Crikey’s list of celebrities who’ve done rehab and a rather pointed email from a Melbourne celebrity has sparked a torrent of feedback regarding whether ot not this too trashy for Crikey? While many readers clearly think that it is, the list has proved very popular with more than 3700 hits over the last week. The complete list is still at the bottom.

A celebrity writes:

“Your piece on celebrity drug and alcohol rehab is very tawdry. There is nothing
witty or amusing about drug addiction or alcoholism. Unlike you I have been lucky enough to work with some very famous and talented people.

The chink in their armour was never funny. It was soul destroying to watch them battle with the demon drink and the drugs. Sometimes it destroyed their lives. I thought when I subscribed to crikey it would be informative and investigative. It is reading like a very bad copy of The National Enquirer.

No Idea seems to have more idea. I can tell you now I have no intention of subscribing for another year. It really is disappointing to read such rubbish – most of which is hearsay. Dick Van Dyke for example was a very sad alcoholic and it almost ended his life. That is funny. I know a number of the people on your list and their problems are not amusing.

I found the addendum very distasteful: Five names for a free subscription and an ounce of cocaine. Don’t tell me it’s a joke. I know how to find the laugh and there is no laugh in that dialogue. Get your act up to scratch.

Melbourne celebrity”

CRIKEY: We’ve had about 12 enthusiastic contributions to the “celebs in rehab” list and one other email similarly damning. It was intended to pose the question whether highly paid celebs are just suckers for the fast life. Just how many of these rich and powerful people have fallen for it. For those who are interested, the celebs in rehab list has been expanded yet again and we’ve agreed to remove the silly cocaine reference and those on the list only for alcoholism.

More media stuff please

Get rid of the celebrity profiles. Not interested in a crikey which digs dirt on the private lives of public personas unless it is relevant to their office.

If I want to read scurrilous celebrity crap, I will buy Who Weekly and read about the people who would turn up to the opening of an envelope wearing half a bikini (which I do). I read Crikey for the up to the minute pulse on what is happening in our business, political and media worlds, ahead of the spin doctors.

Even if you are not always accurate, your right of reply/apology system is refreshing. It is a much better model than the publish and perish defamation system other (more fiscally conservative) people follow, which is in need of serious reform to protect our institutions from the pigs in the trough rorting, golden handshaking and mutual masturbation society which continues to plague us. Maybe if you had been around before HIH would not have happened.

Keep up the good work, I really enjoy my daily fix of “behind the scenes Australia”. More media stuff please. There are many skeletons…

A defamation lawyer.

How about pollies with drugs?

For what’s its worth, I go out of my way to not read about this kinda stuff
in the mainstream – my care factor either way is pretty low.
I would much prefer to read about politicians who have a drug addiction!!!
Keep the focus and pressure on these guys, they deserve all the scrutiny you
can dish out, cos they are certainly not getting it from the mainstream
dailies.

Cheers

Silvana

Trashy gutter journalism

Dear Crikey,

As a card carrying member of the proletariat, I’m afraid that I have
to agree with ‘Melbourne Celebrity’.

Having had the opportunity to work peripherally in the field of drug
and alcohol for a couple of years, I came into contact with many
intelligent and occasionally eminent people who had fallen prey to a
disease for which there is no simple cure.

Frankly, I could not care less whether the people suffering from an
addiction or abuse problem are famous or not. The fact that they are
celebrities does not alter the fact that they are people suffering
from an illness and could benefit if not from a bit of compassion,
then at least from the dignified silence of your contributors.

If that doesnt sway you, then have a passing regard for the feelings
of their families, friends relatives and acquaintances, who generally
suffer in silence and could probably do without an additional kick in
the guts.

As for the exclusion of those who suffered only from alcoholism, it
is an absurd and arbitrary distinction.

This is trashy gutter journalism. I don’t subscribe to Crikey to feel
like Im reading a grubby British tabloid and I suspect a number of my
fellow subscribers feel the same.

Pull your socks up sport and keep your eye on the ball. Crikey should
be better than this and there are far more important things going on
in the world that require your attention.

Peter Proletariat

Drug abuse affects the whole community

I think ‘Melbourne Celebrity’ is right in saying that it is not a funny issue and its probably a good idea to take away the tasteless jokes about it. But it might be good to publicise the fact that drug abuse affects the whole community and prove that drug addiction isnt a condition predisposed to unintelligent or people of the lower socio-economic rung.

