It’s been exactly 10 years since this man fired me from my own Weinstein Company show for refusing to leave rehab against medical advice, then canceled the project all together when I didn’t kiss the ring and quite literally die for him.

He and his whole team were pissed that Pathways dual diagnosis treatment center in St. Helens, Oregon wouldn’t let them come film/exploit me in detox (pesky health privacy laws!) then when I wouldn’t leave to shoot scenes, dude called Pathways, convinced the doctors to come put me on the phone, then savagely fired me for costing him money when I was at one of the lowest, most dangerous points in my life (and recovery).

Always a charmer.

I was given the choice to leave treatment and continue shooting this reality series we had been filming for over a year, but thankfully I chose to live instead. I would not be here today if I had caved to that pressure.

All thanks to the incredible staff at Pathways for not letting them come film me there and then encouraging me to stay. It was a hard decision — and one that I have had moments of regret over here and there since; particularly in the early years, when it seemed I had let my one big break go by.

Turns out there’s no such thing as one big break, and sometimes things that feel like a loss at the time end up being a win later.

Happy Friday, Harvey. I can’t wait to watch your new prison special!

P.S. – Now that Harvey’s going to jail, I hope people start focusing on Bob and the rest of their minions. That entire company is garbage and should be held accountable for the twisted culture they created together.

Thanks to music writer and Canadian radio legend Alan Cross for featuring the My Movie Star featurette I made with Jay Mohr, Glasys, Kevin Forrest and others today on A Journal of Musical Things!

‪Check out this week’s Thursday Timesuck HERE or keep reading for the transcript below.

From A Journal of Musical Things: (4/26/18)

Thursday timesuck: A short musical film featuring actor/comedian Jay Mohr

“Jay Mohr is best known as an actor, comedian and radio host as well as a podcaster. He’s teamed up musician Logan Lynn to create this short film called My Movie Star, which takes us through the fakery and crap that comes with being famous in Hollywood.

This project will also come with a double album this fall, which will include a collaboration with the Dandy Warhols. Give it a watch.”

I adopted Pretty Baby from Oregon Humane Society exactly 6 months ago today. They told me at the time that it could take up to 8 months for her to come to me or be comfortable in the new environment, but I just knew she was supposed to come home with me, so she did.

For about a year before that, I had been telling myself that I was going to bring a new animal into my home/heart/life once Jay, Gil and I finished this new record, and on our final day of mastering in the studio, I got sucked into the OHS dog adoption site, so I drove over to meet some pups.

As I came into the building, they had this giant tree with polaroids of lost or abandoned baby dogs under the banner “Home For Christmas”. I don’t even like Christmas, but for some reason the construction paper branches with tiny dog faces glued on them like ornaments pulled me in.

There were only 7 dogs left on what had clearly been a very well populated display at the beginning of the season. One of them looked so much sadder than the others. They thought she was two. A chihuahua mix who had spent her entire life cooped up in a tiny house with 98 other dogs and one very troubled animal hoarder.

This particular creature had never been held, never gone on a walk, never used stairs, never had a treat, and had spent her entire first 2 years locked inside, neglected and essentially fending for herself, before landing in doggie jail.

I asked to meet her. The attendant said “Now, if you are looking for a dog to go on walks with you, this is not the right dog. She may never be willing or able to go on walks due to fear.”

As I approached her cage, she growled and gave me ample verbal warning that she was not interested in making eye contact, so we didn’t. Instead, I went into one of the visitation rooms and waited for her to come see me.

When she finally got to the door, she refused come in — but my baby voice powers are too great for any creature to withstand. We stayed in there for a very long time together, first with the Humane Society volunteer, then by ourselves. She frantically looked for a way out for most of that time and I just kept saying “Who’s a baby? Who’s a pretty baby?” over and over to her. She eventually stopped trying to escape and accepted the chicken I had been offering and I figured if baby voice works here, it will definitely also work at home.

I told the attendant she was coming with me. They were all very concerned that I was adopting such a challenging individual without much forethought, but I understood who this dog was. We are the same. And she was not staying here, scared and alone, for another minute. They packed her up in a travel case for me and we left.

I was able to stay home with her over the days that followed. It was truly rough. She cried and growled and we continued to not make eye contact. I let her be, I sang songs constantly so she would get used to my voice, and my vegan fingers threw pieces of chicken her way before making any movements. This went on for 8 full days.

On our 8th evening together, right as I was really beginning to question what I had done to my previously quiet, easy life, something changed. She walked right up to me and wanted to be picked up, which I did then for the very first time. She stared at me really close to my face for what must have been an hour and wanted to hold hands periodically while she stared. She appeared to be crying what looked to be human tears; something I’ve never seen her (or any dog, for that matter) do before or ever since.

These were tears of gratitude. She had finally realized she was home. Safe. And that big scary human chicken man isn’t scary after all.

Today Pretty Baby is a happy, well-adjusted, queen. I hosted a retreat for my team at my house this week and she greeted everyone with tail wags and sniffs. No growls. No cries. No barks. No fear.

Love is powerful magic, friends. Living with this tiny lady the past 6 months and watching her move through her trauma by way of trusting and loving me has been one of the most healing, beautifully unexpected experiences.

Please go adopt someone that needs you!