Monday, May 17th, 1999
Rendez-vous with Dave Goerlitz, former Winston Man.
Thank you, Dave, for accepting our "rendez-vous." May I ask you to introduce yourself?
"Sure, Philippe. I come to tobacco-free activism through a "backdoor approach," if you will.
In the early 80's, an ulcer forced me to lose a lot of weight I had been saddled with from my early childhood. Lo and behold! The kid who had been about 233 pounds (at 5'5"), cross-eyed and a bedwetter at 13 had grown up to become a 6' guy who had some pretty classic looks:
bright blue eyes and lips that had an androgynous appeal to them.
And, at age 30, I did something that geeky kids like I had been all through that rite of passage known as adolescence had always wanted to do: be a model and actor. And through it all, I was smoking 3-and-a-half-packs-of-cigarettes-a-day!
To make along story short, that modeling adventure took me straight into the heart of the tobacco advertising industry for R.J. Reynolds' Winston Cigarettes.
As a 23-year-long tobacco addict, I threw myself into my work and became the best I could be as a lead "Winston Man" in the 1980's.
So addicted to tobacco was I that went through a stroke on the set of the movie WITNESS (I was Harrison Ford's photo stunt-double); lied to the doctors about my smoking (Denial is not a river that runs by de pyramids!), rehabilitated myself and went right back to making ads for Winstons! 42 of them -->
By 1988, "life" wouldn't let me run from my denial any longer. My brother Bob was in Dana Farber Cancer Hospital in Boston, my family had been begging me to quit and my stroke had scared me and I lived with its effects every day: for instance, I still can't taste food or feel my left leg from my hip to my knee. That's when I gave in to my son's request to quit and called the American Cancer Society in Philadelphia to see if I could be involved in 1988's "Great American Smokeout."
I figured I could quietly melt into the crowd and get the help I needed to quit. Imagine my surprise at their reaction when I told them what I did for a living!
I had become a "reluctant" and surprised activist for being tobacco-free! Since that time, having finally realized the implications of what my work had been used to do -- addict 3,000 to 5,000 young people everyday to cigarettes, I have traveled around the world, thanks to the generosity and support of folks in Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Sweden, North America and most recently the Canary Islands, who have become "comrades-in-arms" in my "commando efforts" to undo the damage my ads and ads like them have done and continue to do today.
First question: I have just finished reading your book "Before The Smokescreen." How did you decide to leave Winston?
" That's an easy one to answer. My contract was up with Winston and they were not going to renew it because they had another ad campaign in mind. Up until my public appearance at ACS' Great American Smokeout, we were about to part ways on very good terms."
(PB): You mention your brother Bob's illness, your son Kevin's plea for you to quit smoking, your promise to him that you would and in the next chapter you are in Philadelphia for the Great American Smokeout. You don't really explain how you got there and how you switched from Winston to the ACS. Can you elaborate a little more?
(DG): In "Before The Smokescreen" -- which was written with middle school to high school readers in mind -- I didn't go into any detail about my final days with Winston for a simple reason: there's another book in the works called TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE! This second book, which is in final editing, is my story of the ordeal I went through in quitting my addiction and will go into much greater detail of how I was in negotiation with R.J. Reynolds prior to 1988 to play some sort of "spokesman" role for the benefits of smoking! Talk about denial! I didn't think that middle schoolers or most high schoolers needed this information in "Before The Smokescreen." I believe that all tobacco addicts of any age need to know what I went through as a "professional smoker" to take back my life from tobacco addiction -- a struggle I still face everyday. All the former smokers and chewers who have thrown themselves into this movement may share my situation that, every once and a while, after talking on tobacco addiction day in and day out, I get very real and very tangible cravings for tobacco, still! And that level of detail will be in TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE!
(PB): I have not yet read the other book "Take Back Your Life" about quitting smoking. You were a heavy smoker and I think you contributed a very vivid story to John Farqhar's book, "The Last Puff." You were talking about always hiding extra packs everywhere to make sure you'll be able to have cigarettes at hand, etc. Was quitting very difficult?
