Mark Ruffalo - Actor

[leapyrtwins]

Tumbleweed -

I totally understand your thoughts on this, and despite what you may think, I'm not "condemning" Mark Ruffalo nor do I feel I am judging him.  As you very accurately point out, I don't know the man, and therefore, I have no idea what he deals with on a daily basis nor do I know what his job or the people he works with, and for, "require".  I can relate to being SSD, but thankfully it doesn't affect my career more than my BAHA can handle.

Although I'm sure he has his reasons, which are personal and definitely none of my business, I'm still a little disappointed that he isn't more vocal on the subject.  When I said his discussion of his AN could be "one hell of a public service to those like us" I didn't really explain my position well at all.

What I should have said is that I think someone famous who had, or has, an AN has the unique opportunity of raising awareness of this fairly rare diagnosis - and I personally find it frustrating that he isn't taking "advantage" of that opportunity.  Think Katie Couric and colon cancer, Jenny McCarthy and autism, or Christine Applegate and breast cancer - although these conditions aren't fairly rare.

True, Katie doesn't have colon cancer and Jenny doesn't have autism, so neither of their careers are directly affected by them, but I think you can see where I'm coming from.  With famous names behind these "issues" the public is more aware that they exist and, therefore, hopefully the public is diagnosed more accurately and more easily.  Maybe it's selfish of me, but I'd like to see the same for Acoustic Neuromas. 

My point is, like you say, that Mark is just an ordinary person - like those of us on this forum.   But fortunately, or unfortunately, because he's famous the media will give him much more attention than they give the average AN patient - even though his views are no more or no less valuable than other non-famous patients.

BTW, just what IS it like to live in Tasmania   

Jan   

[Kaybo]

Good points, Tumbleweed and Jan.  It just made me think of Robin Roberts and the outpouting of support she received and how she shared it with the world.  You can't tell me she didn't feel like crap, but she still went out there and did her job and I, for one (along w/ a few millions other people), respect her even more now.  I know that there were a LOT of women (& porobably men too battling other cancers) that she made feel just a little better because they knew of someone "famous" going thru the same thing as them.  WOW!  What would I have felt like if it were an AN or brain tumor??

K

[Kaybo]

Another thing I just thought of...hasn't LADavid said over and over that he has had severe hearing issues for a LONG time and wears hearing aids?  This did not seem to affect his acting career...

K

[leapyrtwins]

Good points, Kaybo.

I didn't think of Robin Robinson when I posted or of LA David's hearing issues.

[Jim Scott]

Since we're exchanging opinions here, I'll overcome my usual timidity and offer mine. 

Frankly, I have to respect Mark Ruffalo's choice not to emphasize his AN experience during interviews. 

Not only is it an obvious potential liability to his career as an actor but Ruffalo probably realizes that most folks don't want to hear much about other people's medical problems, especially when they're now recovered ("you look fine").  Granted, a Hollywood actor talking about his acoustic neuroma experience might generate a bit of interest - but probably not that much.  Mark Ruffalo is not a mega-star (yet) so I doubt his talking about his AN experience and making the condition a little better known is going to trigger a rush of donations to the ANA.  If I had a choice, I would rather see an up-and-coming actor such as Mark Ruffalo donate money to the ANA than mention his AN experience for 90 seconds during some interview that a majority of Americans won't see, hear, read or, realistically, care about. 

I'm no celebrity but, some two+ years post-op, I don't mention my AN to people I meet, especially new acquaintances.  If and when the subject comes up, I spend about 1 minute talking about it, stressing my good outcome.  Then I move on to something else.  It's rare that anyone in this situation asks me a lot of questions about my AN.  I've made my point, they nod and make appropriate sounds of concern, usually ask: "So, you're O.K., now?" , I reply "yes" - then we discuss something else.  As I said, everyone has their own physical issues, especially when you get to middle age.  They aren't especially interested in a long story about a problem I've already surmounted, just as Mark Ruffalo apparently has.  Frankly, most young people aren't interested; partly because they can't imagine anything serious ever impacting them, physically and so, can't relate and/or have fiancées, are recently married or have young children they would much rather talk about.  I understand that.  The reality is that my AN experience is boring to most folks...and I know it and react accordingly by not mentioning it or making a very brief comment about it, capped with "I'm good".  I think most of my acquaintances are just as glad I handle it this way.

