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shawnsmith
Czech Republic
2048 Posts |
 Posted - 03/18/2007 : 15:07:30
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Pursuant to the article on Elaine Showalter's book "Hystories: Hysterical Epidemics and Modern Culture," which outlines the sociological sources of pyschosomatic ailments (see:
http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3172), I would like to draw your attention to this interesting article. I can forsee that in the future doctors will begin prescribing rubber gloves and face masks on a regular basis.
Shawn
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A Dirty shame
Forget eating disorders -- germaphobia is the hot new celebrity affliction
By MICHAEL RECHTSHAFFEN
http://www.ottawasun.com/Showbiz/OtherShowbiz/2007/03/18/pf-3775412.html
HOLLYWOOD -- Anorexia and bulimia might generate more ink in this image-conscious town, but look past the starvation and dehydration and you'll find far more intriguing manifestations of that chronic behavioural catch-all known as obsessive-compulsive disorder.
It's enough to get you wondering if OCD is the latest celebrity must-have acquisition, based on the growing numbers of big names who have been coming clean and giving the late Howard Hughes a run for his germ-infested money.
There would seem to be enough certified OCD behaviour going around to fill an entire season of Monk in neat, carefully measured instalments.
Howie Mandel, the unofficial poster boy of OCD, has made no secret of his crippling mysophobia -- that's a fear of germs, to the unaffected. His patented "knuckle knock" on both the American and Canadian versions of Deal or No Deal is Mandel's creative way of avoiding having to shake hands with contestants while not showing them any disrespect.
Mandel also credits mysophobia, not a receding hairline, for his impeccably shaved head and has publicly admitted that when he checks into a hotel he'll have room service bring up an additional two dozen towels, which he'll use to create a walkway over the carpeting.
But Mandel is just one of a seemingly growing number of celebrities with an all-consuming fear of cooties.
The lovely Jessica Alba might get invisible as Susan Storm in Fantastic Four, but out of sight definitely does not equal out of mind in real life. Whenever she stays in hotels, she brings along a bottle of antibacterial Febreze and spritzes all the bedding.
Ben Stiller reportedly has an aversion to Winnebago toilets, requiring the use of real indoor plumbing when on location. He has also been known to insist his trailer be thoroughly cleaned each time he vacates it.
Turns out The View's Rosie O'Donnell isn't the only person who doesn't warrant a handshake from Donald Trump. The Donald also won't press the flesh with school teachers, contending they have more germs on the surface of their desks than any other professional. The billionaire germaphobe also likes to avoid touching the ground floor button of an elevator for the same reason.
Jerry Seinfeld carries those antibacterial wipes around with him wherever he goes and pulls one out each time after somebody shakes his hand. He then follows up with some lotion for good measure.
Gwyneth Paltrow also has an aversion to hand-shaking, and is said to bring along her own brush and comb when visiting the hairdresser.
Among Billy Bob Thornton's numerous obsessive-compulsive behaviours is his inability to use utensils provided by on-set caterers or restaurants, out of fear that they aren't clean enough. He uses plastic knives and forks in their place.
Not to be outdone, habitual hand-washer Cameron Diaz has been seen opening doors with her elbows so as not to have to touch those nasty doorknobs. The knobs in her own home are regularly given intense rubdowns.
And that's just for starters.
Other names that keep popping up on unofficial OCD membership lists include Howard Stern, who wrote at length about his disorders in his book Miss America, but now claims to have been cured of most of them with the help of a specialist, Alec Baldwin, Carrie Fisher, Charlie Sheen, Roseanne, Kathie Lee Gifford, Francis Ford Coppola, Woody Allen (surprise, surprise), Michelle Pfeiffer, Harrison Ford and David Beckham.
Poor, compulsive things. Now where did I put that jug of Purell?
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Sarno-ize it!
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ndb
209 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2007 : 16:17:09
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| Ugh, the sight of Purell annoys me no end! Not just because of the obvious obsession with being clean, but also because everybody wants a an instantaeneous solution to everything. So...my germs aren't good enough for you? Its ok, you don't even have to run to the bathroom to rinse them off. Just stand at your cash register and give yourself a quick rubdown with the magic solution. Ta da! "Problem solved". Wish people could see themselves. One of the more annoying neuroses when viewed from the outside. |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2007 : 16:55:06
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Thanks for that article Shawn, it's pretty funny. What a bunch of panty-waists this group of Hoolywood stars are. They don't seem to worry about the germs they may be getting from all the tatoos they get.
I wonder if Billy Bob was concerned with getting any SDS's from Pamela Sue or all the other's he's done.
The movie going public are the one's who should be concerned with all the filth that emenates from most of their mouths and violent garbage movies Hollywood is spewing out these days.
