If this is to be believed, then a confession that Stephen Collins made to a therapist and his estranged wife may be all she wrote for the pastor and patriarch of the Camden family in the television program 7th Heaven.
Mr. Collins made a name for himself on 7th Heaven as the always there for anyone in need Rev. Eric Camden, supported by his wife, Annie Camden, played by Catherine Hicks. They started off with four children but later in the series Mrs. Hicks' character had twin boys. One well known actress that has made it big is Jessica Biel.
In retrospect, the show dealt heavily with charged problems and a lot related to sex. It was more down the middle, but often led surprisingly toward a traditional view of sexual relationships. That one should wait until marriage and yet some of the characters clearly did not.
But the issue at hand is that Mr. Collins supposedly admitted to showing himself in the buff at least once. And according
The mere speculation of such acts prompted the UP Television channel, which has been showing reruns of the popular show to stop as of today.
Let me stop all right here.
The fact is that Mr. Collins is being investigated based in part on this recording. It appears that it is legal, although that may end up being for a court to decide. And that is the problem. A court will more than likely be the final arbitrator in this, as it should be. It is not fair for the UP network to punish a whole cast that did not know any of this may or may not have been going on. It is also assuming guilt and that is not what the American legal system should be doing, especially on a charge as serious as child molestation. Just because he said stuff on tape, a court has to determine much more than that to convict Mr. Collins. And that is how it should be.
Of course one could suggest that the horrible website TMZ got a hold of this and that the estranged wife, actress Faye Grant, set him up to admit things that may not have happened. That is why after police investigate, and so far the New York police department is doing so (Los Angeles is evaluating reopening a complaint.), and it is adjudicated in a court of law, we will know a lot more.
Divorces can be a very nasty business. And this one has been dragging on for a couple of years now. And suddenly, this revelation.
Now I don't want anyone to think I am defending Mr. Collins in the least. If he has is day in court and is convicted, put in in prison in the general population and wish him luck.
But why I think we should all sit back and let things play out is the infamous McMartin Preschool investigation and trial during most of the 1980s.
A long investigation and equally long trial proved that the adage "Children would not lie." about such things as being sexually abused is not entirely true. In fact most if not all the children that were interviewed, most being of preschool age, were being heavily suggested of events that never happened. Essentially, they were coached. As it turned out, none of those charged were convicted of any crime, period. Yet their lives, reputation and dignity were entirely ruined based on the wild accusations of a mentally ill alcoholic, Judy Johnson.
Of course this potential case is different in that Mr. Collins may have confessed and it does appear of his own free will.
But he has already been convicted in the court of public opinion.
In addition to the reruns of 7th Heaven being suspended, Mr. Collins was fired from his minor role in the upcoming movie Ted 2. And he resigned from a position on the Screen Actors Guild national board.
Because this involves children, it makes the potential to be so repulsive.
But this is why we have a legal system. So that people accused of such heinous crimes have their day in court.
I loved 7th Heaven as I watched it during it's original run. It was a wholesome show and actually had a minister and a religious angle. Something that seems to be banished to the depths of cableland. If even there.
Does it bother me that the family patriarch in the show is now a possible child molesting perv? Hell yes. Does that mean the show should be off the air? No. Remember, its a broadcast show and that it does deal with the frailties of the human condition. I, and I believe most people, can separate the acting from the actor. The messages are still the same.
But as I said, say it ain't so! How can the pastor dad on 7th Heaven be a possible . . . child molesting perv?
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