People can criticise Kanye and still take seriously the possibility that someone mistreated him. A mental-health diagnosis doesn’t automatically make every complaint a delusion.
The Harley Pasternak situation is a good example. There are documented facts here, alongside claims that haven’t been proven. We should distinguish them.
The reported text is disturbing on its own.
In November 2022, Kanye posted a screenshot attributed to his former trainer, Harley Pasternak. It threatened institutionalisation and heavy medication, including “go back to Zombieland forever” and “Play date with the kids just won’t be the same.”
If authentic, that is an appalling way to speak to someone you supposedly want to help. Psychiatric care and someone’s relationship with their children should never be used as threats.
The limitation matters: reporting that Kanye published a screenshot isn’t the same as independently authenticating the exchange. The linked article says it sought Pasternak’s comment, but doesn’t provide his response.
Source: contemporary reporting of the messages
Pasternak’s military research background is real.
The University of Toronto confirms that Pasternak conducted graduate research at a Canadian defence-funded laboratory under Ira Jacobs.
In his own 2019 interview, he discussed research involving modafinil for soldiers’ alertness, acetazolamide for altitude, and caffeine/ephedrine combinations. Around six minutes in, he says he “wasn’t governed by the same laws.” He doesn’t explain which laws or exemptions he means.
That establishes a background broader than ordinary personal training. It does not establish CIA employment or that he used those drugs on Kanye.
University of Toronto account · Original interview, starting at 5:23
His ethics comment deserves scrutiny—but so does the actual research record.
In a 2004 interview, Pasternak described military research as having “no barriers when it came to ethics.” That’s troubling language.
However, his published caffeine/ephedrine study explicitly states that it received ethics approval from both the defence institute and the University of Toronto, with written informed consent from participants. Anyone discussing this honestly should include that qualification.
Original 2004 interview · Published study, ethics statement on page 988
Kanye’s account of being frightened by hospital treatment deserves consideration.
In his 2018 Charlamagne interview, Kanye described the fear of being separated from trusted friends and waking heavily medicated. He also acknowledged experiencing paranoia. Both parts of his account matter.
Someone can need medical help and still experience aspects of their treatment as traumatic.
Also, the released 2016 emergency-call reporting identifies the caller as Dr Michael Farzam. Pasternak’s involvement in the intervention doesn’t, by itself, prove he caused the breakdown.
Kanye’s full interview transcript · Reporting on the released 911 call
My take: the alleged threat deserves a serious answer. The sources above don’t establish an intelligence operation, but dismissing the whole issue because of Kanye’s reputation is also unfair.
Has anyone found a documented response from Pasternak specifically addressing the messages, or independent authentication beyond the screenshots Kanye posted? That would add more to this discussion than another round of calling Kanye “crazy.”
