This is Let's Be Clear with Shannon Darney.
Hello, Let's Be Clear family. This is Lorraine, Shannon's producer. I can tell you that your love and support meant so much to her and she looked forward to connecting with you each week. In this episode, we wanted to share some heartfelt messages and comforting words from people she worked with throughout the years. Also, the Let's Be Clearer team invites you to send in your message for Shannon for a special fan tribute episode. Please call one eight
four four four Shando. That's one eight four four four seven four two six three six. We will include as many messages as we can and thank you again. This one's for you, Shannon.
Holly Marie Combe starred as Shannon's sister Uncharmed, but their real life friendship began years before that. Holly describes their unbreakable bond and Shannon's unwavering support throughout the years.
I've tried for days to put my thoughts in order, and my mind is just racing, and I think trying to hang on to the memories. But this is probably one of the hardest things I'm ever going to have to do, and I think every step forward kind of makes it a little bit more real, and I can also hear her over here going make it good, better,
make it good. I think Shannon would be really pleasantly surprised by the outbaring of love and emotion that has come from so many different people in places, because she really did often feel like the underdog and vilified, and that she had to prove herself in so many different ways. I think she'd be really surprised and shocked by how many people have reached out and said really beautiful things
about her. Apparently she even texted some of my ex boyfriends, which I'll have a conversation with her about that another day, but yeah, no, that was uncalled for. But literally all of her exes except for one who should say nothing because nothing he can never say will ever make anything better. I have said beautiful words, and so many people are really torn up emotionally still, and it's just a testament to who she was as a person as opposed to what you read or saul in a tabloid. And I
can definitely say I'm at the anger part. I'm at the stage of grief that is making me angry, and I keep looking online like I'm looking to pick a fight, and I'm looking for anything that anybody says negatively so that I can correct them, and I'm really not finding any I'm angry and I'm sad she doesn't get to see the places that she wanted to. And I'm angry and sad that once again I've lost, you know, that person that you can call in the middle of the night,
to cancer. I've lost another friend to cancer. And it's really hard when you lose someone who should have and really wanted to live along in full life, not just for herself, but for other people in her family. You know, when I went through tough times in my life, some really horrible stuff, and one day I showed up on her door step, and I didn't know how bad I looked physically until I saw it on her face, and I saw her face change, and I knew I must
have been pretty beat up. To her credit, she never shied away, she never took a step back, and if something was wrong, she went full end to help me fix it. And I think that's because she had seen so much pain and trauma in her own life that she didn't want to see anybody else go through it. And whether it was me or my kids. She was literally always a phone call away. So it's heart. I spent all day looking all day yesterday looking for a picture, one picture that I cannot find, and I'm sure this
amuses her. And I found a bunch of other pictures from twenty thirty years ago, and you know, I for one split second I saw one that I was like, oh, I should send this.
To her, because it's so unbelievable that, even knowing she was sick, we just thought we had more time.
And she definitely did think she had more time. So I guess for me, that's the lesson is that you think you have time, but you don't. And not many people could do what Sheannon did in one day. She was just like a tornado of energy.
But I think that's the thing to take away from all of this is you think you have time, and so you know, she would give me an awful hard time that I don't say I love you enough.
To anyone. It's not on a like you know, personal oasis, but to anyone in general. And so I would say, Krishannon, you know, tell the people you love that you love and live like there is no tomorrow, because that's what she did, and Okay, have a nice day.
He was a Beverly Hills nine two to one oh fan since his days working at a convenience store in New Jersey. As an aspiring director, he could never have imagined he would one day cast Brenda Walsh in one of his first films, Mal Rats. Kevin Smith remembers his dear friend, who affectionately nicknamed Do Dough.
