Alana Stewart's instabook on her friendship with Farrah Fawcett is published officially tomorrow, arriving in bookstores even before the body of Michael Jackson, who died the same day as Farrah, is in the ground. The quickie cash-in, available on Amazon.com three days after Farrah's funeral, gets a big push with a People magazine cover, excerpt, and equally important, a noncritical story amid behind-the-scenes attacks and whispers from various Farrah friends, fans and family members.
In People's "The Farrah Nobody Knew," Alana Stewart fares far better than did Ryan O'Neal in Vanity Fair, with his admissions that he dumped Farrah for a younger woman back in 1997 and made a sexual advance to his own daughter (whom he didn't recognize) at Farrah's funeral.
Alana Stewart, did after all, accompany Farrah to and from Germany as she was treated for cancer, and remained at her side until her death on June 25th. Yet the People item-- and Alana Stewart's very own book-- is already being used by Farrah acquaintances as evidence that Alana is an opportunist and sellout.
Topping the list is the very first "diary entry" excerpted from My Journey with Farrah. Dated October 6, 2006, it has Alana Stewart learning of Farrah's cancer after her daughter reads about it on the Intrnet.
The date is significant because Farrah was diagnosed with cancer on September 22, 2006. The National Enquirer broke the news online on October 3rd.
One friend asks, "Why wouldn't Farrah have called her 'best friend' to tell her the news two weeks earlier? That's because Alana wasn't her best friend. She was an old fairweather friend. She was someone to shop with or go to a party with. Alana was not someone Farrah would have thought of turning to in her time of need."
We got in touch with Craig Nevius, the director of Farrah's 2005 reality show, Chasing Farrah, who remained close to the star and would produce her cancer documentary project, A Wing and A Prayer.
"Farrah called me three or four hours after she got home from the doctor on the day she got the diagnosis," he says. "When it took her that long to call, I got worried, because I knew she was going to the doctor and I knew why. She asked me not to tell anyone because she wasn't ready to deal with the world. In fact, she'd only told her father and Ryan at the time that she told me.
"Of course I honored her request. I never told anyone. And yes, it's true. Farrah never actually told Alana about her cancer. The Enquirer did when they told everyone else. That's when Alana called Farrah to find out if the 'rumor' was true."
Nevius, who is suing Stewart, Ryan O'Neal O'Neal's business manager over the documentary that was wrenched from his control (even so, as an executive producer, he's up for an Emmy, claims, "I don't recall Alana being around much during the first cancer-- the documentary began when her cancer recurred the following May. But I do remember being at Farrah's when Alana dropped off some fast food for her once. She stayed and visited about thirty minutes."
Alana Stewart's publisher promises that "a portion of the proceeds from this book will go to The Farrah Fawcett Foundation to support cancer research." Though the percentage of the proceeds was not mentioned, criticism of Alana Stewart should wane when she delivers a big check to the charity.
Then again, Alana Stewart would most certainly silence all the critics and win great acclaim should she donate all the book proceeds to the Farrah Fawcett Foundation
In People's "The Farrah Nobody Knew," Alana Stewart fares far better than did Ryan O'Neal in Vanity Fair, with his admissions that he dumped Farrah for a younger woman back in 1997 and made a sexual advance to his own daughter (whom he didn't recognize) at Farrah's funeral.
Alana Stewart, did after all, accompany Farrah to and from Germany as she was treated for cancer, and remained at her side until her death on June 25th. Yet the People item-- and Alana Stewart's very own book-- is already being used by Farrah acquaintances as evidence that Alana is an opportunist and sellout.
Topping the list is the very first "diary entry" excerpted from My Journey with Farrah. Dated October 6, 2006, it has Alana Stewart learning of Farrah's cancer after her daughter reads about it on the Intrnet.
The date is significant because Farrah was diagnosed with cancer on September 22, 2006. The National Enquirer broke the news online on October 3rd.
One friend asks, "Why wouldn't Farrah have called her 'best friend' to tell her the news two weeks earlier? That's because Alana wasn't her best friend. She was an old fairweather friend. She was someone to shop with or go to a party with. Alana was not someone Farrah would have thought of turning to in her time of need."
We got in touch with Craig Nevius, the director of Farrah's 2005 reality show, Chasing Farrah, who remained close to the star and would produce her cancer documentary project, A Wing and A Prayer.
