Chris Brown says he's disappointed in himself for the destructive tantrum he threw after his appearance on Good Morning America earlier this week.
His explanation: He felt "exploited" when Robin Roberts strayed from the agreed-upon talking points to discuss his attack on Rihanna (ABC says there weren't any talking points), held it together through the interview but needed to vent afterward. He also emphasized that this most recent expression of his struggle with anger management didn't physically harm anyone.
Meanwhile, Russell Simmons has taken to Global Grind to make a lengthy and emotional appeal to the public to treat the young star with compassion and to understand the toll that fame can take on an artist:
An excerpt:
I know that this young man's dancing, singing and art are his prayers. Without them, he's left to deal with a cluttered world in a way that is far too complicated than he imagined when he was a thirteen-year-old kid with a dream of being famous. I am troubled by the people, critics and members of the media who drag Chris away from his art. His freedom is deeply rooted in his artistic expression. It is during those seconds of stillness when you're dancing that the Christ/Buddha/Allah/Moses inside of you is awakened and comes to power. This is the freedom Chris knew as a child, but as he rose to fame, finding freedom became a lot more complicated. Coming back home is a very difficult thing. Coming back to being normal, coming back to that pure place of artistry. But, when fame snatches your freedom, the ability to control your own life becomes much more difficult.
He ends the essay with, "A media coach is great, but a life coach is what he's in need of. And my heart and my office door is always open to him."
Whether we can personally find it in our hearts to feel sorry for Brown (and whether we agree with Simmons that fame has "snatch[ed] his freedom" and he "deserves a break"), most of us can probably agree on at least one thing: This offer of help is one he'd be very wise to take.
Read more at the Associated Press and Global Grind.
In other news: Syrian Hospital Says 37 Protesters Killed.