Mackenzie Phillips: Consensual sex with Dad ended the day she got an abortion
From the Associated Press, today:
Former child star Mackenzie Phillips said Wednesday her father, John Phillips, who was a leader of the 1960s pop group the Mamas and the Papas, raped her when she was a teenager and that her sexual relationship with him later became what she termed “consensual.”
Mackenzie Phillips writes in her new book, High on Arrival, that she had sex with her father on the night before she was to get married in 1979 at age 19, according to People magazine….
Phillips wrote in her book: “I woke up that night from a blackout to find myself having sex with my own father.”
She told The Oprah Winfrey Show in an interview that aired Wednesday that her siblings “definitely have a problem with this.” Winfrey also read a statement from Genevieve Waite, John Phillips’ wife at the time of the alleged abuse and Mackenzie’s stepmother that said he was “incapable, no matter how drunk or drugged he was, of having such a relationship with his own child.”
John Phillips died in 2001.
Phillips, who starred on TV’s One Day at a Time, said the sexual relationship with her father lasted a decade and ended when she became pregnant and didn’t know who had fathered the child. She had an abortion, which her father paid for, and “and I never let him touch me again.”
Phillips told Winfrey that she first tried cocaine when she was 11 years old. Her father did drugs with her, taught her to roll joints and injected her with cocaine. Phillips said she’s been clean for a year after pleading guilty to possessing cocaine and entering a drug treatment program.
Phillips said the sexual relationship, although she believes it became consensual, was “an abuse of power” and “a betrayal” on her father’s part. She said she forgave John Phillips on his deathbed.
“I can’t be the only one this has happened to,” Phillips said. “Someone needs to put a face on consensual incest.”
This is just about too gross to fathom. Mackenzie is right in her last 2 paragraphs, though. Do you think she should have made this revelation or kept quiet?
[Photo of John and Mackenzie via the Associated Press; photo of Mackenzie via ZUMA]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Public, absolutely public. If she’s willing to take the heat, then go for it.
Why? Because there may be others in the same situation, and perhaps her “confessions” will help others do the right thing.
Think of Carla. How many souls has she helped because she was brave enough to go public with her story?
The man is dead and cannot defend himself. Could Mackenzie be having some psychotic fantasy? Perhaps she really believes it happened and it didn’t? Didn’t Roseanne claim she had “repressed memories” of being sexually abused when she was 6 months old?
Again, people can say anything and any of us can be falsely accused. There will have to be some solid evidence here to convince me.
testing
This is beyond sick, but I knew their was something fueling her substance abuse.
It’s too bad that pro-aborts always have everything BackAsswards. Don’t they understand that abortion never did one thing to empower women?? The sex abusers evidence is concealed {abortion} and the woman remains a victim! The exact opposite has occured. Abortion empowers the child molesters and sexual perps! It will continue to do so.
Oh, this is so twisted. And she “believes it became consensual”? Shouldn’t you KNOW whether a sexual relationship you’re in is consensual?
I can easily believe her story is true and I can easily believe that it’s not. Either way, the entire situation is so messed up.
True or not, such matters are best revealed when the accused is able to tell their side, not after their death, IMHO. Just as unborn children are unable to speak for themselves, so are dead Dads.
Mary, why so quick to assume she’s lying? What would motivate someone to make up such an ugly tale. It could very well be true, and I’ll take her word for it unless someone has a reason not to.
More likely than a “psychotic fantasy” anyway.
Hal,
I didn’t accuse her of lying. I’m not assuming she’s telling the truth. I want evidence to prove what she is saying is true. She may very sincerely believe this happened, maybe this did happen. We don’t know. The man is dead and is unable to defend himself.
Hal, my personality disordered sister made claims years ago my father tried to kill her when she was 4 years old. A serious assessment of the claims, situation, and alleged “witnesses” proved the whole situation to be nothing more than her fantasy, a fantasy she sincerely believed and told anyone who would listen.
