

LAWRENCE - “The story of Tyler Clementi has really hit a cord with all of us – celebrities and non-celebrities alike. And the reason is because everybody has experienced bullying either on one end since they’ve done the bullying or they’ve been bullied.”

Access Hollywood reports cult favorite Glee will also tackle teen bullying on an upcoming episode to try and reach its target audience – teens and young adults.

MORRISON - “School bullying and stuff are things we actually talk about on the show in the future.”

REPORTER – “Glee’s Matthew Morrison told us the shows creator Ryan Murphy is also planning a themed episode tackling bullying as well as gay suicide”

JONES – “I think there are a lot of parents who need their asses kicked because it starts at home.”

Fox affiliate WFTX highlights one celebrity who can personally relate to the young men who took their own lives: “Project Runway star Tim Gunn says he tried to kill himself as a teenager after being bullied because he was gay. Gunn says he took more than 100 pills when he was 17 years old in a botched suicide bid.”

Sarah Silverman posted a video of her own, in which she blames the government, saying it sets a bad example with its policies: “Dear America. When you tell gay Americans that they can’t serve their country openly or marry the person that they love, you’re telling that to kids too, so don’t be ******* shocked and wonder where all these bullies are coming from that are torturing young kids and driving them to kill themselves because they’re different, they learned it from watching you.

If you are interested in learning more about this campaign or you need someone to talk to, click on the link  The Trevor Project.


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