Cheers, Troy

No more celebrity stuff

Dear Stephen,

I vote for no celebrity stuff. While some celebs can be very irritating in
using the rehab thing for publicity mostly it’s really just sad. Just
because you can act or sing is no reason for you to be a good business
manager, smart or able to control yourself.

Regards,

Neil

Sex, drugs and rock & roll a long last

Dear Ed,

I suspect it is tawdry to make fun of the addicted, even if they are rich &/or celebs.

In any case, it is trivia. Perhaps you can re-organise your email sealed-sections a bit; my wish would be: politics first; business second; media third; Sex & drugs & rock-n-roll (which comprehends sport) a long last (if it won’t fit in, leave it out).

Less personality-driven stuff (I know, life is personality-driven, but there are distinctions to be made), more probing into the facts others don’t/won’t/can’t tell us. And drop the paranoia bit: as you have several times admitted, lawyers don’t sue you because they enjoy it – we do it because we are paid to. Enjoying it is just a side benefit. A related issue: anonymous leaks may do a lot of public good, but they are not the same as anonymous slagging off at any old enemy. Ultimately, the real trouble with the Courier Mail is that it is such a hopeless, conservative, Murdoch-enterprises driven rag that it can’t be relied on to deliver useful news, not that someone’s wife is writing turgid crap in it. Likewise, The Oz is descending into the pit of Murdoch avarice & R. Catholic paranoia (that is not an attack on the Roman community – some of my best friends etc; just a note about the dominant tendancy, and if there were a god she would know how paranoid are the latest set of Oz editors & commentators).

Anyway, that leaves me feeling better, even if you are going to ignore my valuable denkschrift!

Best wishes for ’03. Please make lots of money – & enjoy it before Will Houghton comes back to collect it from you again.

anonymously yours

a wig.

Just don’t look if you don’t like it

I subscribe for a number of reasons, mainly because I don’t get to see newspapers very often, but also because online media is a great idea,and yours is the only one that works for me. More politics and less business, perhaps? Lists could go on separate pages with links. Tawdry as they often are, they can be handy for trivia questions! Quite frankly, if something is too distateful or uninteresting, I don’t look. The same principle applies to TV etc. I’m not keen on censorship, as practiced by the Canberra Cane Toad’s Government, but as an adult I am quite capable of deciding what to read/watch/listen etc.

Keep up the good work!

David

Lists based on human misery are not on

I agree with the writer criticising celebs in rehab. While it might be
an interesting thesis and study to see whether the life of fame brings
on problems that is for a private forum. In crikey it is trashy.

These people have enough problems and the fact that they are famous is
no reason for us know their problems.

Lists where there is a genuine public interest – like nepotism in the
political parties, and payouts to CEO’s are OK, but lists based on human
misery are not on.

Crikey serves a great role where it reports where others fear or won’t
tread. In particular Crikey needs to be out there where conflicts of
interest and self censorship of the media mean that the issues are not
reported or are hidden.

Another area is where Crikey can alert us to the writings of others
whose views are not given publicity they deserve. Although it was about
Crikey I liked your links this morning to the dot com name issue. More
of this would be appreciated.

Of course more on business is always welcome. I have given up on the AFR
after receiving my latest bill from the newsagent. It is not giving me
too much more than I can receive by reading the company announcements
and then going reading the comments on those announcements on the Net.

I like the stuff on the machinations inside bureaucracies and inside the
parties. Much more interesting than political announcements and
“scandals”. The important decisions are normally made outside the public
eye. The best we can do is to see them after they are made so we can
understand them. What would be nice would be to see more while the
debate rages inside the power structures.

Kevin

Stick with what works

Dear Crikey

No Idea, Women’s Weakly, Who, NW, etc., all cover the sad celebrity thing.
That’s not the sort of thing I read Crikey for. Stick with what works –
politics, be it local, state, federal or corporate. But it would be nice to
have a little less about Gloomsville and aerial pingpong.

Keep up the good work.

