A COSMETIC CONSPIRACY?

Special note – I’m not accusing any company of doing anything specific per se’.

The story you’re about to read is a factual account of something that happened last week. Nothing more. Nothing less. Let your collective imaginations run where they may! 

About a month ago, I got a call from PBS letting me know that they were doing a show called “Health Secrets: What Every Woman Should Know.” They wanted to interview me along with other health experts because I’ve spent 5 years interviewing women about beauty and how it’s effected them.

I accepted the invitation. About a week before the taping, they called to firm everything up and let me know who the other guests were. One of the guests happened to be  the Ambassador of the Dove Self-Esteem Fund.

Hmmmmm.

I thought to myself, wow, that’s really cool that Dove is okay with me being on the panel.

Last February, when I toured the country speaking at various places during Eating Disorders Awareness Week, countless speakers told me that Dove had them removed from panels that they were supposed to speak on with the Dove models.

I asked, “Why?”

One of them said, “They don’t want their products associated with anyone talking about eating disorders.”

Interesting -

I wondered what was going to happen at the PBS taping especially when I found out that Alberta-Culver was one of the sponsors of the show. Alberta-Culver is a giant in the cosmetics industry and my film, “America the Beautiful,” asks all of the major cosmetics companies a rather simple question – “why do you continue to use Phthalates in your products?”

It seems simple to me. They’ve been banned in cosmetics that are sold in Europe, so why can’t women in American be afforded the same safety. Phthalates have been suspected of causing cancer and allergies in women by numerous environmental agencies.

After thinking about it realistically, it would be a miracle if I actually made it on the panel.

I was allowed to show up at the taping with one caveat.

The producers called me the day before the taping and said I couldn’t sit on the sofa with the other panelists, but I could sit in the audience and the host would ask me a question from there.

I told them I really didn’t have to come and it would probably be easier that way.

The producer said, “Oh no. Your film is awesome. We all love it and we want you to come. You just have to sit in the audience.”

I didn’t want to be a party pooper, so I went.

By the way, these 3 women were very nice. They were on one of the panels.

She told me her 15 year old daughter saw the trailer for ATB and REALLY wants to see the film.

No accusations here, but when I came into the room, I met the Dove Ambassador woman and she took off to get her makeup done and never came back.

This is the actual taping. See the empty seat next to the Dove Ambassador? That’s where I was supposed to sit.

The host that you see in the picture came up to me before the taping and said, “Your movie is awesome. I want a DVD for my 20 year old daughter. Thank you so much for doing such a wonderful film. You’re awesome!”

She was very nice – I had no idea who she was. More about her in a minute -

This is me in the audience. Actually this was a great place to be because I was with hundreds of teenagers and I was able to interact with them.

It was fun answering 2 questions from the audience. I felt like I was at “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

Okay – Remember the awesome host of the show that I didn’t know -

It was Paula Zahn, the legendary news anchor from “CBS This Morning.” She also had her own show on CNN.

For the record, Paula Zahn rocks!

- DVD UPDATES

Here’s the story with the DVD’s -

Every DVD that was ordered has been shipped. You will receive them this week if you live in the US and next week if you live in Canada, Australia, Austria, India, Israel or the UK. If you don’t receive your DVD by the end of the week, email me and I will get in my car and find it for you. 

Also everyone that paid full price for the DVD should have received the $4.96 refund per DVD. You should have received an email confirmation of the refund. If you didn’t receive the email confirmation and you paid full price, $24.95 in the US and $29.95 in Canada, email me and I will make sure that you get your refund swiftly, promptly and most expeditiously.

The PG-13 version of the DVD will be ready to ship in 2 weeks. You’ll be able to order it in 10 days or so.

If you’re still having problems with your credit card, email me and I can get the order processed for you manually. Something that I worked out with the payment processor.

I will post the list of “America the Beautiful” House Parties in a couple of weeks.

We’ve received our second shipment of R rated DVD’s. We have some left, but when this shipment is gone, they’re gone. We won’t get anymore.

You can still get the discount price of $19.99 by entering – savefive – in the discount box when ordering.

To order your copy of “America the Beautiful,” click here:

Order DVD Here

- RALPH LAUREN DOESN’T GET IT!

It seems like Ralph Lauren got caught with his hand in the cookie jar – AGAIN!

If you thought the last airbrushed photo of the Ralph Lauren model was draconian, look at this new one -

This is absolutely ridiculous. The unmitigated gall or should I say blithe unconcern of Ralph Lauren.

I wonder if he has daughters?

The Model above, Valentina Zelyaeva is currently featured on the Ralph Lauren Australia Web site.

What’s strange is that there are two different versions of the photo on the site, and one seems to show the model in her true form (did they think they could sneak the digitally altered one past us?).

Hey Ralph, “why don’t you just show your clothes on skeletons… or are those not skinny enough for you?”

It seems that something has to be done about Ralph Lauren.

About-Face, Mewithoutmeasure, Monte Nido, Beyond Hunger, Girl Scouts, Remuda Ranch, Emily Program, Shaping Youth, Renfrew Center, YWCA, The Ranch, Anad, NOW, New Moon, Neda, and the 170 universities that I’ve visited, I have a question -

When are we going to show these companies that advertising to young girls in this manner is totally unacceptable?  Collectively we have massive power and we can make Ralph Lauren say uncle. Trust me.

I promised the 50,000 women that I met at college campuses over the last year that I would do whatever I could to make the world a safer place for them. And I meant it!

I’m serious, if all of you are ready to put an end to Ralph Lauren’s disrespect. Just say the word. and I’ll lead the offensive.

I have 50,000 college women that will join us.

Personally, I can’t take it anymore, so if you have my back, I for sure have yours.

Remember after doing this documentary, the fashion industry isn’t too fond of me anyway, so I have nothing to lose. 

- MIAMI SCREENING

I spoke with the head of the Alliance for Eating Disorders in Miami today. Along with the Renfrew Center, they’re hosting 2 screenings of “America the Beautiful,” in December.

