In a recent podcast interview with two of his daughters, Sylvester Stallone said that "life belongs to those who can make a sick joke out of it". Meaning, you have to be able to laugh no matter what happens. This seems to be a pretty profound message, especially given the fact that Sly's life hasn't been as glossy as it appears to have been. While the man has built an impressive net worth, he once lived at a bus station. It was writing the first Rocky film that brought him out of a poverty that nobody should have to endure. And a lot of Slyvester's terrible circumstances had to do with this extremely complicated relationship with his mother (Jackie Stallone) and father (Frank Stallone Sr.).
Today, Sylvester enjoys an extremely positive family life. He has a loving relationship with his wife and has three gorgeous and hardworking daughters. The situation with his two sons, of course, is a little different, as one of them has grown up with autism while the other passed away tragically in 2012. But these are moments Sylvester has been able to find the comedy in and move through with grace and compassion. And he's done the same when it comes to his relationship with his mom and dad... but fans don't know how...
Sylvester Seems To Have Very Mixed Feelings About His Parents
For those who don't know Sophia and Sistine Stallone, two of Sly's three daughters, host a podcast called "Unwaxed". In September 2021, Sophia and Sistine managed to snag their biggest guest yet... their dad. In the interview, they were able to discuss things that most other interviewers wouldn't dare breach with Sly. But given the fact that they are his daughters, Sophia and Sistine could get away with it. And what they were really interested in was their father's relationship with his parents.
"What you've told us, growing up, you really just had to fend for yourself," Sistine said to her dad.
"That's right. My parents weren't exactly brought up like stellar human beings," Sylvester responded.
This is when Sophia launched into the story of how Sly was dropped off at an old-folks home when he was young. And by "dropped off", she meant, "left there"... every day for five whole years. There was no such thing as a proper daycare center in Hell's Kitchen, where Sly grew up.
"My average friends were about 90 [years old]," Sly said, commenting on the fact that he was able to learn how to talk with adults because of being left at an old-folks home by his parents. "At the time, it wasn't a big deal. But when you look back at it, it wasn't exactly a smart choice."
Then again, staying at home with his waring parents (who allegedly got into physical altercations with one another, according to Jackie Stallone) wasn't exactly the way to go either.
Finding The Love For His Famous Parents
Sylvester's relationship with his mom Jackie and father Frank wasn't positive. In fact, when he wasn't stuck with the old folks, he was running away from home. To be fair, Sly said that he wouldn't have wanted to raise him due to all the problems he had as a child... but being around his mom and dad wasn't easy. Both Jackie and Frank were in the entertainment business and both were larger-than-life personalities. Jackie, in particular, had such an over-the-top and aggressive attitude that she was often featured as a guest on The Howard Stern Show during the shock jock's wildest years.
Jackie would come on to the show and yell and scream about her ex-husband, Frank, their violent interactions, legal battles, as well as their financial issues. The former dancer, boxing promoter, and psychic could be a tad unhinged but was always entertaining... Although, not exactly what a lot of children need as a mom. Although, Jackie's comments about Frank Stallone Sr. have made fans believe that he wasn't exactly the best father a child could ask for either. In an interview with Howard Stern, Jackie claimed that Frank didn't even want Sylvester and tried to stop her from having him.
Regardless of what actually went down at home, it does sound like a mess and it definitely had a negative effect on Sylvester growing up.
"In fairness to myself, I wasn't raised in a right way. My brain has always been flipped sideways," Sylvester explained.
Still, when Jackie passed away at the age of 98 in 2020, Sylvester found kind and authentic words to share about his mother. In his public eulogy, he claimed that she was his number one fan and always supported his passion to become an actor. Even though he had a complicated relationship with his mother, as well as his father, Sly was able to find the love that always existed between them... even if it wasn't always obvious.
Prior to finding his passion as a writer and an actor, Sly didn't know who he was. In fact, he was utterly lost. His childhood was filled with crime and doing every odd job he could find to make the money he needed to survive. But once he found his passion, he also found the support he needed from his parents. While his childhood homelife seems to be filled with arguments and general toxicity, once everyone had a chance to grow and find themselves, their relationships improved drastically.
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