Aargh, Aargh, Aargh!

 I confess I used to watch, 'Home Improvement,' and found it had funny moments, although I can barely stand to watch it now. Not because it was sexist and had mindless story plots but because of Tim Allen and his Reich wing allegiance. In Home Improvement his political leanings weren't so obvious and the saving grace of that show was Patricia Richardson. If not for her character not allowing herself to be the side kick who stands mute to her husband's insufferable joy at behaving like a teen age boy, I couldn't watch a second of it. She is the light in the show. The boys who portrayed their children were awful actors. They couldn't recite a line without you knowing they were playing a role. The smiles and smirks ruined every scene they were in, although that wasn't much of a stretch. When Allen had a scene with Richardson it was the only time he felt plausible, as if he was a real boy. His later tv series showed him to be a maga minded, cruel asshat who's only reason for having another tv series was to rant about Obama and Hillary Clinton whom he clearly despised. The actors who played against him were just listening props. His wife was no Jill. Not even close. As the years go by Allen gets nastier and uglier and I can no longer watch anything he's done. 

In the news lately is the tragic story of Zachary Ty Brian,  who played the oldest son, Brad, in Home Improvement. He has had run ins with the law for quite awhile now, his main offense is he likes to beat up women. I cannot say whether drugs is a part of his life but his last mug shot showed a ravaged face, the face of one who allegedly uses meth. It's hard for me to like him, but I think his short stint into fame and having people be obsequious, then one day finding out you're just another young actor who had a taste of something special and poof, it's gone, can be traumatic. It's not just the loss of fans clamoring to touch you, to be near you. You spent eight years of your young life bonding with adults who hugged you, who said they loved you- to, "So long, kid, good luck in your career." I don't blame the adult actors because they were playing a role. It was their job to hug you, to tell you how much you meant to them. And then- they move on, with Allen finding other child actors to hug. Now, you need to get a job, but no one will hire you because you can't act. You can only live on your past fame for awhile unless you make the rounds of the has been circuit where former stars who never got another day's work in the biz sell their dignity and autograph to receive a few kind words from a stranger. When the phone no longer rings from your agent, you realize you're just one of us. I'm not sure if Hollywood has some sort of mandatory sessions child actors must attend to prepare them to survive a very likely future in the real world, where you must work a forty hour week. No one brings you juice boxes or carries your backpack. No one praises how good you look and how you nailed that line. Now you have a house, sans pool. You have a wife or many wives. You have eight, maybe nine children by different baby mamas and you can't believe the dream is gone. You're just a real boy, now grown and no one gives a shit about you saying your lines in one take. 

There is no defense for you beating on the mothers of your children. Drugs, alcohol, self pity- there's absolutely zero excuse. But, I get it. A long time ago, you had a magical life. Then the rug underneath you was placed back into storage and there you are. 

Don't blow it, Zachary. This is your sixth arrest in five years. The biggest role of your life is before you. Your children need you. I guarantee the love you get back from them would be far better than the fleeting adulation you once believed defined you. That life is not real. It never was.