That’s my point. We can’t be certain what this situation here is. People can in all sincerity believe the totally false accusations they are making and destroy people’s lives and reputations in the process. Or they may also just have a score to settle.
That’s why I say Hal that it is wisest to get all the facts and evidence. I say that as someone who has spent my life around personality disordered people.
:O
Poor Mackenzie Phillips. I’ll never be able to listen to “California Dreamin'” ever again.
As for the question of whether or not it was consensual and wouldn’t she know, I have to say that it probably would be confusing. It would be confusing of whether or not it was something that she wanted to do or was to ashamed to speak up about it at the time.
Either way, he was a sicko. He had no excuse to do that to his daughter and, as far as the abortion goes, this only proves that this really isn’t something as stupid as, “OOOoooOOOOoo. Just go get an abortion. No biggie.”
Poor Mackenzie Phillips. :(
I know a girl who is now 18 who had sex with her stepfather since she was 13. At first she didn’t want to, but he gave her gifts and treated her nice and she thought he was in love with her. He is now in jail, just was sentenced this summer, praise the Lord. The worst thing is that the whole family attended church with me for several years and it was a Bible believing church and I never knew or suspected, though I thought at the time that her mother and stepfather were way too strict on her and mean to her. It makes me so, so sad to hear of things like this.
This story is absolutely heartbreaking. To have your own father show you how to use drugs and then to rape you is the ultimate betrayal for any little girl. I can understand why she had so many problems as an adult. I hope that by her going public with this story it helps her in hear healing process.
My ‘discerner’ is cautioning me to be skeptical.
yor bro ken
“Abortion empowers the child molesters and sexual perps! It will continue to do so.”
Posted by: heather at September 23, 2009 2:22 PM
Agreed. It’s good to bring this problem out in the open, whether Mackenzie’s story is true or not.
I’ll have to try to catch Oprah’s show tonight. I’d like to see O’s response when Mackenzie told her about the abortion. It seems that Oprah has put on blinders when it comes to abortion. She tells women that she hasn’t had children because it’s “the hardest job in the world”. She discourages women from being mothers. What’s with that? (To borrow a phrase from our HHS Secretary, Sebelius.) It’s time for Oprah to get with the program and talk about abortion. Just my two cents…
This has been common knowledge in Hollywood since the mid-1980s.
Mackenzie Phillips: Typical Democrat
Marauder,
If it is true maybe her body responded to her father and she didn’t say no or fight him off…maybe that is what she means by consensual. ?
Ugh. Such a tragic story. I hope she gets the help she needs and YES, TELL THE WORLD!!
I think she’s lying. I think she’s done so many drugs over the years that she cannot seperate reality from fiction. I believe in this case, fiction is winning for her own profit. Just how much money will Phillips make from this?
Be careful what you believe these days. Deception will run rampant.
Marie,
That is what I am saying. Don’t jump the gun and get your facts.
Recall the media feeding frenzy over the alleged “illegal abortion” death of an Indiana teenager years ago. Facts be damned, the media and feminists were ballistic. Her parents were on Oprah’s show. I don’t recall Oprah or anyone asking for something as basic as medical documentation. The story was just too good to let go.
Turned out it was just that, a story. However people today will still refer to this young woman’s “illegal abortion” death even though there is not a shred of medical evidence supporting the claim.
Also, wasn’t Oprah embarassed to promote a “biography” in her book club that was found to be a complete fabrication?
Again everyone, take a deep breath and just wait before rendering judgment.
Mary,
The book was based on a story of a young girl who threw apples to a young boy in a concentration camp. They met years later in New York and married. I loved that story!! Total fabrication. Sorry, Oprah.
maybe her body responded to her father and she didn’t say no or fight him off…maybe that is what she means by consensual. ?
Posted by: carla at September 23, 2009 5:59 PM
Carla’s comment brings to mind something from a sex abuse conference I attended. The presenter discussed that one of the worst things a perp can do is teach the victim to enjoy it. The body is programmed to respond to touch. If the abuse triggers a pleasurable physical response, the victim is further shamed by “enjoying” the act of being violated. Sick.
