These are not the best optics for Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth. They’ve been in NYC for a few days, and on Tuesday, they were photographed enjoying some beverages during a visit to the Soho House. Jim seems to be drinking a glass of rosé while Reese has slurped down what looks like… a gin and tonic maybe? Something with a lime twist, although it could be water (do people order water with lime twists?). It’s one thing to hear about Reese and Jim continuing the party just days after their boozy Atlanta arrests, but it’s quite another to see how comfortable they are (presumably) draining some alcoholic beverages in the middle of the day.
What’s interesting is that before the videos of Reese’s arrest went public, her PR strategy seemed to be “throw Jim under the bus”. Someone leaked to People Magazine that Jim was a big social drinker and that post-arrest he was considering going to rehab. Then the videos came out and suddenly people were like “Wow, Reese is one obnoxious drunk bitch.” Maybe we can just take these photos as proof that neither Jim nor Reese really give a crap about how much they’re seen drinking. Now my idea of their marriage is more Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and less Legally Blonde.
I guess there are some people who like Reese more now that she’s been revealed to be an obnoxious drunk who mouths off to police officers and lets her drunk husband drive her home. I guess her fanbase has grown because of this experience and she feels like she doesn’t have to follow-through with any real changes to her behavior. Which means that chances are, what happened in Atlanta will probably happen again.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
Somthin’ in the milk ain’t clean about these two. I don’t known what it is, but something is off.
Look at the pic of her at the table with her jacket off. Pregnant. He is the only one drinking. It looks to me like she noticed the camera and then put on her jacket to hide her bump.
I think you may be right…What an idiot she is. First telling a cop “I’m in early pregnancy”, then telling the world the next day that she’d “clearly had one drink too many”. So which is it? Pregnant and obnoxious without booze, or not pregnant and drunk, or pregnant AND drunk. Not one of those options is attractive, and whatever, she’s a liar.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. On top of that, she told the officers she was pregnant during the arrest. I think that’s the big secret: she’s not a *drunk* jerk, she’s just a jerk. And a pregnant one that needs to figure out her next move after super bad publicity.
Yup, she looks pregnant in those first two photos.
If true, that means that RW was either 1) stone cold sober when she was verbally abusing that police officer, or 2) dousing her 8-week-old fetus in alcohol (and first trimester exposure is the worst possible timing for the baby).
My first thought too! She is pregnant.
If I was a betting person I’d guess this too: pregnant, drinking club soda and lime, smug self righteous bitch. BUT doesn’t she have a wee one at home? She’s certainly not big by any stretch but maybe she’s not back to her pre-pregnancy weight yet.
But what’s her explanation when she’s really pregnant? Everyone will know in 9 months that she lied back then. Not a good position she put herself in.
You are right, do a little research into the family. They are not “Nashville royalty.” He dad is nuts & her brother is a sex offender.
Her dad apparently has Alzheimer’s. Her brother is a whole other story.
The PR excuse that she’s upset over her parents’ divorce was a flimsy one. Reading up on her family can be very enlightening. And I’m not talking about the frequent references to their education levels, professions, or alleged ancestry going back to a Declaration of Independence signer.
The problem never was them drinking. Condemning them for that makes little sense. The problem was drinking then driving. As long as neither drove after this, I could not care less if they enjoy some alcohol even after this incident.
Agreed!
Exactly
They – or their “sources” – made comments about needing to re-evaluate their social drinking and thinking about rehab, so it made it seem like they were looking at drinking as the problem.
However, I agree. Drinking is not a problem, unless you are then driving and acting like a fool.
Maybe they evaluated and decided they didn’t have a problem that required rehab? Anyway, agree with above comments – drinking isn’t/wasn’t the big issue, the driving was. I’m certainly not going to clutch pearls at an afternoon cocktail.
Exactly! It always pissed me off how after a DUI celebrities trot off to rehab because they have a “drinking problem”, when really it’s just an asshole problem. Social drinking is fine, as long as you don’t drive after!
LOL at asshole problem, is there an asshole rehab? Seems like it would do big business in hollywood!
@akua – It’d be booked years in advance. Unfortunately most who completed said rehab would promptly re-offend.
Haha, true! Let’s open one, we can get pretty rich!
Exactly! Wish I’d seen your comment before I typed mine below.
“she’s been revealed to be an obnoxious drunk who mouths off to police officers”
This fits most drunk people who come face to face with the police. Drunk people tend be mouthy and obnoxious unless they have passed out.
“This fits most drunk people who come face to face with the police. Drunk people tend be mouthy and obnoxious unless they have passed out.”
I respectfully disagree. I don’t know who you hang out with, but I wouldn’t, and no one I know would do that. In college and beyond, I never mouthed off to a cop when drunk.
“In college and beyond, I never mouthed off to a cop when drunk.”
How many times have you been in the presence of a cop while drunk? 🙂
If you’ve ever seen an episode of cops or World’s Dumbest, it happens quite often. Some people can’t control their actions when drunk. Some people are sloppy drunks, some are happy drunks and some people are mean drunks. Most bar fights usually start by drunk patrons not being able to control themselves because they had too much of the courage juice.
“How many times have you been in the presence of a cop while drunk?”
plenty, actually. there was one in lots of bars in DC (college), either at the door or just outside. also, there’s one in or near the door of almost every NJ shore bar.
not that I the occasion to talk to many of them, because I’m not a mouthy drunk and I don’t act the fool when drunk. and that was the point I was trying to make. While I agree with the rest of your post, that some people can’t control themselves when drunk, I was just disagreeing with the other poster who was painting with quite a broad brush and seemed to be saying that MOST or ALL drunk people mouth off to cops or are generally mouthy unless they’re passed out.
