Drew, a Lesson

Jacob Sullum | August 8, 2007

Writing in yesterday's Wall Street Journal, addiction psychologist (and occasional  reason contributor) Stanton Peele, whose latest book is Addiction Proof Your Child, counters "bad advice for Lindsay Lohan," including "never drink again," "lock yourself up," and "get out of show business." He suggests a role model:

Another young Hollywood star who was branded an addict was Drew Barrymore. Remember when she appeared on the cover of People magazine at age 13 as America's youngest addict? Ms. Barrymore had many substance abusing relatives, including her parents, and so experts concluded she would be addicted her entire life.

But, almost 20 years later, in 2007, Ms. Barrymore was on the cover of People again—this time as the world's most beautiful person! No one thinks of her as an addict any longer. Young people often ultimately outgrow youthful problems, sometimes quite serious ones, including drinking and drug addiction.

Comments

Doc|8.8.07 @ 3:24PM|#

Me thinks L.L. is more bound to follow the River Phoenix Model than Drew.

|8.8.07 @ 3:28PM|#

Wow, Drew Barrymore managed to get off drugs... without having to be thrown in jail!!!

It must be a misprint, cause mommy gub'ment tells me that's not possible.

|8.8.07 @ 3:30PM|#

I'm curious, does Barrymore now drink in moderation or is she a teetotaler?

|8.8.07 @ 3:32PM|#

I'm down with any advice that leads Ms. Lohan to bare her chest on Late Show with David Letterman.

|8.8.07 @ 3:33PM|#

That's the best picture of Drew Barrymore I've ever seen. Unfortunately, she doesn't actually look like that.

|8.8.07 @ 3:46PM|#

Agreed. Drew looks like a stroke victim. Half of her face is almost completely immobile. How she became to be considered beautiful is proof of a mass derangement of the American mind from political correctness.

Also, three more Lohan posts in a row and we can finely turn this place into Egotastic.

|8.8.07 @ 3:47PM|#

It's tragic that not even reason magazine can escape the lure of Lindsay Lohan headlines.

|8.8.07 @ 3:49PM|#

Marcvs,

Doesn't she? Well perhaps not. But you're still so very very wrong

|8.8.07 @ 3:51PM|#

Warren, you horny bastard, I followed your goddam link!

|8.8.07 @ 3:53PM|#

Warren, you horny bastard, I followed your goddam link!

I have my Google filter set to moderate here at work. I'm thinking you must have gotten unfiltered results.

jimmydageek|8.8.07 @ 3:55PM|#

Marcvs | August 8, 2007, 3:33pm | #

That's the best picture of Drew Barrymore I've ever seen. Unfortunately, she doesn't actually look like that.

Behold, the miracles of Photoshop!. (Rollover mouse on image to see original vs altered...)

lunchstealer|8.8.07 @ 4:00PM|#

Does anybody else think that Drew Barrymore is looking like walking-plastic-guy number 3 from Terror of the Autons? I keep expecting her hand to swivel open to reveal a remarkably ineffectual gun at any second.

|8.8.07 @ 4:02PM|#

Warren,

Yeah, looks like family filter is off on mine.

I wasn't accusing you of anything, just taking the opportunity to paraphrase Gen. Patton.

|8.8.07 @ 4:37PM|#

just taking the opportunity to paraphrase Gen. Patton.

You mean as in, "Rommel, you magnificent bastard.
I read your goddamn book!"? I wouldn't have made the connection without the clue.

|8.8.07 @ 4:38PM|#

But, almost 20 years later, in 2007, Ms. Barrymore was on the cover of People again-this time as the world's most beautiful person! No one thinks of her as an addict any longer.

And no one with eyes thinks of her as beautiful.

Sal Paradise|8.8.07 @ 5:03PM|#

Does anybody else think that Drew Barrymore is looking like walking-plastic-guy number 3 from Terror of the Autons?

Yes, and Lohan looks like a newly-regenerated(well, mostly) Rani.

|8.8.07 @ 5:12PM|#

Wait, this guy was saying that "lock yourself up," and "get out of show business" was bad advice for Lindsay Lohan? I don't give a shit how much she drinks, but I think that is perfectly good advice regardless of whether she quits partying.

John Tabin|8.8.07 @ 5:19PM|#

I was hoping Peele would weigh in on Lohan. If you have any sort of addiction problem, I strongly recommend this book of his.

|8.8.07 @ 5:22PM|#

"Young people often ultimately outgrow youthful problems, sometimes quite serious ones, including drinking and drug addiction." Then they grow up and have big people problems.

First, the marriage to Tom Green, then this comment:

Actress Drew Barrymore, who reportedly earns $15 million a film, told MTV viewers in one episode that after spending time in a primitive, electricity-free Chilean village, "I aspire to be like them more."

Barrymore, apparently enthralled by the lack of a modern sanitary facilities, gleefully bragged, "I took a poo in the woods hunched over like an animal. It was awesome."

I'd say, like, pick someone else, Lindsay.

Rhywun|8.8.07 @ 5:25PM|#

I can resist comparing Drew Barrymore to sentient mannequins long enough to remember her decent turn in Donnie Darko.

|8.8.07 @ 5:46PM|#

Actress Drew Barrymore, who reportedly earns $15 million a film, told MTV viewers in one episode that after spending time in a primitive, electricity-free Chilean village, "I aspire to be like them more."

