Bijou Phillips: I Used To Bully Gay People, But I’m Better Now.
Who are you again?
I’m being honest. I had no clue. Isn’t Bijou like the color in some limited edition box of crayolas or a tourist destination in the far south like, I don’t know, somewhere near Peru where people go to contemplate their life and take Ayahuasca?
I’d never heard of her before, but thank god it’s not 1999 anymore because without google, no one would. She’s just be that shady bitch with parents who smoked way too much weed. That’s not far off. Bijou is the child of John Phillips of Mamas and the Papas fame. If you’re too young to remember the Mamas and the Papas, as I am, they were a 60’s and 70’s tambourine playing band of Flower Power people who were famous for songs like “California Dreamin’” and “Monday, Monday.” Most notable of the group was the iconic Mama Cass, the heavy lady with, undeniably, the best voice who infamously died at an early, from choking on a ham sandwich in bed- at least according to Urban Legend. For her sake, I hope it’s true. That’s how I want to die, except I want it to be beef bologna, sprinkled with Dorito crumbs.
They were equally famous for the affairs that occurred between group members. John Phillips carried on a tumultuous love affair with Michelle Phillips that ended in divorce, but a series of semi-famous children came from the groups various coupling, including actress Mackenzie Phillips, star of the 70’s series “One Day At A Time” who more recently detailed in her biography she had engaged in a consensual, incestuous relationship with her father beginning the night before wedding… And you thought your family was weird.
Also part of the kooky clan is Wilson-Philips singer Chynna Phillips who had a few hit singles in the 90’s that I still know all the words to. “I know that there is pain, but if ya hold on for one more day, break free from the chains!” She went on to marry William Baldwin- The good Baldwin. Not the one who calls his teenage daughter abusive names or the one that converted to radical Christianity and makes robocalls for Donald Trump.
Is it any wonder that Bijou turned out to be a complete mess? An entitled beast whose bad behavior has gotten her more press coverage than any personal or professional accomplishment. She’s worse than Lindsay Lohan, primarily because people, at the very least, know who Lindsay Lohan is… I mean, you have too in order to get the jokes.
But, the story about Bijou is that she is also a notorious homophobe and was called out not so long ago by actor Daniel Franzese. I know. I’ve tried to say the name out loud three times and people just keep blessing me. Regardless, he claims that during their days filming 2001’s sleeper hit, ironically titled, “Bully”- also Franzese’s first film, Phillips subjected him to intense humiliation. She body shamed him for his weight and poked fun at him for his sexuality, making crude remarks in front of their fellow co-stars. She went so far as to arrange a get together with Franzese in her trailer, and when he arrived, she made sure she was engaged in full on penetrative sex with the film’s headline star, Brad Renfro, who died in 2008 of a heroine overdose. She wanted to embarrass him by putting her heterosexuality on full display with a Man Franzese had developed a fondness for.
Personally, I’d have found the nearest hose and doused the vile brat while saying the Lord’s prayer as loud as I could. Instead, Franzese kept his composure and maintained his professionalism, stating that Renfro himself came to apologize for Philips disgusting behavior.
He called her out in a lengthy facebook post seventeen years later citing the fact that he was inspired by Ellen Page, who brought to light the onslaught of homophobic and abusive behavior she endured at the hands of director Bret Rattner while filming X-Men. Of course, Rattner had a notorious reputation for abusing women, thus became one of the hundreds who fell on the sword off the #MeToo movement.
In a response to Franzese’s post, Phillips released a carefully constructed statement through a representative. She has a representative? Why does she need a representative? She’s done four projects in the last 8 years. Ah, well. Trust funds.
This was her statement to TMZ;
“I want to write to address what Daniel has said. I don’t remember that time well, those years are a blur. I was a teenager and reckless in my behavior. I know Daniel to be a trustworthy and honest person, and to find out through social media that I was not the friend I thought I was to him made me so sad. I am so mortified by this behavior and have contacted Daniel and apologized to him privately. I am not and never have been homophobic. I have nothing but love for the LGBTQ community and Daniel.”
I have a hard time remembering people I publicly humiliate, too. In my case it’s usually myself after a few vodkas… in hers, it was likely the pharmacy she kept in her Gucci bag. Needless to say, she and her husband, that guy, Danny Masterson from “That 70’s Show” (What is it with these people and the 70's?) who sports the pedophile mustache and looks like he could use a bath, are also devout Scientologists. We all know how much they love our community; According to their doctrine, “Homosexuality is destroying civilization by removing the foundation block of family.”
Later that afternoon, shortly after her “Heartfelt” apology, Phillips was caught taking her daughter for a stroll… and taking selfies in a floppy black hat, not altogether like Jessica Lange in American Horror Story: Coven, except without the class or talent. Instead she was busy trying to find her good light.
Franzese stated that Phillips did indeed call him to make ammends; The smart thing to do with the tide of career destroying behavior accountability rolling in. But, her public apology was problematic, to say the very least.
If she had no problem with the LGBTQ community, she’d have never used her own sexuality to torment Franzese over his own. Nor would she have felt so superior to him as to body shame him and even resort to physically assaulting him. She didn’t say “18 years ago I was an asshole.” No. Not at all. She claims she never- keyword- never had anything but love for the LGBTQ community and Daniel.
Well, if that’s how she expresses love, I’d hate to on Bijou’s bad side.