One of the screenings will be on December 2nd at the Cinemark Palace 20 in beautiful Boca Raton and the other screening will be on December 3rd at the University of Miami.

I’ve heard that HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of college students are anxiously awaiting the University of Miami screening.

During my 2 days in Miami, Art Babel, the largest Art Show in the US, will take place. I plan on catching some of the awesome exhibits.

To get tickets for the Florida screenings go to:
Florida Screenings

- COOL TESTIMONIALS

Darryl,

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the work that you’ve done. I look forward to following you in the future.

You are a trailblazer in a society of insecure lemmings who are afraid to question things or to speak their minds. You are an admirable, wonderfully unique, passionate, empathetic person who is blessed with insight and vision. I am so thankful that I had an opportunity to meet you, and to hear your story.

Best of luck to you.

XXXXX
—————————————————–
Dear Darryl,

We had a little bit of correspondence at the very beginning of the movie release.. I was trying to get you to come to Winnipeg in Canada. I recently learned that the film was briefly here last spring which was very disappointing because there was little to no advertising about this.

I believe it played at one of the universities but no one in the eating disorder community was even aware it had been here.

I have ordered the DVD Of course (still haven’t see the film!!) but I also wanted to see if there is any way we could get YOU to be HERE the week of February 1-7. That is ED Awareness Week in Canada. Its really cold — we can loan you a big parka!!

Winnipeg is in the middle of the country… a city of 600,000 in the centre many miles away from other major city centers (we are about 8 hours drive north of Minneapolis just to give you a hint) … we don’t get the opportunities places like Toronto or Vancouver do to screen amazing films like ! this or to host big splashy events like you show us in your newsletter… but I know we can pull it off and create a special night that will promote your film but also let the province know about our new program and how/where to get treatment and support.

Please email me to talk further. Thank you so much.

XXXXXXX
———————————————————

- “MAJOR DISTRIBUTOR PROMO”

“America the Beautiful” will be available on Cable TV/Video on Demand starting in December. It’s being distributed by the “major distributor,” that doesn’t wan’t me to mention their name. I think I’m going to slip up. 

Every month, “Major Distributor,” runs 5,000 commercials all over Cable TV promoting the hot independent films that they’re distributing/featuring that month.

The commercial features the 4 “hot” titles that they want everyone to see. These are the films they put all of their marketing muscle behind.

In December you’ll see the commercial run all over cable TV and guess what? You got it, “America the Beautiful,” is one of the titles selected for their national commercial campaign. Exciting!

Here’s a sneak preview of the commercial. I don’t know why they sent it to me, they had to know I was going to share it with you:

Watch Commercial

I made it through the storm. Last Thursday, so many of you ordered the DVD at the same time that the server crashed for an hour or so. Talk about crisis management.

I made sure to stay near a computer to answer any questions that you may have, but I have to be honest, thousands of emails came in and I couldn’t keep up.

Therefore, I’ve decided to address everything right here in this section. Read in it’s entirety before ordering a DVD, if you haven’t ordered yet. That way all of your questions will be answered.

1.  I had about 4,000 declined credit cards. The reason for the vast majority of the cards being declined is that the shipping address doesn’t match the address listed on the card. The processing center told me they set it up that way to prevent fraud, but it turned into a nightmare.

The good news – I set aside 9,000 DVD’s for anyone that had a problem with their card or any other complication. I only have 9,264 Collector Edition DVD’s left. If your credit card was declined, then try it again, using the same address that the card is listed under.

If it still won’t go through, then email me and I can arrange to input everything manually or I can arrange an alternative method of payment. It’s my intention that everyone that wants a DVD will get a DVD. One way or another!

To order the DVD go to this site:

(don’t forget to put in the words – savefive – to get the discount price of $19.99. The DVD will be $24.95 if you don’t put the – savefive – discount code in the discount box when checking out.

BUY DVD NOW

If the above link doesn’t work, go to: www.americathebeautifuldoc.com/buy

2. Which brings us to everyone (and there were tons) that forgot to put the discount code in the box when you ordered last week.

Good news – the processing company showed me how to manually go in and apply the $4.96 per DVD back to everyone’s credit card. So EVERYONE that paid $24.95 per DVD will get a refund of $4.96, making the DVD $19.99.

You’ll know when the $4.96 discount has been applied to your credit card because you’ll receive a confirmation email. If you haven’t received a confirmation by next Tuesday, email me and I’ll take care of it right away.

3. The PG-13 version of the film will be ready in approximately 2 weeks. I will send an announcement when it’s ready. We will only have 10,000 of the PG-13 DVD’s and HUNDREDS of high schools have already emailed wanting that version. Make sure you order the PG-13 version as soon as it’s ready!

4. If you’re planning an “America the Beautiful,” house party, send me an email. I may join you. One of my requirements is that you have pizza with Italian Sausage and Jalapeno peppers. 

I’ve been invited to 178 house parties so far. One in Japan, one in Austria, 8 in Canada, 1 in Cleveland, 1 in Dallas, 1 in Rochester, 1 in Wisconsin, 6 in Australia, 11 in San Francisco, 2 in Hawaii and so on. I’ll only be able to go to 10-15 of them.

I’m not sure what criteria I’ll use to select the 15 house parties, but just know, it’s going to be a blast. We’ve been communicating for the last year via this newsletter and now I get to watch the film and have pizza with you and your friends in the privacy of your home. Did I mention pizza?

I will post pictures of all the house parties.

5. All of the DVD’s will ship this Friday which means you should have them next week, depending on your location. Exciting! If you don’t get your DVD by the end of next week, email me and I’ll put the trace on it.

6. On December 1st, the film will come out on Video on Demand Cable and Netflix. Video on Demand is where you order the film for $4.99 on cable. I think you’ll be able to get it on ITunes on December 1st as well.

The link on the homepage of our website goes live on December 1st as well. From that point on the DVD will be $24.95. “America the Beautiful,” is coming to Amazon as well. I’ll let you know the date as soon as I know.

