What would happen if a notoriously odd celebrity decided to create a lifestyle brand that’s one part satire, one part new age guru and entirely surreal?

Why, you’d get Bunny Ears, a website and podcast started by former child star Macaulay Culkin and a variety of pals. Long removed from Hollywood, he’s spent recent years hiding from the Paparazzi, making horrifically-bad music with his cover band Pizza Underground, photographed his time with Goddaughter Paris Jackson, and fought off persistent rumors that he’s severely addicted to drugs.

As a long-time Mac fan—ever since I went to see Home Alone in the theatre for my 9th birthday—I’m glad to see he’s pursuing his art, unconventional as it may be. While the majority of the articles on Bunny Ears are written by others, he seems to be the overseer of the brand which revolves around “diet, exploration, proclivities, and upscale culture.”

I’m not sure upscale is the right word, based on this “interview” between Mac and the swarm of bees from My Girl.

For anyone around my age (over 35) who grew up watching him on-screen and has many childhood memories of those good films, Bunny Ears will provide a few glimpses of his current life and many, many laughs. Seriously, if you can get through 10 or more articles, it will be the most bizarre rabbit hole you’ve ever fallen down. You may also, however, feel pretty sad that the adorable kid grew up to be a total weirdo. Of course, if Michael Jackson is your self-proclaimed best friend, that’s not really a shocker…

Some of the questions that get fed to an advice column can be over the top, but this one takes the cake: In an article titled “How do I Introduce My Trans Jewish Girlfriend to My Christian Mother?” a man pleads for guidance.

Where to begin…

Honestly, I find the entire scenario a bit suspect. You have Judaism, Christianity, two races, and homosexuality involved with a single couple? That’s a stretch. Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that it’s a real couple, facing a real crisis. If only one of these issues was present, there could be conflict. Having that many simultaneously guarantees that the parents and kids will be at odds.

The columnist suggests being upfront and honest and scheduling a dinner for everyone to meet in a friendly way (good advice). He cautions that it may take the mother a long time to accept it and to give her up a year to acclimate. After that, if she’s still unwilling, “You tell your mother that you love her very much, but that you won’t be a part of family functions anymore if she can’t get over it. Basically, you tell your family, “If you want to see me, then you need to accept her.” No ifs, ands, or buts.”

Are you kidding me? This man should abandon his family in favor of a trans lover because they’re not “accepting” of a relationship that violates religious and cultural beliefs? That is absurd!

All parents want their children to be happy. The mother would only object if she feels her son is being harmed. Taking a position that she is somehow bad, or wrong, or insensitive may be trendy, but it doesn’t mean she’s prejudice.

God and religion are very important to most folks in the Black community and they should be applauded for that, not condemned. Asking the mother to accept someone that’s a different race and religion would be difficult for some; add transgender on top? Oh my, I can’t even imagine.

Certainly, the son has every right to date whom he wants. Even if the mother and the lover hate each other’s guts, he can still remain in contact with both, separately. Romantic relationships, particularly under these strained circumstances, often break apart quickly. Family ties, however, are usually for life. Unless the mother was an abusive monster—which he doesn’t claim—the odds are that she’ll be there long after the love affair has fizzled.

What would you do in this situation?

One of my least favorite shows from the ’90’s is being revived with a Roseanne reboot set to premiere in March. The reasons why I didn’t enjoy it are many, but mainly because I found it very coarse and unpleasant viewing, with one controversial issue after another being pushed needlessly.

Sure enough, they’re doing it again with the new show by creating a Connor grandchild that is trans gender (apparent in the above photo). According to a Kveller article:

“Darlene and David’s 9-year-old non-binary son, Mark, is played by Ames McNamara…Mark wears girls’ clothes…in order to start a dialogue around what being gender non-conforming is, according to writer and star Sara Gilbert.”

I am not a bigot and I respect all people, but I truly do not believe a 9-year-old little child can be transgendered, gender non-conforming, or whatever it’s being called this week. Most kids who are confused about this issue eventually grow out of it—up to 95%, according to numerous studies.

Encouraging a young boy to dress and act like a girl is mind-boggling. Some extremists want to push it even further, by introducing opposite hormones, hormone-blockers, and other types of medication to babies that are still growing! Talk about a very  dangerous experiment for society. We have no idea what will happen to their brains in 10, 20, 50 years after the treatment. Also, let’s not forget many folks who have transitioned are now going back to their original gender—by their own choosing.

If someone over 18 want to change genders, they are legally able to make the decision. Children are a totally different matter. By showing it on national TV and pretending it’s a new type of acceptable behavior, is not only inappropriate, it’s normalizing a lunatic fringe.

Young boys and young girls should not have their childhood innocence disrupted in such an unnecessary way. Can’t we let kids be kids and stop embracing such scary agendas? Tolerance is a good thing, but it does have limitations. Respect for all, always, but let’s not pretend insanity is healthy.

David and Louise Turpin appeared to be caring parents that loved their children. While their choice of having 13 babies was far from typical, they posted “normal” pictures on Facebook that showed fun activities like trips to Disneyland, vow renewal ceremonies in Las Vegas, and Dr. Seuss inspired matching outfits.

That Facebook page, and the illusion it presented, was exposed as a total sham when their 17-year-old daughter escaped and told a tale straight out of a horror movie that involved decades of abuse so severe it’s hard to imagine—children who were chained to beds, deprived of food, locked in closet “cages,” denied schooling and medical care, and terrorized mentally and emotionally.

This mother and father, who are despicable beyond words, are currently in jail, with multi-million dollar bails each.

A rational mind can not understand such behavior and folks around the world are struggling to make sense of this extremely odd case. I hesitate to speculate before all the facts come out, but clearly something was very wrong in that house. There may be mental illness involved, or the parents might just be pure evil; we just don’t know yet.

I’ve read some accounts that the Turpins were Pentecostal fanatics who lived like a cult, insisting on extreme separation from society. Supposedly, David’s own mother said that “God commanded them to keep having children” and also said they were “a well-respected family.” (Obviously, that lady is in deep denial, but her point of view sheds some light on the family dynamic.)

Keeping 13 kids, ages 2-29, in such abusive conditions that they didn’t eat regularly, didn’t grow normally, or even have the freedom to use the bathroom without permission is not respectable, not normal, and definitely not about religion.

Truly religious people, who base their lives around Scripture and its teachings, would never terrorize, beat, starve, chain, or otherwise mistreat anyone, let alone a child. Doing so is the complete opposite of what morality teaches. Some twisted minds do get confused and look to justify their own sickness, claiming that God wants them to do it. That is the worst type of self righteous, immoral behavior and nobody has the right to do evil in God’s name and pretend it’s ok.

It’s natural to wonder why extended family, neighbors, and other people who knew the Turpins didn’t contact the authorities. If any good can come out of this tragic tale, it’s a warning that we all need to be more aware. If something seems wrong or scary, it is totally okay to get help. Nobody should have to suffer in silence, either as a direct victim or fearful bystander.

Children are precious. They deserve everything good that life has to offer. We must help, as a society and as we’re individually able, to ensure that they are well cared for and not harmed needlessly. Becoming a volunteer, or a foster parent, or a coach is a great place to start. So many youngsters are suffering and in dire need of love. It’s an outrage to do nothing!