As a sober person (just hit 5 years!), I have also been thinking and thinking and THINKING about this Brad Pitt story, and as someone who also described their drinking as "more of a profession than a hobby," I really just can't stop. Maybe he's just feeling this out, maybe now that the divorce dust has settled he's rethinking, who knows? But yeah. Can't stop thinking about this story.
As recovering people I think it is important to understand and be aware of "Self-deception". We are ALL prone to it. It is the most incidious part of this disease/mental health condition. Self justification is subtle and ever present. Our job is to see it name it and be empathetic to the person who is self deceived. we can all fall for it. Love and tolerance.
This is an interesting point. When Dax Shepard talked about his relapse with painkillers on the AE podcast, he related what his sponsor told him when he came clean. Shepard told him he thought he could manage using the pills, and failed. The sponsor replied: "You still think you can outsmart your addiction?". Honestly that's what a ask myself whenever the thought of moderating substances creeps in. My answer is always no.
I wasn't paying too much attention to these news (my heart was broken for Hayden Panettiere and everything else had to wait) until I got to read his latest interview and noticed the use of "professional" to describe his drinking. Back when he got sober, he used it to convey the message that he could (and had to) drink more than anybody else, and was unable to stop. Now he uses it to describe moderate, conscious drinking, and perhaps also the kind of drinking that wouldn’t get him kicked off a movie set or prevent him from being considered for a role. It's interesting how the word has shifted its meaning to him, IMO.
Or kept him from assaulting his wife and choking his child. He’s a disaster when he’s drinking. He is estranged from ALL of his children because of it.
I think you're SPOT ON with your observations! Brad Pitt has never been my favorite person, and of course I'm only going by what I see on interviews & publications. I actually like his movies... I've just always had a "something's off" feeling about him. And now his poor choice of words - "back off the wagon" and "I have to be professional about my drinking" REALLY bothers me. I'm glad to finally get that off of my chest. Thanks for allowing me to vent:)
I think your post title was way off. Your observations are always a blend of wisdom and empathy.
The big takeaway for me from Brad's story is confusion, or maybe sadness. So you had an epiphany to live differently... and now you're all better? Dude.
I wonder whether the celebrities who recover quietly, sitting in meetings like any other drunk, not announcing to the world what is nobody’s business, are more successful at sobriety.
I actually think there can be value in celebrities talking about their recovery—even if they go on to have further struggles with it. But there’s also the undeniable reality that it can be a kind of PR strategy and it’s hard to know how to reconcile the two.
Agree that identifying with celebs, knowing we share the same issues, can be helpful. I was thinking more about their recovery. I’ve always thought about how hard it must be to be famous and trying to get sober. It’s hard enough for non-celebs to open up. I can’t imagine the fear celebs might feel that someone will make public what they share in a meeting. Grateful I’m not famous!
Oh definitely. I remember hearing an interview with Robert Downey Jr. many ago. He was talking about how he’d just gotten out of jail for some drug related offense and there was a crowd of fans outside the jail and one of them tossed a bag of coke in his car’s open window. Like wtf must that be like?
Time will tell, of course, but my main reaction to this news was sadness for him. If he truly did struggle with addiction, which is the narrative he put out, it feels like this is an instance of the alcoholic brain trying to return to its favorite activity using any justification possible. I hope I'm wrong, but it feels like a familiar theme in the addiction space.
Its been a long time sober for me. And I too have wondered if I can drink again. I can handle some things very responsibly now, much differently than I used to. But alcohol makes me pause and I have not once tried it simply because I've got a lot to lose if I do.
Really makes one wonder. With celebrity there’s always the question of PR and controlling the narrative. This is seeming to me like a reason for the 12 step fellowship’s tradition eleven:
Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.
But in today’s world, while attraction not promotion is the bomb of a principle, the personal anonymity part at the level of press, radio and film seems antiquated. Hunter Biden and Elizabeth Gilbert are both cases in point. I think they’re breaking anonymity is timely and a service to us all. If they “fall off the wagon” more than anything maybe the world learns how insidious this phenomena of addiction really is. It seems to me the world is on an accelerated crash course in learning what it is to be human—and we can all stop pretending otherwise. If we really learn that lesson, the world will be a better place.
I agree that there can be real value in celebrities talking about their recovery—even if they go on to have further struggles with it. But there’s also the undeniable reality that it can be a kind of PR strategy to whitewash more serious abuses and it’s hard to know how to reconcile the two.
I know all the things im supposed to say. I know the stance im supposed to take. Fuck it lol. We all know it's bullshit and a snowball has a better chance in helll than Brad Pitt does "drinking in moderation". Its our business because he made it our business, in 2016 and now. And frankly, im irritated that he tried to "slide" that comment in so casually. It's like me,.talking to a girlfriend and saying, "oh yeah, by the way, I filed for divorce yesterday, where do you wanna go eat tonight?". I would have preferred he just said yeah, I started drinking again. This is a good example of why we stay anonymous. God only knows how many people are gonna start trying to drink in "moderation" because Brad Pitt's doing it!! I had to say it, sorry!!
As a sober person (just hit 5 years!), I have also been thinking and thinking and THINKING about this Brad Pitt story, and as someone who also described their drinking as "more of a profession than a hobby," I really just can't stop. Maybe he's just feeling this out, maybe now that the divorce dust has settled he's rethinking, who knows? But yeah. Can't stop thinking about this story.