I think Mark Ruffalo knows this too.  So, during a TV or magazine interview that will reach a wide variety of people he realizes they don't want to hear much about his AN experience, so he minimizes it.  Again, as an actor, I'm sure that he doesn't want to be seen as in any way impaired and unable to perform.  That is simple self-interest and should be easily understood.  I would do the same in his position.  Most folks probably would.  On that basis and for the other reasons I've listed, I respect and understand Mark Ruffalo's decision regarding his hesitancy in publicizing his AN experience.  Maybe he'll learn about this website and post his story here, instead, where he would have not only an interested but empathetic audience.  Well, it's a thought, anyway. 

Jim

[JerseyGirl2]

Jim,

Amen to all that you wrote!

I think you have summed up the situation quite fairly and realistically, and I think you're spot on when you say that "most folks don't want to hear much about other people's medical problems, especially when they've now recovered."  I don't think that this implies that people -- whether relatives, friends, acquaintances, or people you've just met -- are not sympathetic. It's just the way life is! I think a brief comment about one's health, in response to a question, is the best approach. You can certainly go into a bit more detail if asked, but there's no need to go overboard. I think this is one reason this forum is so important -- people can discuss their AN issues endlessly, and they know they'll have an appreciative, understanding, and helpful audience.

Catherine (JerseyGirl2)

[Sue]

I know that Michael J. Fox hid his Parkinson's Disease for as long as he could.  Then he became an advocate.  Sally Field makes money I suppose for her ads on osteoporosis medicine, plus lending her face to the problem.  Probably Mark Ruffalo just wants to put that behind him and may not think that any publicity on his part will do any good or raise public awareness on something that's not "a major health threat", such as diabetes, which Patti LaBelle and other's have lent their voice and face for advertising products.  Maybe if there was a pill or treatment that he could promote, that would be different.  And then, maybe he just is a really private kind of guy and doesn't want people rummaging about in his head, so to speak.

Sue in Vancouver, USA

[robynabc]

I am not going to judge Mark Ruffalo but I still think if you are going ot talk about it he could mention that the hearing and facial problem is from AN.  To just call it a brain tumor is a bit misleading unless he doesn't know it was an AN.  That really was my only issue and I sort of assumed why he was doing it.  My bad.

Robyn

[Kaybo]

I am neither here nor there about it as I hadn't even heard of him and still have NO CLUE as to whom he is except for an actor; HOWEVER, I will say that I am VERY surprised by the reaction that you get, Jim.  I guess it is very different for someone who has very obvious residual effects from this whole journey because I find that 99.9% of the people I encounter (on a daily basis) are extremely curious about what all happened to me.  I do as you do and offer a very BRIEF explanation as to what I had and leave it at that, BUT I make sure they know that they have in no way offended me and that I am more than willing to talk about it.  Also, I try to let others know that I would talk to anyone who has a brain condition or stroke.  I can't tell you the number of times I can not seem to "get away" from people or say, "As Vicki knows or has heard before" to include a friend with me.  Of course, along with everyone's AN being different so too is the way that they perceive it and deal with it.  That is one of the things that makes us an even more unique and diverse group!  

K

[lori67]

Ok, first of all.. my husband has been to Tasmania and says it's quite nice and they have a very good rugby team.   

I will throw my opinion out there, for what it's worth... I think anyone in the public eye - an actor, for example, has a unique opportunity to educate people.  People know more about Parkinson's since Michael J. Fox started talking about it.  They know more about MS since Montel Williams started talking about it... Katie Couric and colon cancer, Mary Lou Retton and joint replacement surgery, Ted Kennedy and brain cancer, Susan G. Komen.... the list goes on.  I think there is some sort of inherent responsibility on the part of said public persona to use their position to educate the public about these things.  After all, aren't we - the general public - paying their salaries by buying movie tickets, DVD's, miscellaneous merchandise?