(DG): Very difficult? It was the hardest thing, I've ever done! I'm not a psychologist or sociologist who might be able to explain to me what happened to my psyche and emotions when I sought all that "comfort" from nicotine as a kid. I think I know from personal experience what kind of "reinforcement" I got caught up in as nicotine soothed my anxieties and then created other anxieties that I might not have enough nicotine around me to keep my emotions in check. From the age of 13, I smoked like other kids carried around their favorite blankets, ever fearful that it would somehow be lost to me. When I made the decision to stop at 38, it was the most fearful thing I could do because it brought into play a lot of those earlier anxieties and fears that nicotine kept me from facing head-on and resolving then: fears about what to do with my hands? Do I still look macho and rugged without a cigarette? How do I get my "comfort-needs" met now? It was a little like starting all over again. My self-esteem hurt! And I do mean ached! And, on top of that internal stuff, the physical withdrawal stuff was pretty bad, because I went "cold turkey."
So, yes, even as I was publicly struggling to keep my word to my son, I pack-ratted little caches of "emergency" rations just in case it got too bad -- and, of course, it did! The first year's theme was "Quit and Cheat! Quit and Cheat!" And, because I chose to quit in such a public light, it was hard to admit in public that I was failing and succeeding at the same time. Believe me, when I say my heart goes to the athlete who recently got called out because he cheated after making a public promise to quit. It ain't that easy! And, Philip, all this will be in TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE!
(PB): How did the tobacco industry people react to your choice of speaking out against them? And, quite bluntly, with the famous quote of Dale Zane about smoking being for "the young, the poor, the Black and the stupid." Any hard feelings" or more?
(DG): Well, Philip, let's just say that we don't "do lunch" anymore! Their people don't call my people --
well, actually their people DID call my people when I showed up on witness lists at the beginning of the tremendous amount of tobacco litigation that was beginning in the US. But, let me tell you a short story about another friend of mine, Wayne McLaren, a former Marlboro Man and his encounter with a lobbyist for Philip Morris in the Massachusetts State Capitol Building in Boston when he and I had just completed testifying before a joint session oh the Health Committees of the Legislature. As we were leaving, kids from my program were milling around in the hallway outside the Hearing Room, we ran into a very agitated man who was identified to us as the lobbyist from Philip Morris. Wayne , in his very best American Cowboy demeanor (and he was one) looked the guy in the eye and said, "How you doin?" The agitation quickly developed into something like a purple rage -- you know, that's where their eyes bulge and foam flecks start to appear at the corners of their mouths. Even we were surprised at the venom in the man's tone as he hissed in a stage-
whisper that would have Ethel Merman proud, "Fuck You!"
and stormed away. Does that give you a small inkling about how they feel about me? No, we don't do lunch anymore!
(PB): I have seen you "in action" in Las Palmas and I was quite impressed by your performance that is very different from - let us say - the "average white coat public health person" talk. You said you probably reached 5 million people over the last ten years. Are you on the road a lot to give talks, how does it work? How do people react to your experience and the way you share it?
(DG): Wow, that's a lot of question there, Philippe!
Thank you for the compliment and, yes, my style is not "academic" of perhaps a lab-coated speaker; but then again, each of us has a role to play. Mine is motivation to action. Others, more scientifically grounded, have a role to clarify and enlighten and through that information support and focus action. I think when I get to add "my son of a Baptist Preacher man" style to the equally important information that others are adding we can all get the "juices," the passion to do the right thing flowing. We can really put the "move" into
"Movement."
I average about 230 days on the road. I say that simply, because behind that statement is a cost to my family and friends who see me far less than want or need to. They understand and support my passion to try and undo the damage my ads may have done, but it's becoming personally painful to me and mine. And it's why, I'm now turning my attention to projects we're developing in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and throughout the US to put together a much more effective and engaging tobacco cessation model for young people of all ages. Anyone out there in Globalink who'd like to help us by being part of our advisory board, just let me know!
My message is based on a very simple couple of things:
(1) what would the man in my ads say, if the man in those ads could come alive and speak with the audience member personally; and (2) humor is the best way to change the associations that tobacco companies have put into our hearts, minds and souls to what they really should be. For instance, let's talk about "Chew" or "Spit" tobacco: I ask my audiences what they do when they "chew" chew. (You'd be surprised how young people will forget that their elders are watching and listening to them admit their involvement with tobacco while they're caught up in the spirit of "standup" comedy.)
After admitting that, no, we don't chew the stuff, "we stick it between our gum and cheek and then what do you do?" I ask. There's a moment of silence when I think they realize they've just been caught in a moment of truth! And then inevitably from within the auditorium some brave soul yells out the answer: "We suck it!"
"Well, then," I go on, "we should be forced into a little truth-in-advertising! The next time you proudly march into a store to buy your next tin of this crap, you should be forced to ask for what it really is a can of what?" (The kids are quick!) "Suck!" they yell back.