Congratulations of 5 years!!! 🎉
As recovering people I think it is important to understand and be aware of "Self-deception". We are ALL prone to it. It is the most incidious part of this disease/mental health condition. Self justification is subtle and ever present. Our job is to see it name it and be empathetic to the person who is self deceived. we can all fall for it. Love and tolerance.
This is an interesting point. When Dax Shepard talked about his relapse with painkillers on the AE podcast, he related what his sponsor told him when he came clean. Shepard told him he thought he could manage using the pills, and failed. The sponsor replied: "You still think you can outsmart your addiction?". Honestly that's what a ask myself whenever the thought of moderating substances creeps in. My answer is always no.
I wasn't paying too much attention to these news (my heart was broken for Hayden Panettiere and everything else had to wait) until I got to read his latest interview and noticed the use of "professional" to describe his drinking. Back when he got sober, he used it to convey the message that he could (and had to) drink more than anybody else, and was unable to stop. Now he uses it to describe moderate, conscious drinking, and perhaps also the kind of drinking that wouldn’t get him kicked off a movie set or prevent him from being considered for a role. It's interesting how the word has shifted its meaning to him, IMO.
Agree
Or kept him from assaulting his wife and choking his child. He’s a disaster when he’s drinking. He is estranged from ALL of his children because of it.
Excellent post as usual.
I think you're SPOT ON with your observations! Brad Pitt has never been my favorite person, and of course I'm only going by what I see on interviews & publications. I actually like his movies... I've just always had a "something's off" feeling about him. And now his poor choice of words - "back off the wagon" and "I have to be professional about my drinking" REALLY bothers me. I'm glad to finally get that off of my chest. Thanks for allowing me to vent:)
anytime!!!
I think your post title was way off. Your observations are always a blend of wisdom and empathy.
The big takeaway for me from Brad's story is confusion, or maybe sadness. So you had an epiphany to live differently... and now you're all better? Dude.
Interesting observations and beautifully written, thank you for this :)
Thank you 🩷
I wonder whether the celebrities who recover quietly, sitting in meetings like any other drunk, not announcing to the world what is nobody’s business, are more successful at sobriety.
I actually think there can be value in celebrities talking about their recovery—even if they go on to have further struggles with it. But there’s also the undeniable reality that it can be a kind of PR strategy and it’s hard to know how to reconcile the two.
Agree that identifying with celebs, knowing we share the same issues, can be helpful. I was thinking more about their recovery. I’ve always thought about how hard it must be to be famous and trying to get sober. It’s hard enough for non-celebs to open up. I can’t imagine the fear celebs might feel that someone will make public what they share in a meeting. Grateful I’m not famous!
Oh definitely. I remember hearing an interview with Robert Downey Jr. many ago. He was talking about how he’d just gotten out of jail for some drug related offense and there was a crowd of fans outside the jail and one of them tossed a bag of coke in his car’s open window. Like wtf must that be like?
Dear god in heaven. That’s like handing a gun to a suicidal person. Guess it shows how people don’t truly understand that it’s a life-or-death thing.
Time will tell, of course, but my main reaction to this news was sadness for him. If he truly did struggle with addiction, which is the narrative he put out, it feels like this is an instance of the alcoholic brain trying to return to its favorite activity using any justification possible. I hope I'm wrong, but it feels like a familiar theme in the addiction space.
I been to this party before and it doesn't end well.
Its been a long time sober for me. And I too have wondered if I can drink again. I can handle some things very responsibly now, much differently than I used to. But alcohol makes me pause and I have not once tried it simply because I've got a lot to lose if I do.
Really makes one wonder. With celebrity there’s always the question of PR and controlling the narrative. This is seeming to me like a reason for the 12 step fellowship’s tradition eleven:
Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.
But in today’s world, while attraction not promotion is the bomb of a principle, the personal anonymity part at the level of press, radio and film seems antiquated. Hunter Biden and Elizabeth Gilbert are both cases in point. I think they’re breaking anonymity is timely and a service to us all. If they “fall off the wagon” more than anything maybe the world learns how insidious this phenomena of addiction really is. It seems to me the world is on an accelerated crash course in learning what it is to be human—and we can all stop pretending otherwise. If we really learn that lesson, the world will be a better place.
I agree that there can be real value in celebrities talking about their recovery—even if they go on to have further struggles with it. But there’s also the undeniable reality that it can be a kind of PR strategy to whitewash more serious abuses and it’s hard to know how to reconcile the two.
Absolutely.
Unfortunately, we may be witnesses to Mr. Pitt’s hubris. As quoted, he’s already found that he can drink too much wine. For me, that’d be the warning.
And he shows no signs of wanting to give up winery he half owns.
I wonder if he was required by the court to maintain sobriety as a condition for custody/visitation. Those days are in the past.
It was. And 3 years ago, 2, maybe even 4 of his kids were still minors, so it did matter then.
I know all the things im supposed to say. I know the stance im supposed to take. Fuck it lol. We all know it's bullshit and a snowball has a better chance in helll than Brad Pitt does "drinking in moderation". Its our business because he made it our business, in 2016 and now. And frankly, im irritated that he tried to "slide" that comment in so casually. It's like me,.talking to a girlfriend and saying, "oh yeah, by the way, I filed for divorce yesterday, where do you wanna go eat tonight?". I would have preferred he just said yeah, I started drinking again. This is a good example of why we stay anonymous. God only knows how many people are gonna start trying to drink in "moderation" because Brad Pitt's doing it!! I had to say it, sorry!!
The fact that Pitt feels compelled to advertise his decision shows he is still struggling with his relationship with alcohol.