Soon after his high profile 1980 drug bust, Papa John Phillips reformed the Mamas and the Papas with daughter Mackenzie, Denny Doherty and Spanky McFarlane (from Spanky & Our Gang). Both Phillips’ were still in rehab, at the time, where they were working as drug counsellors. John and Mackenzie made this appearance on Canadian magazine program, That’s Life, during their 1983 tour, to talk about rebuilding their lives after drugs in an interview seems that seems remarkably candid compared to the execrable confessional talk show culture we have today.
 

 
The new Mamas and the Papas toured and recorded for eight years. Initially, their band included Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson and keyboard player Arthur Stead, who’s next gig was playing with Public Image Limited! A new collection of unreleased songs from that period, Many Mamas Many Papas has just been released as part of the “Papa John Presents” series of archival releases, and proves that Phillips was still capable of churning out catchy songs with a sting in the tail long after his 60s heyday. Among them is Kokomo, almost unrecognisable in its original form from the later Beach Boys version – rewritten by Mike Love as a boozy paean to Spring break.

In light of recent revelations, Fairy Tale Girl is a poignant (even, prescient) song about daughter Mackenzie, written in the early 70s around the time she starred in American Graffiti. But then, Papa John has been a magnet for outrageous claims for years. Here, he tells Larry King about the night Roman Polanski accused him of murdering Sharon Tate!
 

The juiciest part, not mentioned directly, is of course that Mackenzie just revealed in her autobiography that she’d been having sex with her father Papa John for 20+ years.

http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/Former-Child-Star-Mackenzie-Phillips-Stunning-Revelations

But wasn’t it great that Mackenzie’s big TV hit was called “One Day at a Time”? Foreshadowing!

@CARA

That’s neither accurate, nor definitively true. Every other member of his family denied her claims. There’s nothing juicy about it. A tragedy all round, really. I think the point being made here is listen to the man himself and don’t let the tittle-tattle tarnish his art.

@Captain, what is true is that she said it happened. This in itself is fairly juicy- how often does that happen? A student of Freudian psychoanalysis, I’m not even so sure it was a tragedy… Assuming she did not make up the physical side (you’ll admit, even less commonly made up than revealed) the two both were considered pretty successful regardless, so   it is an interesting manifestation of what others, including other musicians (see: Loudon Wainwright’s White Winos), have appeared to entertain only in their minds.

His art is great, agreed, but will be replicated and has been; statements like hers are relatively unique and especially as this clip contains the two of them sharing their mutual similar drug problems, together, it seems not only relevant but of interest.

Tag, you’re it Captain

@Captain

Victims of sexual violence have many barriers to overcome when deciding to disclose their abuse. One is whether or not others will believe them; another is accepting what has happened and acknowledging that it was neither their fault, nor was it meaningless.

The FBI reports that less than 2% of reported sexual assaults are false reports. An obvious reason why individuals typically do not disclose a false assault is because it is a very personal crime. When reporting, a victim needs to give an incredibly detailed account of what occurred, and to multiple individuals/agencies. Not only did Mackenzie Phillips recount her assaults to authorities, but she shared a very intimate part of her life with the mass audience so as to invite other victims to share their stories. I find it difficult to believe that she sat on national television and created a painful, tragic story merely for entertainment or fame.

Also, to say that her abuser’s art shouldn’t be tarnished by “titter-tatter” is validity his and other rapists’ mentality that sexual violence is tolerable. In my eyes, and hopefully in yours as well, it is not. Is it a shame that his reputation and art is now tarnished with the fact that he, for years, molested his daughter? Yes, it is. But it’s a far greater shame that he found it acceptable to do to Mackenzie what he did. It’s a far greater shame that she will spend the rest of her life living with the memories and emotions that are associated with sexual violence.

I realize dangerousminds.net isn’t a site to preach on moral/ethical issues but as an advocate for victims of sexual violence, it was impossible for me to overlook your comment. While it may not have been your intention, what you wrote was victim-blaming and I would hate for an individual that experienced something even remotely similiar to Mackenzie’s story to see that and feel not defended.

@ Ten Thousand
Read before you comment and don’t make assumptions.

“The FBI reports that less than 2% of reported sexual assaults are false reports.”

According to the Web site False Rape Society, this is not a valid statistic. Not even close. I’d recommend every go to that site to get some perspective. Google it: False Rape Society.

The very fact that we read daily about rapists being exonerated due to DNA evidence should end this claim, which is feminist propaganda.

@Captain: Read before you comment and don’t make any assumptions.

@Days of Broken Arrows: I’m not sure where you live or what you’re reading and considering news sources but there are not, by any means, “day accounts” of accused offenders being released after DNA proves their innocence. If anything, the issue that arises is that offenders are released for lack of evidence (vs. what you’re claiming is a wrongful identification). Our jurors have a CSI-mindset and assume that at every crime, there is a trace of DNA and every trace of DNA is enough to identify. Neither of these are correct.

You have the right to read, contribute to and distribute the information you learn on “False Rape Society” but I’m afraid you’re seriously misinformed (and publicly admitting it).

Oh, and @Captain - I wasn’t assuming anything; I was addressing what was posted.

I didn’t know Mick Ronson ever really played with the M&P’s.  That had to have been short-lived. RIP, RONNO.