Jennie

Alcoholism is a disease

Dear Stephen,
I must agree with your correspondent “Mel.Celeb.”I believe delving into this area is beneath your dignity and integrity. Please recognise that Alcoholism is a disease and has been recognised as such by the World Health Authority since the the early 1950’s. May I recomend you contact your Alcoholics Annonymous head office(Vic.) and they will be more than pleased to send you any educational material that may be of benefit.

Kind Regards

Phil

Celeb-bashing is cruel, tasteless and utterly irrelevant

Hello.

I don’t see the merit of publicising the problems of people who happen to have some degree of fame. Id suggest refocusing your energies on more important political and social issues and stop fart-arsing about with whether or not some daft Hollywood celeb has coke habit. It’s cruel, tasteless and utterly irrelevant. Celeb-bashing is the currency of the shite peddlers of the tabloid press, you should have better things to do. I didnt subscribe to Crickey to read about Ben Affleck, I joined so that you could keep an eye on the dodgy goings on conducted by the dubious elites in Australia. Get a grip!

Other than that, have enjoyed a lot of your work!

Cheers,

Sean

Collusion and corruption rather than personal problems

I have to agree with the anonymous celebrity. I’d prefer concentration given to the collusion and corruption that celebrities, PR flacks, entertainment companies and the media indulge in rather than their personal problems.

Jon

Tall poppy syndrome?

Dear Crikey

I’ve got to admit, a list of those who were and are afflicted by addictions is an unnecessary
addition to your repertoire. I suspected that someone would have a go at you about the ounce of
cocaine prize offer.

My suggestion would be to dump it. My reaction was to gloss over that list, as many other
subscribers would no doubt have done.

Apart from that, the interesting thing about the story is the reaction from “Melbourne Celebrity”.

I have a long winded and long held conviction that the ‘tall poppy syndrome’ which is widely assumed
to exist in Australians in fact does not exist at all. What we really have is an ‘I’m one of the
elite and better than you and you have no right to see my fallibilities syndrome’.

The so-called elites are constantly struggling to maintain the illusion that they are better than
the proles and any story which shows them up as weak and fallible human beings they really are is
rubbished as the tall poppy syndrome writ large. My opinion is that those who live by publicity do
not have the right to turn it on and off when they like (other than by their personally withdrawing
from the media circus, which they can do anytime.)

The hypocritical insecure tall poppies are lucky to be living in a country where the average mug
doesn’t idolise them. No human being can withstand the corrupting effects of being idolised.

On another note, don’t worry at all about the criticisms. Every act, every article, will be
applauded by some and hated by others. You can’t please all the people any of the time.

Regarding stories that are worth pursuing, I emailed you last year advocating that in fact John
Howard was not a significant reformist Prime Minister. This was a counter to some right wing
arguments suggesting that he was shaping up as the great reforming Prime Minister. I listed a
series of reforms which he had brought about which when looked at for what they were, amounted to
not much at all. In fact, Howard is not the greatest reformer since even Bob Hawke, and in fact
Paul Keating was a much more significant reformer, although in truth he did it from the Treasury
benches and with old jellyback as the front man.

So, here is an issue to take up all year, particularly as Honest John is about to retire (don’t put
your money on that one). What is his real legacy to Australia?

Any serious analysis will show him wanting on most economic credentials and an unwanted step back
to a 1950’s social policy nightmare.

I want to see this motherfu%%%s legacy shown up for the trash it is, and the sooner the better.

Andrew

HR Systems Analyst

Crikey’s justification very weak

Hi Crikey,

Appealing to a range of people will always mean articles that have no interest or are in bad taste to some. I did not read the article, as could see it was (for me) trash. However, there are no doubt other bits I read – such as the tribulations of Britney and the Dems – which others find a waste of time.

I would hate it if crikey colluded in the self-censoring that allowed Cheryl to bonk Gareth-Gareth whilst in charge of the Dems and it go un-reported.

However, reading your justification for the article in response to “Melbourne Celeb” it sounds very weak. “Whether highly paid celebs are suckers for the fast life” – give me a break…that IS a New Idea title. Lets apply the newsworthy test if we’re going personal – ie, they were hypocritical (eg, Warnie advertising Nicarbates whilst secretly smoking); they were compromised (eg, Cheryl)

Personally, I find stuff such as celebs article, about art (unless its the politics of it), sport and movie reviews a waste of space. Best reading is the stuff about politics and corporates (esp when keeping the bastards honest).