"That's right," I go on, "it's really just a can of suck!" Then I pause until the laughter starts to die down a bit and ask, "And what should we say that all those sports heroes do when they're "chewing, dippin'
and spittin'? They what?" And the answer comes shouted back with no hesitation; "They suck!" It's only a little bit I can add to the change in associations from the tobacco ads to common sense, but I bet there's a number of kids who are now looking at "Dip, chew and spit" tobacco as something that just plain "sucks." I can say that on TV, can't I, Philip?
(PB): At the beginning of the book you thank Bill and Hillary Clinton, as well as Edward Kennedy. Could you tell us how they relate to your work and how do you see the relations between tobacco and politics and politicians?
(DG): Senator Ted Kennedy and his staff have been supportive of my work from the early days. He has certainly carried on his brother Bobby's work from the late 60's in tobacco advertising's targeting our children when there were very few other voices, if any, to share that burden with. Bobby Kennedy actually introduced a bill into the Senate's deliberations in 1967 which called for tobacco advertising to go to tombstone format in order not to confuse our young people. Ted Kennedy has carried on what his brother started and, I think, his passion to protect children from tobacco advertising from 1967 certainly supported my "coming out" as a lead Winston model in 1988 to confirm from the inside what they had pointed to, but had not had confirmed prior to my declarations in Philadelphia. I look forward to continuing my support of him and I hope he will continue to support what I do. In my opinion, tobacco-free activism has a great friend and advocate in Ted Kennedy around the world.
Mrs. Clinton surprised me by mentioning my work in her book, "It Takes A Village." (page 290, paragraph 3 -- I haven't memorized that at all!) It was in the context that we as a society should not be commercializing our children, but the way she put it showed me that she understood all too well what was at stake when it came to tobacco companies' advertising to kids. I became an immediate fan! Then, the President, in the midst of all that hoopla over impeachment, stood up in a much anticipated "State of the Union Address," looked the country and the world in the eye and threw down the Tobacco Settlement gauntlet that the Congress had tossed to the wayside and threw it right back at them by announcing that he was ordering the Justice Department to go after the Tobacco Companies again! That showed me that he really does care about what happens to the kids of the world, because he didn't have to do that at all. The dedication of the book to all three of them is a small way that I can thank them for what they continue to do everyday.
As to the relations between tobacco, politics and politicians . . . well, Philippe, I think that most of the members of Globalink know just how polluted that whole set of relationships is. But I'll end my response to this question with a challenge to those who have set themselves forth as "servants" of the people, no matter what nation they are representative of: First, no one really asked you to run for election. You had to choose do it for yourself for whatever "noble" reasons you have put forth. You answered the call; you saw the need, etc.
Well, when I answered the call to become a Winston Man, I knew what I was called to do: addict as many young people around the world as I could to a product that when used as intended would and will kill them. It didn't take much hindsight for me to realize that I was part of a legal "cartel" to addict children to their products for profit. If that isn't child-abuse on a colossal scale, I don't know what it is. I was part of it. And there will never be enough words nor enough time for me to really atone for the part I played. But to the politicians, the leaders of the world's organizations, I ask where is your outrage? Where is your indignation over the tobacco holocaust on a worldwide level that we are now just coming into focus on? If you truly are filling the need we all have to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, then shouldn't there be a governmental outcry the likes we have never heard before? The children of the world are watching us to see if our words are backed up by action and they will know which governmental "shepherds" of their well-being and future took the money and turned away from doing what is right, good and necessary to protect their little brothers and sisters, no matter where they live upon this world. You politicians hold in your hands the opportunity now to make a positive difference in the future at levels and in places I can not reach nor affect. I hope you will, because if you don't, I know what the Tobacco Companies have in store for us all.
Is there anything you feel like adding?
Well, let me get down from my soapbox first! There is one other thing I haven't mentioned and that's the video we developed with some kids who are really tying to quit. It's also called TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE! and folks can get more information through our website and through our website that we're going to set up through Globalink.
Thanks for the chance to speak with the Globalink community, Philippe. I hope we can do it again soon. Oh, and despite my intention to cut back on road trips, I'm available by hook or by crook wherever you folks feel I can be of help!
Thank you Dave for taking the time to be with us today.
P.S: Dave's homewebpage is at:
http://www.formerwinstonman.findhere.com
Comments