When I was in my early twenties and I was working at this little convenience dur in New Jersey called quick Stop, we had no cable TV. The Internet was still years away, so I started bringing into TV with rabbit ears. I was there by myself most of the day, so I bring a TV, plug it in and had antennas so you can turn the dial and watch like four channels maybe came in. One of them came in very well with Fox, So I watched nine oh two
one Ohero from the beginning Man and there. I'd be working at nights at quick Stop and I would have it on. I would also tape it at the same time, because sometimes you get busy helping customers, and so I didn't want to miss anything. If I did, I'd be able to roll it back again, we didn't have any streaming services or anything like that at this point. So I remember my my I think it was Thursday nights, maybe Wednesday nights, sitting at quick Stop watching the Little
Girl from Heather's you know, in her own show. I'd seen and Shannon, like you know, saw Shannon and in uh Nightshift, Ron Howard's Nightshift where she was like mugger, So I knew who she was. And of course we all loved others. So when you know, nine oh two and oh kicked off, it's like, oh, that's the that's the Header's girl. And to say that that show was a pop cultural phenomenon as a complete understatement. It broke
the Internet before the Internet even existed. But I would watch you know, Brenda's Adventures with Dylan, Kelly Brandon and Donna. And then one day I made a movie and they were like, great, now you get to make another movie. And when I was making that second movie, before I made it, friend of mine was like, you should get Shannon Doherty from All Rats and I was like, oh my god, I hadn't thought of that, Like, really you
think she'd do it? I mean she just left nine oh two and oh and my friend Malcolm's like, she's up. She'll totally do it. Man, She's She's an American icon. So they said way back in nineteen ninety five, ninety four,
or we even start shooting in ninety five. And so I told Shannon when I was on her podcast, when I was on listening clear that you know, when I went to work on Alrets, when we went to Minnesota to shoot the movie, it was almost as if you know the business, Hollywood whatever, you know, I'd arrived with my first movie, but here I was about to take make my second movie, first with the studio, first with
a real budget. And the first person from the industry to meet me over this bridge that I crossed thanks to making clerks, the first person in the business of professional who was there to welcome me was Shannon. And I always found that wonderful and bittersweet and ironic that I spent so many nights watching her on this little television grainy TV, and then I saw her in all her glory in real life, no grain whatsoever. I had a crush on her then I'll always have a crush
on her. She was a force of nature. She was a wonderful Renee in malrats, and I'm so lucky that I got to work with her. I mean, let's be honest, I was lucky to have known her at all. I love you, Shan See at the mall one day.
He played Brenda Walsh's father, Jim Walsh on Beverly Hills nine O two one oh. He appeared with Shannon in one hundred and eleven episodes and remembers her warmth on the set. James Eckhouse, Hi, James Ekhouse, I played Shn's dad to went out one of many worlds.
Shannon brought her effervescent spirit too. Had huge influence upon my heartaches for Shenon's family, friends, and fans. You were a ferocious spirit. You were ferocious in your work, your talent. You're ferocious in your love. You're ferocious in your courageous battle with cancer. I really loved working with you both as actor and director. Yeah, you always brought all of your heart to every.
Scene, and when I brought my young kids to the set, I'm forever grateful to you for being so welcoming, so kind.
They never forgot that we honor you and we treasure you. You will be sorely missed.
He played Leo on one hundred and forty five episodes of Charmed. He remembers how supportive Shannon was from his very first day on the set and how warm she was as a friend ever since.
Hello, all yeah, let's be clear podcast listeners, fans of Shannon Doherty. Incredible, amazing Shannon Doherty. This is Brian Kraus from Charmed.
Leo.
I just wanted to share a quick moment about Shannon and how we met and when we met and how she's changed my life.
I imagined when.
Before our palc is about myself getting on the show.
I had met Shannon before, you.
Know, out of the club and of Los Angeles and all that was in the nineties, and so when I got on the show up Charmed, I was really nervous to.
Show up and perform in front of her.
I knew the stakes were raised that you know, I had heard rumors and blah blah blah. And I got on, I knew my lines, I did my thing, and she just looked over him and she kind of gave a little wink in a good job, and you know, to get her approval that I had formed well and done well. It meant everything.
And then when.
I was told I was going to be a regular on the show, it was actually Shannon who had said to me, because when you had powers on Charmed, you usually were a bad guy and you died. And she took me aside and she said, no, you're a good guy, and you're going to stick around, and you just keep doing what you're doing and you'll be around for a while. And it was her way of saying, you know, good job, keep showing up and keep kicking ass and kind of joining me, opening her wings and allowing me to be
a part of her family. And I was so honored by it that Charmed had this let's kick some ass and make really good entertainment, and that was all Shannon at the Helm and setting the standard of what professionalism was. And I'll never forget it. And I've been so lucky the last few years to have gotten to know her as we've done comic cons and this podcast, and to know Shannon is a human and her enduring spirit.