Special Note – The Netflix, Amazon, VOD, etc. version of the film won’t be the Collector’s Edition with special features. It will be a DVD with the movie on it only. The Collector’s Edition is a special thanks to you for supporting the film for the past year.

FYI – Netflix ordered several thousand copies of the film and I heard the que for “America the Beautiful,” is full, meaning as soon as Netflix gets their copies they’re going out to customers.

This has truly been an adventure. I can’t wait to do it again. You are family for life. All of you. Collectively we’re going to put our heads together and help young girls around the world. I’m committed. Not going anywhere.

To order the Rated R Collector’s Edition of the film, click here:

(Remember to use the discount code – savefive – to receive the $19.99 price)

BUY DVD NOW

if the above link doesn’t work, go to: www.americathebeautifuldoc.com/buy

- I HAVE A DREAM FOUNDATION

Last weekend, I went to Los Angeles and attended the “I Have a Dream,” luncheon .

This is a nationwide organization that sponsors the entire first grade of a particular school and mentors and supports them from the 1st grade all the way through the 12th grade. They even help with scholarships to college.

I read some staggering statistics (positive) regarding the graduation rate and general well-being of the kids that graduate from the program.

I’ve long held the notion that if young adults had a healthy self-esteem, they’d be in a better position to fight the negative messages “you’re nothing – unless you buy our products,” that are perpetuated in the media everyday.

The affair was in a 15,000 square foot mansion in the hills of Encino. IHAD was looking for donors and mentors for the kids. It costs $1.6 million per year for IHAD to adopt the first grade of a school at the start of a school year and follow them to grade 12.

By the way, I almost jumped in the pool, but I didn’t want to embarrass the guy that invited me.

This is Wendy, the Executive Director of the Los Angeles branch of “I have a Dream.”  Most major cities have a local chapter.

This is one of the board members of IHAD. Aaron was a board member at another organization, but believed so much in “I Have a Dream,” that he resigned and started fundraising for IHAD.

I happened to turn to my left and saw this awesome spread. My, my, my. People were talking about the tasty morsels all day.

That’s Don, one of the top tax accountants in Los Angeles, bar none. Do you remember her? That’s Christa, the yoga instructor from the San Francisco area.

The board members of “I Have a Dream,” gave a presentation letting everyone know why it was important to donate or become a mentor. The message was loud and clear – The kids need us!

I couldn’t believe George Duke was here. George Duke, is musical icon. A rock star! I grew up listening to his music. And that’s his lovely wife Corine Duke. I met her a year ago at the Los Angeles Premiere of “America the Beautiful.” I think she brought 10 women with her. Very, very nice woman!

This is one of the dreamers from the “I Have a Dream,” program. You can read his story off the board.

This is Shaniece. She’s a Dreamer as well. She spoke during the program and shook all of us to the core. Her story is extremely inspiring.

After listening to her, I knew “I Have a Dream,” was doing something right. As a matter of fact, a lot of things right.

If I was in Los Angeles I would sign up to be a mentor. No doubt about it.

I’ll cheat a little and tell you that Shaniece is the “Beautiful Person of the Week.” You have to read her story below. What a strong, inspirational woman!

When I left the “I Have a Dream,” affair, I asked Christa if she wanted to have a glass of lemonade in the lobby of the SLS Hotel.

The hotel was designed by famed designer Phillipe Stark and has a style that is grand, romantic, eclectic and amazing all at the same time.

The interior reminds me of something that we would see in Beijing because of its worldly nature. It is like entering a wonderland where there is no concept of time or reality.

The mind is stimulated by the old, new, modern and classic. It seems that furniture pieces from every era sit in the hotel.

Here is Miss Christa. She’s always smiling. So pleasant and charming.

I sat next to her to see if her magic smile would rub off on me. I must admit, I don’t do it as well as she does. I had an absolute blast hanging out with Christa. her zest for life is highly contagious.

I shared with you of couple of weeks ago that Christa was one of the top yoga instructors in the San Francisco area – Well here is Christa in action.

Isn’t this an awesome picture? She was in Mexico when a friend of hers took the picture.

The sun, the water. Yoga must be very relaxing in a setting like this.

This is where I have to gloat a little. I was complimenting Christa on how awesome she seems to be with yoga and somehow the conversation turned to us racing. For some reason (I know the reason actually) she thought she could beat me in a race. I told her I played college basketball and ran track and she snickered. I mean snickered where I could hear her.

So I took my shoes off and she said let’s go – ladies and gentlemen, I won!  That’s no small feat because she really is in good shape. The moral to the story for all the kids out there – “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.”

Sorry Christa, but I had to tell the story.

Christa shared with me that her goal in life is to spread wisdom and love. I have no doubt whatsoever that she’ll be highly successful with that endeavor.

- NEW TESTIMONIALS
———————————————————
Daryl-

PLEASE keep my 5 bucks!

You are transforming the way women feel about themselves.

Thank you so very very much!

Wish I could give you 5 mil.

My Best,
XXXXXX
—————————————————-
Hey Darryl,

My name is XXXXX. I met you at Queens University in Kingston Ontario, and was sad that we did not end up meeting up at Alfie’s the campus bar.  You changed my life, and the press that I have been following is a testament to how good people can make positive change in the lives of others without economically evil reasons.  I purchased the DVD this morning using my credit card and the code would not work, I used a Visa and am in Canada perhaps this is the problem.

However, I suggest you take the 5 dollars extra that I paid (possibly others from this system glitch) and donate it to someone or an organization that could utilize this money better.  Or perhaps you start a fund/ bursary/ honorarium/ scholarship in the ATB name that promotes individuals who in their everyday lives help one another to see their beauty.  I have tonnes of student debt, and realize that doing for others in a selfish society is a challenging task, trying to create something from nothing, or push harder when so many negative influences and peoples negative attitudes try to deter us from succeeded is A FEAT.

And people should be rewarded and your weekly newsletters highlighting women of all ages as being inspirational is AMAZING.   SO KEEP my five dollars because I have a feeling that you right now can do more with those five dollars to help people than I could.

