Rehab
By the time British singer Amy Winehouse received five Grammy Awards for “Rehab”—her autobiographical ode to dodging detox—the song had become Hollywood’s newest soundtrack.
In the week before Rehab was named record of the year and song of the year, news reports noted that the actresses Eva Mendes, Kirsten Dunst, and Sean Young had all entered rehab, and that Pat O’Brien—host of a tabloid TV show that routinely reports on the rehab struggles of others— was suddenly in rehab himself.
All of which prompted one culture-chronicling website to ask: Is rehab the new black?
Amy Winehouse’s own very public road to rehab has included a heroin and cocaine overdose, an arrest in Norway for drug possession, and various instances of disturbing behavior, such as wandering the streets outside her London home at dawn in her underwear, confused and with her signature beehive hairdo acutely askew.
The reality behind her wittily defiant lyrics—“They tried to make me go to rehab/ I said ‘No, no, no’”—finally provoked Winehouse’s father-in-law to make an unusual plea for fans: force the 24 year old into accepting responsibility for her sobriety by boycotting her records. “Perhaps it’s time to stop buying them,” he said. “It might send her a message.”
After Winehouse’s whopping win, former Grammy winner Natalie Cole said what some had been thinking: “I don’t think she should have won.” Cole, who admits her own past battles with substance issues, said, “I think it sends a bad message to our young people who are trying to get into this business, the ones who are trying to do it right and really trying to keep themselves together. We have to stop rewarding bad behavior.”
Tell us what you think: Are we irresponsibly rewarding celebrities’ bad behavior by buying their music and paying to see their movies? Would boycotting Amy Winehouse help her? How responsible are we as fans and consumers when celebs unravel?
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Get Real
After working over 15 years in probation and Sheriff’s Work programs environments, I don’t live in a bubble especially when it comes to drugs and irresponsible behaviour. If you do things to yourself you are not a victim. You are doing things that you choose to do. After all those years of working with people who constantly make bad choices and choose lifestyles that are dangerous and unhealthy you become quite educated in knowing the difference between a real victim and a pity seeker. When it comes to Amy Winehouse, how many years did she study music? Who was her vocal coach? I personally don’t see any value or talent in her – just another typical generation X spoiled brat.
Dorothy Gardiner | 2 years ago
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To thine own self be true ??
I’m not sure if you are responding to My post, but this conversation should be about neither you nor your hostility. This is not even about level of education or taste in music…
My point is simply this:
I would have every right in the world to vote for Amy Winehouse for one reason: She was nominated for a GRAMMY.
Of course, if ‘being nominated’ in itself makes you angry, I understand why actually winning several of them would make you … irate.
I am sure with your vast experience with, as you described them, “irresponsible, pity-seeking” addicts, you can understand that when a person is hostile, it is difficult to have a logical, rational discussion about ~ responsibility.
My responsibility it to be true to myself.
Therefore I hereby exclaim that
I FOUND the performance Amy Winehouse gave on the 2008 Grammys to be thoroughly enjoyable, and her song (and CD) to be just as worthy of a nomination as any of the other nominees. That’s my story and I’m responsibly stickin’ to it!
: )
Lyn | 2 years ago
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There is no hostility just facts
I don’t see were there is any hostility involved. I have only stated facts that support my point of view which is my right and shows responsibility about respecting oneself’s body and mind to others around me. Just because someone is popular or in the limelight doesn’t make them right or great. Charles Manson was in the spotlight – does this make him great? Drug abuse is rampant and destroying humanity. We should not tolerate nor should we respect it by thinking it is normal or just a passing thing like a cold. It destroys life and if it is an so-called artist that promotes the druggie lifestyle or is a abuser, we should not supply that person with funds to continue their abuse. That is all I want to say. I will never defend drug abusers and those they hurt because of their stupidity and bad choices.
Dorothy Gardiner | 2 years ago
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observation
It seems that anyone who does not like Amy’s music thinks it’s tangible to say she does not “deserve” a grammy because of her problems with substance abuse…
There’s no logic there. What does a person’s private problems have to do with whether he/she should be recognized and awarded for making good music?