I don’t hang out with people like this. I prefer not to be around drunk people, because they are obnoxious. People like to think that they are a mellow drunk or a fun drunk. That isn’t reality. But hey, if you want to believe that you are awesome while drunk…
I see where you’re coming from. I took the posters comment of drunk people coming face to face with cops a little bit differently. I thought the poster meant that when approached or stopped by cops drunks can get mouthy. Not face to face as in walking or stumbling out a bar drunk and there are cops present. I didn’t think she/he meant that when people are drunk they just randomly start mouthing off at cops because they see one. I used to be a bartender and I have spent a lot of time in the presence of various levels of drunks. Being in NY you see a lot of drunks stumbling out of bars and yes sometimes cops are around but long as you go on your way without incident they won’t appraoch you. I didn’t think she meant that you’re just going to start mouthing off to a cop just because you see one and you’re drunk. But I could be wrong.
@Merritt:
“I don’t hang out with people like this. I prefer not to be around drunk people, because they are obnoxious.”
It sounds like you have a VERY low tolerance for anyone under the influence. If so, fine, that’s your prerogative. but there are all levels of drunken behavior and to say that, across the board, all drunks are obnoxious is not accurate. Say something like “I find all drunk people to be obnoxious” rather than “all drunk people are obnoxious”. stating an opinion is fine, but stating it as fact is not.
@V4Real
“I see where you’re coming from. I took the posters comment of drunk people coming face to face with cops a little bit differently. I thought the poster meant that when approached or stopped by cops drunks can get mouthy.”
Absolutely true, but not ALL drunks, which is what that poster was saying.
Yes, drunks can be mouthy. Not disagreeing with that statement. And yes, they can be mouthy to cops. Not disagreeing with that either. What I DO disagree with is the blanket claim by that poster that “all drunks are obnoxious”.
oh, and for the record, I AM an awesome drunk. 😉
@doofus You are right in saying that even when stopped by cops all drunks do not get fiesty or mouthey. Some realize they are in the wrong and accept their fate; while others are so drunk they couldn’t mouthe off if they tried. Not every drunk goes on the defense when being arrested or prohibited.
Some drunks are fun while others can be obnoxious so it’s not fair to say all. I know people who are obnoxious when they are sober, so what’s their excuse?
You say you are an awesome drunk; well it’s good to know I am in good company on this site. 🙂
I’m an alcoholic who hasn’t had a drink in years. I can spot an alcoholic a mile away, and they are the ones who tend to be mouthy ugly drunks. However, I like hanging around social drinkers who’ve had one or two too many. They’re all giggly and fun and lighten my mood too. It’s win/win. I get to laugh and giggle and they get a designated driver!
@doofus
Anyone who claims to be a fun drunk is likely not. I never said all drunks are obnoxious. I said most, and I stand by that. People have a warped perception of what they are actually like when they are intoxicated.
Nope.
Did you see how Jim Toth acted? That’s how most people act toward the police, drunk or not.
Then why do so many DUI cases also have a resisting arrest charge along them?
In my own defense; I am a happy drunk. I don’t fall down over tables, I don’t stumble out of clubs, I don’t start arguments or fights,I don’t make out with randon people and I don’t do things that I don’t remember doing the next day. How do I know I’m a happy drunk because I do and my friends tell me so. We also don’t get behind the wheel, we take cabs. Believe it or not happy drunks do exists and they are not all obnoxious.
“I never said all drunks are obnoxious.”
sorry, Merritt, you pretty much did.
“Drunk people tend be mouthy and obnoxious”
and
“I prefer not to be around drunk people, because they are obnoxious.”
you didn’t qualify either of those statements with “most”.
and even if you did, I’d disagree. yes, there ARE obnoxious drunks, but not all, or even most of them, fall into that category.
You are getting extremely defensive.
Like I said, many drunk people have a different perception of how they act drunk than how they are actually acting.
Just because someone claims they don’t act that way, doesn’t make it the truth.
Yes, you can enjoy water with lime, esp. a sparkling water like Perrier.
Exactly! My go-to at a restaurant when I’m not drinking is sparkling water with a lime. However, she could also be drinking a double G&T.
Or a virgin gin and tonic. For the person who wants to pace their drinks you can have a real one and then a non alcoholic one. Old trick for a moderate drinker.
I drink vodka and sparkling water with a lime because it’s about as low-calorie as you can go. I assume that’s her drink, or something similar.
Note that they both already have water on the table; I doubt she has two waters, one with lime.
OH how I love Perrier!!!!
I didn’t have an opinion about Reese Witherspoon before her arrest, but since then the word ‘idiot’ comes to mind when I see her photo. But to draw a line between their incredible stupidity and potentially very harmful actions on the night they were arrested and this photo of them is Daily Mail style reaching.
“…DRAINING some alcoholic beverages in the MIDDLE OF THE DAY.” C’mon.
Seriously
I think it’s totally fine that he drinks a glass of Rose for lunch. No big deal. I wouldn’t drink for lunch every day, but of you’re out in restaurant, why not.
All that money and Reese can’t pick up a bottle of dry shampoo? She looks a little thicker in the midsection than she normally does.
And yeah, water with lime is the new thing to order. Lemons are apparently out of fashion.
