A few years ago, I went to a Cubs game with my brother during a visit to Chicago. I got caught up in the palpable energy at Wrigley Field, cheering for base hits, booing for outs, doing the wave. Then, someone hit a homerun, and the whole ballpark exploded.
I turned to my brother and said, "Wow. Wouldn't it be great if everyone cheered like this when someone finds the cure for cancer?"
He rolled his eyes at me. I kept quiet, but I couldn't stop thinking about it.
I was reminded of that feeling - that hope that there is equal enthusiasm for social good as there is for entertainment - when reading about the PRISM Awards, which recognize accurate portrayals of substance abuse, addiction, and mental health issues in movies and TV shows.
The PRISM Awards are given by the Entertainment Industries Council, a non-profit organization, and the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
This year, some of my favorite shows and movies made the list of winners (which makes me feel a little bit better about loving TV and movies!):
- The Fighter, the raw portrayal of boxer Micky Ward and his brother, former boxer Dicky Eklund, won for its portrayal of substance abuse.
- Mad Men won for an episode called "The Suitcase."
- Claire Danes won for her portrayal of Temple Grandin, a woman who has made her experience with autism into a successful life of advocacy and education.
- PBS won for "This Emotional Life," a three-part documentary connecting research on psychology with stories from people's real lives, which I wrote about when it aired.
Because entertainment media has such a far reach, it's particularly important to acknowledge when TV shows and movies get it right. Awards like these encourage writers and producers to tell truthful stories of human struggles, dramatizing only as much as necessary to engage the viewer. They also raise the profile of otherwise-hidden experiences, making it okay to talk about topics like bipolar illness, alcoholism, or disabilities - without sensationalizing the issues, à la reality TV.
Check out the full list of winners here.
Copyright 2011 Elana Premack Sandler, All Rights Reserved