If good behavior and lack of drug use were prerequisites for winning, the grammy’s would be a lonely place, indeed. Just about every musician in the world would be disqualified.
I also find it quite disturbing to see comments from a professional, working in law enforcement insinuating that drug users are little more than ‘pity-seekers’.
The truth is, people who abuse drugs need help to stop because they often can’t help themselves. God help them if they had to depend on “professionals” working in sheriff’s programs with lousy attitudes like this to help them turn their boat around.
Sure, perhaps we all should just write off the sick and misguided, and let them all die? Would that make the world a better place for you ‘work program’ desk jockeys?
How many great artists over the course of human history were either insane, disturbed, drug users, or simply misfits?
Many died long before they could’ve achieved their best work because society abandoned them rather than helped them.
If you do irresponsible things and hurt yourself, you are indeed a “victim”…of yourself! Get professional counseling, but don’t expect anyone in law enforcement to help you because you might cause them to fill out paperwork or ruin their day with your reprehensible “spoiled brat” problems.
rbrigid1 | 2 years ago
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Ft. Valley
I like her music and I think she is very brave to be doing this by being who she is. I have chosen her for my British Lit report because she inspires me and she has a wonderfully beautiful voice and i wish i could be as brave as her she is a true inspirration.
Ashley Newman | 2 years ago
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Amy's Demons
I’ve read almost everything there is on Amy Winehouse. I do believe she has a lot to offer the music business, I truly do. She’s not only musically talented, but she can actually sell herself, even though the clothing she wears is a bit too much for us conservative people. That being said, however, she still manages to sell herself, what with her clothes, beehive, eyeliner and all. There’s a lot to be said for that. Trash sells, it always has and always will. I don’t believe Amy started out wanting to be trash, and I don’t believe she is trash now but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure her personality out. Can’t you see that she’s reaching out for help? When Amy started out, her hair, makeup and clothing were suitable for her. She didn’t have a beehive and her eyeliner was barely recognizable in comparison to what she looks like now. This is what I see and you can take it or leave it. I see a very young girl who has loads of talent, both in singing, songwriting, and the ability to play an instrument. That alone is such an accomplishment to someone like me, who can’t carry a tune in a bucket, much less write a song or play an instrument, so Amy – sober or straight – gets a lot of respect from me for that. Now here’s a young girl with all that talent and honestly she doesn’t know which way to turn with it. She apparently had problems with “her people” along the way, her initial record company or whomever these promotional people were not doing her right. Amy, unlike Natalie Cole, who’s father paved her way, had to work her way into the music business, she couldn’t ride in on her Daddy’s coat tail like Natalie Cole did. Amy’s unfortunate downfall is ultimately her husband who saw dollar signs and has used Amy over and over. Amy, being a young female with no real experience with good men who are respectable, has ended up with a user. Blake is a user and he’s riding on Amy’s coat tail and she’s so “love struck” she can’t get passed it – so what happens is, she has turned to the drugs and alcohol, like so many other celebrities have and let’s not leave out the normal people either. Not many people left on this planet are totally “straight”. With the way our country is now, how many people do you know who doesn’t drink or use some kind of drug, whether it’s prescription or not. Until Amy wakes up and realizes that she is somebody, and that she’s worth something and that she’s made out of more than any drug can induce her to, she isn’t going to get very far. It’s up to us to pray that she will get good help. I don’t believe 30 days in rehab is going to help anybody. I think it would take a year or longer and then these people have to move away from their friends so they won’t be tempted. Kindness works wonders even with drug abusers. They need love too, they goofed up their life, but they can turn it around if they finally see for themselves what they have become. During Amy’s husband Blake’s incarceration, she has never forgotten him not even on her great days such as her awards, but also, through every bad drug day she’s had since he’s been in prison, then when she falls off the wagon, he tells her not to bother to come and see him. What kind of jerk is he? Has he already forgotten how he’s used her to get pictures of her so he can get heroin so he can OD? That’s the pot calling the kettle black in my book and the sooner he’s out of her life the better, but Amy has to get clean so her brain can function and all you people who down her needs to look in your own back yard. How many straight people are in your family?? We don’t need to kick this girl while she’s down. We need to uplift her and forgive her and yes, forgive her husband Blake too. They are the kind of people that the more you down them and the more you preach to them, the worse they are gonna be. It’s up to us as a decent society to pick them up when they fall, every time. For those of you who think I’m nuts for my way of handling people who are on drugs, trust me, I have family who are drug addicts and not once has being mean and overbearing to them worked, but being nice to them and understanding, they were more likely to be with me and straighten up when they needed somebody. Without that, they might be in a ditch dead somewhere like so many stars have done lately. People on drugs do try your patience, no doubt, but I believe that downing them and making fun of them only deepens their desire to take drugs and lock the world out. I’m jussayin’…….be a better person and lift these people up so they can be all they can be. With love, kindness and hope maybe they can make it. Even with intervention, there is love and caring that is shared with the person who they are intervening.
