Posted on 05/26/2003 1:46:50 PM PDT by 7 x 77
A hearbroken Barbra Streisand has suffered a shocking breakdown -- triggered by an overwhelming concern for her only child, who's stricken with the deadly AIDS virus.
The superstar's fiercely independent son Jason Gould, 36, is resisting his mother's efforts to take control of his treatment and get him to move from New York to her side in Los Angeles.
Although devoted Barbra is acting out of love, the family drama has left the Hollywood legend heartsick, emotionally drained, and unable to sleep, say sources.
On top of that, the singer is terrified that Jason will develop full-blown AIDS, and she's butting heads with him over his desire to speak out publicly about his illness.
When his press-shy mother instructed him not to grant interviews, Jason lashed out -- telling her there was no way he'd knuckle under and return to L.A. And he failed to show up at her recent 61st birthday party.
Now friends fear the mother-son tension is destroying Barbara -- and the strain is sadly evident in her tired appeaance.
"Barbara's been a wreck," declared a pal.
"Not only is she heartsick over Jasson's medical condition, she's also devastated he won't allow her to help take care of him."
Added a family friend:
"Barbra's not sleeping at night. She's worried sick about Jason. She launched an all-out campaign to get Jason to leave New York and come home to L.A. -- but he's as headstrong as Barbra."
Jason insists on facing what's in store for him on his own -- and the stress is wrecking Barbra's life.
As the Enquirer reported exclsively in February, Barbra's only child, who tested positive for the AIDS virus three years ago, was hospitalized at he New York Weill Cornell Medical Center with a case of chicken pox -- which can be life-threatening in patients with compromised immune systems.
"Thge moment Jason was released from the hospital, Barbra once again began pleading with her son to leave his home in New York and move back to Los Angeles so she could watch over him," revealed the family friend.
The devoted mom even offered to supply Jason, her son by actor Elliott Gould, with a home near hers.
"She was desperate to make sure Jason was getting the best medical care possible. And because of all the work her Streisand Foundation is doing with AIDS research in Los Angeles, she felt Jason would get the best care possible there," explained the family friend.
But Jason is flatly refusing his mother's helping hand -- and that decision has taken a terrible toll on the Academy Award winner, disclosed an insider.
"Often times, expecially after a phone conversation with Jason, she will break down and cry to her husband (Jim Brolin).
"Jim tries his best to console her, but what can he say when there is notheing he can do?
"Although Barbra was never a social butterfly, she liked having friends come to her Malibu house. Now it seems as though all she wants is too be alone.
"And while her agents would love to see her take on another film project, she is hardly ever willing to pick up a script and read it. She spends a lot of time on the Internet and on the phone to her foundation, asking about the most recent medications to treat AIDS.
"She is constantly on the lookout for something new that can help Jason."
In Hollywood, Barbra is a major power broker, but with her own son she must keep hands off, and the dilemma is "tearing her apart," says her pal.
"Sometimes Barbra tears up at the mention of Jason or if she hears anything aoubt AIDS."
Jason realizes that Barbra's actions stem from the deep love she has for him, but he's determined to live his own life, added her pal.
"And on the other die, Barbra understands Jason's way of thinking, but she just wants to put him in a protective bubble so no one can hurt him.
"If they didn't love each other so much it wouldn't be so painful."
Barbra is also very concerned about the public's perception of her son's ordeal and believes it's best for him to shun publicity, but Jason has courageously spoken out about his HIV status.
In fact, a source says the mother-son rift has its roots in early 2001 when Jason, a talented actor in his own, right, decided to come out as a gay man in the Jan. 16, 2001, Advocate magazine.
The strain between the two was never more apparent than when Jason stayed away from his mother's 61st birthday celebration.
"Everybody else in the family was there," disclosed a close source.
And the insider added, "It was really sad on Barbra's 61st birthday -- April 24 -- that James and his children were with her but Jason did not come in from New York. She wanted so much to have him with her on her special day, but Jason told her he would not be making the trip."
Ironically, Barbra is duplicating her own family patterns, said the source.
"Barbra and Jason have the same love/hate relationship Barbra had with her own mother." The singer's mother, Diana Kind, died a year ago from complications from a fall.
"Jason moved to New York becuse he finds it difficult living in his mother's shadow in L.A.," added the source.
"He told a friend, 'Her biggest regret is that she doesn't have grandkids -- but we don't talk about that a lot.'"
Before Jason was struck by chicken pox, Barbra had begun relaxing her controlling ways and the tension eased. Jason repsonded by visiting and calling regularly. But his recent medical crisis fired up Barbra's mothering instincts, say sources.
Concluded the insider: "Barbra fears the worst for Jason and wants so much for him to let his mother protect him. But there's nothin she can do but stand by and watch him handle his illness on his own.
"I hope there is a way for Barbra to come to peace with all his becuase she is doing Jason abslutely no good by running herself into the ground."
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