Mary, your point is well taken. Sometimes people fabricate. On the other hand, sometimes victims won’t disclose until after the perp is dead.
Exactly Mary.
On another note, Oprah is the queen of deception.
Oprah follows this New Age Religion CRAPOLA.
Oprah lives in the cesspool of lies, and it doesn’t make me believe a single tall tale anyone on her show tells.
…and
40 years of drug abuse and no mental problems?
puhleeze.
People Wake the **** UP ! This **** is Happening all over the world. Especially in the USA where it’s Pornification Everyday!Doped Up Country! TV ,Magazines ect. This Woman Isn’t the only one . This Happened to me. If anyone criticised me & Blamed Me for “Telling” What the sons a ******** that started this with me DID when I was 2,until 16, I would Hit Them over the head With a Baseball bat!{ Not Really Hit Them } , But I’m still pretty ****ed Up By All That stuff that happened , Still Raging ,still broken,but healing however slowley. IT’s People LIKE The DUMB*sses on this board who BLAME THE VICTIM, that drive Girls and Young Woman To Have Abortions for The Fear of The Relentless Shame they’ll receive . The Proof of that fear is Stated on These Boards By People Who Are Reviling MAC. My Heart is With her,My Prayers are With her. Only A Fellow Soldier in The battle of Survivor Guilt could ever Understand where she is in her soul. I for One Know,,,anyone want to ***k with me? I dare Ya ! I Will Not Yield To The Forces Of Darkness For “I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVES! ” I Am Sober for 8 years after spending 30 trying to slowly commit suicide from the annilation of my soul. JESUS saved my Life & And He’ll Save Hers To.
This was very difficult to read. It obviously goes on but to that extent … sad! Hopefully she can find healing and purpose.
Mackenzie Phillips: Typical Democrat
And just what the heck is that supposed to mean? Only Democrats engage in incest, or only Democrats tell secrets after the other party has died?
And just what is liberal or wingnut about incest? Whether it happens in a trailer park or Manhattan, it’s really disturbing.
markei,
No one is blaming the victim. First determine that there is indeed a victim, then go from there.
If this is a fallacy, then its a slap in the face to you and all the true victims of a despicable crime like this.
wow, what’s with all the trolls lately? (the people with sex toy links and how much abortions cost, etc., not markie. I’m sure your pain is very real, markie, and I’m sorry for that.)
I do believe this story is more likely than some of you think. I went to school with a girl in high school whose father was constantly trying to pressure her into having sex with him. Her mother eventually left him and took the kids with her, and her dad went to jail, thank goodness…
But this kind of stuff HAPPENS. ALL. THE. TIME.
Then again, my husband’s been accused of impropriety (not with our daughter, but my messed-up, paranoid schitz. aunt’s children, and I had been standing there watching the whole thing, and there was nothing improper going on whatsoever) and it not only hurt him, but it made me absolutely livid.
So, yes, perhaps we should take things like this with a grain of salt, but not the whole darned block.
Hi Carla,
The book I was referring to was a man who claimed to have been involved in undercover work or something like that. It was a fabrication and Oprah was sorely embarassed since she had endorsed it in her book club.
I don’t think it’s the ‘story’ that’s the problem, it’s the ‘source’. Mackenzie Phillips seems to have a history of ‘guess what?’ revelations. She has appeared on numerous talk shows over the years(WITH and without her father), and talked about drug use, being raped at 14, about a certain celebrity taking her virginity at 18, etc. She is admittedly a very troubled soul, but, considering her other ‘revelations’, I just don’t know how believable she is at this point. I was molested at 8, and I didn’t tell anyone about it until I was 25, so I can sympathize with someone who has been victimized, but considering her troubled past…who knows if this is true, or if it’s just a bid for attention/publicity?. We DON’T know.
