Some celebrities cash in with wedding or baby photos while those in need of fame try to revive or launch struggling careers with reality shows. Television legend and 70s pinup Farrah Fawcett has figured out a way to turn the most harrowing heath crisis of her life into a documentary that will earn her at least $2 million. If there’s any celebrity story or event that is worth that much money, Farrah’s battle with cancer is definitely it:
She worked a financial deal with “Entertainment Tonight” earlier this year where the show followed her around to treatments and showed Fawcett’s friends videotaping her ordeal. Now, the footage shot by Fawcett’s pals is being sold to NBC for “over $2 million,” said a source. Craig Nevius, the documentary’s producer, said, “We are negotiating with one of the big three networks, but no deal has been signed yet.” Presumably, footage would air on both “Today” and “Dateline.”
[From The NY Post via Huffington Post]
That’s wonderful for Farrah and should help her have a comfortable retirement. Farrah underwent experimental treatments for cancer, including targeted chemotherapy in Germany that is not yet available in the US.
Farrah was first diagnosed with anal cancer in October, 2006. She announced that she was cancer free in February of last year, but the cancer sadly returned and she went to Germany on the advice of her friend, the singer Cher. In February of this year Cher told Access Hollywood that Farrah had beat the cancer again and was cancer free following her treatments:
Stunning news from the legendary diva about Farrah’s condition and, in fact, it was Cher who encouraged her friend to seek treatment in Germany.
“It is a completely different kind of treatment,” Cher explained. “She had the cancer and then it went to her liver and so what they do there is, instead of giving you chemo all over, they do a thing called (chemo)embolization where they take whatever chemo that they were going to give you and they put it directly into the tumors into your liver and then when they shrink down smaller enough they do a thing called Cyberknife and they go in and they just take it out.”
[From Access Hollywood]
Now we’re about to have a glimpse of what Farrah went through to fight cancer. That footage is priceless. Good job Farrah, and congratulations on beating cancer.
Farrah Fawcett is shown at the airport on 5/29/08, thanks to Splash.
I hardly believe she does it for educational but for money reasons and that is already annoying me. Good for her beating the cancer, I am really glad, but take the cash out of it ist just disgusting. I really hope she will take the chance to be an upbeat role model and show how much positive energy and thinking combined with the newest health treating methods can win over the war against cancer. That she will take the chance to send out hope to fellow cancer patients.
Unfortunately enough, I have a few friends who are severely sick with cancer and for two of them there is no chance that they will survive this battle. They are just trying to prolong their lives and to make those days and weeks remaining easy. Them being confrontated with another plain money making reality show with a D-listed Celeb annoys the hell out of me. I hope I will be wrong with my assumption!
That was my first reaction also. Why does she have to make money out of this? Can she not afford to do something to encourage or educate others without making a buck off it?
Maybe it’s her way of getting some perspective on what she’s been through. She’s hardly a media whore and even celebrities need a cash injection every now and again. I don’t begrudge her a penny.
I’m sure there are lots of people out there – cancer sufferers included – who will be interested in seeing how she’s coped and is continuing to cope. I wish her well.
Good, if her documentary offers hope to anyone with cancer.
Bad, if it means you have to be rich to get the right treatment.
Best, best wishes to her and other cancer sufferers.
I think it’s way more ethical to make money off this than to pimp your baby pics out. She didn’t CHOOSE this the way people choose to get married and (theoretically) have babies. Heck, there’s speculatation SOME people get married for the sole purpose of getting money for their wedding pics (I’m looking at you, Papa Joe). And to top it off, she’s making LESS money than others make for their baby and wedding pics.
The fact that people are willing to pay money for it is reason enough alone to do it. Maybe some people will watch the doc who otherwise wouldn’t because it’s about a celebrity instead of just a random person… therby increasing awareness for others.
She’s got a new lease on life, why not go for it? The cancer could come back and she may need the money again for medical costs (or her family may need it for funeral costs). Or she could use it to just go on trips and pamper herself and family and herself after her latest health scare.
