fordman_mustang

just curuios, this may be a dumb topic but some times when i turn down drinking i kinda think if chad johnson, hes a football plays crazy guy, and i was reading a SI artical on him and he talks about how he doesn't drink and when they go out to the club he just sips on water.

though it was pretty cool just wondering who else doesn't.

came2believe

You got me intrigued, here's a couple articles I found with a quick Google Search: (I don't have enough posts to post a hotlink, so replace the DOTS with real dots)

alcoholismDOTaboutDOTcom/cs/person/l/aa010122a.htm (about NY Giants QB)

lat34DOTcom/we_don_t_do_it

nativesDOTcoDOTuk/action/list.py/view_item?listid=9&listcatid=39&listitemid=860

JD86

would this not go againest the basic tenant of AA .. (the second A stands for Anonymous)

Nuudawn

Their celebrity somewhat negates their anonymity...price to pay I guess for all those bushels of money.
Ben Affleck comes to mind

JD86

just because they are famous in one respect does not give anyone the right to "out" them (in my humble opinion)

came2believe

The links I posted were people who are already out in the open about their alcoholism.

But if I said I saw a certain baseball player at an AA meeting, then that would be a violation of his anonymity, EVEN if he was already "out" as a recovering alcoholic.

And if said ballplayer goes on Larry King Live and identifies himself as a member of AA, then he blows the 11th tradition (anonymity at the level of press, radio, & film).

BUT--if said ballplayer goes on Larry King and says "I'm a recovering alcoholic," then he is fine.

That's my understanding, anyway.

Time2Surrender

One would think so but I wonder. Seems to me getting millions of $ to make a movie, play ball or whatever comes at a price. Im sure most celebs are aware of this even before they become famous. So much for your privacy. You are now in the public eye. People are intriged with famous people even though for the most part they are no differnet than anyone else. And that fame comes at a price. You get paid more money than most people could earn in several life times to make one movie or play for one season. Price you gotta pay. May not be right but thats how it is. I could probably live with it. We recently had a major celeb attending meetings in my area. Word got around fast. Now thats wrong. A meeting with 20 people suddenly had over 100. But this person also anounced they were back in recovery in the press and on TV. Probably because they knew their anonymity would be broken anyway.

scootinbabe

it's probably safe to say that most famous people who have been in rehab no longer drink (or at least have tried not to). i just read that nicole kidman sometimes attends meetings with keith urban. it's out there in the mainstream press.

GlassPrisoner

Mike Portnoy from the underground prog/metal band Dream Theater is an Alcoholic in recovery. He's even written a saga spanning several songs and albums that outline the 12 steps.

Jen26

Hi There,
The comedians Billy Connelly and Robin Williams don't drink. Billy recently celebrated 20 years since he had a last drink! They tell some pretty insane stories about when they were drinkers.

CarolD

Robin Williams is newly sober again.
He did resume drinking after years of sobriety.

The only sober time I am certain of
is my own!

JD86

but it kind of rankles me when the celebs "out" themselves or others....

seems to me that they are saying that the second A in AA does not apply to them......... also seems to me that the most vocal ones dont always "get it" and are stuck in the revolving door of AA or recovery....

the ones with really solid long term recovery know to be humble and respect the traditions, the basis of the program... (the second A)

just my 2 cents

mikel60

Check out the band Social Distortion
Ball and Chain, The Story of My Life = drunkalogue
I Was Wrong, Crown of Thorns = Steps/amends
When the Angels Sing = the promises

Dropkick Murphys are named after a detox and their first CD is all about sobriety/alcoholism:
The Road of the Righteous, Barroom Hero, Memories Remain

George Bush says he doesn't drink... must be smoking something, though...

GlassPrisoner

miekel60m didn't know that about Social D. Good stuff !

came2believe

I didn't either. How funny - I played them continually early in sobriety shaking my head and saying... weird, this song makes sense to me in a different way now! Thanks.

doorknob

Not everyone in recovery is in a 12-Step group.

doorknob

Word!

doorknob

Eminem says in one of his newer songs that he's off drugs (and off track, LOL).

laurie6781

You know, I got sober in Southern California quite a while ago now. I saw many "famous" faces in various meetings, many of them still alive and sober today.

My take is this. When anyone walks through the doors of an AA meeting they are just like I was..................hurting and in hell. They have a hole in their gut big enough to drive a big rig through, and it doesn't matter if they lived in Beverly Hills, Gross Pointe or under the nearest bridge. They are there for one reason and one reason only...............................a desire to stop drinking.

So.......................to this alkie names and celebrity status don't mean 'chit.' As far as I am concerned they hurt like I did, and they put their pants on the same.

If they choose to out themselves, their problem not mine. I do not believe that discussing "celebrities" and "famous" people who are or are not sober contributes anything to one's individual recovery.

The only sobriety I need concern myself about is MINE.

J M H O

Love and hugs,

mikel60

http://www.austin360.com/arts/conten...0/26music.html
Hey Glass Prisoner and came2believe,
Here's a short article about Social D's Mike Ness you might be interested in. My buddy and I would blast Social D. on our way to meetings our first year. He even got the dancing skeleton tattoo on his back. Whatever it takes... we're both still sober ... 10 years and counting.
Mike in Boston