I took the risk of missing the film screening at Queens to come out and talk to you, and it is truly a decision that I will never regret!  I would love to keep in touch and possibly work aside you on a future project or possibly be an intern or anything… your vision and spirit is fresh, and genuine.  And so I anxiously await your film that I missed out on, and plan on having people over.  I am a committee member on campus of Women’s Empowerment Committee (W.E.C) and perhaps after screening it myself will feel that it is necessary to screen it again next semester… because let’s face it these issues we face (and I believe exist in the film) are not going away anytime soon- but that is NO excuse to be complacent.

LOTS OF LOVE AND ADMIRATION
XXXXXX

ps.  I am so glad that you told me the story about how you quit accounting and decided to follow a passion- because passion is beauty, realizing  that we are all capable of being passionate and beautiful allows us to dream, inspire, and explore.  And gives us the ability to fulfill our selves and help others see the beauty and passion that they may have forgotten -
—————————————————-
Dear Darryl,

I ordered the DVD this morning.  I haven’t seen it yet, but have been anxious to, so it was the first thing I did when I saw your e-mail this morning.  I did not know how the “savefive” thing worked and, as a newly divorced woman, would appreciate the refund of $5.00.

I am struggling with my own image issues.  I’ve been dating a man who claims to love me the way I am, but keeps pointing out breasts sizes that would be “perfect” on me.  I’m very small busted and have taken countless years of teasing about “mosquito bites”.  For the most part, I’ve accepted that this is the body God gave me and I should be content with it.  I’ve found myself, lately, paying attention to other women’s bodies, especially on tv, and feeling inadequate.  I’m trying to admire women like Kiera Knighly and Kate Hudson, who, despite being small busted, are beautiful, sexy leading ladies.  By the way, I’m 44, not an insecure teenager.  Just goes to show that we are affected by media images of perfection, regardless of our age.

Maybe I’m babbling, but I can’t wait to recieve the DVD and get my boyfriend to watch it with me.

Thank you for addressing this very serious issue, which is just getting worse.

Sincerely,

XXX  XXXX
——————————————–
Dear Darryl,

I am soo exited!

I  have seen your movie three times now in the theater, and took away different and equally important insights each time.  As the mother of a twelve year old with anorexia, and a teacher of high school students who have ridiculous pressure on them to ‘perform’ on every level-including the  beauty pageant that  goes on -whether they entered or not. I see the confusion and sadness resulting in anorexia,plastic surgery,  even suicide.
I m having a bday party for my daughter next week–the fourteenth-fifteenth and ATB will be the feature!
(Assuming it will be here by then…)

Thank you Darryl. You-and your movie have been talked about in therapy and in her schoolwork, as it is the only gauge she has to refer to with her body image,.

Thank YOU!
XXXXXX
San Rafael, ca
—————————————–
Darryl,

This is amazing!  I saw your film in Atlanta quite sometime ago. I am so happy to see the momentum behind your movement.You are doing a great service to the world. Thank you for wanting to move humanity forward.

Keep spreading your beautiful light with the world.
XXXX
———————————————-
I saw ATB last February when you were in Elmira, NY-it amazed me-I’m so glad that I can tell other people about it and they have the opportunity to get the dvd and watch it too.  Thank you for doing such a wonderful job putting it together.  It’s very powerful and I wish every American would watch it.

Sincerely,
XXXX   XXXXXXX
————————————————
Hi Darryl,

It seems like forever that I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to order my own copy of the collector’s edition of your DVD. I’m so exited to get it and watch it with my daughters. Each time your newsletter comes, my girls and I open it and discuss it. We’ve been so happy with the work you’ve done bringing awareness to so many people about women and girls issues and what beauty really is.

We’re especially touched by the awareness you’ve brought to so many about eating disorders. Both of my daughters, XXXXX who’s now 20 and XXXX, now 17, have both struggled with eating disorders for the last 5 to 7 years. Our family’s journey has been a tough one, but I am happy to say that at least for today, (and that’s all we really have, isn’t it? Today.)… they are both doing well. (Thank the good Lord!)

My youngest, XXXX, was so ill at one point that she was hospitalized for over three months in Ridgeview and then sent to a long-term residential treatment center in Arizona ~ Remuda Ranch. She was only 12 years old at the time and leaving my baby half-way across the country was so incredibly hard, yet today it was the best thing we could have ever done for her. I credit them with saving her life. They taught all of us so much and even today we go back to the things we learned there to help us during the tough times.

One of the hardest things that my girls have endured throughout all of this though has been the ignorance most people have about eating disorders. Sometimes peoples’ ignorance to something, especially mental illnesses, allows them to believe it is somehow okay to make fun of and degrade those who suffer with them. This ignornace has caused many heart aches for my daughters including one experience that I’d like to share with you that they just experienced this past week:

One of my oldest daughters’ best friends for the last 10 years, YYYYYY, posted some pictures of herself online from Halloween. Her costume included a black dress imprinted as a skeleton, a tape measure as a belt, a bone in hair, and a red heart pin with her name “Anna Rexia”. When XXXXX saw this, she was simply shocked, stunned, hurt.  YYYYYY has been XXXXXX friend throughout both her and her sister’s illnesses and relapses so to see her friend laughing and partying in a costume that poked fun of and “glorified” this disease that almost claimed XXXXXX life was heartbreaking.

XXXX posted a response to the pictures so that others might learn that anorexia is a serious, life threatening disease not to be taken lightly (I’m sure it was highly charged with emotion too). She felt so good that she had finally taken up for herself about her disease in a forum where everyone would see and know the truth (a hard thing for her). What came next might have been the cherry on top of it all ~ she was insulted and verbally abused.

Over 90 replies were posted after XXXXX comments stating that she was “just way too sensitive”, “acting like a victim”, and “stupid” to name just a few. “Guess we shouldn’t dress up as dead people either” was another post. As if it could get any worse, YYYYYY’s mother, a teacher at the local high school, decided to join the free-for-all. She actually sent my youngest daugther a link to a pro-anorexia website! It got very ugly from that point on to say the least.

