What if stardom isn't all it's cracked up to be?

But I loved him ...

Dawnette Knight was obsessed with Michael Douglas. She claims to have met the actor in 2002 at a party in Florida. She knew he was married to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, and she didn't like it.

Zeta-Jones, who won an Oscar in 2003 for her role in "Chicago," became her hated enemy. Between January 2003 and May 2004, Knight sent 19 threatening letters to Zeta-Jones, describing what would happen to her.

One said she would be chopped up in pieces "like Sharon Tate was." Another said: "We are going to slice her up like meat on a bone and feed her to the dogs."

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Caroline Trippe on July 14, 2012 at 4:45am

Yes. People like Knight really are pathetic. Deeply disturbed. Probably not really murderers, but empty and desperately in need of attention. Now Michael Douglas has been quite a charismatic actor and celebrity, but Catherine Zeta-Jones is quite simply one of the most stunning women to grace the screen in years . She could pass for Latina, Italian, or even mixed race---which is kind of interesting, since Dawnette Knight is African American.

Yet for all her beauty, Zeta-Jones is not as big a publicity seeker, not as high-profile as a lot of other actresses. She's a wife and mother, not known for extramarital capers or drug use or anything outrageous. She has what a lot of women would think of as a perfect life: beautiful, famous, AND loved. What if Dawnette Knight simply wanted to BE Catherine Zeta-Jones? Maybe she fantasized that she was, in fact, just as beautiful. If ONLY she could take her place. To do that she has to be married to and in love with Michael Douglas. (Who, in fact, all but stalked Catherine Zeta- Jones in the beginning of their courtship---coming on way too strong with his declaration that he wanted to father her children, and thereby nearly alienating her, then sending her a roomful of roses by means of apology, and to get her to capitulate--which she did. How many women must dream of being pursued like that? Dawnette Knight, as Mrs. Michael Douglas, would not only be the surrogate Catherine Zeta-Jones, but the recipient of all that love and adoration.

I've read about this erotomania syndrome, the desperate obsession that can develop from a single glance (which the object of love doesn't even recall because it never really happened, or was unintentional), but in some cases the object's partner is not also high profile. I'm just speculating, having a little fun with the idea that Dawnette Knight perhaps simply wanted to become Catherine Zeta-Jones. (Like the heroine of "Life and Loves of a She Devil.")

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Permalink Reply by Susan on July 14, 2012 at 11:25am

Security experts like Gavin De Becker (The Gift of Fear) opine that pursuing Zeta-Jones as Douglas did aligns with the American macho-man behavior in general and in many Hollywood films. As an example, De Becker cites The Graduate. Hoffman asks Katherine Ross to marry her. She says no. So he waits outside her classes (stalking behavior) and asks her over and over again. She writes him a letter: she's thought it over carefully, has decided not to marry him and she's leaving town to marry someone else. Like, how many ways can you say NO?

But Hoffman stalks her and finds her, pretends to be a friend of the groom, a family member, even the priest. He finds the church, breaks in just as Ross completes her vows to the other man. Hoffman beats up her father and fights with other guests. And then?

He gets the girl. She goes off with Hoffman. So what's the message? Persistence pays!

And persistence is something every stalker has. De Becker cites as further examples: Flashdance, Tootsie, 10, Heartbreak Kid, Blame it on Rio and Indecent Proposal.

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Permalink Reply by Caroline Trippe on July 14, 2012 at 11:51am

American macho-man behavior in general and in many Hollywood films.

No wonder Douglas was so good at it---son of a famous movie star, it's bred in the bone. He was trained in it practically from birth. Never been denied anything in his life. Used to getting what he wants. Maybe it was THAT very quality that poor Dawnette was so attracted to. Of course Douglas liked to pretend he's not so materialistic---after all, he has said, they don't OWN their own private jet, they just rent one when they need it. How in the world do I know that? Oh, I just remembered---I am obliged to read PEOPLE magazine when I'm in the waiting room at the doctor's or wherever. :) That must be it.

But I liked "Tootsie." How many men get the woman of their dreams by cross-dressing? It goes way back to Greek mythology---Vertumnus and Pomona. The priestess of the apple orchard, the young man who loves her and gains her trust by disguising himself as an old woman...persistence in itself isn't (or doesn't have to be) macho---necessarily. ;)

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Permalink Reply by Cammy May Hunnicutt on July 14, 2012 at 11:53am

There's a much scarier one of these, worshipper malfunctions, or whatever.

Selena.

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Permalink Reply by Cammy May Hunnicutt on July 14, 2012 at 12:07pm

Meanwhile... PLENTY of plot fodder here.

I'd like to see one where the guy does all that obsessive stalking, finally wins her, the suddenly veers off after some piece of fluff that prances by.

Actually the Graduate wasn't all that different from that. They' running away, her in her wedding dress, on a bus. To where? What now?

I thought that was an incredibly stupid film, by the way. A lot of those iconic 60's 70's films are like that. I've given up on watching them Hear people, even film school profs. talking about how amazing Zabrriskie Point or Easy Rider or 2001 are. Or "According to Garp" or "Midnight Cowboy" or "Vanishing Point".... and they're just BORING. And half of them poorly made. I've never been able to figure that out.

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Permalink Reply by Caroline Trippe on July 14, 2012 at 9:58pm

Easy Rider

I hated that one. Hated it. 2001 not so much... it was great when you were stoned. But the others, I'd agree. But film "buffs" and "snobs" have to have something to talk about, and that's what they had. All those films were hugely hyped, too. I've often noticed that "old" movies I used to think were great....weren't. Or at least I don't think so anymore. I'm not such a big movie fan anyway. Rather read a book. :)

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Permalink Reply by Susan on July 15, 2012 at 11:20am

At least 2001 had great music. As did Clockwork Orange. Kubrick films were great for the music.

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Permalink Reply by Caroline Trippe on July 16, 2012 at 2:53am

And the "visuals!" Especially the visuals.

Permalink Reply by Cammy May Hunnicutt on July 16, 2012 at 3:07am

Oh, absolutely, And the camera work and all that. But I can't imagine watching 2001 twice, can you?

And I'm thinking more of "Sixties films". Easy Rider is one of the stupidest films I've ever seen. Blow Up and Zabriskie Point and all of those are incredibly pointless.

The whole idea of sacred cow films actually being crappy is the subject of this book I just found, " The 100 Best Movies Ever Made...Mostly Suck"

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Movies-Ever-Mostly-ebook/dp/B007B6QRQM/r...

Permalink Reply by Caroline Trippe on July 16, 2012 at 10:12am

I can't imagine watching 2001 twice, can you?

Not in the same decade. But when I first saw it I was in my early 20s. So seeing it again 40 years later wasn't so bad. (Yep, hat's how old I am). Usually I forget most films, so seeing them again years later is almost like seeing them for the first time. It's the same way with books--even favorites. I can remember the ending (who did it) but everything else is new. If it was worth reading once, though, it's worth reading again.

Permalink Reply by Susan on July 14, 2012 at 12:15pm

Selena? Like Rebecca Shaeffer

http://darkdeeds.susanfleet.com/blog_1.php?entry_id=1321833168&...

and Theresa Saldana?

http://darkdeeds.susanfleet.com/blog_1.php?entry_id=1315336387&...