Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

How far is too far? A response to Dr. Fredric Brandt’s suicide.

Sarah Mongiello Bernstein, MD
Conditions
April 21, 2015
Share
Tweet
Share

As someone involved in both the medical and acting world, I was tremendously saddened to read about Dr. Fredric Brandt’s recent suicide, which is presumed to be in response to an impersonation of him on the Netflix’s series, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.  Project Casting, a website offering free casting calls and auditions, posted a link on their website asking, “Did Netflix go too far” and I was shocked by people’s comments.

The vast majority of statements were directed at mocking Dr. Brandt’s personal appearance and presumed depression, stating that Netflix shouldn’t take any responsibility for the outcome. It is important to remember that Dr. Brandt was a real person. He was a physician, researcher, lecturer and author and made tremendous contributions to his field.  According to Megan Diane, when asked why he worked such long hours in his practice, Dr. Brandt replied, “I want people to feel they haven’t given up on life and are still in the game.”

Here, we’ve taken someone that has worked their entire life to build a medical practice and help others and instead focused on the one thing that made him different. I think the fact, as many people were so cavalier to point out, that Dr. Brandt may have had issues with body dysmorphic disorder or depression preceding the impersonation makes his suicide more upsetting, not less so. Mental illness has tremendous social, medical and economic implications, and it is no more ok to mock someone suffering from depression than someone battling obesity, cancer or paralysis.

While I obviously don’t think that Netflix did anything illegal, I do think that publically shaming someone you believe to be mentally unstable is in poor taste. As humans, we need to be aware that our actions have consequences.  The plot of this show was in no way enhanced by modeling this character so closely after a real person — clearly without their consent or approval. There comes a point when doing something that may be legal, is still just cruel.

We have a belief in this country that people are public property. We take celebrities like Amanda Bynes or Britney Spears who are clearly dealing with emotional and psychological stress and instead of finding them the help and support they need, we shove cameras in their faces, analyze every word they’ve ever said and demonize them in the media.  We need to remove this invisible barrier we have distinguishing physical and mental disabilities. Both are conditions affecting vulnerable populations that need to be addressed by clinicians. Regardless of profession, our bodies and identities should no longer be considered public property or up for sale to the highest bidder.

Sarah Mongiello Bernstein is a medical student.

Prev

The House of God brought attention to medical slang

April 21, 2015 Kevin 1
…
Next

Doctor's death an "inconvenience" for patients

April 21, 2015 Kevin 210
…

Tagged as: Psychiatry

Post navigation

< Previous Post
The House of God brought attention to medical slang
Next Post >
Doctor's death an "inconvenience" for patients

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Sarah Mongiello Bernstein, MD

  • Why the physician shortage in the VA is a sign of things to come

    Sarah Mongiello Bernstein, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    My patients have shown me that medicine is a universally spoken language

    Sarah Mongiello Bernstein, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    The time to reinvent medicine is now. #TakeBackMedicine

    Sarah Mongiello Bernstein, MD

More in Conditions

  • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

    Pearl Jones, MD
  • Why local cardiac CT scans could save your life

    Benjamin Cohen, MD
  • How proposed NIH budget cuts could derail Alzheimer’s research

    Tamer Hage, Tejas Sekhar, and Swapna Vaja
  • A spoonful of vinegar: Why simple glucose hacks deserve more medical attention

    Callia Georgoulis
  • Living through injury: one family’s journey to the other side

    Sarah White, APRN
  • Why congenital CMV should be on every parent and doctor’s radar

    Kathleen Muldoon, PhD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight

      Marco Benítez | Conditions
    • How the 10th Apple Effect is stealing your joy in medicine

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Essential questions about nurse practitioner liability insurance [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why being a physician mom is harder than anyone admits

      Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, MPH | Physician
    • 9 domains that will define the future of medical education

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • What led me from nurse practitioner to medical school

      Sarah White, APRN | Education
    • Why local cardiac CT scans could save your life

      Benjamin Cohen, MD | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 3 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight

      Marco Benítez | Conditions
    • How the 10th Apple Effect is stealing your joy in medicine

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Essential questions about nurse practitioner liability insurance [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why being a physician mom is harder than anyone admits

      Cynthia Chen-Joea, DO, MPH | Physician
    • 9 domains that will define the future of medical education

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • What led me from nurse practitioner to medical school

      Sarah White, APRN | Education
    • Why local cardiac CT scans could save your life

      Benjamin Cohen, MD | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

How far is too far? A response to Dr. Fredric Brandt’s suicide.
3 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...