I'm certainly not suggesting that everyone's life needs to be an open book and that all celebrities need to have colonoscopies on national television, but I think that if Mark Ruffalo would just come right out and say "this is what I had, this is what treatment it required and this is where I am today" instead of skirting around the issue like it didn't exist, it probably wouldn't be such a big deal.  By continually trying to hide it from others, it makes it seem that much worse, and I think we all know, there are much worse things that could happen to a person than an AN.  I'm sure lack of privacy is an occupational hazard in Hollywood.  But, in the immortal words of  Super Chicken  "you knew the job was dangerous when you took it!".

I'm not an actor, and I don't play one on tv, but I think it would be rather optimistic of those in that field to think that they are going to be able to do that job forever.  Actors get old, and wrinkled and hunched over with bad knees just like the rest of us.  I would imagine that if I had chosen that particular career field, I would be grateful for as long as it lasted, but, really, in a career field as unpredictable as that, you'd have to be crazy to not have a Plan B to be able to put food on the table for your family.

So, that is my two cents, which I realize is quite different from the two cents of many others.  I guess I just continue to live with my rose colored glasses on where everyone with an opportunity to help someone - actually does it.  What a concept!

Lori
p.s.  And if it matters, I have no idea who Mark Ruffalo is either.  If he isn't one of the Disney characters, I'm sure I haven't seen him in any movies lately.

[Jeanlea]

Hi,

I do know that Mark Ruffalo knows that he had an acoustic neuroma.  Someone I know from another forum lives in New York, went to see him in a play, and wrote to him.  Mark replied to her in a ten page handwritten note.  I don't know exactly what the note said, but I do know that the early recovery time was difficult for him.  He had facial paralysis that he had to work through.  We know how difficult that can be. 

I think that Jim, once again, expressed his opinion very well.  I agree with him.  Mark probably wants to put this experience behind him.  He's busy acting now.

Jean

[leapyrtwins]

Well written post, Lori, and I join you in the rose-colored glasses concept.  Too bad we don't run the world 

BTW, the only time I've ever seen Mark Ruffalo in anything is the movie Thirteen Going on Thirty with Jennifer Garner - although I'm certain he's known for much more.

If you haven't seen this movie, buy it, rent it, borrow it, or steal it - it's very cute and I think you'd like it.  Mark is also very handsome 

Oh, yea, and the next time James has tickets to a Tasmanian rugby game, tell him I'm there 

Jan

[Tumbleweed]

Thanks, Jim, for your thoughtful post on this subject. Ruffalo has done several interviews in which he talks about his AN, and apparently it didn't provide the "hell of a boost" people want from him. What more can he do? Become a spokesperson for the National Brain Tumor Foundation? He already has a job -- acting.

Many of us don't like broadcasting to people we meet that we have or had a brain tumor. I've personally limited the number of people I've told about it for a number of reasons, including because I don't want to be known as "the guy with the brain tumor." I don't want people to treat me any differently than the way they always had before I was diagnosed. Think about Ruffalo's situation, where there is potential for millions of people to look at him as "the actor with the brain tumor." Not exactly the way to heal and move on with your life.

One final (I hope!) thought on this: everyone assumes Ruffalo is not much of an advocate for people with this illness, but is that really so? For all we know, he has made anonymous donations to research on ANs. He might even be contributing to this forum under an alias. Um, for all people know, I might be Mark Ruffalo! 

Tumbleweed from Tasmania

[Tumbleweed]

P.S. Sorry, Jan, I shouldn't harp on the "hell of a boost" comment. I think I understand your postion more about the potential for public education and early diagnosis. But I agree with Jim that Ruffalo probably doesn't have the public profile to make that happen. And again (one last time, I promise!), it's his life to live.

Tumbleweed

[leapyrtwins]

No need to apologize, Tumbleweed.  We're all entitled to our opinions, and I really enjoying reading others - especially those different from mine - it gives me a new perspective on things.

I'm not saying you're right, though!  LOL

BTW, I had a feeling you were Mark Ruffalo    Or, I guess it could be Jim - we never did find out his "real" name

Jan