In other words, what’s the big deal? You people need to get off your high horses. I’m sure you’d be singing a different song if you’d been close to death — twice.
I sincerely hope her health continues to stabilize, but I agree that selling footage of her ordeal to make a buck is a little unsettling. It seems more like a desperate attempt to get back into the public eye than a genuine desire to help others.
I think with what she’s been through, she certainly deserves to get a few bucks. Maybe she wants to do something special with it. A nice vacation after all that medical treatment. Leave something to her kid. Whatever, she’s earned it.
Life isn’t fair. I wish Sarah’s friends could be in remission and making some big money too. I would also like to get a recording contract because I know I sing just as well as Lohan/ Hilton/ Spears, ad nauseum. It just, unfortunately, does not happen that way. In a perfect world, it would.
It was her cancer, her story, after going through all of it herself, why not make a dollar off of it. If she doesn’t someone else undoubtedly will. Someone always does.
No one has mentioned that maybe she is giving it to charity…you know, a Cancer related charity…
CC can you send a link that indicates the money is going to charity? I looked for that after you mentioned it and cannot find a story about it.
Why wouldn’t anyone try and make money if they can? We don’t know what she’s doing with the money. Maybe she’s giving it to cancer research. People jump to condemn too early before they know all the facts.
Maybe she needs the money?? She hasn’t really worked in years as an actress. And she sure as hell can’t be the greeter at the Wal-Mart. And while she is getting some financial help, hopefully her story will help someone else. Everyone wins.
And another thing, if ET or NBC were going to throw two mil your way for your health story, I bet there’s no one on here who wouldn’t jump at that chance.
now the whole invasion of privacy matter is paying off he?
Liver cancer curable? My husband has that, and it most definitely is NOT curable, I don´t personally believe she´s in remission, but if she is, well good luck to her, and it´s just tough shit for all other cancer sufferers who dont have Farrahs money to pay for innovative treatment.
I, too, am a survivor of anal cancer. I am so very blessed to be cancer free for nearly two years and to not have had metastsis, unlike Farrah. Her documentuary will hopefully give comfort to those still stuggling and will educate others, including those in the health care business. I’m certain that her medical bills are more than two million dollars. Medical trips to Germany do not come cheaply. I pray for her continued well being and for the well being of all those who continue to suffer.
As a cancer patient/survivor… I can tell you 2mil doesn’t go too far in paying the bills! My 2nd surgery was over 400k. I’ve had four of them total – so far. I’ve also had 3 rounds of chemo, and my little poison pills were over $3,000 each.
Oh, and then if you are LUCKY… you will end up with basic accidental medical coverage only for over a grand a month – forget Rx coverage. All this time, you can’t work, have no income, and all of your credit immediately jumps to a 34%+ rate.
So don’t get on your high horses about how a cancer patient is using the lemons to try to make lemonade. I can promise you it’s not near what she is spending to just to stay alive!
I pray for Farrah, I love her very much, and hope she does not suffer. I am sure that in the end, a lot of this money will go to cancer research charities.
Know one but Farrah knows the ordeal she has been going through, not to mention her constant thinking of her loved ones she will leave behind when she leaves this life to become the most beautiful angel in heaven. Money is not what she is thinking about, but it is her story her life and her war, whether the money is for her, her son, her medication, for treatment or a charity it is well earned. Farrah is a fighter, a champion and the most bravest woman I have ever seen. Fight the Fight! In my opinion you have already won! Love you. God bless you.
Ivette Henry (Miami Florida)
It’s a lot more than $2 million + Ryan’s + Rod’s ex wife deal, don’t think they are doing it for nothing. “SHOW BUSINESS” is two words. Let Farrah rest and stop this crazy money making circus. Ryan is talking about another series $$$$$$$$$$$. It is sad.
How do you guys know that Farrah didn’t take some, or most of that money and donated it to the research of cancer. Don’t be so heartless. Let her enjoy the final days of her life, you never know when it will end!!
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