I’ve always had water with lime. Never lemon. Not a lemon fan.
She’s mixing her drink like you do when you drink a cocktail. Could be still water though 😉
I don’t drink alcohol and always have lime with sparkling water. It is delish.
I also don’t think she’s prego. I do think she hasn’t taken off the baby weight yet. She only looks round in the stomach in the sitting position, which seems more like fat and some extra skin.
She should have worn her POLICE CAP..
She better should have been dressed as a police woman! 😉
Once a drunk, always a drunk.
Getting a dui is a really, really bad sign. It means you are a problem drinker. I’m guessing that’s not the first time he drove drunk. It usually isn’t.
And they should probably never touch alcohol, esp. during the middle of the day.
I disagree. It might be sometimes a sign for a heavy drinker, but you can’t say that in general. I think they were stupid and thought they were above the law.
c’est la vie: Certainly agree that once a drunk always a drunk. I will be an alcoholic until the day I die even though I have not had a drink in years.
I also agree that a lot of DUI arrests are people who are problem drinkers. But not all. Some heavy drinkers aren’t alcoholic, believe it or not, they’re just heavy drinkers. (although admittedly that’s rare). Alcoholics can’t stop once they start. THAT is what makes them alcoholic.
Before I get jumped on, I do NOT mean to imply it’s OK for a heavy drinker who is clearly drunk to get in a car and drive.
I’ve seen many people who were alcoholics claim they were “just” heavy drinkers. BS every time. And I love when their friends enable them by saying oh, you just like to drink a lot, come on, let’s party.
Emily, I know it’s used as an excuse a lot, but if someone can get schnockered, quit drinking alcohol and start with water or pop, odds are that person is not alcoholic. I could no more have done that than fly to the moon. And I tried to control my drinking a lot, and could not. That’s why I made my comment.
I didn’t realize one DUI made you an alcoholic. It makes you an idiot for drinking and driving and a time to take a look at yourself as an adult and your actions, but how does that correlate to assuming they need rehab? Silly. And sitting at lunch having a glass of wine is not boozing it up.
Do you know how many times people drive drunk before they get caught?
Usually it’s not their first time. The odds are against it, for one thing.
And yes, getting a DUI means you are a dangerous drinker and probably (I’d say definitely) an alcoholic.
Disagree with the alcoholic comment
Don’t think at all that a DUI means you are an alcoholic, although an alcoholic may be more prone to driving drunk. I think it means you like alcohol, but are too stupid or immature to enjoy it responsibly (by being in control of your actions and definitely by calling a cab).
I’d say it means their judgement is impaired by alcohol and they’re endangering lives if they choose to drive.
Cannot tell you how many people I knew that did this, especially in college and yes they ended up getting caught because they did it one too many times. They didn’t think they did anything wrong either.
I feel very strongly about this subject because of this.
Thats patently ridiculous. I understand that DUIs are personal & powerful issues for some people, but claiming that everyone who gets one is an alcoholic is ridiculous.
As a basic example, The kid who gets drunk for the 1st time at a party & gets behind the wheel isn’t an alcoholic. The kid has poor decision making skills, but that & alcoholism are 2 different things
Don’t tar everyone with the same brush, c’est la vie. I got a DUI and I am an alcoholic, but I know people who got one (.08 isn’t that much to drink) and are not alcoholic. Ask Al Michaels. He just got one blowing a .08 or .09 which means he probably had one or two drinks. Hardly alcoholic drinking.
That being said, I’ve also known people who’ve had multiple DUI’s and just don’t get the fact that it’s not the system, it’s THEM. Those people need their licences taken away until they’ve been sober for a specific period of time.
I don’t think one DUI warrants rehab, unless there’s a proven underlying problem. But slamming them for having a drink? The shadows in the photo looks like it’s late afternoon/early evening. Hardly hitting the sauce hard in the middle of the day.
They just acted like they were on an episode of Cops.
And now they’re drinking again? You think they could at least take a break from it.
Having a glass of wine in the afternoon is fine as long as you’re not Jim Toth.
A DUI means you’re a selfdestructive irresponsible drunk who doesn’t care what happens to himself or others. You make the conscience decision to endanger lives. That’s problematic. If it’s problematic, it’s alcoholism. Plain and simple.
If you’d left out the “who doesn’t care what happens to others” part I would probably agree with you. But as one of those soulless drunks who got a DUI, I did, and do care. I just couldn’t stop drinking and no one stopped me from getting in my car. I certainly wasn’t capable of making the decision at the time. I barely remember it.
But I had nightmares. So don’t call us all those ugly things.
Yeah, alcoholics can be incredibly caring, loving people. That’s the thing with addiction, and it’s why I hate how people use “addict” as an insult — they’re not just some assholes who don’t care. They’re stuck on a substance, and they need to get their acts together, but that does not make them evil.
If you don’t care about the addicts, there’s this: The kind of stuff you’re saying makes life even harder for people who care for addicts. Because we start thinking oh, they can’t be addicts, addicts are evil and can’t function in society… yeah, I spent my pre-teen and teenage years thinking that. Completely confused and feeling guilty about how upset I’d get that my father’s drinking was something around which my life revolved. I loved him, and I still do. He’s a really good man. And an alcoholic whose drinking has harmed me, him, and all his close relationships.
If Reese and Jim are *not* alcoholics and they pulled what they did, that makes them even worse.