Rgds

David

Not Crikey’s bag, baby

I have to agree with “Melbourne Celebrity” with regard to this topic. I take the point as to the thrust being “It was intended to pose the question whether highly paid celebs are just suckers for the fast life”. But, so to do, you have offered no counterpoint as to the numbers of celebrities who have not succumbed to the rigours, or for that matter the rest of us non-celebs who may or may not have problems of addiction. Is your issue just celebs, or is it the highly paid part?

Eliminating “only alchohol” indicates to those who have experience with addiction (or the addicted), that the writer would appear to have no such experience. Addiction is addiction is addiction whether it is heroin, gambling or overeating. There is a great undercurrent of sadness to this topic, both to those who suffer, and for those who love and support them.

I do not write to censure, My subscription is not in doubt because I am a “Crikey Lifer”. I am not disappointed embarrassed or distressed by the course of this line of inquiry but I would be happy to see it dropped. I don’t think its your bag.

JW

No sympathy for celebrities

Stephen,

No way should you give the crashed “celebs” a miss!

I, for one, am entirely sick of hearing about Kylie’s love life, Tracy’s diet, Shauna’s new baby, and how to lose 10kgs “just like Patricia Whoever”. Time to show this mob for what they are — sad-arsed attention seekers.

Even your corresponding complainant can’t help him/herself: “Unlike you I have been lucky enough to work with some very famous and talented people.” Well, Mr/Ms “Melbourne Celebrity” … Big Friggin’ Hairy Deal!!!

As the days pass and I reflect upon the real people of this world, I am constantly pounded by the sight and sounds of a great many very skinny, very empty, very unattractive “beautiful people”. These paper cut-out cretins have about as much interest to me as the tubular spaghetti they imitate.

Give me Mrs Smith down the street, Professor Bloggs, and Nurse Betty any day. I don’t care what they look like or who they’re married to; I’m only interested in what they have to offer this world. And I can tell you: it’s a hell of a lot more than interesting and worthwhile than the combined output of these so-called “celebrities”.

They deserve no sympathy for their drug addictions and sad lives.

Murf

A bit of light relief

A bit of light relief surely. Well, it is not light stuff for the for the poor celebs involved, but it is quite interesting. Do you mean you are leaving out cocaine and alcohol addiction/treatment? Why? Alcohol is one of the worst drugs I reckon and isn’t coke supposed to be a bit of a fun drug? Similar to alcohol. Take it or leave it?

Andrew. (Keep the list, but keep it lighthearted or seriously inform yourself on different so called drugs and what is an addictive drug and what is not)

Don’t make celebrities into martyrs
Dear Crikey

As a contributor to your list, I must say I would far rather make celebrities
look risible and pathetic for taking drugs or drinking to excess than make them
into tragic figures or martyrs to Cool. Celebrities, like the rest of us, are
responsible for their own decisions, and taking drugs and drinking to excess is
a choices, not an inevitable Shakespearean fatal flaw. I would rather my
teenaged nephew thought these people stupid and ridiculous than tragic and
glamorous. You can bet that kids wouldn’t take up smoking, either, if they
thought it would make people point and laugh.

cheers

Crispin Curmudgeonly

Not too trashy for Crikey

Not too trashy for Crikey, not at all
Mainstream media alludes to the addictions amongst Celebs
which is worse as it does not tell you what they are suffering from
The joke was one of you less successful
but those affected by alcoholism should remain on the list their addiction is as valid as any other
substance abuse

Mike

Warts and all please

Dear Editor,

I think the letter from “Melbourne Celebrity” is only revealing for the pompous line “unlike you I have blah blah blah ” Go for the warts and all approach please!

Too many high profile people are hypocrites and this is only another issue where the disconnect from public and private personality needs to be given the fullest disclosure.

Does “Melbourne celebrity” imagine only celebrities have problms like this?

DP.

Please pass the vomit bag

‘we’ve agreed to remove the silly cocaine reference and those on the
list only for alcoholism’

‘only alcoholism’. ONLY. Now what the hell does that mean? What’s the
logic, please do tell.

As for your correspondent’s:

‘Unlike you I have been lucky enough to work with some very famous and
talented people. The chink in their armour was never funny.’

