By now you know that actor Patrick Swayze is battling pancreatic cancer. As such the paparazzi has made him their latest target. Photographers have been trying to hunt down the “Dirty Dancing” star in hopes of getting their “money shot.” Since Swayze is undergoing chemotherapy I’m sure paps are aiming for a shot of him looking gaunt, bald, disheveled or generally appearing sickly.
Well, it looks as though they got their wish… and then some.
On Friday several tabloids ran a picture of Swayze looking pale and puffing on a cigarette. The photo was accompanied by captions that said: “Ghost star suffering from a life-threatening disease YET refuses to give up smoking.” Another article attached to the aforementioned cigarette shot cited studies that say smoking is linked to a third of pancreatic cancer cases.
I’m not a doctor so I have no clue what the rules are in regards to smoking, cancer, and chemo; however, the photo brouhaha has generated enough steam that Swayze’s brother Don felt forced to issue a statement to the media denying that his sibling smokes three packs of cigarettes a day. Whereas Don Swayze didn’t deny his brother still smokes he insisted that “Patrick is fighting the disease like a warrior”.
What do you make of the photo controversy?
Do you think the media should just leave Swayze alone?
Before I end this blog I want to update a post I wrote about Kimora Lee Simmons last week.
The model turned fashion designer recently went public to set the record straight about rumors that she is pregnant with her boyfriend, actor Djimon Hounsou’s baby.
According to Simmons, the media speculation about her personal life is: “Lies upon lies upon lies.”
So does this mean she isn’t pregnant?
Your guess is as good as mine. Simmons refused to address direct questions about the alleged baby bump that the New York Post’s Page Six reported she was sporting at a recent charity event.
Who knows; maybe she’s trying to get pregnant.
Regardless, the fact is the ex-wife of Phat Farm and Def Jam founder Russell Simmons is irate about the baby rumor and had this to say to news reporters: “Call and ask if I’m pregnant. It all came from Page Six. … You guys shouldn’t believe it.”
Interestingly, a few reporters responded by saying they did call Simmons’ rep and were told that no comment was being issued in regards to pregnancy rumors.
Go figure.