In my view, this confession has value for our society today -irrespective of whether its true since the public will never know all the details. Her confession shows those victims who have been through this kind of manipulation and abuse (and i don’t just mean women) that they aren’t the only ones. And perhaps it will empower them to confront it, seek counseling, and start healing. If for no other reason, THAT is why i give her kudos for going public.
Hi X and FedUp
My point exactly. Yes these despicable crimes occur and yes people can fabricate. Look at the people who were trashed when “repressed memories” were in vogue.
X, I’m sorry to hear what happened to your husband and I’m thankful he was exonerated. Again, it shows innocent people can be falsely accused.
My paternal grandfather, a widower, committed suicide after his 15y/o pregnant stepdaugher falsely accused him of rape. He would not permit her to marry the father and out of spite she falsely accused him, and left 4 children orphaned as a result.
Of course there was no blood testing or DNA back then so it was his word against hers, and who would doubt this innocent young girl? The man was so disgraced he shot himself.
For years his children would believe, some their entire lives, that their father was a child rapist. My aunt finally told the truth and my elderly uncle, the only surviving child, said he felt like a huge burden was off his shoulders.
So yes, completely innocent people can have their lives and reputations devastated by false accusations and yes false accusations can be made out of pure spite, or psychotic fantasy. I want proof of guilt.
krg,
If she is telling the truth, yes this can have value. If she is lying or fantasizing, an innocent man is being trashed and nothing can justify that.
Pamela,
Exactly. Does this woman have a history of mental health issues? Has her drug addiction been a means of coping with mental illness? Lots of unanswered questions here.
Anyone who has known a drug addict would know to be skeptical of this story….especially since the man is dead and can’t defend himself.
The Fact her Father was doing Drugs With her is all the proof you need, She a child ,He The Adult With the Power and Control. Is Pretty Basic Abusive behavior from the perpetrator onto the victim , many years of ‘grooming’ involved. By The Time She Became Chronologically an adult, she surly wasn’t emotionaly an Adult. He messed her head up! HE DID THAT!
Bringing attention to this kind of thing is good…..HOWEVER, I find it strange that she waited 8 Years to bring this out in the open.
I don’t think this issue is whether or not this story is true. Be it true for Mackenzie or not, it is true for thousands of girls across this country and around the world. It is a crime that crosses all socio-economic backgrounds, as well as all religions and demoninations. Statistically, 1-3 girls and 1-7 boys will be sexually abused at some point before the age of 18, and in over 80% of the cases, it is by someone they know and trust. So, whether or not her own particular story is true? I’m not Jesus, I wasn’t there, so I can’t judge, but I do know that it is the story of many, many hurting people, including myself, and this horrible crime of sexual abuse does need to be brought to light and addressed, so for that, I’m proud of Mackenzie.
As far as her questioning consenuality, it makes sense. When God created sex, He created it to be between a husband and wife, to join them together as one. When a person steps outside the boundaries God created, then a soul tie is still formed between those two people. Sexual soul ties are some of the hardest to break, but it must be done for the healing process to be completed. I’ve been there.
Hi Mary,
Ok. Oprah doesn’t do her homework either.
Markie,
Again, you only assume he did based on what MacKenszie says is the family history. I understand Ryan O’Neal did drugs with his kids. Do I assume he molested his children? No.
You can believe what you want, I simply choose to get all the facts and hear all sides before I jump to any conclusions.
Just as my grandfather was assumed guilty for years simply because it was assumed “innocent” teenaged girls NEVER lied about sexual matters.
PL4L, 5:52am
Nobody loathes sexual predators more than I do but I must vehemently disagree with you. Whether or not this story is true DOES matter. Remember when it was argued that it didn’t matter that Norma McCorvery lied? Why look at all the “good” that came from it.
Nothing justifies trashing an innocent person and no “good” ever comes of it. If the man is indeed guilty, yes this should be exposed, he should be trashed, and hopefully others in the same situation will be helped.
“Abortion empowers the child molesters and sexual perps . It will continue to do so”.
