Mary-Kate Olsen

The moment the news broke about Mary-Kate’s illness, my good friend, Laurie Ackerman, tracked me down in Denison, Iowa, Donna Reed’s hometown and site of this year’s 19th Annual Donna Reed Festival, to give me the news. Within hours my Inbox was overflowing.

There are several former kid stars here in Denison serving as Instructors; Gigi Perreau, Julia Benjamin, my sister Patti Petersen, and Alison Arngrim. You will not be surprised to hear that our reaction to the news ran along the same lines, and can be captured in a single phrase:

“What did you expect?”

The issues of “body image” and associated “eating disorders” pose a deadly threat to young females whether celebrities or not. High achievers are especially vulnerable. The pressures on these developing women are enormous. This goes back to the well-known tales concerning Judy Garland’s weight and “chesty” development during her years at MGM that caused her such trauma for the rest of her life. Easting disorders stalk our Olympic athletes, and have taken in such familiar names as Tracy Gold, Mary McDonough, and tragically, Karen Carpenter.

The Olsen Twins are, by orders of magnitude, under far more scrutiny and have been for a much longer time than any young girls in the history of Hollywood. It is impossible for them to be forever twelve, yet those are the demands of their public. There is no escape, and while many would say, “Hey, they asked for it,” the simple reality is that the twins are in a Life not of their own making, and hundreds of adults depend on them and their “image” for their paychecks.

This is not uncharted territory. Keep in mind that Tracy Gold was starring in a television show when her problems became manifest, and one has to wonder just how oblivious the adults surrounding Tracy were as her weight dropped under one hundred pounds. If it hadn’t been for the intervention of Alan Thicke, Tracy Gold might easily be dead.

We are holding Mary Kate and her sister close to our hearts and in our prayers. We ask you to do the same, and not fall prey to the tendency to wish ill of either of these young ladies because they are famous and wealthy. That just doesn’t count. Not now. Anorexia can affect anyone of any social class…and it is life threatening.

I know there is a great deal on the table when it comes to the franchise called The Olsen Twins, but I will repeat the question I asked six years ago: When is enough enough? When do these girls get to rest? As Eighteen year-olds, Mary-Kate and Ashley are newly adult, and it is within their power to call…not ask…for a Timeout.

Most of all, however, we wish Mary-Kate all the best, and along with millions of others, hope for her return to good health. The “Formers” send their love, Mary-Kate.

Paul Petersen