Why were they meant to go to rehab? Getting drunk occasionally doesn’t suddenly mean rehab is needed. A loss of license and driving school is what Jim needs.
Although I do take issue with a guy drinking rose.
Haha @wiz, me too!
Agreed! Gross.
What? Why? It’s really common in France and Italy 😉
I think they only mentioned rehab to lessen the sentence of the DUI, if it had been harsher. Since he’s basically paying a fine and doing community service, there’s no damage to control anymore, so there’s no rehab talk anymore.
I didn’t say rehab was needed, a source said Jim was “considering rehab” just after his arrest. THEY brought it up, not me.
Rehab would be a good idea…
Why has “I’m gong to rehab” or “I’m considering going to rehab” suddenly the catch cry of people in the public eye who do something (incredibly) idiotic? Just for once I would like to hear a celebrity say “I’m sorry, I balzed up, I was a wanker and an idiot and it was all my fault. I’m going to do my best to ensure I don’t do this again.”
Because rehab actually works for substance abusers as long as you work the program.
Thinking that using sheer will power or making half assed statements, won’t help someone with addictions.The craving and the f-ckups still happen – witness Charlie Sheen or LiLo.
Yes, but driving drunk does not necessarily make you an addict. I think that @The Wizz is implying that people use the idea of rehab to diffuse responsibility for their actions and wished they would just own up to what they did. A lot of people in these types of situations do not need rehab, but use the excuse of being an “addict” and needing rehab.
I get that – but it doesn’t change the fact that they’re an addict and addictions will control you and run your life and others into the ground.
Witness Martin Sheen. I feel sorry for him.
Yes Jenny that’s exactly what I’m suggesting. Where’s the person responsibility for actions taken by these celebs. Certainly no one in my family can used the “I think I need rehab” defence when we stuff up.
I’m not one of those fans. Truthfully I was never crazy about her but I liked her.. now I’m a little bit disappointed so .. I just hope she clears her act and stop doing fake-happy photo-ops with her children -LATER.
@serena – I feel the same. I’m not one of those people who holds celebrities up to ridiculously unrealistic Saint-like standards. But I found how she acted very disappointing.
And all those try-hard PR pics are really annoying.
“Which means that chances are, what happened in Atlanta will probably happen again.”
Just, please, please, please without a body count.
ITA with everybody here who says drinking isn’t the issue, drinking and driving is. Although I have a friend who did have to give up alcohol entirely BECAUSE he could just not keep himself from driving if he had been drinking. He can’t take that chance. He knows if he drinks, he will think he can drive, so he’s better off just not drinking. I’m proud of him that he knows that about himself.
Kudos to your friend.
She wanted a booze buddy..
I often have sparkling water or club soda with lime. I’d guess that’s what she’s having, since it’s in a water glass and has a straw. A mixed drink is usually in a different type of glass, and will have those little thin straws instead.
I do think it’s a bit absurd to assume he needs rehab because he had a glass of wine with lunch. Since they’re in New York, its doubtful he’s driving. I don’t see the big deal.
Why is having a drink in the middle of the day a problem? As long as they aren’t driving who cares?
Because people without licenses, who are drunk, drive too.
It’s a fact of life.
I don’t think you read my whole post.
Yes I did, who said he wasn’t going to drive?
Maybe later on? Can’t be sure because the pics just show them in the afternoon.
Not usually in Manhattan.
I drove in Manhattan during the middle of the day.
So it is possible.
c’est la vie, seriously, what’s your mission? You can’t really presume they were driving after their lunch!
By the way is a glass of wine too much alcohol to drive in the US?
Because apparently having a drink at lunch (weeks after a DUI incident) automatically means that you’re an alcoholic or are shameless azzhole, according to a lot of the Judgey McJudgersons on this blog. Daaaamn.
One last post in – because they apologized profusely for drinking and driving and acting like shameless assholes. Because they were. End of story.
Then they go back to drinking right after getting a DUI. Some people might get the wake up call they needed not to have a big drink (isn’t he capable of waiting until his community service is up?). But after being shown how entitled these two are and out of touch they are on video and in real life (police cap anyone) – of course people are going to be watching them. It sends a horrible message which is “look at me, I just got a DUI and disrespected the cops, now I’m drinking as much as I want.”
Not pleasant.
That woman never holds her purse like a normal person.
“I’m an American, I can drink when/where/how/with/who/what ever I want!”
That was the most obnoxious thing about the DUI.
Now, come on, just because you have a ‘drink’ in the afternoon does NOT make you an alcoholic.
but for these two, it makes them appear insanely stupid PR wise and quite brash too…in the words of eric cartman–
“Whatever! I do wha’ I want! Whatever!”
If you have a big old drink in the middle of the afternoon, just after getting a DUI – I’d say you were a problem drinker.
Even if that were a white wine spritzer, I’d say he had a problem.
His sentence isn’t even up yet and there he is, drinking. In public. Smart move.
The fact that he/they are drinking in public where they might get pap’d is interesting. I can’t help thinking it’s deliberate. Any publicity is good publicity?
Commenter c’est la vie? You sound ridiculous.
Oh, no need to call me ridiculous, btw Beep.
I already think that about Reese’s drunken videotape. Don’t you?
The DUI video of her has to do with you acting ridiculous, how exactly? We get it, you had a DWI and are now the expert on every person that has ever had a DWI and are the authoritative voice of every person that has ever dared have a drink after having a DWI. Good lord.
Not exactly, chill out Beep.