Oh, right, I get it. Celebrities are these really special people who
can’t help being drug dependent. The poor things. It must be so hard for
them to be rich and important as well as drug dependent. The rest of us
are really rather lucky to be poor and drug dependent. Instead of being
cursed with the creativity and agent that could make us megawealthy.
But, if I get it right, the rest of us are doing it on purpose. Whereas
for ‘famous and talented people’ it is an unavoidable tragedy. Gee, and
I’d always thought it was willfull spoil brat behaviour.

Please pass the vomit bag.

Should you do the list? I’m a brand new subscriber and gossip stuff is
not really my scene, but I figure I’ll get my $66 worth one way or
another. I say go with it. Anybody who expects to like everything you do
is being unreasonable.

Cheers, Cathy

Celebrities cant complain about infamy

Celebrities live off fame so they cannot complain about infamy. The number of celebs who go into rehab and then sell a storey about how hard their life is appaling. I am also disgusted at how many celebrities claim in the press that they are suicidal in an attempt to gain public sympathy.

I work in the field of Psychiatry and have also spent over three years of working with homeless people in London. These people are unfortunate and have no resources to fund expensive treatment in a private hospital. Many puplic hospitals do not have the resources to manage long term treatment and rehabilitation and so end up returning to horific lives where drugs and alcohol are the only realistic escape.

To the Melbourne Celebrity, if celebrities don’t want public srutiny then don’t go into the profession.

Mike

Lesson for the young in our celeb-obsessed culture

Did you receive my email with additions to the list as below? I noticed my suggestions hadn’t been included in your updated list yesterday. As most of mine are Aussies, I think they are more relevant than the entirely OS list you have.

In response to your critics of this item, it could be countered that it is very valid to examine the heavy toll on the health and sanity taken on those who strive and succeed in being celebrities, then find they are emotionally unprepared for the lifestyle. This is a salutary lesson to the young in our celeb-obsessed culture, and highlighting the issue may be helpful to future celebs. Although the topic is not funny, there is no need to deal with this or any other topic in Crikey with other than the usual irreverence.

(PS, do I get my sub?)

Paul

———————————————————

Celebrities who’ve done rehab

Ben Affleck: Checked himself into the rehab centre for the stars, Promises Malibu, well before he took up with Jennifer Lopez.

Tim Allen: star of “home improvements” and “Santa Claus” movies. Served two years in prison for selling cocaine to undercover police officers in the ’70s. In 1998, he attented a court-ordered rehab program after being arrested for a driving under the influence offence in Michigan

Kirstie Alley: credits the Scientology programme Narcanon for getting her
off drugs (gotta wonder which is worse for the brain).

Tom Arnold: had to go into rehab before Roseanne Barr would marry him in the
late 1980’s. Hard to know who came out ahead in that one.

Drew Barrymore: Having debuted in ET aged 7, Barrymore was the pin-up girl for the pitfalls of early fame when she dallied with substance abuse at the age of 9. She kicked her dysfunction with therapy and even got married two years back after a succession of broken relationships.

John Belushi: star of Blues Brothers died of cocaine overdose in 1982.

Yasmeen Bleeth: ex Baywatch babe who went into rehab for a cocaine addiction.

Danny Bonaduce, former Partridge Family member and now talk show host, went
into rehab in 1991 to avoid charges of assault on a transvestite sex worker. He went back to rehab in 2001 at Malibu Promises for alcoholism.

David Bowie: Had a very serious fling with heroin when living in New York all those years back. Went to Berlin & with a little re-hab, kicked it.

Bobby Brown: the singer was photographed twice on November 7, 2002. After Atlanta cops charged him with possession of marijuana, speeding, and driving without a license or proof of insurance, they discovered an outstanding warrant in neighboring DeKalb County (where he was popped in April 1996 for DUI).

Brett Butler: (“Grace Under Fire”) entered rehab in 1996 for a painkiller
addiction.

Ken Caminiti: the retired US baseball legend was arrested by Texas cops in November 2001 after he was found in a Houston motel with cocaine. The 38-year-old All-Star third baseman pleaded guilty to felony drug possession in March 2002 and was sentenced to three years probation, fined $2000, ordered to do 200 hours of community service, and attend drug, alcohol, and psychological
counseling.