Of anything as possible.
And if I could say anything to let's be clear fans, Shannon really believed anything was possible with hard work, determination of vision, let's go get it.
And I don't think.
I ever should heard her say I don't know how, or oh what if, or it can't. It wasn't a part of her For Cabin Larry, it was oh, we've run into a wall. Okay, let's fix this, let's get this done, let's do this. No, let's take action. And I think anything I could pass on that rubbed off on me that meant so much was our work ethic and desire to do what she wanted to do and live fearlessly. And I'm going to take that with me and try and do it every day, every day, every day.
I love Shannon so much and I wish I got a chance to tell her that she's an amazing, amazing human being. And I want to thank you all that listened to our podcast or watched Charmed and followed Shannon that may have crossed over to us, because any piece of that was just a byproduct being a fan of hers, I'm sure made you a fan of ours. And I just feel really lucky that I was able to be a part of it. I'm forever grateful for her friendship.
He played her nephew, Chris halliwell Uncharmed and was one of her co hosts on her latest project, the House of Hallowell podcast Drew Fuller.
Hey, this is Drew Fuller, Shannon's friend and co host on The House Haliwell and in honor of her, Let's be very clear, Shannon was a warrior. She faced adversity head on with everything that she got and refused to be a victim. She lived her life with so much passion, with love and a fearlessness that I will strive daily
to replicate. She's inspired, hired millions of people, She's inspired me, and I will love her forever, and I hope each and every one of you listening will honor her spirit by living the way she lived.
He played inspector Darryl Morris in seventy eight episodes of Charmed. Shannon won him over from his first day on the set, Dorian Gregory, when.
I'm coong, remember me with a smile and the laughter and the joy that we shared together, and that way it.
Will live forever sentimens.
I couldn't say it or express the wish Shannon does, but I was impacted by that.
First thing on set. I heard this amazing laughter.
I looked around the corner and it was Holly and Shannon sharing a moment have.
Such genuine, real laughter.
I walked over first days awkward, she welcomed me warmly, and that was and then a lot.
I come from a house of strong women to turn.
Accomplished and sharp as sharks, sharp as sharkingby.
That was him.
My father passed from cancer, and my woman's mother passed with cancer.
A longbow, So I have a little idea of.
What happens on the day to day. I say this because I remember Shannon a year ago and her autographs on me. It's the last time I actually was there physically around her and her wit and her warmth and her energy and her strength just as strong as ever, and her generosity and care for her fans of making him feel individual in her and.
Important as she always has.
In every convention I've been with her, every time i've been in her presence. A week ago we did a podcasts and Shannon and sharing her years of experience in this distance and the ends and outs and the ups and downs, and her artistic affectionism, and that was so wonderful to hear, and her excitement about life. So I remember, Fred, you've been packing, Bennie, and with love, I remember.
Shannon Doherty appeared in eight episodes of the two thousand and eight nine O two one oh reboot. In that short time, she made an immense impact on actress. She remembers how Shannon took her under her wing and taught her to embrace her own strength.
I owe more to Shannon than I'm sure she ever knew, than most people know.
Oh my gosh, my voice is already shaking.
If it weren't for Shannon, I would not be who I am in so many more ways than one. I had the good fortune of being cast on the spin off series of nine O two one to zero in two thousand and eight, playing the character Annie Wilson, who was part of the brother's sister duo that moved from a small town to Beverly Hills. And the only reason why that happened is because Shannon Doherty created one of the most iconic characters ever to be on television in my opinion, and I think a lot of people would.
Agree with me on that one. Obviously, mister Aaron Spelling created.
That series, but it was the cast, and namely Shannon Doherty. She created the character that we all fell in love with, and it is because of her and the nine to two ONO cast that my show ever existed.
And I had the incredible fortune.
Of stepping into a tiny version of her shoes and.
Hopefully follow into her footsteps in a way that made Shannon proud.
Because Shannon was so warm and so lovely and so fiercely strong and unapologetic, and she is the type of woman that I have always aspired to be.
And it was watching her do it despite.