Are you freakin serious?

Lets make her switch places with an impoverished Cambodian woman for a year, and see if she still thinks its awesome. What an asshat.

|8.8.07 @ 5:55PM|#

Cesar:
Exactly ---
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/34159

|8.8.07 @ 5:59PM|#

Stanton Peele seems to have discovered that actors tend to be addiction-riddled basket cases. How come no one ever thought of that before?

For her own sake, I hope that Ms. Lohan gets her shit together, just as I do anything messed-up person.

|8.8.07 @ 6:14PM|#

sixstring,

I think there was a Reason blog post about that. And IIRC, Cameron Diaz took the opportunity to go on a defecation outing with her the next day.

|8.8.07 @ 6:18PM|#

Ah yes, here 'tis!.

|8.8.07 @ 7:21PM|#

crimethink

Thanks! The comments were waaaay funnier than today's. But I guess the material was easier to work with.

The Wine Commonsewer-Reg US Pa|8.8.07 @ 7:43PM|#

Oh Cesar, you have no idea how much fun Drew Barrymore had shitting in the woods.

On a more serious note, I am well acquainted with someone who was the worst alcoholic you can ever imagine. Worse than LL. She quit cold turkey, stayed sober for 6-8 years and when she had a slug of champagne at my wedding we all cringed. Turns out, she then became a moderate social drinker with absolutely zero alcohol problems and in her old age his quit drinking again. For some people, apparently, drunks really don't have to go to all those stupid meetings.

The Wine Commonsewer-Reg US Pa|8.8.07 @ 7:46PM|#

Oh and Cesar, here's a five dollar wine that's really tasty.

2004 Timbuktu Big Block Red, marked down from ten bucks to five at Cost Plus World Market. Your results may vary.

It's the lead at TWC today if you want to click on my name and read the whole thing.

|8.8.07 @ 7:49PM|#

Bill Bennett (of 7-come-11 fame)describes Drew's "achievements" through his theories of the MASSIVE lowering of expectations of Americans. My children would never lower themselves to the behavior of the most highly regarded Hollywood type.

|8.8.07 @ 10:09PM|#

So, are we going with "Drew, a lesson" or "Drew, the exception"?

|8.8.07 @ 11:23PM|#

Oh Cesar, you have no idea how much fun Drew Barrymore had shitting in the woods.

Actually I sort of do. I'm best friends with a Cambodian immigrant. He hasn't been in that country since he was five years old. He said his parents wanted him to visit Cambodia this summer, buthe said shes not going back there because "I don't want to shit in an outhouse". So, I can only imagine his reaction if I told him how much fun Drew Barrymore had shitting in the woods.

Oh and Cesar, here's a five dollar wine that's really tasty.

2004 Timbuktu Big Block Red, marked down from ten bucks to five at Cost Plus World Market. Your results may vary.

It's the lead at TWC today if you want to click on my name and read the whole thing.

Will do! And btw my girlfriend and I loved the Smoking Loon.

|8.8.07 @ 11:41PM|#

I don't know how many people on here are familiar with Maddox, but his take on spoiled celebrities telling starving children in developing countries how lucky they are is hilarious.

|8.9.07 @ 12:26AM|#

Hilarious to you, but that's because you've never had the guilt of a privileged life. I don't blame these people for yearning for the opposite of what they have. Too many people think the goal in life is to be rich and famous. Well, Drew Barrymore was born rich and famous, so why is it such a surprise that she would want something more austere?

|8.9.07 @ 12:33AM|#

Lamar,

Because she took a poo in the woods and it was "awesome". You don't get a pass fer bein' pritty.

|8.9.07 @ 9:10AM|#

Lamar,

If she really wanted to live like that, she could. It is just a lot of talk. Her action shows that she likes her privileged life. If she wanted to be a poor person in Cambodia, she could move there, leave her money behind, and become one of the locals.
It is much easier for her to do that than for a Cambodian to come over here and become a rich celebrity.

ed|8.9.07 @ 9:35AM|#

Nobody looks like anybody, especially themselves.
"Beautiful" in People-speak means rich and popular, not good-looking.
Larry King bears an uncanny resemblance to a frog.
That is all.

|8.9.07 @ 10:41AM|#

For some people, apparently, drunks really don't have to go to all those stupid meetings.


It's too bad the "Bleeding Virgin Mary" episode of Southpark has been banned from being re-ran -- it was a devastatingly spot-on argument for this.

Steady Freddy|8.9.07 @ 10:52AM|#

Oh yeah, here's some blood-drinkin' vampire cocksucker on sale for half a ham sandwich, taking unauthorized pictures of this girl in Hawaii tokin' on a fattie.

O---

Bopo|8.9.07 @ 1:05PM|#

"And no one with eyes thinks of her as beautiful"

You can always put a bag over her head.

|8.10.07 @ 12:20AM|#

I just meant it's like a vacation for her. Us prols like to live it up like we're #1 in the world. For people who have had everything, perhaps a vacation is dumping in the woods. It's about extremes.