The bright side of this experience is that our eyes have certainly been opened to the fact that so much more needs to be done to educate people on the dangers of eating disorders. Together, my daughters and I are hoping to organize a eating disorder walk-a-thon during eating disorder awareness week in February and include different activities including showing your film. I’m also going to the county to try to get the school version out there for our young people and educators to see. I’ll let you know how it goes. Of course, we’re also excited to get our own copy and have our own private party too. We’ll be sure to have some italian sausage and jalapeno pizza too!

Sincerely,

XXXX   XXXXXXXX

P.S. For some reason I couldn’t open my email account from Wednesday until today and now my debit cards not working!!! AGH!!! I’m praying I get it straightened out before the collector’s editions are gone!
—————————————————
Dear Darryl,

For the last year I’ve been in treatment for an eating disorder that I’ve hidden from the world for 7 years.

When I finally stepped out of the shadows into “imperfection” I found so much pain. Nearly all of my friends left me and my classmates looked at me as if I were a different animal. I missed my entire senior year for the pain of recovery and loss, and am not attending college this year to continue healing.

I heard about this movie last year from my ED therapy group leader when you came to the Eastman theater and couldn’t wait to see it. However, I ended up getting really sick due to me ed and couldn’t come. I’ve been waiting to see it ever since and just ordered the DVD yesterday; I can’t wait for it to come in.

At this point I’ve started to realize that I’m beautiful on my own and just because SAKs fifth will only order size 2 mannequins doesn’t mean that I have to be that size as well. I’m still on the road to recovery but I’m also way farther into the break-up with ! ED (code-name for Eating Disorder!).

I love what you’re doing for young girls everywhere and I’m trying to do the same in my community where we have the highest rate of eating disorders in our county and those surrounding. Again, thank you so much and keep up the good work! You’re an inspiration to us “girls behind walls” everywhere.

Bessos!

XXX
————————————————
Mr. Roberts,

I’ve tried multiple times to order your amazing DVD and it took many tries to get my order to go through, but the confirmation e-mail with my order number matches the failed order number I received in an e-mail from you.

Please let me know if there’s something else I can try to get this to work.  I’ve been dying to get your DVD so I could have everyone over to watch it.  I’d followed it for a long time before I was able to watch it at one of the SF, CA showings you had, and I was in awe of it.

I’ve been working towards recovery from my eating disorder, but after my dad died this summer, I put my recovery on hold.  Your DVD inspires me and reminds me of all the reasons I need and want to keep fighting.  I want all my friends and family to see this film.  Please please please please let me know whatever I have to do to order a copy of this.

The world needs to see this movie.  They need to know.  It was incredibly inspiring to me, as I’m sure it was for many others.  I look forward to being able to have a house showing party for it, and you are TOTALLY invited to join us;  that would be AWESOME!  Thank you soooo much for making this movie and putting it out there, even though I’m sure it was a big risk.  Thank you for taking that risk, and speaking out and making a difference.  You’ve greatly touched my life, and I’m sure many many others as well.  Thank you sooooo much.  Please let me know what to do to get my order to work.  Thank you thank you thank you!!!!
—————————————-
Dear Darryl,

I just wanted to say thank you so much again for making your dream come true with finally reaching the DVD release date!  The first thing I did when I woke up this morning, which was a mere 630 am.  Yes I am a college student, so for me, that was pretty darn early ( I have class at 8).

Anyways, I am so excited for my DVD to come in the mail and I will make my 3 roomates watch it.  None of them got the great chance to see it when you came to our school, East Stroudsburg University in PA.  I look forward to showing ATB to as many as my friends as possible and hopefully relay your message.  I wish you all the best in selling the DVD’s in order to spread your message about beauty.  For once in my life, you have made me feel special and I appreciate that more than anything.  Keep up the great work and I look forward to your future projects and helping you with them in any way.

Sincerely,

A great fan from the ESU Nursing Program,

XXXXXXXX
—————————————–

- BEAUTIFUL PERSON OF THE WEEK

This week’s “Beautiful Person of the Week,” is a very special young lady. Her wisdom, courage, strength and ability to touch others is mesmerizing. When you’re around her, beauty ooozes from her sense of being.

I had the pleasure of being in her presence for a little while last Sunday and I wanted to give you the chance to be with her for a little while today.

In Shaniece own words, this is what makes her Beautiful:

I was the oldest of three children raised by a single mom. We lived on a street that was the dividing line between two gang territories, one of the most dangerous streets in the city. There were drive-by shootings all the time. I ducked and hit the floor every time I heard gunfire.

That was my childhood until the day of sixth grade graduation when my whole class walked into the auditorium together and found it filled with balloons and cameras. Eugene Lang told us we were the first class to be adopted by the I Have a Dream Foundation in Los Angeles, and that if we stayed in school, they would pay for us to go to college. I thought, “So what?” I didn’t know or care who those people were.

In seventh grade, I became a real teenager. I wanted to be me, and I didn’t want any grown-ups sticking their nose in my business. I stayed away from I Have a Dream, never went to tutoring, and never got to know my project
coordinator. My grades started to go down, and by the end of the year, I was nearly flunking out.

IHAD wouldn’t give up on me. They called and called and called. Then they called my mother. She dragged me to a tutoring session; that was the beginning. The day everything changed, though, was the day of a field trip. IHAD took me to see snow at Christmas-time, and the Project Coordinator started to talk to me and ask questions about absolutely everything. I realized, right then, in the middle of the first snow of my life, that they were not the enemy. By the end of eighth grade, I was close to getting all As again.

By high school, I was tutoring in the IHAD tutoring center. In tenth grade, IHAD flew me to New York City to speak at the United Nations when Eugene Lang was honored for his work with children. I spoke about my life, and how I had changed because of I Have a Dream.