Everything that she was met with and continue to forge ahead, being true to who she was that gave me the confidence to do the same, no matter how much resistance I've been met with throughout my life. Because of that, and there, I've said it before, There's really not been much of a blueprint for how to be a strong, unapologeticly strong woman in a world and society that is so determined to tell you not to.
But she did it.
She did it, and she, as far as I'm concerned, is one of the very few that is the blueprint. It's women like Shannon Doherty that give the rest of us permission and confidence to demand what we deserve, stand up for ourselves, and not take any shit. And I hope I'm allowed to say that, but I think Shannon.
Would be okay with it.
In my short time of getting the job on I two zero and starting to film and being a part of the tabloid fodder and media craze that was at that time, it was only a little why into that process and that experience that I met Shannon and had the privilege to actually work with her portraying the character of Brenda alongside.
Me on NINEO two and O.
And at that point, already in just a short window of time, I had been so mentally broken down by the experience. You know, I was eighteen when I moved out to La to take on the job. I was by myself, left my family back home, really didn't know anybody other than my cast. And the behind the scenes drama that Beverly Hills Nino two and O was known for definitely was recreated behind the scenes of our spinoff
of nine O two and O as well. And I think Shannon and I am not having ever spoken about it, but I think a lot of our experiences, or the experiences I had, mirrored a lot of the experiences that she had. Meeting her that day in the trailer, I was so excit because she was my favorite character from
the original show. I had watched it with my mom growing up, so I was a super fan of her already, and I think, you know, brown hair like, she was the gorgeous brunette for the show, so I felt most like tied to her, and I was so nervous meeting her, and she literally just like welcomed me into her trailer with the biggest smile and the warmest hug, and it was like.
I don't even know if she meant to communicate this with her hug, but.
It made me feel so seen and like I was not alone in everything that I was experiencing at that time, because it.
Was a lot.
It was a lot for an eighteen nineteen year old girl to go through. And getting that hug from her, knowing that she experienced so much at times a million when she was my age, like, was everything to me because all I saw with this was this beautiful, strong woman who was so resilient, who had made it out of that experience still with her chin held high, fire in her belly and being true to who she was,
and to me, that was Shannon Doherty. So you know, it's no surprise to me that she went on to fight this very long battle as fiercely as she did, and I, you know, I'm gutted that I never had the opportunity to get back in touch with her. I tried to kind of connect through people, but you know, I was so young when we met, and our paths
literally never crossed again. Otherwise, you know, having made it through that experience, learning everything that I did, fighting so hard to maintain that Shannon energy that.
Existed within me, and that she gave me the confidence to hold on to despite it all, I would have loved, loved, loved to, you know, just share this with her, but I didn't get that opportunity.
And it's truly such an honor to be able to share these words with the listener of her podcast, which I know is a really important passion project for her. And I know that the fans listening to this love Shannon as much and as deeply as I do. And I know that her memory will live on for a very very long time as the blueprint.
The queen of the Badasses that give us all permission and confidence to be who we are, to demand respect, and to never settle for anything less.
Than what we deserve.
So I am eternally grateful to her, and I'm sure she's listening somewhere, and I hope that the message comes through loud and clear. Just thank you, Thank you, Shannon Doherty for genuinely, on so how many levels making me the woman that I am today.
He starred with Shannon on Little House on the Prairie.
Hi, everyone, my name is Dean Butler. I played Almanzel Wilder on the NBC series Little House on the Prairie. I worked with Shannon Doherty forty years ago when Shannon joined the cast of Little House to play the role of Jenny Wilder, my niece on the series. When we met Shannon for the first time at the beginning of season nine of Little House, she made a very strong impression. And that impression there were a couple of things. One, she was talented. There was no doubt that Shannon had
a gift. And the other thing that you couldn't miss about Shannon is that Shannon was determined to make something of herself in the entertainment industry. She had one of the most powerful motors in that area that I've ever seen in all the years that I've been around our industry. Shannon left us way too soon, but not unlike someone else that she and I both worked with on Little House, Michael Landon, who died at the age of fifty four
from pancreatic cancer. Shannon fit a lot of life into her fifty three years, and she will be remembered for it. As we celebrate fifty years of Little House on the Prairie this year, it's very important to me that people know and remember that Shannon was a part and a special part of Little House on the Prairie, one of
the great family dramas in the history of television. It was early in her career, but she'll be remembered for the work that she did with us, and the work she did with so many other people in so many other shows projects for years to come. I sent my most heartfelt condolences to Shannon's family and friends and fans all over the world who are thinking a lot about her right now. Shannon will be remembered.
