For as often as I am guilty of maligning social media and the companies who run all the platforms, last week I had an opportunity I once would have thought impossible. I learned on Facebook that a mental health podcast, A Safe Space Between Us, was organizing a 24 hour marathon to highlight Mental Health Awarness Month. They needed 48 guests to speak with the host for 30 minutes each. 

Back in 2015 and 2016 when Advanced TV Herstory was finding its way, I produced an episode, Patty Duke’s Place in Herstory. Sure it was fun to learn about her demanding roles in The Miracle Worker and playing Patty and Cathy in The Patty Duke Show. Duke had had a phenomenal career before she turned 20. What was more interesting was to find 2 episodes of Donahue (1987) on YouTube. Duke was on discussing her diagnosis and treatment for manic depression (now known as bipolar disorder). 

Over the years I did 2 more episodes on Patty Duke. Prior to her death in 2016, she worked with Bill Jankowski on elements of a memoir. Bill assembled the pieces and published In the Presence of Greatness, in which Patty recalls experiences with famous people from throughout her brilliant career. In my interview with Kim Fields, Tootie from The Facts of Life and Regina from Living Single, we discussed her memoir (Blessed Life) in which she recounted her Liza Minnelli moment. At a moment of depression and despair, Liza on a talk show made a point that resonated strongly for Kim.

So when I saw that the marathon needed people, I knew I had a little something unusual to talk about. Since Duke’s 1987 book Call Me Anna, celebrities have contributed greatly to the public discussion and education about mental health. So my 30 minutes on Streamyard with Kieran Biring was about these books as well as some on which I hadn’t done podcast episodes, like Carrie Fisher’s The Princess Diarist.

It’s more than 45 years since Patty Duke shared her story with Phil Donahue. And just so you know, the episodes are no longer found on YouTube, but there are audio clips in my episode, linked above. Every book, every reveal on social media today helps people experiencing a similar mental health issue realize they are not alone. Maybe, at 6:00 am on a Monday morning, sitting in my basement office, a listener in London, Ireland or anywhere in the world, learned of a resource. I didn’t complain about Facebook once that week!