[TheOtherOne]

This should be interesting . . .

[Alberta's Child]

A friend of mine lived in Los Angeles for a few years. He said the one thing that really shocked him was the number of people he came across who had similar stories to this one -- people of all ages who had just packed everything they owned into their cars and drove out to Hollywood with the idea in their minds that they would pursue a career in entertainment.

He described the U.S. as a giant platform the was tilted slightly toward the west -- and all these people with various mental disorders ended up tumbling down to the west until the Pacific Ocean prevented them from going any further.

[Awestruck]

It's very sad... of course I feel more sorry for the ones who are there because of a bad home life, but I still feel bad for the others because they weren't given the tools early on to make good choices...

[Cowboy Bob]

Teens Find Desperation on Hollywood's Streets

I didn't know it was lost...

[Caipirabob]

HEARTLESS HOLLYWOOD

[Caipirabob]

It is mind-blowing that he turned away from actually having a future. Paid college..."no thanks"?!? Is he really surprised to be out on the streets?!?

[19th LA Inf]

". . . a paradise to live in or see, but believe it or not, you won't find it so hot, if you ain't got the do-re-mi." Woody Guthrie, depression days song.

[Carry_Okie]

By day, he still sees a second chance in every new encounter. He's desperate to make music - and to recreate himself - on this new stage. At night, he's one of 64 teens who crash at the Covenant House crisis shelter off Santa Monica Boulevard.

Covenant House does heroic service in the best tradition of Christian chairty. Bill Simon is a major supporter of that organization, something he did not emphasize enough during his gubernatorial campaign.

[pabianice]

Is the AP really that stupid? Do they REALLY believe that when 20,000 no-talent doofuses come to LA every year and fail to become stars, that society is at fault?

[William Tell]

From the article: "Out here in California, everyone wants to be original and they're so original they're all the same."

It's probably the result of liberal self-esteem education in the early grades that causes so many youngsters to confuse "originality" with "talent".

[hasegawasama]

OK, maybe the kids are wrong, mayn are foolish, whatever. BUT they should NOT be prostitutes. that's completely horrible.