Naomi Campbell: In early 2002, admitted abusing drink and drugs since 1997. The super-model was photographed leaving a meeting of Narcotics Anonymous and sued the Mirror for invasion of privacy.

Jenifer Capriati: Teen tennis phenomenon burnt out and fell into problems with drugs. After some years in the wilderness, her determination to play to her potential saw her win the Australian Open and the French Open in succession in 2001. One of the great fairytale stories.

Mariah Carey: Has checked into a hospital for “exhaustion”, though may return as her website has
allegedly featured the following message – “I just can’t trust anybody anymore right now because I don’t understand what’s going on.”

Johnny Cash: another who has spent time in re-hab trying to kick his pill habit.

Nick Cave: Though remarkably well-kept these days, Nick was on fine
terms with Sister Morphine and her cohorts. See album Tender Prey for
majesty and depravity of smack.

The Bush Clan: Jeb’s daughter currently in and out of jail and rehab,
George W a born again Christian after years of drinking, and drink
driving. W’s daughters – present state of mind and body unknown.

Chevy Chase: was treated for painkiller addiction at the Betty Ford Clinic
in the 1980’s – it appears it didn’t take, because in 1996 his limo driver sued
him after being arrested for carrying a package of painkillers over the Mexican
border which he claimed Chase sent him to pick up. Chase also pleaded guilty to
drink driving charges in 1995.

Kurt Cobain: Lead singer of Nirvana, addicted to heroin throughout the early 90s. Fled a detox program in 1994 and died of a self-inflicted shutgun wound, just one month after nearly dying of a heroin overdose

Joe Cocker: struggles to remember the 1970s due to drug abuse.

Gary Coleman: The Different Strokes star got addicted to painkillers.

David Crosby: The Crosby Stills & Nash man and sperm donor by appointment to
Melissa Etheridge went into rehab in the 1980’s after years of drug abuse which
left him with a totally stuffed liver and Hep C.

Andy Dick: News Radio’s US comic also went to Promises Malibu which he explained as follows: “Most of the time you’re in a little group in a circle, talking about your problems.”

Jason Donovan: seemed to give everything a try in the 1990s and even passed out in a Bondi cafe making great photos for Daily Telegraph pictorial heavyweight Julian Zacharus to sell back to Fleet Street.

Michael Douglas: His first wife insisted he check in to rehab for sexual addiction.
It didn’t work as she filed for divorce three years later. Douglas disputes the reason saying the rehab was for overwork and alcohol abuse. He’s since married Catherine Zeta Jones and bounced back beautifully.

Robert Downey Jr: A spectacular Palm Springs drug blowout complete with Wonder Woman costume in his suite was his eighth trip into rehab.

Richard Dreyfuss: went into rehab in 1982 following charges for possession
of cocaine after he crashed his car.

Steve Earle: Serious heroin addict as well as serial marriage partner. (I think five at last count). Spent time in jail for his ‘pleasure’ but kicked it and continues to write classy music.

Elvis: addicted to pain killers of all descriptions.

Carrie Fisher: starred as Pricess Leia in Start Wars – later to be one of the top “script doctors” in Hollywood. Entered rehab in 1997 for drug problem.

Betty Ford: they didn’t name the Betty Ford Clinic after her just
because she was married to Gerald Ford. All that slipping and falling would drive anyone to drink.

Edward Furlong: The Terminator and American History X star was admitted into a Southern California rehab centre in 2000 for an alcohol problem. Allegedly he was convinced by friends that he drank more than Ted Kennedy, so he took their advice by attending AA sessions at the $1,000 a day treatment centre. Furlong has denied he has a coke or heroin problem but admitted drinking frequently. Furlong says he continues to enjoy an occasional drink since ending his rehab stay.

Jerry Garcia: The “dead-head” certainly lived up to his name, he seemed attached to one rehab or other, like a magnet to a fridge.

Boy George: took every drug under the sun in the 1980s.

Kelsey Grammer: Frasier how could you! Alcohol and cocaine lead to rehab at Betty Ford.

Melanie Griffiths: the woman who made rehab her second home. Not just
through one marriage with Miami Vice man Don Johnson, but through the
next with Antonio, who at least is clean. Has a habit of playing down
and out women with habits and now indulges in pseudo-mystic website seen here.