I have plenty of friends from my old neighborhood who went the other way. I had a friend who tried to get out of a gang and was set up and shot in the back of the head. I had a friend who committed suicide during high school by walking onto the 110 Freeway. I have a friend who is serving twenty-five years in prison.

In twelfth grade, I Have a Dream took us on a tour of historically black colleges. We went to Tuskegee, Morehouse and Spellman. I saw all those students who looked like me. On the plane home, I remember thinking, I’m going to college. IHAD is sending me to college.”

Now, I am a graduate of California State University at Dominguez Hills with a degree in Business Administration, and I am a licensed realtor.

Because of what IHAD did for me, my younger sister decided to stay in school. My mother, who had dropped out in the ninth grade, went back to school and graduated from high school. My sister has graduated from college, and my mother from nursing school.

My daughter, Chelsea, is only in kindergarten. She’s just starting to read, but I already have plans for her to go to college. I am going to do for her what I Have a Dream did for me. And then she’s going to do it for her children. Who could have imagined on the day I walked into my
sixth grade graduation, that three generations of my family – and all the generations to come – would have been changed by the promise I Have a Dream made to me.

When people ask me what I Have a Dream has meant to me, I say that my life is like two bowls. One was empty, and the other filled with candy. That candy is the love, the home, the guidance, the opportunity – and the dream.

Airbrushing of models and celebrities in adverts is fuelling eating disorders and depression among girls as young as five, leading body image experts are warning.

In a shocking new report, a group of over 40 doctors, psychologists and academics are calling for a ban on digitally retouching photos in advertising aimed at under-16s.

The researchers, from Britain, America and Australia, have written to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to say the “clear majority of adolescent girls” are experiencing problems with “depression, stress, guilt, shame, insecurity and body dissatisfaction” as a result of the unnatural-looking girls featured in magazines.

In the past year, the ASA has received over 1,000 complaints about airbrushed adverts.

This month, a survey by Girlguiding UK found that nearly half of girls aged 11 to 16 are dieting to be thin.

In October, a digitally altered image of 23-year-old model Filippa Hamilton in a Ralph Lauren advert sparked outrage when she was made to look emaciated.

In August this year, the Liberal Democrats said children under 16 should be protected from adverts featuring retouched images.

But the ASA has so far refused to act, insisting that no scientific evidence has been provided to back up the complaints.

The authors of the Impact Of Media Images On Body Image And Behaviours report hope their findings are about to change that.

“Body dissatisfaction is a significant risk for physical health, mental health, and thus well-being,” the report states.

“Any factor, such as idealised images, that increases body dissatisfaction is thus an important influence on well-being.”

The letter to the watchdog adds: “We hope that the advertising authorities in the UK and other countries will give this evidence serious consideration and see the urgent need for policy change.”

Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson said: “This paper spells out the real damage irresponsible airbrushing is doing to young women’s physical and mental health.

“The Advertising Standards Agency now has all the scientific evidence it needs to act.”

The report was written by Dr Helga Dittmar, of the University of Sussex, and Dr Emma Halliwell, of the University of the West of England, and researchers from the US and Australia.

- UPCOMING SCREENINGS (UPDATED)

We have a few screenings left between now and Eating Disorders Awareness Week of 2010. I’ll post additional dates as they become available:

December 2nd – Boca Raton, FL
December 3rd – Coral Gables, FL
December 5th – Vienna, Austria (Not Confirmed)
January 2010 – Peabody Museum – Salam, MA
January 23rd, 2010 – Half Moon Bay, CA
February 18th, 2010 – Champaign-Urbana, IL
February 19th, 2010 – Indiana University (NC)
February 22nd, 2010 – Evanston, IL
February 24th, 2010 – Hoffman Estates, IL
February 25th, 2010 – New Paltz, NY
March 3rd, 2010 – Normal, IL
April 16th, 2010 – University of Texas
October 2010 – Chicago, IL (American Academy of Child                                and Adolescent Psychiatry Meeting)

- ORDER DVD TOMORROW

Early tomorrow morning (Thursday) you will receive a link to order “America the Beautiful,” on DVD with tons of special features.

Initially, we will have half of the allotted units to sell. The remainder will be available in 2-3 weeks. So order early if you’d like to be included in the first shipment.

Also the PG-13 version of the film will be ready in 2 weeks for high schools and middle schools.

Does it really have to be this way?  -

Earlier today, I received an email from the mother of a 10 year old girl. She shared a story with me that shook me to my core. (the email below)

It shook me to my core for two reasons. 1. I felt honored that “America the Beautiful” could mean so much to a 10 year old girl and 2. I was very upset that things are getting so out of hand in our society.

Read the story for yourself. There’s no reason whatsoever that a 10 year old girl should even be thinking about, let alone experiencing, what was expressed in the letter.

And to make matters worse, 2 hours after getting the letter, I saw a on the internet about some wacko doctor that invented a plastic surgery IPhone application. Supposedly you can put your picture in the application and make changes to yourself to see what you’d look like if you had plastic surgery.

HELP US ALL! HELP US ALL!

The program, iSurgeon was created by Dr. Michael Salzhauer, the surgeon who wrote the book “My Beautiful Mommy” to help kids deal with Mom’s plastic surgery. Ugh. How about teaching kids that it doesn’t matter what Mommy looks like; true beauty comes from within.

I am 100% going to find and contact this surgeon. I will let you know what he says about his “new creation.” I’m curious as to whether he has a daughter.

Here is the letter about a very special girl that was sent to me from her mom:

- A VERY SPECIAL GIRL

Darryl,

I have been wanting to tell you about the impact your film has made on my daughter XXXXX. I don’t know if you remember meeting her in Montreal when we had the screening there. (I’ve attached a pic of you and her).

She had previously seen ATB when we brought it to Edmonton – remember she is only 10 – and I hesitated having her see it because of the US rating. But she had been weighing herself daily for some time and comparing herself to media images and celebrities – along w/ her friends. Seeing ATB had such an impact on her – it was remarkable – she stopped weighing herself and educated her friends about media images and told everyone how much she loved her body just the way it is!! Seeing the film in Montreal again and meeting you reinforced her appreciation of her body.

