Sunday, November 29, 2015

Gore Vidal

The following are excerpted from a review by Charles McGrath of ‘Empire of Self: A Life of Gore Vidal,’ by Jay Parini appearing in The New York Times on November 29, 2015.

"We get once again Vidal’s lonely childhood with a monstrous, alcoholic mother ... "

"Readers hoping for more lurid details — Vidal, unable to open a bottle of Scotch, smashing it against a fireplace and guzzling from the broken neck, or lunging so abruptly for a bottle that his suspenders snap and his pants fall down — will have to turn to [another book published earlier this year.]"


Sunday, November 8, 2015

CC Sabathia bares soul on his 3-year spiral of alcoholism

 ... This past Oct. 4, after a bender that turned a weekend in Baltimore into a 48-hour stretch in which the large lefty’s mind went blank, Sabathia finally understood he was an alcoholic in desperate need of immediate help.

That was a Sunday, and the Yankees were completing the regular season and preparing to host the Astros at Yankee Stadium two days later in the AL wild-card game.

Sabathia walked into the Camden Yards visiting manager’s office and told Joe Girardi, trainer Steve Donohue, pitching coach Larry Rothschild and director of mental conditioning Chad Bohling he was leaving the team and headed for help at Silver Hill, a Connecticut alcohol rehabilitation center.

 http://nypost.com/2015/11/06/cc-sabathia-bares-soul-on-his-3-year-spiral-of-alcoholism/

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Jimmy Fallon

 ‘He’s a mess’: Insiders worry Fallon’s partying is getting out of hand

by Dana Schuster
He’s one of NBC’s biggest success stories — keeping “The Tonight Show” at the top of the late-night ratings with bouncy show tunes and campy games.
Modal Trigger
Jimmy FallonPhoto: FilmMagic
Now Jimmy Fallon is also one of NBC’s biggest worries.

On Oct. 24, Fallon was stitched up at a hospital in Cambridge, Mass., after falling — and dropping a bottle of Jägermeister — while receiving the Harvard Lampoon’s Elmer Award for Excellence in Humor. “I threw the bottle and then I landed on broken glass,” a bandaged Fallon recapped on his show the following Monday. “There [were] pools of blood everywhere.”

It’s the party guy’s third injury in four months, and sources say NBC is worried that Fallon’s drinking has turned excessive. And while they’re not doing anything about it — yet — “It’s gone from being a whisper to a chatter,” says one industry insider of Fallon’s over-the-top behavior.

More.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Fired USC coach Steve Sarkisian spent big on alcohol

Fired USC coach Steve Sarkisian spent big on alcohol while at Washington, documents show 

The Los Angeles Times reported that Sarkisian and three assistants ordered four shots of Patron Silver, four shots of an unspecified liquor and five beers before Sarkisian cashed out at 11:53 a.m. during a stop in Nashville in January 2013.

The L.A. Times also obtained over 800 pages of receipts and expense reports from Sarkesian’s time at Washington, which were loaded with alcohol purchases. In June of 2011 he paid a $722.52 bill — which included 83 beers and 12 shots of vodka — at 10:16 a.m. at a Washington golf resort; he rang up a $1,600 tab over two days at a hotel’s poolside bar in 2013; and he ordered 91 shots of tequila during two visits to a restaurant, racking up a $1,023 bill.

The Los Angeles Daily News also noted that sources that include a USC assistant coach, said they believe Sarkisian was drunk during USC's 42-14 victory over Arizona State on Sept. 26.


 

 

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

C. C. Sabathia to Enter Alcohol Rehab and Miss Yankees’ Playoffs

C. C. Sabathia, a commanding presence and a key leader for the Yankees, if no longer a franchise star, left the team and said Monday that he was entering an alcohol treatment program.

Although Sabathia was not expected to pitch Tuesday night in the wild-card game against the Houston Astros — the Yankees’ first playoff game since 2012 — the announcement left the Yankees stunned. Many members of the team threw their support behind Sabathia.

“All that matters now is what’s happening now, which is obviously he’s going to get the help necessary in a structured environment,” General Manager Brian Cashman said in a news conference at Yankee Stadium, just before the team worked out. “He’s going to get professional help. That’s the most important thing right now.”

 http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/sports/yankees-cc-sabathia-enters-alcohol-rehab-will-miss-playoffs.html?ref=todayspaper

Sunday, October 4, 2015

The Real Kennedy Curse

The REAL Kennedy curse: Patrick says 'disabling alcoholism' claimed the life of his senator father Ted, his mother, his sister - and left HIM passed out on Air Force One.... but shock claims infuriate the rest of the clan
  • Patrick Kennedy says his father's drinking was so out of control his family were staged
  • But their attempts their attempts to reach out to 'Ted' Kennedy only ended up driving him further away
  • Ted admitted he enjoyed a drink but would never accept he was an alcoholic
  • Patrick has clashed with his brother Teddy over the claims who called them 'unfair and inaccurate' 
  • A Common Struggle also documents Patrick's struggle with drink and says it's one many of the Kennedy's have faced
  • Ted Kennedy's first wife Joan had a well-documented battle as did his nephew Christopher Lawford

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Autopsy shows escaped NY killer was drunk

Autopsy shows escaped NY killer was drunk when fatally shot in the head during manhunt

 

 http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/08/05/autopsy-shows-escaped-ny-killer-was-drunk-when-fatally-shot-in-head-during/

 

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Dead Escaped Murderer Was Drunk


 Fugitive inmate Richard Matt reeked of alcohol and was probably sloshed when he ignored orders from law enforcement to put down his shotgun, The Buffalo News reported Sunday.

Sunday, May 31, 2015

26 Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were Alcohol Addicts

Alcoholism is an addiction that affects not only the physical health of the addict, but also their mental health, leading to a downfall when it comes to social and familial life. When alcoholism starts being a big problem for the addict, it shows in their failure to successfully deal with work-related and other responsibilities, as alcohol dominates every aspect of their life, including their relationships. Alcoholism is harmful and damaging for every addict, but when it comes to celebrities it reaches a completely different level, as their lives and careers are in the public spotlight. Alcoholism can threaten to destroy a celebrity’s career and significantly affect their personal as well as public life. Here are 26 celebrities whose lives and careers have been affected by alcoholism.


Link

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Signed Copies of Vessels of Rage Available

Available for sale are signed copies of the paperback edition of my book Vessels of Rage: the Secret History of Alcoholism.

Reviews and other information about the book available here

The price of $17.95 includes Free Shipping to USA addresses.

Payment in advance by check on a USA bank is required.

I will provide my postal address in response to your email.


Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Jon Hamm Completes Treatment for Alcohol Addiction

Hamm is the American actor who plays the character "Don Draper" on television's Mad Men.

In last season "Don Draper" was subjected to what appeared to be an "intervention" for alcoholism.