Linda Cross | 2 years ago
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Amy - Whiner & Loser (Not)
I didn’t know God had died and left you in charge of the judgement seat! In your comment, I saw I, I, I, I a lot!! I hope that no one in your family ever needs you cause we can see here that you have already made up your mind and you are ready to send Amy to hell. Shame on you!! Amy may need more medical help besides Rehab. Personally, I think you should consider going to Compassionate Rehab. You don’t seem to have any kind of compassion for anybody. That’s a shame and disgrace. People like you is why there’s more and more addicts on the street. People like you give people like Amy drugs so they end up in the gutter and you can now say, I told you so.
Linda Cross | 2 years ago
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Amy Not Charged
Now that Amy has not been charged in her husband’s alleged charges, maybe she will take a second look and wean herself away from Blake. I think she showed something of that when she didn’t show up for his last hearing. Amy sees Blake through drug crazed eyes. When and if she stays clean, she will finally see him with clear eyes and an unfogged mind. Only then will she see Blake for what he truly is. He is very controlling by telling her not to bother to come to see him if she’s still doing cocaine. What if she didn’t go see him cause he overdosed on heroin and he got that by trading her signed pictures. I hope she sees the light soon. I hope she doesn’t fall for his “reverse psychology”.
Linda Cross | 2 years ago
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Amy is an awesome artist
Amy is a wonderful artist & she needs a lot of support from her fans now. She is obviously going thru a difficult time, and the last thing she needs to hear is how she “doesn’t” deserve the awards she worked so hard for. She earned those awards for her musical talents and she deserved it.
shanda witt | 2 years ago
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A fan who cares
The first time I saw Amy was in her music video “You know I’m no good.” I was taken in by the music, her voice, and her look. She is very different and talented. I asked my daughter who is she? A new artist. That was early last year. Just recently I was flipping thru the channels and I caught her in concert. I’ve become a diehard fan. I went out and bought both her cds and dvd. I missed the grammys this year. I did not know she had a substance abuse problem until my daughter told me. My feelings were of sadness. I thought of Janis Joplin. I don’t go out and buy music quite often. When I do I don’t buy any of the new artists. I’m not compelled to do so. I hear the music out now because my children play it. I don’t become a fan easily..My favorite artists that come to the top of my head are Patti Labelle, Prince, and Annie Lennox. I admire these artists for their voice, their music, and individuality. They truly stand alone as true talent and artists. Amy has joined this list for me. Her first cd is awesome. I have seen her singing with just acoustic guitar online when she was younger and she is amazing and true. Her tone and style is definitly unique and not typical of just any good singer. She cannot be touched or compared. As far as the grammys, the grammy is awarded for music, not for behaviour. Based on music alone, I am happy she won. I am praying that she stands alone strong surrounded by people who truly love her, encourage and support her. I pray for her to be truly happy, to love herself and be inspired to make her music. In the end, it is all up to Amy to take control of her destiny.
Evelyn Quinones | 2 years ago
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