Children seem to need repetitive reminders. She recently got new skis for the upcoming ski season and the shop needed to weigh her to set the bindings. She hadn’t weighed herself since last January. She had gained weight and came home in tears. The damage the weighing did was so hard to see. After she calmed down we talked a lot about what she was feeling and about growth and development. Very little seemed to satisfy her – however when I brought up your film – and we talked about memories of it – she settled and found the resolve she had previously had.

It made me aware how fragile one’s sense of self can be. How we all need daily reminders to love ourselves and to appreciate others for their beauty.

XXXXX cannot wait for your film to come out. We are planning a DVD party for her friends when it does. I think you’ve become her biggest hero – and certainly the film is her favorite.

Thank you for making a film that undoubtably has changed my daughter’s life.

XXXX  XXXX

- I’m dedicating tomorrow’s DVD launch of “America the Beautiful,” to girls like this all over the world. Things will get better. I promise you they will.

- UPCOMING SCREENINGS (UPDATED)

We have a few screenings left between now and Eating Disorders Week of 2010. I’ll post additional dates as they become available:

December 2nd – Boca Raton, FL
December 3rd – Coral Gables, FL
December 5th – Vienna, Austria (Not Confirmed)
January 2010 – Peabody Museum – Salam, MA
January 23rd, 2010 – Half Moon Bay, CA
February 18th, 2010 – Champaign-Urbana, IL
February 19th, 2010 – Indiana University (NC)
February 22nd, 2010 – Evanston, IL
February 24th, 2010 – Hoffman Estates, IL
February 25th, 2010 – New Paltz, NY
March 3rd, 2010 – Normal, IL
October 2010 – Chicago, IL (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Meeting)

Darryl Roberts

4 weeks ago, I received a call from Monnie at The Ranch Eating Disorder Facility in Nashville, TN, saying they wanted to host a screening at Vanderbilt University on February 27th.

I told her I’d be in San Francisco that day, but she could get a Public Performance License to screen the film and that’s what she did.

The Ranch has sponsored 3 prior screenings in Nashville to a crowd of some 1,000 people. Nashville is an awesome city.

Students from Vanderbilt arriving at the screening.

4 students pose for the camera.

Monnie said hundreds of people showed up. I wish the screening was held on another day, so I could have been there.

Oooops. I forgot to introduce you to Monnie. That’s her in the white blouse. She rocks!

This is Monnie’s daughter Erin. Erin is so awesome that I can’t describe her with words.

I hung out with Erin a little when I stayed at Monnie’s house for the Nashville screening. One of the highlights of the year for me. Erin still keeps in touch.

The last time that I saw Erin she was a basketball star. Now she’s playing baseball.

I think Erin has seen “America the Beautiful,” 2 or 3 times and she’s writing her school paper based on the subject matter in the film.

The paper is an english project that is a persuasive speech on the topic “The Media has a negative influence on young women today.”

At 13 years old, Erin has become one of the films biggest supporters.

Yesterday, I asked Monnie what was the sweetest thing that Erin has done for her lately.

Her repsonse:

“The latest sweet thing – I’d have to say her ‘thanking’ me for letting her have friends spend the night, and showing gratitude toward me by saying ‘thank you’ more often for things I do for her and showing gratitude by helping me. Her gratitude is very sweet. Also, she was recently awarded ‘witness of the week’ at school for offering unsolicited help to a teacher. She is sweet to help others and to learn from her mistakes.

So let’s see; Erin is Sweet, Thoughtful, Considerate, Charming, Intelligent, Athletic, Supportive – Let me stop and just say you absolutely rock Erin!

This is the cheerleading team at Erin’s school. Erin’s at the top with the blue paw on her uniform.

Her school has a unique concept. They took away the competition between the girls by letting anyone that wanted to be a cheerleader be a cheerleader. At Erin’s school, everyone is popular and celebrated. Awesome! Cheerleaders of all shapes and sizes.

- DVD UPDATE (THE FINAL WORD)
- UPCOMING SCREENINGS (UPDATED)
- LA CAST OF CHARACTERS
- TESTIMONIALS

- LOS ANGELES’ CAST OF CHARACTERS

I went to Los Angeles last week to lay around and soak up some sun. It didn’t quite work out that way. Before I knew it, I had a couple of meetings about the film. In hindsight and retrospect, I’m glad it happened this way, because I met some cool gentlemen!

This is Gary. Gary is responsible for you being able to rent the film on Netflix later on this year.

Gary is such an old school gentleman. While we were at lunch he said, “Let’s not text and talk on our phones. We’re here to enjoy each other’s company.”

That was refreshing. Modern day electronics (Phones, Ipods, etc.) makes people think it’s acceptable to be rude and lack interpersonal interaction.

This is Michael (to my right) and Nolan (to my left). They are responsible for the “major distribution” that will bring the film to cable, VOD, PPV, Hotels, Airplanes, etc.

Fellows, how long do you think it will be before my clientele figures out who the “major distributor” is?  I have some pretty smart people reading this newsletter.

It’s his birthday -

While I was in Los Angeles, I found out that it was Michael Beach’s birthday.

You remember Michael Beach. He’s the actor that starred in the movies “Waiting to Exhale & Soul Food,” as well as the TV shows “ER & Third Watch.”

He’s also the Executive Producer of “America the Beautiful.” When I was in dire need and in danger of the film coming to a halt because of a lack of financing, I went to Michael and told him what I was trying to do and he wrote a big check, helping to make “America the Beautiful,” a reality today.

Michael said he supported what I was doing because he has 3 daughters.

FYI – One of the things that I’m proudest of is how all of these men came together to support a woman’s issue. Aside from $10,000 all of the money from “America the Beautiful,” came from men. Men supporting women. That rocks!

I called Michael and told him I’d treat him to any restaurant that he wanted to eat at for his birthday.