Where’s your sense of irony? That video was seriously ridiculous. More ridiculous than my comments have been.
So was her police cap.
And I, for one have never had a DUI. Have you? Don’t answer – I don’t actually care…and with that I’m out of this thread. It’s gotten too ridiculous.
They’re in NYC – I doubt they’ll be driving, so who cares?
They strike me as heavy social drinkers more than hardcore alcoholics.
No, I just know more than one person who’s gotten a DUI. There’s usually a pattern there.
And guess what? They still drank, drove on lost licenses, and didn’t think they had a drinking problem.
When they should have been in AA. Rehab wouldn’t have hurt them either.
So I know that drinking while he’s under sentence isn’t a great idea.
I don’t like her smug smirk 🙁
ugh not a fan of Reese anymore.
Right? She reeks of smug. It’s all over her, wafting through the air.
I just don’t care for her anymore, which is sad because after being married to Ryan Douchippe I was kind of rooting for her.
Now I think she’s a huge tool, with an even bigger mouth on her who believes heart and soul that she is above us. Forget Goop, Reese thinks we’re peasants y’all!
The smug has been huge lately. The photos in the airport with that cap too. She might as well have been holding her middle finger up to us all.
One DUI does not warrant rehab….its not alcohol but stupidity on the Jim’s behalf…this whole situation is boring and not really that big of a deal. So Reese is a bitch and enjoys wine…shrug….
She already has a water. Why would she order a water with her water?
Now a water with her vodka, that makes more sense.
Anyway, I think it’s a bit of a stretch to assume they’re both alcoholics but it certainly is bad PR, isn’t it?
I noticed the same. They both already have water. Also to the people saying that it has to be water since cocktails come in different glasses, you’ll notice that the drink with the lime is in a different size glass than the ones with the water.
She told gma that she wasn’t pregnant, so was she lying to the cop about her early pregnancy or to gma about not being pregnant?
Thank you! The glasses give it away; that’s a double-tall cocktail glass. If she were drinking Perrier, there most likely would be a bottle next to the glass, as they would serve it that way. That glass is common for double mojitos and Long Islands. I’m kind of surprised so few people notice/get that.
As to your question, I don’t think she’s pregnant. I think she lied to the cop, she was spewing all sorts of nonsense in the video. I think she still has baby weight from the last pregnancy and she’s not pushing herself to lose it in 3.5 seconds like most HW moms.
Yeah I’m surprised people didn’t noticed it either, cause it was the first thing that I noticed. I was scrolling down, reading the comments, waiting for someone to bring it up, but you were the only one who said anything.
I don’t think she is pregnant either. But since commenters were bringing it up, I just wanted to point out that she went on gma to say that she wasn’t pregnant. So either she lied to the cop or to the public. I’m guessing lied to the cop in her inebriated state.
She is SO pregnant! You can definitely tell in the photo of her sitting without a jacket. Hmmm. Water + lime almost definitely.
I wonder if she is pregnant or a bit meatier than she used to be? Drinking also adds weight.
seriously? OK so she got wasted and got arrested. While that’s a bit of a problem, she can hardly be expected to never drink again unless she’s actually an alcoholic, which I doubt she is.
No she’s just an “American citizen” who likes to get drunk, drive with a drunk driver, overreact, and then wear an Atlanta police cap.
She’s an idiot. And drinking with her husband in the afternoon shows that her pr skills are nil.
What do you guys define as alcoholism? What do you consider alcoholism? Because I thought that making self-destructive choices, consciously not caring about endangering multiple lives and being generally reckless and irresponsible under the influence of alcohol is what you might consider “problematic”. And if it’s a problem, it’s alcoholism. Plain and simple. Alcoholism is essentially self-destruction and it starts when drinking stops being fun and starts getting dangerous/scary/depressing/irresposible. What is more self-destructive and irresponsible than endangering your own life and others by operating a motor vehicle while being impaired and KNOWING that you shouldn’t be doing it? What is scarier than knowing that people like this drive at all hours of the day and YOU are in incredible danger as long as they are on the road? What is more depressing than knowing that these two didn’t care that they have young children waiting for them at home, who would be lost without them? Some of you are awfully apologetic about this, as if you haven’t realized that the very people that you love are on the road everyday with drunk drivers. ONE drink is enough to cause a huge accident. One. You don’t think a DUI is a big wake up call and you should probably get help before you do it again and actually kill someone this time?
For every rat you see, there’s dozens you don’t. Believe me, this is not the first time in his life this guy has driven drunk. Not even with Reese either! Why do you think she thought they’d done nothing wrong and acted all bitchy and entitled? Why did she get so aggressive and defensive?
And now they’re drinking in the middle of the day. For the average person? No big deal. For alcoholics? Huge deal.
I’m not apologetic…I just don’t think they are alcoholics. It was a poor choice and very stupid..yes. In my opinion there are a lot of people who think that because a person drinks they are automatically labeled an alcoholic…usually by those who don’t drink or rarely drink. The word alcoholic gets thrown around so casually these days and to me its a way for other people to judge and feel better about themselves because there is an attitude in society that if you somehow don’t drink you are in a position to judge those who do.
I am in no way saying any of this applies to you nor do I not agree with you on a lot of your points…especially the drunk drivers on the road (followed one last night…it was scary)…but I also don’t think people should be labeled so harshly because they used extremely poor judgment.
Extremely poor judgement or finally getting caught after driving drunk one too many times.