Oh, and making abortion illegal will stop these monsters from molesting children ? Are you out of your mind ? Sickos will be sickos whether abortion is legal or not. And if, as you anti-choicers hope for, more poor unwanted children are brought into the world, these monsters will just have a lot more cannon fodder available to them.
Unbelievable how you anti-choicers delude yourselves.
Well golly gee whiz Robert…IF PP would ever REPORT suspected cases of child molestation then we wouldn’t have molesters covering their tracks by killing their child and PP sending these empowered little girls back to their molesters.
Deluded is right.
Bringing attention to this kind of thing is good…..HOWEVER, I find it strange that she waited 8 Years to bring this out in the open.
Posted by: SB Smith at September 24, 2009 2:52 AM
Hi SBS. She didn’t want the topic discussed on her Dr Drew appearance out of respect for her family. What changed to make it ok with a larger audience on Oprah? Is it the release of the book or is it that the family is now better able to deal with public disclosure? I hope it’s the latter. I’m having difficulty finding a comfortable meeting point between the potential benefit to others and the potential harm to her obviously wounded family.
Mr B, it isn’t only “poor unwanted” children who get abused. Many children who are loved and cherished end up being victimized too. Your comments are incredibly insensitive toward those who’ve posted their stories of tragedy on this thread. You imply that they shouldn’t have been born. I couldn’t disagree more strongly. To me they demonstrate the triumph of the human heart and the healing power of the Lord. Despite having faced horrific pain in their lives, they’ve come down on the side of life and protection of the unborn. They have my utmost respect and they show me just how precious life really is. EVERY life!
Oh…okay, Robert. I see. That’s why abortion was legalized. To stop abuse. Got it. I think that it’s worked out quite well, don’t you Carla?
Heaven forbid we all work together to put a stop to the cycle of abuse, learn to respect one another as brothers and sisters, love people who have been kicked down by society through helping to get them up and letting them know that they have that elusive beastie called dignity, no matter what, and NOT screaming, “Is anybody listening to me? They should never have been born! I know this! I know everything!”
That would just be crazy or…deluded!
But I think that we should try the abortion method. No way is demonizing others, treating people as property, projecting our classism and bigotry onto children, or ignoring logic going to backfire.
It just can’t.
You may be on to something, Robert Berger. Where have you been for these past couple of decades? We needed you!
LOL. Gotta love Robert, dotcha? His poor one-track mind manages to tie us ‘ant-choicers’ into almost everything he posts. :)
“And if, as you anti-choicers hope for, more poor unwanted children are brought into the world, these monsters will just have a lot more cannon fodder available to them.”
Hahaha, what?! We should kill unborn poor children because they’ll probably just end up getting molested?! Please tell that to one of those yucky “poor people” that has been a victim of sexual abuse. I dare you to actually say that to someone’s face, instead of constantly using “poor people” as an abstract collective that you use in an attempt to support your unsupportable claims.
Will you please quit arrogantly proposing your “final solution” on low-income families?
Robert Berger and “the poor”…Hey, Robert…are they like boogeymen to you? Do you want to kill them all so you’ll never have to think about badnastyicky poor people? You know…it could happen to you, Robert…You could become one…anyone could…Would you abort yourself if you were poor?
And if, as you anti-choicers hope for, more poor unwanted children are brought into the world, these monsters will just have a lot more cannon fodder available to them.
Since when is child molestation and abuse limited to poor children?
Robert, you appear to be concerned about “poor, unwanted children” — do you do anything to help these kids, besides saying they should have never been born?
As for the incest story — between Ms. Phillips and that 16 abortions woman, I don’t know what to believe. If either story is true, it really is sad.
My issue with this is that every 5 or so years she comes up with some new tragic thing that happened to her and talks about it on Oprah. Like she’s run out of money and has to find a way to make more. Now it’s a book.
I’m not saying it’s not true but I sure think there is some embellishment to make the story more…meaty? (Not sure that’s the right word to use, but I’m in a hurry…)
who cares?
