Shining a Light –
May 29, 2018 – Actor Joe Pantoliano, aka “Joey Pants” to friends and colleagues, vividly remembers the first time he experienced stigma around mental illness. After being diagnosed with clinical depression, Pantoliano — best known for playing the character Ralph Cifaretto on “The Sopranos” — went to work on a pilot for another show in 2006. During the obligatory health checkup to get insured for the show, the doctor asked him what medications he was taking. This was a question Pantoliano had answered over and over again during his 30-year career in the entertainment industry. Pantoliano said the usual: “Ten milligrams of Lipitor, and, Oh, I’m also taking an antidepressant.” Two days later, Pantoliano got a call from his lawyer saying the production company wasn’t going to insure him because he was a production risk. “You have to sign a waiver so if you have a meltdown you’ll be financially responsible for any time lost due to your behavior.” Pantoliano was astounded. He said, “Wait a second. I’m taking Lipator. I have a history of heart disease. They’ll insure my heart, but not my brain?” That was the moment Pantoliano decided to start No Kidding, Me Too!(NKM2), a nonprofit organization composed of entertainment industry members united in an effort to break down the stigma attached to brain disease…