Your call. Same result – reckless endangerment.
I know by personal experience that taking a cab is the best way to go.
Ok, so what makes a person an alcoholic in your mind? When does drinking start being problematic to you, if operating a vehicle while impaired is not problematic enough and just “a mistake”?
For the record, I drink occassionally at dinners or parties. It’s never a daily activity, nor have I ever driven drunk. I’m not a huge drinker but I don’t abstain either. I have, however, lost a person to drunk driving, been in a car with a drunk driver when I was too little to decline being in a car with that person, and have known many alcoholics who do all sorts of dangerous, irresponsoble thimgs while impaired.
If someone deserves the label of alcoholic is those who do self-destructive, dangerous things under the influence and don’t give a f…
@mel:” there is an attitude in society that if you somehow don’t drink you are in a position to judge those who do.”
I think it´s quite the opposite, people who live abstinent get judged a lot harder when they don´t drink at social events.
Reese and her husband may not be dysfunctional alcoholics, who drink 2 bottles of vodka each day, but to me they seem to have a problematic relationship with alcohol, when they can not or don´t want to miss drinking a few days after the DUI, which would have been a wake up call for any reasonable person and a point where you should reevaluate your drinking habits.
Or they just entitled assholes who think they are above the law, or both, probably both.
I agree- I was never taught that one particular type of bad decision while drunk (even drunk driving) automatically made a person an alcoholic. Then again, maybe he is an alcoholic. I don’t know. I think if they were alcoholics, rumors of drunken behavior would have been coming out before this.
And I don’t think Reese’s decision or bitching at the cops automatically means she’s an alcoholic and can never drink again either. (although I do think it points to an attitude problem).
I thought being an alcoholic required addiction. The person has a ‘need’ to drink every day and gets wasted frequently.
Annie: Please read my post regarding alcoholism. I am an alcoholic and know of what I speak.
One DUI does NOT make you an alcoholic. You might be alcoholic, or you might not be. It could just mean you underestimated he affect alcohol had on you. Or it could mean you’re an alcoholic who can’t stop once you start.
Blanket statements are just that. They don’t fit everyone.
stellajaylover: You’re right. I’m sober and I now ask for a beverage that looks like it’s a drink so I don’t have people trying to press them on me all night.
blaize: There are alcoholics who are binge drinkers who might only drink a few times a year. But once they start, they can’t stop. Tha’s alcoholism, not necessarily drinking every day (although that’s not necessarily a great sign).
Alcoholism is an addiction; it is more than a “problem.” Problematic drinking is not the same thing.
There are lots of people who can’t hold their liquor and do stupid things, including getting one DUI. Additionally, there are alcoholics who don’t really cause problems for anyone but themselves.
I’m not a Reese fan (at ALL, ugh) but I think labeling her and/or her husband as alcoholics is too hasty.
It’s really going to be a PR disaster for her if it turns out she was drinking heavily and she knew she was pregnant.
She was heavily drinking in the first 3 months of this last child! Just not in the public eye……….
And how do you know this? Inquiring minds…
I don’t care what they drink or when they drink, just as long as they don’t drink and drive.
What a mess. It’s definitely not good PR to be seen drinking (anything, at any time of day) so soon after a DUI. It just seems to me that for the sake of their reputations, they could manage to hold back (while in public, at least).
If she is pregnant, which I could believe based on these pics, I do hope she isn’t drinking.
Really? Drinking in public should be curbed because a DUI was issued? Somehow, some way comments like yours make me actually feel sorry for these millionaires. WE are the ones watching, and in some cases obsessing over this. I don’t even like Reese, but she’s got the same rights as anyone else.
I don’t think anyone is saying he/they don’t have the right to drink in public. I just find it curious because of the increased scrutiny they’re under right now. It just seems odd to me. Their choice, their right, their decision, no judgment… Are they deliberately baiting the paps?
I agree with Amy– you would think they’d be a little more discreet with the public drinking so soon after this PR mess.
Nah, it’s just good sense to not drink in public after that. This IS really bad PR, even if I don’t jump to the conclusion they have serious alcohol problems.
You’re right. Reese and her husband old what’s-his-name have the right to make stupid mistakes like everyone else.
And drinking in public a couple of weeks after a high profile DUI is really stupid. Just is.
@aenflex – The responses of Amy, Kate, Nerd Alert & Suze all explain what I meant by my comment. I said it’s:
“…Definitely not a good idea to be seen drinking…”
Not that they should not have the same rights as everyone, only that it seems they would, for the sake of their reputations, not do so in public, so soon after an alcohol-related blunder that hurt the way many people see them. Should they be stalked by the paps? Absolutely not. But neither of them are new to this, & are aware there’s always a chance, in public, that there could be one hanging around.
Oh effing please. Compare her to all the other starlets and their drinking and drug arrests. Is she really that bad? Because she projects an image and it has cracks?
Newsflash = we all project an image, whether we can admit it or not. And said image projection would probably be greatly exacerbated were we all internationally famous.
Does someone need to die for you to reconsider and admit this incident was THAT bad? If it’s serious enough to get you arrested, it’s bad. And she is just as responsible as he is because she enabled him and then got up in arms when he got arrested, questioning the officer for daring to arrest his American, legal citizen, rich, white husband because he was doing nothing wrong, you see “What is going on here??”. It was just a couple of drinks for Gods sake. No big deal, we do it all the time!