Guns & Roses: all members past, present and deceased have had their troubles. The ex-drummer sued the band for allegedly encouraging him to become a junkie.

Nathaniel Hale: the rapper (aka Nate Dogg) was arrested by Arizona police in April 2002 and hit with gun possession and marijuana charges. He pleaded guilty in May 2002 and was sentenced to probation, community service, and ordered to attend drug counseling sessions.

Geri Halliwell: the formerly shapely Spice Girl has been treated at a US clinic for eating disorders in recent months. Met her current boyfriend while in rehab. He was there trying to cure himself of some sort of chemical dependency.

David Hasselhoff: The Baywatch star was lucky to survive a booze-drenched nightmare which put him into the Betty Ford Centre for rehab.

Anne Heche: went on a well-publicised bender with Robert Downey
Jnr in 2000 after being dumped by Ellen.

James Hetfield: Metallica’s frontman spent a lengthy stint in rehab for alcohol and substance abuse in the 1990s but then managed to rejoin the band and declared he was “feeling rather good about life”.

John Holmes: famous porn star and appendage man, battled a drug addiction and cleaned himself up. Died of AIDS in 1988.

Whitney Houston: the singer is seeking treatment for drug dependencies she revealed to US journalist Dianne Sawyer a few weeks back.

Michael Hutchens: the late lead singer of INXS seemed to try everything to excess.

Samuel L Jackson: hit it big before he made it big – he checked into rehab
after his wife found him passed out on the kitchen floor clutching some crack.

Waylon Jennings: Serious cocaine abuser in the 70’s but some re-hab time cured him long enough to die of Diabetes related illness a year or 2 back.

Billy Joel: Aging Rocker. The singer checked in to a rehab hospital to “deal with a specific and personal problem that had recently developed”. Obviously, he must be bad because “Only the good die young”.

Elton John: went into rehab in the early 1990’s for drink, drugs and bulimia.

James King: supermodel and budding actress had a heroin addiction until
1997 when her boyfriend died from an overdose.

Martin Lawrence: went into rehab in March 1997 after being arrested at
Burbank Airport trying to board a plane with a loaded gun (not the only thing
that was loaded, it appears).

Tommy Lee: Motley Crue’s former drummer has done the lot with drugs, spousal abuse and unauthorized sex videos which also took in a jail sting for violating probation.

Jerry Lee Lewis: A serious drinker all his life, his source of vast quantities of pain killers etc was the same Dr Nick who was Elvis’ main man. Like Hunter S Thompson, it’s a miracle he is still alive.

Courtney Love: The woman who carried her husband’s ashes around in a
back pack for 2 years. Is she on, is she off, is she on, is she off? In
and out of rehab more times that in the charts. Oddball fact – hubby
Kurt Cobain after fleeing rehab headed home to Seattle to kill himself.
Seated alongside him on plane was Duff McKagen, long-time user/abuser
and sometime bassist for Guns N Roses. Was a guest of the entertainingly named “Chit Chat Farms
Treatment Centre” for drug rehab.

Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy): Despite many attempts in re-hab, heroin finally killed him.

AJ Maclean: The Backstreet Boy entered rehab in July 2001 for
alcoholism, leading the band to cancel some concerts (calling his dog “Jack D”
was probably a bit of a giveaway).

Diego Maradonna: The man who used the hand of God also used Satan’s
left nostril to toot half of Columbia’s GNP. Currently living in Cuba,
rehab a possibility, making occasional photo ops with Fidel.

Matthew McConaughey: the actor was arrested by Austin, Texas police in October 1999 and charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia after a neighbor called to complain about music blaring from the actor’s crib. When cops arrived, they found McConaughey dancing around in the buff and playing bongo drums. The drug charges against McConaughey were eventually dropped, though the star did plead guilty to violating Austin’s noise ordinance, for which he paid a $50 fine.

John McEnroe: is still in therapy as part of the terms of his divorce from Tatum O’Neil and has admitted to taking plenty of drugs throughout his career although he never went into rehab.

Freddy Mercury: the late lead singer of Queen was famous for his Ibiza cocaine-party sessions in the 70’s.

Paul Merson: English professional footballer. Gambling problems lead him to the bottle which further lead him to cocaine addiction. Recognised his problem, went into rehab and is now playing with Division One leaders Portsmouth.