One day someone is going to turn my lights out for extending an open invitation like that.

Michael’s response – “Cool. We can go to IHOP (as in the International House of Pancakes).”

When I picked him up, he said he’d changed his mind. He wanted to go shopping for his daughter instead.

I said, “you want to shop for your daughter on your birthday?”

He responded, “Yeah. She has to shoot a short for school this weekend and I’d like to get her a nicer camera. You do movies and stuff, so you can help me pick one out.”

Fries Electronics in Burbank it was.

I think Mike gets happy when he sees shiny things.

We both liked this camera. It was our second choiceand the one he got her.

We hooked it up to his computer to make sure everything worked fine. His daughter officially has a new camera to shoot her school projects with.

What an awesome dad. Mike rocks!

- TESTIMONIALS

Darryl,

I have to tell you that I LOVE your newsletter. I have a confession…I only signed up for this newsletter because my boss really wants a copy of the film but now I’M HOOKED! I NEVER read newsletters (I’m lucky if I read ours) and I love getting yours. I immediately feel connected to you and your film – and I haven’t even seen it yet I can’t wait to get a copy of this film and watch it. Keep doing what your doing – you are truly an inspiration!

XXXXX  XXX

——————————————————
Hi Darryl,

We met you the night you spoke to the parents of Prospect Sierra Elementary & Middle School.  XXXX was the child in the front seat with whom you took a picture.  I cannot tell you how much you and your movie have changed my perspective and attitude towards the fashion industry.  Intellectually, I knew…we all do.  It just takes someone (you!) to tell the story in such a compelling way that it shakes us up and forces us to pay attention.  XXXX is only five, and I have time to do my best to teach her that she is a beautiful human being no matter what standards are thrown down by Karl Lagerfield, Ralph Lauren and Anna Wintour.

This is her lovely five year old daughter picking pumpkins.

Thank you so much for your movie.  I can’t wait for the purchase link, as it’s going to be my Christmas present for those friends who have children.  Oh, and keep up the detailed updates…I love hearing about your adventures!

CONGRATS on all of those wonderful things the man at Motion Picture Association had to SAY! See how God opens doors no matter what is thrown in your path! You are unstoppable and yes this message is going to get out no matter what. Keep up the good work. I’m going to run to an internet cafe tomorrow and Wednesday in anticipation of finding the link to the DVD.

——————————————————-
Thank you so much for taking such a special interest in Erin and other girls. You are helping them feel special and building their self esteem for appropriate behaviors.

You are changing lives with your work Darryl. I
appreciate you!

Thank you!

Monnie
———————————————————–
Oh Darryl where is the DVD release link?????????????? I went to Monte Nido and graduated from there over 13 years ago and was one of the first few to go through there when they opened and I am now happily recovered. I have been waiting to see this wonderful DVD in it’s original form since when it came to my area. However I was sick and couldn’t make it. I am presently working hard to put my Lymphoma to rest as I did my eating disorder. Please I need to see the original version. You have done such a wonderful job in promoting how America needs to view everyone. Wouldn’t it be awesome if everyone only saw beauty in everyone? Thanks so much for all your dedicated work. You are amazing. I would love to meet you some day.

———————————————————
Dear Darrel,

Once agin I find myself in awe of what you have done and
continue to do for women, girls and indeed the whole freaking world by your commitment and your work.

You’re the best and you just keep getting better! Thanks for your work, your commitment and sharing yourself with the world.

Love,

XXXX XXXX
———————————————————–
This message is for Darryl Roberts.

I was at the lighting at linden oaks the night you spoke with my friend, a struggling survivor of bulimia. We both decided that we must go see this movie and I’m so happy to see that it is coming out soon. I want to personally thank you for making this movie because this topic needs to be made public.

I kid you not every persuasive speech i do in school is about how the media causes low self esteem and eating disorders. We need to stop and change this and I love that you are taking the first steps. So thank you again.

Sincerely,
XXXX XXXX

- DVD UPDATE (THE FINAL WORD)

Here’s the latest word and I’ve been promised that there won’t be any deviation to this schedule.

This Thursday, which is November 5th, you will receive an email with the link to buy the film.

Also there will be a link for universities and organizations to purchase a Public Performance License to have a one time screening of the film.

The film will be shipped out to you a few days after placing the order.

The only caveat is that I’m not receiving the entire shipment initially, so when they’re gone, they’re gone until I get the second shipment.

I’m hoping things will be okay.

Monnie from The Ranch is taking the first 50. Monnie what are you going to do with 50 DVD’s?

Once again the website is super secure.

The PG-13 Rated Version of the film will be ready in a couple of weeks. I’ve been getting hundreds of inquiries from High Schools and Middle Schools. I will let you know as soon as the PG-13 version is ready.

So you will receive the link to buy the DVD first thing Thursday morning. (I promise). It will be in your inbox when you get up for coffee.

I’ve gotten several emails from people that are planning “America the Beautiful,” house parties when they get the DVD. Anyone that’s planning to have one, let me know the date. I plan on crashing a few of them. Then I’ll have pictures of me eating pizza in your homes. 

Thanks for your support. This has been quite the ride!

Darryl Roberts

- UPCOMING SCREENINGS (UPDATED)

We have a few screenings left between now and Eating Disorders Week of 2010. I’ll post additional dates as they become available:

Novemeber 9th – University of Georgia
Novemeber 11th – University of Richmond (NC)
December 2nd – Boca Raton, FL
December 3rd – Coral Gables, FL
December 5th – Vienna, Austria (Not Confirmed)
January 2010 – Peabody Museum – Salam, MA
January 23rd, 2010 – Half Moon Bay, CA
February 18th, 2010 – Champaign-Urbana, IL
February 19th, 2010 – Indiana University (NC)
February 22nd, 2010 – Evanston, IL
February 24th, 2010 – Hoffman Estates, IL
February 25th, 2010 – New Paltz, NY
March 3rd, 2010 – Normal, IL
October 2010 – Chicago, IL (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Meeting)

Darryl Roberts