HOLLYWOOD—Back in 2011, there was an episode of the hit TV show “Glee,” which focused on the problem of underage drinking. It was called “Blame it on the Alcohol,” which depicted glee club members narrowly avoiding school suspension for drinking on school grounds- it’s never a smart idea. Drinking before the age of 21, is illegal, but drinking too much alcohol can impair brain function, motor skills and lead to addiction.
Mixing alcohol with illicit drugs, even legal prescribed ones-greatly increases the dangers: the combination of depressants like Xanax or painkillers can slow the heartbeat and breathing leading to death. Mixing alcohol along with stimulants can cause heart problems, as well as strokes and convulsions. While Corey Monteith star of “Glee,” wasn’t underage, he died from a “mixed drug toxicity,” of heroin and alcohol, the British Columbia Coroners Service says in a statement.
Authorities say there is no evidence that the 31-year-old’s death “was anything other than a most tragic accident.” His body was found in a Vancouver hotel room Saturday, July 14, after he failed to check out as scheduled. Monteith had been no stranger to rehab, he was quite open about his struggle with drugs and alcohol and the last time he checked in for rehab was in April. His girlfriend was co-star of Lea Michele. According to reports, after final respects by Lea Michele and his family, Monteith was cremated. The fifth season of “Glee,” is not yet in production, and no word yet, what writers will decide to do with Monteith’s character. The show is scheduled to return in September.
Another tragedy was the passing of 13-year-old Talia Castellano, the inspirational aspiring make-up artist who died of cancer on July 16. It was just six months ago that I saw the charming young lady in California at IMATS. In her short time here on Earth, she touched the lives of millions. Talia was diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastmoma in 2007. She went into remission in 2008 for almost two years, however, in 2010 her disease returned stronger than before, eventually spreading to her marrow. Talia fell in love with the art of make-up when she was first diagnosed. She became famous for You Tube videos, with millions of fans including Ryan Seacrest, Ellen DeGeneres, reality TV stars and many more.
One of Talia’s dreams was to meet Ellen DeGeneres and Justin Bieber. Talia did have her dream of meeting TV host Ellen DeGeneres, however, she never got to meet Justin Bieber. Ellen invited Talia on her show last year to share her story. On the shown, Ellen announced that Cover Girl had named Talia an honorary Cover Girl. The make-up brand also presented Talia with a check for $20,000, and gave her a professional make-up stand. Talia was always in high spirits, despite battling her debilitating illness. She was always smiling. She will always live in our hearts through her videos and continue to inspire others through the memory of her beautiful spirit.
Spirits were low on July 14, in the wake of the George Zimmerman verdict, Stevie Wonder is boycotting Florida, he announced during his concert in Quebec City, the Associated Press reports. Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin; the unarmed 17-year-old African-American teen whom Zimmerman shot to death during a scuffle. Zimmerman was patrolling the gated community where he lived. His lawyers argued self-defense. Stevie Wonder says he would not perform in Florida unless “stand your ground” is abolished.
Rose’s Scoop: Readers of the magazine Rolling Stone have called for a boycott of the magazine after it featured a photo of one of the alleged Boston bombers, Dzhokhar Ysarnaev on its cover. Fans have expressed anger at the decision to use his picture on next month’s issue, instead of an actor or musician.
By Rose Quintiliano