Keith Moon: drummer with The Who – in and out of rehab – died of drug overdose in 1978.

Kate Moss: spent 2 months in the “Priority Drug Rehab Clinic” in London –
Johnny Depp gave her a BMW as a present on discharge, which might have helped
her keep her focus;

Stevie Nicks: says she’s put around $1 million up her nose over the years,
but when she went into rehab in 1986 and again in 1994 it was for addiction to
Prozac and other prescription meds;

Nick Nolte: in a spectacular fall from grace, the actor was recently
picked up by some California cops driving his Porsche while higher than Joe Cocker. A judge ordered him to undergo drug therapy.

Gary Oldman: spent time in rehab thanks to alcohol abuse.

Matthew Perry: The Friends co-star who plays Chandler Bing has been in and out of rehab in recent years thanks to drugs, alcohol, prescription pills, depression and even dietary problems. “You play, you pay,” Perry explains.

Paula Poundstone: US comedian has done more than 125 days in voluntary rehab for alcohol abuse and was even fined for child endangerment.

River Phoenix: struck down by heroin and cocaine.

Jason Priestly: The Beverley Hills 90210 star went into court ordered rehab after
being charged with drink driving in 2001;

Richard Pryor: you name it he’s had it and done rehab for it on numerous occasions. A mate said of him: “You know you have a drug problem when you set yourself on fire while
freebasing cocaine”.

Denis Quade: Meg Ryan made him drop out of Hollywood for two years of rehab
before she would agree to marry him;

Keith Richard: The God of junkies everywhere. Had copious transfusions to kick his Heroin ‘problem’

Diana Ross: entered a Southern California
drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, weeks before
she was to launch a world tour.

Charlie Sheen: A serial drug abuser who has been in and out of rehab over the years.

Christian Slater: dabbled with heroin and cocaine.

Anna Nicole Smith: alcohol and drugs although she denied it for a long time.

Christian Slater: has also done time at Malibu Promises;

Aaron Sorkin: the creator of the West Wing has been in rehab twice, and in
April 2001 was arrested at an airport when security found coke, pot and magic
mushrooms in his carry-on luggage.

Ringo Strarr and wife Barbara Bach. Heroin addiction so severe that neither could work for years and both ended up in rehab.

Oliver Stone: Oliver Stone went into rehab in 1999 as part of a plea bargain on charges
of drink driving and drug possession.

Darryl Strawberry: former All-Star baseball legend was arrested by Tampa police in April 1999 and charged with possession of cocaine and soliciting a prostitute. He has since been rearrested (and jailed) several times for violating probation terms.

Patrick Swayze: has done rehab for alcoholism, and when the plane he was
flying crashed in July 2000 some witnesses claimed they helped him hide the
bottles before he left the scene and holed up in the motel where police later
found him.

Elizabeth Taylor: even met one of her husbands in rehab.

Hunter S Thompson: Last seen holed up somewhere in the Colorado’s
holding hostage a speed dealer, a weapons salesman and a large cache of
LSD-addicted bats.

Billy Bob Thornton: at present trying to cure a sex addiction in a bid to win back the talented and aesthetically pleasing Angelina Jolie.

Jean Claude Van Damme only lasted 7 days of a 30 day rehab programme at the
Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital in LA in 1996; in 1998 he announced he was using
again; in 1999 he was arrested for drunk driving.

Dick Van Dyke: treated for alcoholism in the 1970s.

Scott Weiland: the Stone Temple Pilots – or should that be Stoned Temple
Pilots – was sentenced to a year in prison in 1999 for violating his probation
on heroin possession charges.

Hank Williams: despite a number of times in re-hab, another in the clutches of a so called Doctor (this time Toby Marshall) who fed Hank a steady diet of chlorohydrate that, mixed with alcohol, finished him off at 29 in the back seat of his powder blue cadillac New Year’s day 1953

Robbie Williams: the small but perfectly formed British singer has
admitted to therapy for drug and alcohol dependencies. Is a member of
Alcoholics Anonymous.

Paula Yates: the celebrity groupie got hooked on heroin for a while.

Anyone who can come up with 5 other international celebrities in the entertainment or sporting fields who fit into this category will win a gift Crikey subscription.