Twilight Actor Draws Criticism for Glamorizing the Use of Tobacco and Drugs

In case you haven’t heard, there’s a little movie called “Twilight” that came out on DVD this past weekend. Those unfamiliar with the movie can look to the magazines shelves at the local grocery stores, visit sites like Myspace.com or Yahoo.com to see the advertisements, or watch shows like Access Hollywood and E! News for the detailed rundown of the cast and background information on the movie. Though the film follows the basic formula for a successful teenage centric film, it breaks away from the usual teen movie mold by diving head first into the mythology surrounding vampirism. What makes the success of Twilight even more interesting is the fact that the movie was made based on the huge popularity of the Twilight Book Series, a media not typically known for its strong interest among the teenage crowd. But movies like “Twilight” can also be of some use to those falling outside the targeted age group. Parents can view these movies and the hype that surrounds them as the common ground needed to address issues that could potentially affect their child’s life and future. Just watching one of the above mentioned entertainment shows can provide a perfect example of some of the issues many parents want to discuss with their kids.

Robert Pattinson, one of the lead actors from the movie Twilight, was interviewed on “E!News” about his role in this movie and the preparations that went into playing the character. As he is talking, black and white images of the up and coming star are flashing across the screen. Several of these images show Robert smoking, which is supposed to make him look cool and moody. He then says he takes valium before he begins to shoot a scene. The original intent of the segment was overshadowed by trying to portray this young actor as cool and hip by showing images of him smoking and discussing how he pops pills before starting a scene. Some of the responsibility has to be shouldered by Mr. Pattinson but also by E News and their producers. Whatever happened to covering just the movie? Does it make him cooler if they show him smoking and talking about doing drugs? He plays a vampire that flies around the screen, runs up trees and saves the leading lady from the bad guys. That’s way cooler than smoking cigarettes or taking drugs.

Parents also have a responsibility to discuss these issues with their children and inform them on how to properly interpret some of the things they might be exposed to through the media. For many parents, this conversation can be hard. Either because it is uncomfortable to have or because they feel their child has already established their own barriers that may be difficult to get through. If you feel this way, you must understand that to be able to infiltrate those walls, parents need to tear down their own barriers of uncomfortable feelings and emotions associated with such topics.

Kids need to learn resistance skills. They need to learn that what they see on TV and hear in music isn’t necessarily what’s best for them. They know that through the talks they have with their parents. When they see an actor like Robert Pattinson smoking or discussing Valium, they know that that’s not the norm and that he’s just another celebrity whose direction in life is steered more by money than by values.

If you are finding it difficult to talk to your kid’s and you want information on how to approach them about these issues, join the Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition and the Marshall County Family Resource Network for “Parent to Parent: A Dialogue on How to Talk to Your Kid About Drugs.” The open discussion takes place on April 30th from 6-7:30pm at the Calvary United Methodist Church in Moundsville. If you have any questions please contact the Marshall County FRN at 304-845-3300.

TIPS Training - March 23, 2009

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