Corey Feldman: Pedophilies rampant in Hollywood; he and Corey Haim their victims
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
In his new memoir “Coreyography,” former child star Corey Feldman weaves a harrowing Hollywood tale of sex, drugs and profound loneliness on his road to stardom. Feldman’s book covers parental abuse, twisted friendships and devastating drug abuse. He also reveals details of his relationships with co-star Corey Haim and pop star pal Michael Jackson.
As his star began to rise in hit movies like “Stand By Me,” “The Lost Boys,” “Gremlins” and “The Goonies” — Feldman, now 42, had no guidance or support from his parents. His mother -- a former Playboy model who suffered from depression and drug problems -- tortured her son about his weight and, at one point, force-fed him diet pills. He says his father was a musician who routinely encouraged his young son to get high with him. Feldman talked to FOX411 about his chaotic upbringing.
FOX411: Your story is really intense. The drugs, the abuse and neglect from your parents, the molestation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Corey Feldman: Unfortunately it hasn't been an easy path but I think you still have some light heartedness in there. Obviously the dark stuff gets very dark but we pull you out of it with something to laugh or enlighten you or is spiritually positive. That's more important to me.
FOX411: It certainly changed our impression of you.
Feldman: Ultimately that's what I want people to see, me for who I am. I don't want to come across as a victim because I've had a really wonderful life.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
FOX411: You experimented with cocaine at such a young age.
Feldman: I found some in my mom's drawer when I was 13. The first time I ever really did it was on the set of 'The Lost Boys' but it was only one line. I probably didn't do it properly until a year after that, I was 16.
My entire drug rampage lasted for only two years. That's the irony of my life. There's still reports, Corey Feldman's a big cokehead. It's just completely false. Not only am I not a cokehead, I don't even drink alcohol. You'll never see me stumbling out of a club. People act like that's still who I am. I went through a two year battle, I fought it and came out the other side and ever since I've been ready to go back to work.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Although I have worked steadily and regularly through the years I've never been accepted in the mainstream. I was always brushed under the carpet like, 'Oh, he's done for.' I've been sitting here going, 'What are you talking about? I'm young, I'm energetic, I'm charismatic, I'm ready to rock.' My band has never gone anywhere, they're just waiting for the right moment.
I'm very grateful my voice is finally getting heard. I'm not getting edited by someone else. I'm grateful I can show my talent, I've got a new movie, a new album and this book and hopefully people can appreciate my art and stop ridiculing.
FOX411: It must have been hard going through those problems at such a young age.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Feldman: People don't realize when you mess up and then it's blasted all over the world, that kind of great public humiliation is very jarring especially for a kid. I felt so ashamed, so humiliated to know that I let down my fans because I love my fans. Before I had my son they were really the only love that I had. I didn't have mom or dad so when it came to moral and emotional support, my fans saying, 'We love you no matter what. We know your talent will shine through,' or people saying, 'Your music changed my life,' those kinds of things are the reasons I kept going. If it wasn't for that stuff I probably would be dead in a gutter somewhere.
The thing that hurt me the most was when I was young my Dad got me involved with an organization called, 'Hollywood Kids Say No to Drugs.' I was 15 and smoking pot with my Dad. He thought it would be a good idea to sign me up as a spokesperosn. First of all why would you throw your kid under a bus like that? Putting him out there as a hypocrite? But that's a real big reason people turned against me.
For me it was justified because weed isn't a drug, it's something that God grows. It's natural and I'm ok with it and I really didn't do anything else at the time. I asked my Dad about it and he said, 'It's ok, it's natural.'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Then when I started getting into the problems I realized, 'Oh God I'm addicted,' and of course I withdrew from all that kind of stuff (the organization) but it was too late. Once I got arrested and it became a public scandal then of course the political party that was supporting the organization, the Reagan administration...
As a kid I didn't know politics. All of a sudden here I am as a spokesperson for a political campaign that my father threw me into. It's kind of like a series of unfortunate events which really made me look like a stinker.
There was a show on VH-1 called, 'Hollywood's 100 Darkest Secrets' and number 13 was this story. The reason I was blacklisted was because I pissed off the Republican Party. Once I realized everything I felt almost relieved like, 'Oh that's what it was.'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
FOX411: You write that Corey Haim was raped by a very powerful Hollywood player on the set of 'Lucas' and he tried to initiate something with you.
Feldman: In his mind that was just what guys do, that's what he tried to sell me on. He wasn't bisexual. He didn't understand what was right and wrong. He'd been manipulated and lied to and used and abused. So was I, but I wasn't yet at that point. He told me, to me it was the craziest story I had ever heard. I had to explain, 'No man that's not how it goes.' But then a few months later the same thing happened to me, though not as graphically.
FOX411: You say that pedophilia is common in Hollywood.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Feldman: I think there's a lot more of it than we'd like to believe and a lot more of it in all paths of life. The world is a very, very dark place right now. Right now, more than any other time in the history of mankind we need to have spirituality in our lives, we need to believe in a higher power and stay positive no matter what.
FOX411: You say Corey died clean.
Feldman: In the end he got sober for his mom (who was sick with cancer). He became a selfless person and that' the real inspiring part of the story. In the end he did get his act together and out of nowhere God chose to take him because he literally made an exchange for his mom's life. His mom was literally on her deathbed and Corey said, 'I'm going to be there for you and now it's your time to relax and if I have to give up my own life, I'm willing to do that.' I deeply believe that's what happened.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
FOX411: You were friends with Michael Jackson. You were estranged when he died. That must have made you sad.
Feldman: I felt sad that he never found the strength to apologize. I know from outside sources that he would talk about me and tears would come up in his eyes.