This right here is the problem with drunk driving culture. People legitimately don’t grasp the seriousness of incidents like this. People think that as long as no one was harmed or if they don’t get arrested all the time, it wasn’t really that bad, when in reality, they should be thanking their lucky stars that nothing happened, because all the factors were there: alcohol, reckless driving, other drivers around.
I don’t know if most of you apologists have had DUIs before and are in denial of the seriousness of situations like these, or if you truly think celebrities are better people than us and therefore everything should be forgiven, either way it’s messed up.
Just because there’s worse people out there doesn’t mean that what they did wasn’t wrong and that their relationship with alcohol is clearly problematic.
Annie: How do you know people don’t thank their lucky stars nothing worse happened? I know I did. And I also know that I was surrounded by apologists who had a lot of there by the grace of God comments for me, to minimize what I had done.
Don’t tar everyone with the same brush.
Really? Everyone who doesn’t think she’s the scum of the earth for two separate incidents MUST be a celebrity apologist or an alcoholic? We must all freak out over this or we are the problem??
Listen, everything’s not black and white like that. I mean, I think she’s an idiot for the way she acted and I do not condone drunk driving, don’t get me wrong, but there’s no reason to assume they drove after their afternoon drinks. Just deciding that these people are alcoholics for having a drink a few weeks after a DUI is pretty jumpy.
They were very lucky nobody got hurt and both should pay for what they did, but you can’t be sure either of them has an alcohol addiction, and it’s ignorant to go around pointing the finger at everyone like that.
Getting one DUI and drinking in the afternoon does not make someone an alcoholic. If he gets a second DUI then we can revisit. Drinking is fun, and if you don’t think so then you’re doing it wrong. He might be stupid, and she is a brat, but we don’t know that they have drinking problems.
What makes someone an alcoholic?
Addiction to alcohol.
What makes someone an alcoholic is an inability to stop drinking once they start. An alcoholic does not necessarily drink every day. They may drink once or twice a year, but when they do they can’t stop.
That’s the misconception about alcoholism. That all alcoholics drink every day all day. Simply not true. And I’m an alcoholic who has been sober 30 years, so I do know what I’m talking about.
bluhare, I’ve loved your comments in this thread. Very enlightening! 🙂
Thank you LuLu. Being an alcoholic who doesn’t deny it gives a person a lot of freedom. And there are a lot of misconceptions out there about alcoholics. I’d be willing to bet a lot of you know functioning alcoholics and have no idea.
They’re in in their late 30s. They’re past youthful discretion DUI age. I don’t give a toss whether they’re alcoholics or not. Actually, their behavior is even worse if they’re not, because alcoholics have an extremely difficult time not drinking.
And I’m rolling my eyes at the “drinking is fun” comment. The same things are not “fun” for everyone, and if you honestly think there’s something wrong with someone who doesn’t enjoy drinking alcohol, then there is honestly something wrong with the way you think, and you need to check yourself hard.
Lighten up Emily.
She has a small baby. Does she never spend time with him? When her older kids were babies, we’d see pics of her with them a lot. It seems that recently she’s always travelling sans baby.
I have wondered the same thing. There seems to be a difference, but maybe it’s because her activities are being more closely scrutinized the last few weeks.
At least they’re not driving in NYC. Assholes.
I think the idea that Reese’s fanbase has grown is 100% publicist bullshit. She’s got a good publicist to get anyone to believe that, I’ll give her that.
@bluhare, I for one am glad you are okay! I know I did some things when I’m younger that could have got me killed. I didn’t drive under the influence, but I sure as heck got in a car with someone who was.
I’m glad you didn’t have an accident, and congratulations on your sobriety
Thank you, Amy. I’m glad I “got” it. Some friends were not so lucky. I had a high school friend get pulled over and she blew a .39. That’s not a typo. She blew a .39 and was still functioning. That’s a serious late stage alcoholic. And she was drinking wine at our high school reunion wh was when she told me about getting a DUI and what she blew. She was so casual about it. I asked her why she was still drinking as that was serious stuff. She didn’t have much to do with me after that. I actually wonder if she’s still alive but I hope she finally got some help.
I posted the clinical definition of alcohol dependency, but it was deleted. Oh well. At this point, from what we actually have seen publicly, there is no meeting of the criteria for alcohol dependency. Of course, we are not privy to their private lives, so we don’t know everything.
They’re hardly in Lindsay Lohan or Charlie Sheen territory.
Paranormal girl: When I was an active alcoholic in my 20’s no one thought I was. I’d get hammered at clubs but so would everyone else. I could hold my liquor better than anybody. Then it started to creep and I’d drink at home alone after work. I switched from half gallons of wine to a fifth because the hangovers were so bad with a half gallon. I blacked out, and tried to figure out where the spot was where I was OK and when the black out occurred. I never got it right. Toward the end of my drinking career, I blacked out almost every time I drank and spent the next day wondering what I’d done the night before. I had excruciating hangovers that lasted all day, then I’d get up, get in the shower, and do it again. This was weekends. My DUI was during the week. And I thank god or whatever looks down and helps you for it. It changed my life. After I’d been sober for a while I wrote the police department and asked for a copy of my mug shot so I could see where alcohol got me. I still have it plus the letter from the chief of police commending me for asking for it.
