You’ve probably seen the disturbing video that surfaced of a seriously disturbed Maia Campbell from In the House, by now. In case you haven’t, here it is:
No punchlines, no snark, this is just sad. Rumors have been circulating on the web that she’s a crackhead, addicted to crystal-meth, schizophrenic, a prostitute. We don’t know what she’s on, nor do we know if she’s schizophrenic or a prostitute, but we can clearly see that she’s on drugs and that she’s mentally ill. My guess is that she’s on crack based on her behavior, compared to that of crackheads that I’ve seen (I grew up in 1980s Harlem, so I know how crackheads get down). Her mother (who passed away in 2006), novelist Bebe Moore Campbell, was very vocal about the fact that Maia suffered from bipolar disorder, and even wrote a book entitled 72 Hour Hold (2005), inspired by her daughter’s mental issues.
My guess is that Bebe Moore Campbell’s death on top of the problems that Maia already had (that people outside her life don’t really know) are what pushed her over the tipping point. Maia Campbell said in this video, “I lost a mama, I’m looking for my daughter.” She may have been ranting and incoherent, but even when someone’s mind and judgment are clouded, bits and pieces of what might be wrong still surface.
People have made comments, wondering where her other relatives and former co-stars from In the House are, but we don’t know whether they’ve tried to help her or not. If her own mother struggled with her, what makes us think others haven’t tried? People with bipolar disorder tend to self-medicate and can get extremely out of control. I’m not saying it’s cool to give on up someone who needs help, but people reach their wit’s end. How can you help someone who won’t help themselves, especially a girl who seemingly had it all? With regards to the prostitution, the video is not enough proof for me to feel comfortable saying that she sells her body but given what usually comes along with drug addiction, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was.
The men taping this and anyone who watched and thought this was funny should be ashamed of themselves. People are talking about this because Maia Campbell is a celebrity but the truth is, she represents thousands of women with this same problem and it’s not a joke. I hope she gets the help she needs.