Harvey Brownstone conducts an in-depth Interview with Todd Bridges, Co-Star of “Diff’rent Strokes”, and Author of “Killing Willis.”
Todd Bridges is an actor, director and producer who rose to international stardom as one of the most popular and beloved child stars of the 70s and 80s. He first captured our hearts as “Loomis” on the TV show “Fish”, and then as “Willis Jackson” on “Diff’rent Strokes”.
He’s also appeared in dozens of movies including “Thursday the 12th”, “The Sounds of Silence”, “Turning Point”, “Dead Ringer”, “Nightblade”, “Hospital Arrest”, “Hope for the Holidays”, “Cheer Bloody Murder” and many more.
And on television, in addition to his iconic work on “Fish” and “Diff’rent Strokes”, he appeared in the groundbreaking miniseries “Roots”, as well as on “Little House on the Prairie”, “The Waltons”, “The Facts of Life”, “Circle of Pain”, “The Young and the Restless”, “Everybody Hates Chris”, and many more TV shows and movies.
But behind that beautiful smile and charismatic talent as an actor, and enormous likeability, this is a man who has had to overcome a number of exceedingly difficult traumas and obstacles, including child abuse and betrayal of the worst kind, as well as police harassment, racism, wrongful prosecution, and vicious treatment by the tabloid press while he was struggling to overcome a very severe and debilitating substance abuse addiction.
In 2010, he wrote a highly compelling, heart wrenching and unforgettable memoir entitled, “Killing Willis: From Diff’rent Strokes, to the Mean Streets, to the Life I Always Wanted”, in which he chronicles his tumultuous and gut-wrenching journey, from the heights of superstardom to the depths of despair, through his addiction, criminal court prosecutions and long road to rehab, recovery and healing, and to rebuilding the highly successful career and family life he is now enjoying and so richly deserves.
Todd Bridges has given so much back to the community. In 1992 he founded the Todd Bridges Youth Foundation, and in 2010 he became the official spokesperson for ICDC College’s Alcohol and Drug Counselling Program. Through his work as an addiction counselor and founder of the Society for Ethical Addiction Treatment, he has helped thousands of people conquer their drug and alcohol addictions and live positive, constructive lives. And as our host can tell you, as a retired criminal court judge who knows only too well what this man has been through, it’s truly an honor to have him here on Harvey Brownstone Interviews.
Harvey Brownstone is a retired judge of the Ontario Court of Justice and was the first openly gay judge in Canada. He is also the bestselling author of “Tug of War: A Judge’s Verdict on Separation, Custody Battles and the Bitter Realities of Family Court” and hosted “Family Matters with Justice Harvey Brownstone,” a television talk show on matters involving the family justice system.
After a distinguished legal career, Harvey was appointed a judge at the age of 38 in 1995. He has presided in family and criminal courts. He has been a trailblazer in several ways. He was the first openly gay judge in Canada. He was the first sitting judge in the world to write a national best seller and to host a TV talk show.
Harvey has been a role model and icon in the LGBTQ community. When same-sex marriage was legalized in Canada in 2003, he was the only judge to make himself publicly available to officiate at weddings for lesbian and gay couples travelling to Toronto from all over the world to get married. In 2007, he officiated at the wedding of Edith Windsor and Thea Spyer, the American couple whose marriage triggered the 2013 United States Supreme Court decision overturning the definition of “spouse” in the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
In February 2021, Harvey launched his online talk show “Harvey Brownstone Interviews” on his own YouTube channel. He saw this as an interesting hobby. Within several months, the show attracted hundreds of thousands – and then eventually, millions – of viewers. Because of the overwhelming success of the show, Harvey decided to retire from the judiciary on December 31, 2021 after having presided as a full-time judge for 26 1/2 years. Free from the constraints imposed upon judges regarding the expression of opinions and the endorsement of private enterprise, Harvey now happily devotes his full-time attention to hosting “Harvey Brownstone Interviews” as a regular member of the public – albeit one with a rather illustrious and unique career history.
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