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Former “Full House” star – and former drug addict – Jodie Sweetin had an interesting interview on “The Today Show” this morning to promote her new book “Unsweetined.” What was most interesting about Jodie’s interview was what was lacking. She seemed nonchalant to the point of flippant throughout the entire thing. There were certainly moments where it was more shocking than others – like when she was talking about not being clean and sober since she’s been a mother. She just says it so casually. She talks about hardcore drugs the same way, and Matt Lauer has to interrupt her to clarify that she’s not talking about pot or other commonly used drugs, she’s talking about meth and cocaine. And the response is still just a very casual “sure” type of thing.
She never once struck me as being dishonest, but I always find it strange when people talk about serious, unusual things in a flippant way. Like in high school, didn’t everyone have a few overly-dramatic friends that did that for attention? It’s always struck me as a way to startle people by not just saying it, but acting like it’s no big deal. Which is very much what seems to be going down in Jodie’s interview.
Jodie also seems to try to explain or possibly excuse all those years she spent lying about being clean and sober. She said that her stint in rehab was revealed “not of [her] choosing,” and that it basically forced her to admit what she’d gone through before she was ready.
“When it first came out that I had gone to rehab and that I was trying to get things together, it wasn’t of my own choosing that that story came out, and I don’t think I was in a place at that point in my life to really do what it took to be honest and to get to a place where what I was saying was actually true and that I was actually living by those principles in my life.”
[Transcribed from the Today Show]
I’ve always been rooting for Jodie. But frankly, I was a bit disappointed, and I had thought she had her act together a little better than this. At the end of the interview she talks about how “everyone has to go through these things” – and I think she means personal struggles. But the way she phrases it, it seems like she’s just trying to act like meth and coke addiction is something that’s really common to struggle with. And that’s just not the case. I’m not saying it’s necessary for her to ostracize herself, but combined with her shoulder-shrugging, no-big-deal attitude, I didn’t feel like she had the self-awareness or insight I’d expect to see in someone who’s made a true and lasting commitment to sobriety.
Yes we all have our struggles and personal issues but not all of us need to air out our dirty laundry. I had sympathy for her when her ex husband was trashing her, now I see he was right and she is trash.
I doubt she’ll ever be clean & sober for long. She just doesn’t seem to have the need for it.
Keep in mind that this was actually a casual part of her life for a long time. I didn’t see the interview, but she may also just be “over it”. She had to talk a lot about it before the book was written and she’s had to talk about it in a bunch of interviews. After answering the same questions and describing the same events over and over again, she’s probably just on auto-pilot.
as a recovering drug addict, i have to say that you really don’t get an emotional capacity back for years after you quit drugs – the experience numbs you in so many ways. that being said, i’m not so sure she is sober after watching that interview.
Just because she does not react the way that we think she should, doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have a serious committment to sobriety. Also I am sure it is nerve wrecking discussing asomething so personal on television, knowing people will be judging you for everything you say or have done, therefore, her casual attitude may be her defense mechanism.
I don’t think it’s that she’s being nonchalant – she’s being honest without feeling like she has to apologize to the world for doing something that at the time was a habit for her. This behavior may not line up with your morals – everyone’s sense of what’s right and wrong varies, just because there is a law against it doesn’t technically make it wrong in the eyes of the user.
There are many people from many walks of life (from retail workers all the way up to doctors and lawyers) that struggle with substance abuse. I’d be willing to bet that more people than you’d think use these substances regularly and very casually – they just don’t talk about it as Jodie didn’t for many years.
I guess everyone these days thinks their life is interesting enough to write a memoir! What has she done besides acting in a T.V. show ten years ago and doing some drugs that people should be interested in? This is ridiculous. Next!
It really hasn’t affected her face, though!
How old is she anyway? Her skin looks amazing. If you tell me she is still only thirteen, I would believe it.
hmm. I’ve done my share, never hard core and it’s all in the past. But I don’t feel shock or regret for it. I also never affected or endangered the people in my life. Her biggest regret should be endangering her child’s life.
i thought the clip was lovely and she is a work in progress, admitting (albeit in a roundabout way) that very point. you don’t have to cry and flail and beg for the world’s forgiveness to be honest. actually maybe you do with the public’s perception of star’s experiences, but if that is true, what a shame.
Glad she made it. Meth is no joke, a lot of people don’t make it.
She is a nobody. A child star who became a drug addict and I don’t give a flip about her. She adds nothing to society.
I agree, ‘recovered’ (#3).
I’ve always been routing for Jodie. Unless you are offering to be her GPS you must mean rooting. Ok who is going to be the first to call her Jodie Tweekin? Seriously I hope she has quelled her demons.
NICE RACK!
What recovered said
It sort of bugs me when people that have gone through something – addiction, bereavement, turmoil, anything – assume others with the same prob must match their experience. Even worse when, if it doesn’t correlate, you are slapped with being in denial. It’s great you got past your problem @recovered, but it doesn’t mean everybody else must have the same hollowness etc as you.
Also agree with others re this chick’s inconsequentialness. Why should I care about this book? We’ll have to start a website UnsweetinedButNotUnpointless dot com.
He attitude bus me too. While I don’t think she should wear a sackcloth & ashes, I do think she should show at least a teensy bit of remorse for endangering her child. I hope her ex demands regular drug tests & retains custody of their little girl.
The only reason she is doing any of this is for more attention. She is completely irrelevant in the entertainment industry.
Does she schedule interviews when she runs out of drug money? Interesting that you can make a living out of talking about your drug habit.
I kinda feel like it’s like the little boy who cried wolf. I’m sober now. Oh wait, I wasn’t sober then (when I was getting paid to talk about my sobriety), but I am now. So pay me to read my book about it. Then in a year or two I’ll write another book about not being sober when I was on my book tour promoting a book about not being sober when I was saying I was sober the first time….Jeeze! My head is spinning!
I just hope that kid’s ok and not being driven around anymore by a drunk mom….
I just did a little research and apparently she lost custody of Zoie and is only allowed supervised visits. Wonder why ???
There is also a quote from her that I think is pretty ridiculous “I hope that she [Zoie] will never have to see some of the things that I did before.” Well, perhaps writing a book that tells it all wasn’t such a great idea…..
Well after talking about it in a million interviews and doing a book about it, I’m sure she’s over it all by now. If you had to do a lot of interviews with basically the same questions for months on end, I’m sure you’d be the same way.