I plead guilty and did a night in jail. I didn’t lose my license and I was lucky my insurance company never found out. I tell you all this because people were genuinely shocked when I started to tell people I was going to AA. They didn’t think there was anything wrong with me (except for one or two smart ones). Three weeks after I was sober I started having horrible night sweats. That really convinced me that yes, I was truly alcoholic. Six months sober people were telling me what a change in my personality there was and how much nicer I was. So, yes there is some truth to in vino veritas but for some of us it masks who we really are because it messes with our chemistry.
I quit cold turkey and went to AA. I could not have done it without AA. I don’t go any more because my life isn’t about being an alcoholic and dwelling on it. I went so I could learn how to live without alcohol in the normal world. Some people need AA forever; I’m not one of them. But I feel guilty that I don’t go sometimes because I should sponsor someone else.
I didn’t go to rehab, rehab can be a crutch. People expect it to make them better. It doesn’t. It just gives them the tools to help themselves and if they don’t want to use them they won’t. I’m glad I got it the first time, but I’m not going to slam anyone (except maybe Lindsay Lohan and Brooke Mueller) who take more than one attempt. I’ve never relapsed drinking, although I do admit I’ve smoked some weed. It doesn’t bother me at all, and I’m not a giant fan because it just makes me tired (which was why I smoked it!). If I went to AA and told them that they’d be all over me telling me I’ll drink, so I don’t go because I don’t want to lie. I don’t smoke now, but I won’t say I never will.
Anyway, thanks for reading this long ramble. It was almost like going t an AA meeting! 🙂
Thanks for sharing, I had to make sure someone on this board here did. And sharing so eloquently. You made me think about a lot of things.
Your self insight is great! Boom! ; )
Thank you Erika. I have to admit being all over this thread has been really cathartic for me, and I am glad that I haven’t bored everyone silly. (or at least not you!)
Bluhare, you are strong, insightful, and amazing. Alcohol dependency is one of the hardest things to get under control because access to it is so easy and so prevalent. And it never goes away, just goes underground – it takes so much strength to keep it there and to keep sober. And your story pretty much showed what I was saying. On the surface and in the public eye, neither of them would meet the criteria for diagnosis, but away from the public eye, it could all be very different. I have a friend who lived her life as a functioning alcoholic. No one would have suspected a thing. But eventually, she had an epiphany like you did and realized she had a problem.
@Bluhare:Lucky you didn’t find recovery through NA (Narcotics Anonymous). They’d tell you that the weed you smoked was a relapse. NA does make a distinction between any drug meaning that all drugs including alcohol (which is a drug) is a relapse if you use it.
*meant to say NA doesn’t make a distinction.
Paranormal Girl, thank you. Coming from you that means a lot. To this day I don’t know how I did it; I just did. There’s stories that go along with it that are pretty amazing but I certainly won’t bore everyone wth those. This isn’t about me.
All I can say is that if any one of you is oncerned about your drinking (and my opinion is denial is a public thing; I knew I was alcoholic when I was drinking. I just didn’t think I could handle things without it) all I can tell you is your life will be better than you ever thought if you quit. By admitting you have no power over alcohol (or whatever your poison is), you get more personal power than you ever dreamed. It’s a real conundrum but it’s true.
Thora: They would consider it a relapse in AA as well. I’m not denying or defending here, but weed is something I can take or leave. I am not controlled by it. And, as I said I don’t use it any more. When I was in the throes of menopause it was the best sleep aid around for me. Opiates make me sick or itch, but cocaine would be big trouble.
My husband on the other hand would be a giant pothead if we had it around, but he’s a social drinker. It’s weird how some things affect people differently.
I agree that alcoholism = not being able to start drinking once one starts. However, I can’t get too wound up about these two because I really don’t care…she’s always rubbed me the wrong way. Her face is so solid, square and when she sets her jaw, it makes her look impudent anyway…but with her smug attitude, I wouldn’t be upset if she just went away.
I cant believe this is still a story. They did something very stupid. He drove drunk Criminal yes, but that hardly makes him an alcoholic and he’s in damn fine company on that one.
Morgan Freeman. Nick Nolte. Paris Hilton Jamie King Heather Locklear Kaneau Reeves Ray Liotta Charles Barkley and on and on and on.
Stupid but not addicted.
Move on folks, this show ended
Some of these have addicition isue
From what I saw of the video the whole thing was very mild compared to what could have been said. Her husband was drunk driving which is a huge problem but he acted politely. Reese on the other hand had some liquid courage and made some comments that she shouldn’t have. Haven’t we all at some stage or other? Of all the actresses out there she is sweet, down to earth, good mother, did everything to save her first marriage, stayed low key from media and for someone who got married so young she was a great example for other young moms as she was always with her kids when she wasnt working. Give the girl a break. It’s bad enough to make a mistake without the world knowing you but to so as a well known actress and on video must be so difficult for both of them. I think both are handling the horrible incident as good as they can, they apologized and paying the price like the rest of us would. Some people here seem to be perfect and something similar could never happen to them. You are the so righteous and self indulged.
I think “sweet, down to earth, good mother” are Reese’s talking points but I don’t see any evidence that she is any of those things. She seems entitled, smug, ball busting and hands over much of the day to day care of her kids to her employees.
I always thought of Reese Witherspoon as a driven, ambitious, type A personality. I just always figured she wasn’t far from her Tracy Flick character in reality.
I think you are right. If I remember correctly her production company is Type A Productions.
Man, I know way too much about this stuff.
That Hapsburg chin is out of control.
You all know they are drinking booze? Not just water or club soda for her? There are other articles out there stating this?
Brown shoes with blue suits look like shit. Would all men please stop doing this.