"Farrah called me three or four hours after she got home from the doctor on the day she got the diagnosis," he says. "When it took her that long to call, I got worried, because I knew she was going to the doctor and I knew why. She asked me not to tell anyone because she wasn't ready to deal with the world. In fact, she'd only told her father and Ryan at the time that she told me.
"Of course I honored her request. I never told anyone. And yes, it's true. Farrah never actually told Alana about her cancer. The Enquirer did when they told everyone else. That's when Alana called Farrah to find out if the 'rumor' was true."
Nevius, who is suing Stewart, Ryan O'Neal O'Neal's business manager over the documentary that was wrenched from his control (even so, as an executive producer, he's up for an Emmy, claims, "I don't recall Alana being around much during the first cancer-- the documentary began when her cancer recurred the following May. But I do remember being at Farrah's when Alana dropped off some fast food for her once. She stayed and visited about thirty minutes."
Alana Stewart's publisher promises that "a portion of the proceeds from this book will go to The Farrah Fawcett Foundation to support cancer research." Though the percentage of the proceeds was not mentioned, criticism of Alana Stewart should wane when she delivers a big check to the charity.
Then again, Alana Stewart would most certainly silence all the critics and win great acclaim should she donate all the book proceeds to the Farrah Fawcett Foundation
I'm pretty sure Alana Stewart is still getting alimony from ROD STEWART! She does NOT need money from this book!
ReplyDeleteFarrah wanted Alana to document her journey. Even if Alana makes money for herself with this book, I seriously doubt Farrah would care. They were FRIENDS. Let me repeat....FRIENDS. Who was always there? Alana. Its a girl thing. Probably the reason why she didn't want Craig there all the time. She was most comfortable with Alana.
ReplyDeleteSo what if Alana isn't perfect. Was Farrah? Are you? I'm not. Give her a break. Farrah was very lucky to have Alana there to comfort her. Give Alana more credit.
I read the People article & didn't really learn anything from it. I also wondered why she didn't know Farrah had cancer.
ReplyDeleteIn the end Alana was there for Farrah.
BOBBY GET REAL,WHY ELSE WOULD SHE WRITE A BOOK
ReplyDeleteTHEY ARE NOT AS RICH AS YOU THINK AND IN HOLLYWOOD YOU NEVER CAN BE RICH ENOUGH
AND MAYBE THE ALIMONY HAS STOPPED
Everyone in Farrah's inner circle will sooner or later write about her. So let Alana. I think I read somewhere that Farrah did not write a biography yet because "not enough people are dead yet." So ironically others will get to write about her first. Already people like Liz Smith have said that Farrah had a dark side and was not really attractive unless she had the smile thing going. She waited until Farrah was dead to inform us of this. For what its worth let Alana have her say. After all, who was there the last few years and in the end? Most of us will be very alone in the end. Think about it.
ReplyDeleteSorry, there is no way anyone would hang around someone going through cancer just for money. I don't believe it.
ReplyDeleteI read the book, not being one to judge without reading the story. If the book was in fact based off Ms Stewart's diary, it read like no other diary I have ever read. I think in the scope and depth of their friendship was two factors. One is to go through cancer alone and all the travel Farrah was doing she had to have someone with her. Ryan was not her pick. Could it be that Ms Stewrat as she says in the book was worried about her "money" and lack of, (Could it be that Farrah paid her to be there?) I am sure we will never know. However way it went going through this with another is not easy, friend, foe or paid help. As I said I am here to judge.
ReplyDeleteFarrah is now resing in peace and hopefully her son will honor his Mother by taking care of himself when he is free. Mary Kay
I knew Farrah she and Alana became better friends throughout the cancer. Farrah trusted Alana and she knew what she was doing. They had iron clad agreements
ReplyDeleteand it paid off ex ept for Farrah who believed she would beat this. Alana is good at keeping secrets and Farrah knew it. It's sad Farrah passed and Alana cared and it paid off.
It says in the book that when Alana heard the news Farrah had cancer, she was ill herself with Chronic Fatigue in Germany. I expect Farrah did not want to upset her with the news until she got home. It is clear from the book how good friends they were - only the closest of friends would suspend their life for 3 yrs to help care for someone.
ReplyDelete