She Shouldn't Be Getting Interviewed

Well, it's official! In Touch Weekly finally proved their gross inappropriateness once and for all by getting an exclusive interview with Amanda Bynes that obviously took advantage of Bynes in her current fragile mental state. The magazine broke the news that Amanda Bynes is engaged, but the details of her interview reveal that she is still dealing with some serious mental health issues. She is very clearly not ready to be approached by any kind of news source demanding updates about her life, love life, or her future plans.

If you've forgotten that Bynes was going through a rough time in her life, that's because all the news you've heard about her in the past year has been about how she was slowly turning things around. She enrolled in a fashion design school, was under her parents' conservatorship, and it was generally looking like she was getting ahold of her life and career again. We were sadly reminded of the antics that used to be all too familiar surrounding this former child star when she was arrested for a DUI on Sept. 28 and media outlets pulled no punches. Their favorite screwup was back and websites like TMZ could barely contain their joy.

Since then, she's been spotted around New York City with a large band-aid on her cheek and apparently "talking to trees," riding a CitiBike, and sporting her now trademark long blonde extensions and sunglasses. And at some point, it seems like In Touch thought it was perfectly fine to track her down and have a little chat with her that was in no way exploiting her for their own gain. Oh wait, that's exactly what they were doing. Bynes told them:

I am very needy for friendship and I hate men. I want to f--- them, but I can now say I’m engaged — get away from me. I want to be married and I want to be away from people.

When I first read the word "exclusive" on In Touch's website, I wondered how they got this interview. Did they reach out to Bynes' publicist? Did they talk to her over the phone? Did they track her down while she was on the sidewalk somewhere in the city and harass her for answers? It's possible that Bynes was totally on board for this interview and wanted to get the word out about the alleged future wedding. However, it raises a whole bunch of questions about journalistic ethics. Yes, In Touch has the right to be curious about this celebrity — and obviously we are reporting on Bynes as well, but in doing so hope that it brings attention to the fact that she needs support, not to be taken advantage of — but is it OK for them to publish a story with first-hand information from Bynes when she is obviously not thinking or acting normally?

Bynes went on to say more about her 19-year-old fiancé, Caleb, and talk about the possibility of having children in the future. Bynes having a boyfriend has not previously been reported, so it's hard to know what is fact and fiction here, but her quotes would make anyone feel concerned for her wellbeing. For instance, in addition to news of her engagement, she told the magazine about her plans to have children, "I want boys, for sure. However many I can pop out. I don’t want a gorgeous girl around. Then I [would] feel way jealous. Ew."

She needs help, not a media circus, and I sincerely hope that she can quietly fade back into her life of healing and recovery before it all spins out of control again.

Images: Getty Images