Why would anyone totally dimiss ANOTHER Hollywood horror story of celebrity parents on drugs treating their kids atrociously & getting away with it? If Mackenzie grew up in a trailer park & her dad was in a sleazy bar band doing drugs, would it be more believable? Middle class & upper class people who have been severely abused by their parents are rarely believed, especially if their parents appear Christian & can keep up appearances, or have some good lawyers.
MEL,
Wherever the children grew up and whoever their parents were, I want evidence to back the allegations. No exceptions.
My grandfather was no Hollywood celebrity, or a drunk or drug abuser. He had no “appearences” or high priced attorneys. He was a widower trying to raise 4 children when he killed himself after being disgraced by his stepdaughter’s false accusations of rape.
Yes MEL, people DO falsely accuse, and that is why I reserve judgment until the facts are in.
Maybe your in Denial Mary? The Psyche tricky thing.
Markie,
In denial of what? I don’t understand the point of your post.
I’m so sorry about your grandfather, Mary. That’s sad. :(
Vannah,
Thank you. It was so senseless and tragic but I hope it enables people to understand that any of us can be falsely accused and it can devastate our lives. That’s why I am very cautious about making any presumptions of guilt or innocence until I have seen all the facts.
BTW there was a fascinating movie, based on a true story, about a woman who insisted she had an affair with a doctor. As the movie unfolds you the viewer, and her lawyer in the movie, come to gradually realize the woman is psychotic. It was well done and certainly a shocker when you realize the woman, and you the viewer, and her lawyer, were so convinced of the reality of the situation, which was of course only her psychotic fantasy.
Again, thre are so many factors to take into consideration when accusations are made. If what Mackenzie says is indeed true, I have only loathing and contempt for John Phillips.
Someone asked why would she come out with these accusations. SHE’S TRYING TO SELL A BOOK. And as for “California Dreamin'” it was written by her step-mother, Michelle.
I’m skeptical, to say the least.
Mary,
I sorry for your loss of your grandfather.
[Wherever the children grew up and whoever their parents were, I want evidence to back the allegations. No exceptions.”
The sad fact is, Mary, that often there is no “evidence” other than the victim’s testimony. I don’t know what evidence you would require ir expect would exist. In court, at least, the “victim” is testifying under oath.
I completely agree that there are many false accusations of child molestation. I represented several defendants who I am convinced were innocent (and luckily the jury agreed).
Janet, 1:27PM
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I seriously doubt my aunt had any clue that her actions would devastate so many lives. Her younger siblings would be put in orphanages and adopted by seperate families as a result. Being a young girl, she likely just reacted in spite and vengence. For years this was a whispered family secret, my “father’s nephew” as he was always referred to, resulted from “incest” or “rape”. Until my aunt owned up well into adulthood, after her son was grown, many of my grandfather’s children went to their graves thinking their father was a “child rapist”. My last surviving uncle can at least be relieved of that terrible burden.
Hal, 1:36PM
How true. Which makes it easier to get away with as well as easier to falsely accuse. I should have been more specific. What I meant by “no exceptions” is I don’t care if the parents are dirt poor or Hollywood celebrities, I want to know as much as possible about the accuser and the accused. Is there a history of sexual abuse, drug abuse, mental illness, etc.
Your innocent clients were very fortunate to have you as their attorney.
This makes me sick to my stomache. But i do believe she is telling the truth. Nobody in there right mind would go public saying that they had consenual sex with there father. And with the drug abuse i definatley can believe she and her father commited incest because being hopped up on drugs no one is in there right mind! She is really brave coming out about this to the world knowing that most will look at her in such disgust from now on & all the things that will be said. Yes celebs come out with all different kinds of things, even negative, for publicity but this isn’t a “publicity stunt”, this is a subject you just don’t mess with unless it’s true. So i wouldn’t doubt this “accusation” for a minute! But still… makes me sick to my stomache!
I think it is great that she came out with this. There is more incest going on than we know about and this helps to shed some light on it. i don’t think she is lying.