The damage the Hollwood greed machine has done to our culture is a true epedimic. I'm proud to say I havn't contributed a nickle to these germaphobic neurotics in years. (But Howard is still the man!). |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2007 : 22:35:46
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Too bad they didn't mention that Sarno is the "specialist" who cured Stern!
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Wherever you go, there you are. |
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marytabby
USA
545 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2007 : 06:23:33
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Someone I work with uses a paper towel to touch all the doors, the bathroom faucet, the stall door, you name it.
PA-LEEZE |
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shawnsmith
Czech Republic
2048 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2007 : 08:26:45
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Well, I do this for bathroom doors. So many people "handle" themselves without washing afterwards.
The problem arises when we become obsessed with such things. That should be a warning that we are being distracted away from some other uncomfortable repressed emotion. Pre-caution yes, but obsession is just not natural.
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Sarno-ize it!
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Edited by - shawnsmith on 03/23/2007 12:27:42 |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2007 : 08:37:19
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I personally follow the French mode of washing before handleing.  |
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phyllis
United Kingdom
46 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2007 : 07:38:41
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Ah well, here in Uk every so often we have an ad on TV for some substance that you can spray on and it will kill 99.9% of germs (less .1% to cover themselves I suppose) One ad shows a little child in a high chair eating with its fingers and Mum has lovingly sprayed the surface before it eats. In the process she is no doubt making the child's immune system absolutely useless.
I was brought in up a farm house where we had no running water, electricity or flush loo. We lived a pretty grubby life I guess but I do remember washing hands when we had been to the loo. However, I rolled around with dogs, cats and assorted beasts and I do have the consititution of a cockroach (according to my husband)
These people obsessed with germs are pretty grim. In all honesty, I am careful to wash my hands before preparing fresh food and when I have been to the bathroom. It is known that there are dangerous bacteria in certain 'things'. If I forget I don't panic about it.
The 'celebs' of this world are a pretty frightening bunch. They are making a lot of people so self indulgent and greedy. They must be making the psychiatrists very rich indeed!
It is funny though if you have the imagination to see them spraying as they go!
Cheers to everyone.
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2007 : 08:49:35
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quote:
Originally posted by phyllis
Ah well, here in Uk every so often we have an ad on TV for some substance that you can spray on and it will kill 99.9% of germs (less .1% to cover themselves I suppose) One ad shows a little child in a high chair eating with its fingers and Mum has lovingly sprayed the surface before it eats. In the process she is no doubt making the child's immune system absolutely useless.
I was brought in up a farm house where we had no running water, electricity or flush loo. We lived a pretty grubby life I guess but I do remember washing hands when we had been to the loo. However, I rolled around with dogs, cats and assorted beasts and I do have the consititution of a cockroach (according to my husband)
These people obsessed with germs are pretty grim. In all honesty, I am careful to wash my hands before preparing fresh food and when I have been to the bathroom. It is known that there are dangerous bacteria in certain 'things'. If I forget I don't panic about it.
The 'celebs' of this world are a pretty frightening bunch. They are making a lot of people so self indulgent and greedy. They must be making the psychiatrists very rich indeed!
It is funny though if you have the imagination to see them spraying as they go!
Cheers to everyone.
Hear, hear! 
"Hear, all ye good people, hear what this brilliant and eloquent speaker has to say!"
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ndb
209 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2007 : 09:01:41
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I heard this interesting fact from a South American friend yesterday.
During the invasion of South America by the Spanish, a large portion of the native population was wiped out because of diseases that the Europeans brought which the Indians weren't exposed to. We were discussing why the reverse hadn't happened as well, i.e., why weren't the Spanish susceptible to diseases the Indians carried? It turns out that in those days, the state of hygiene of the Indians was much more advanced that that of the Europeans, e.g. they took baths everyday, wore fresh clothes and did not live in close proximity to livestock. It seems this may have been responsible for their lowered immunity to the diseases the Spanish brought! (They also didn't have as many diseases to transmit back.)
ndb |
Edited by - ndb on 03/24/2007 09:22:33 |
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shawnsmith
Czech Republic
2048 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2007 : 10:38:59
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Britain's General Dental Council found dentist Alan Hutchinson guilty in April of several hygiene violations, including frequent hand-washing lapses, failure to sterilize instruments that he had taken off treatment trays to clean his own ears and fingernails with, and, more than once, urinating in his surgery sink. The council said it needed another hearing to decide whether Hutchinson's habits impaired his treatment of patients. [Daily Mail (London), 3-21-07; Reuters, 4-5-07]
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Sarno-ize it!
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Germaphobia is the hot new celebrity affliction
