Hello Tattlers,
I joined because I was reading DS (where I naively assumed people could air their views freely, no matter how wild the theories got - perhaps not!) and someone mentioned this website - I've been reading for the last day or so.
I'm probably a bit longer in the tooth than some members. I used to have a picture of Phillip on my bedroom wall (!!) because I quite fancied him way back when (a picture of him in the shower, er, naked, of course not showing any bits, think it was in Just Seventeen circa 1990).
So I probably have some residual, if misguided, faith in Phillip and thought he was pretty harmless, though you do sometimes see the facade slip and a certain c**tishness comes out at times, when he gets a bit snappy.
My "gaydar", if you will, is pretty finely honed given the social circles I've mixed in - though I was actually surprised at Phillip's revelation - and I don't think of him as being particularly easy to read - maybe mine has broken!
Not that I mind where he puts his genitals.
What DOES bother me, is abuse of power or manipulation.
My guess is that Stephanie thought she could "change" him when they courted/married (I hear from soooo many women who waste years on partners who are complete wastes of space because they have no esteem or emotional strength/awareness). Women are nurturers and tend to find themselves in this role more than men - maybe?
Or she wanted "the life" at any cost and having a piece of him and 2.1 children was enough. She does strike me as rather beta-female, which I know is a bit bitchy, but I can't imagine her tearing PS down a strip or two. Maybe she is absolutely content with her lot as a lavender wife and has her own fun? It would be a tragic waste of so many years to sacrifice youth and fulfillment to a monster ego (PS, of course).
Some in the 'biz will step up the ladder to fame *by any means necessary*. There's sharks everywhere. Many will sweet-talk young ingenues to get what they want sexually. Look at what Hughie Green used to get up to with starlets - I'm sure he was all full of promises before they got down to the deed - then they were persona non grata.
Who's to say they actually both got something out of the deal (unlikely, but we have to look at all angles - suppose this could apply to both Steph and MM) - but then it turned ugly?
MM may have been of age, but he's unaware he doesn't have the acting chops, charisma, maybe even "the look" to become uber-famous. He has enthusiasm, something you can't learn, so he could direct that energy somewhere where he can thrive. Trying different avenues is something we all have to do when we step into the working realm as adults.
I'm not saying it's right, as the dynamic is wildly skewed, and you risk losing a lot when things go sour, but if MM was consenting - and of consenting age - maybe he liked older men and PS likes younger guys. It does happen, as it does with heteros.
I'm a believer in innocent till proven guilty.
But if PS is a lying, predatory, power-hungry perv, then, good riddance!!
(Sorry this was a bit TL;DR, getting tired)