After Reading Coreyography

I recently read Coreyography, the new autobiography written by Corey Feldman. I'm usually not big into autobiography, especially written by entertainers, but this particular actor played a big part in my preteen life. Corey Haim, who died at the age I am now, was a particular obsession of mine when I was about 14 or 15. He and Corey Feldman, known as the two Coreys, were both plastered all over my bedroom walls throughout junior high. There was a period in which I was embarrassed to admit the degree to which Corey Haim played a part in my masturbatory fantasies as a child. But now that I am approaching middle age and that he and Mr. Feldman have become something of a legend for good or ill, I look fondly on those days. No different I suppose than little girls' recent obsessions with Justin Bieber.
An important feature of this autobiography is Feldman's testimony regarding sexual abuse he suffered as a child actor, which she also attests was suffered by Haim. I've heard from various sources about the way in which child actors might be vulnerable to this kind of abuse by individuals in the entertainment business. Given the way in which child actors tend to be famous for all kinds of problems including drug addiction, it doesn't surprise me. What does surprise me after reading this memoir, is how naïve, even gullible Corey was when approached by these men. I like to think young people know that when an adult asks to have a "secret friendship" with them that this is probably a sketchy proposition. But maybe I'm the one who's naive.
Having said that, I appreciate the enlightenment that this memoir has provided me regarding situations like these with child actors, since I am currently trying to put together a collection of flash fiction with a child actor as an overlapping and recurring character (see previous post). The memoir also includes a lot of neat behind the scenes information about movies like The Goonies and The Lost Boys and License to Drive. It was fun and interesting and worthwhile to read about my childhood crushes, as well as the movies that were such an important part of what I remember growing up. Thanks Corey Feldman, for bringing those happy days back, even if those days weren't so happy for you.