Sober Judgment

Since I haven't been able to follow Howard Stern to Sirius Radio, it was nice to keep up a bit by reading sidekick Artie Lange's adventures in Too Fat To Fish.

The book is by turns funny and horrifying. Or not really by turns--at the same time. He retells a lot of his famous stories, and goes in-depth. But as amusing as he is, an ugly picture emerges. Over and over, even as his career moves upward, he almost dies due to drug use. It's amazing he's still alive, and I wouldn't be surprised to read his obituary any day.

I wish him well, but I'm also scared for him.

PS He tells all sorts of embarrassing personal stories, a trait he probably learned from Stern. But what I like best is he's willing to say exactly how much money he earned at various parts of his life. There are people who will tell you anything about drinking, drugs and sex but suddenly clam up when you ask how much they made last year.

PPS In one of his stories, high on coke, he runs away from his studio and into a nearby grocery store where he's arrested for throwing causeing trouble and throwing fruit. It's the store I go to.