She wanted that way.
Tory Spelling's younger brother, Randy, was still a child when he first met Shannon Doherty. He was struck by her beauty and personality, and that admiration continued throughout his life.
Randy's Spelling ever since I saw that smile on Little House on the Prairie. It just lit up the screen. And Shannon lit up the screen, every screen that she was on. She lit up a room, every room that she was in. She just had this energy about her, and she was small and she was slight, but she just had such a big presence and energy that you could feel tough at times, soft and sweet at times.
We had some beautiful exchanges over Instagram before we got a chance to reconnect when she was on our podcast Oldish, and that was really a thrill for me. I was shocked because just a few months ago there was so much life in her. I just did not see this coming so soon.
Yeah.
I just have the best memories of her with my sister Tory coming over to the house and I watched my first Madonna concert on TV with them, and I think they were both wearing white VNX at the time. Shannon used to love white VNX. When I think of Shannon, I always think of a white v neck and that smile. Shannon, and you will be so missed. You will always be
my first legitimate crush. And I know you were greeted by so many loved ones thank you for being you and for being so committed to that which you believed in and showing that to the world. No matter what it was, you had this incredible commitment and tenacity and drive and passion to go after what it is that you believed in.
He played Andrea Zuckerman's husband Jesse on Beverly Hills nine oh two one oh Mark Damon Espinoza tells us what he'll always remember about Shannon Doherty.
I know how hard it is to watch people you love fight so hard against such a formidable opponent. Shannon shan gave it hell and the spirits she's known for and and frankly will be remembered for I shall continue to inspire a lot of others to fight as well. So know that I send my best to all of you right now at this difficult time. Our paths didn't cross nearly as much as I wish they had. You know,
we only ever shared a handful of scenes. Our storylines were always going in different directions, and I'm really sorry we didn't have more opportunities to actually work together on screen. She was a terrific actress. However, when we did pass on the set at the studio wherever we were, you know, make up, trailer or wardrobe or whatever. She was always really really nice to me. And at the time, it would have been very easy for me to be intimidated.
You know, I was working with some of, if not the most famous young people on the planet at that time. They didn't have to be nice. Shannon was, however, And I'll always remember that one quick added. It was years after not a two one oh, and she was shooting something at the gym where I was working out. I'm not sure. I think it was a TV movie or
something something like that, and I was a mess. I was just coming from a run and I was sweaty, and but she saw me from a good distance away and stopped production, came over to me, gave me this huge hug and wanted to know how I was doing. And she didn't let me go until I told her. I mean, not everyone would hug a sweaty guy at the gym after they've been in hair and makeup and and have a crew waiting. But that that's that's a
shann and I'll keep in my heart, you know. That's that's the one I'll remember for the rest of my my own life. You know, none of us are immortal, and our time is far too short. Hers was far, far too short. But her energy, her her fight, her spirit, That'll live on.
That'll live on, he appealed in three episodes of Beverly Hill's nine O two to one oh, but it was later in life that he was able to experience Shannon's warmth. David Lasher, Hi, it's David Lasher.
I just wanted to share my sadness and my memories about Shannon. You know, I always admired her for being such a strong woman. She knew what exactly what her voice was. She didn't pander to anybody. And when I did those nine oh two one oh episodes, I became closer with Jenny and Tory. My scenes weren't with Shannon, and she was a tough nut to crack, to be honest,
she was guarded, but then we became friendly. When she married my friend Ashley Hamilton, it was a brief marriage, but I spent a lot of time at her house and I stood up at their wedding with only a few people and we then I really got to know her, and she had this she had this soft side to her that I think a lot of people didn't know, and she was a beautiful soul, and to see such a strong person have to fight the fight that she went through was so heartbreaking and I really thought she
was winning. And I'm just so sad and heartbroken, and I love her soul and I hope she's at peace.