Pete Wentz tells different story of the music he attempted suicide to


Fall Out Boy bassist and Ashlee Simpson accessory Pete Wentz recently revealed his struggles with depression, anxiety and even a suicide attempt. Wentz spoke out about his problems to bring awareness to a growing suicide rate among teens and young adults in the U.S.

Fall Out Boy bassist (and Ashlee Simpson beau) Pete Wentz has revealed that he once was so “completely lost and out of control” he tried to take his own life.

Wentz, 28, says he had seen several doctors who gave him prescription drugs but things worsened around the time his band had finished recording their major label record a few years ago.

“I got in my car. I remember I was listening to Jeff Buckley doing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and sat there and took a bunch of [anxiety drug] Ativan in a Best Buy parking lot,” Wentz says in a video for MTV’s college channel MTVU.

“And I called up my manager because I was, at that point, completely out of my head with Ativan. And I was talking to him and I was slurring my words, so he called my mom and my mom called me and she came and got me and we went to the hospital.”

Wentz — who is promoting Jed Foundation’s Half Of Us campaign (aimed at cutting student suicide rates) — says he decided to tell his story to help encourage young people seek out professional help.

“It’s not really about keeping your head above water, it’s about feeling all right and feeling safe in your own skin,” Wentz says. “It’s not about keeping your head above water and barely keep going.”


[From Us Weekly]

Not to make light of Pete’s problems, but could that suicide attempt be any more unoriginal? Killing yourself to Jeff Buckley? That’s like seducing a girl to “Let’s Get it On” – it’s been done to the point of silliness. On the other hand, teen girls (and boys) seem to love this kid, so good for him for bringing this issue to light.

Update by Celebitchy: Thanks to commentor Elisha for noting that Pete Wentz gave a different account of the music playing during his suicide attempt in a January, 2006 interview with Rolling Stone. There’s no doubt he’s referring to the same instance with Ativan in a Best Buy parking lot, but in that interview he wasn’t so sure about the music that was playing on his stereo and has since revised the story for maximum impact:

In 2005, you OD’d on Ativan and nearly died while sitting in a car in a Best Buy parking lot. Were you listening to music?

Not a good experience at all. At the time I was really into Frou Frou, but I was in my sister’s Escort, so I was probably listening to Q101 in Chicago. So it was whatever new-metal band that was big then. Probably Trapt. It was a bum-out.

[From Rollingstone.com, thanks to Elisha]

Maybe he honestly thinks “Hallelujah” was playing at the time and it’s something that kind of wormed its way into his conscious memory, and helps him make sense of a very painful event. We are not pointing this out to take a jab at Pete, and suicide is a tragic and desperate measure. He deserves credit for speaking out about it and bringing awareness to this important issue. [Thanks to Syko for mentioning that.]

Pete Wentz is shown at the DCMA Collective store opening on 3/14/08 and at LAX Nightclub on 2/23/08, thanks to PRPhotos.

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27 Responses to “Pete Wentz tells different story of the music he attempted suicide to”

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  1. Rianna says:

    its good of him to bring it into the limelight because its a horrible thing for teens to deal with and even worse for the people that they leave behind.

  2. elisha says:

    This is old news. He first talked to Rolling Stone about it in 2006, but I just read about it a few months ago. I thought it was on here, but I guess not.

  3. summertime921 says:

    I don’t want to make light of his problems either (I’ve dealt with my share of depression myself) but I agree-committing suicide to “Hallelujah”? Seriously?

  4. elisha says:

    Oh! He’s a liar! Here’s what he says in the RS interview:

    RS: In 2005, you OD’d on Ativan and nearly died while sitting in a car in a Best Buy parking lot. Were you listening to music?

    PW: Not a good experience at all. At the time I was really into Frou Frou, but I was in my sister’s Escort, so I was probably listening to Q101 in Chicago. So it was whatever new-metal band that was big then. Probably Trapt. It was a bum-out.
    ————–
    What he says in this quote:
    “I got in my car. I remember I was listening to Jeff Buckley doing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and sat there and took a bunch of [anxiety drug] Ativan in a Best Buy parking lot,” Wentz says in a video for MTV’s college channel MTVU.

  5. celebitchy says:

    elisha good find – do you have the the link for that RS Interview?

  6. jessie says:

    Yeah he attempted suicide like Ashley had an eating disorder. LAME!

  7. Bex says:

    Lame though it may be.. kids pull that kind of crap all the time and as a parent, I can see that as being a frightening experience. At least he’s trying to do something positive with the experience.

    A for Effort I say!

  8. Daisy says:

    emo

  9. Syko says:

    I like him. I don’t know why. But even if he’s mixed up his facts, there needs to be more awareness of this issue, and kudos to him for attempting to bring it to the forefront.

  10. Trillion says:

    Oh no! Hallelujah is a sacred song to me – esp. when sung by the late great Jeff Buckley- and now Pete Wentz has gone and cheapened it. Maybe I’m giving him too much power to do so. He’s such a cheesy poser.

  11. Bodhi says:

    It is a great song…

  12. Ur A Loser says:

    I just detest this guy! He walks around like hes the shit btw his band sucks (rock my ass)!I’ve been there, you’ve been there… get help & get over it. Im inclined to believe that if it was someone else I probably would have more empathy & sympathy but like I said this guy annoys the shit out of me!!!

  13. Breederina says:

    I guess I’m too old to be bothered by him. Anything or anyone that keeps even one kid from killing themselves has my vote.
    Never realized that was a Leonard Cohen song. It gets me every time.

  14. anon69 says:

    the kid is a douche and a poseur. Maybe he tried to off himself because he can’t admit he’s gay.
    and before we all get up in arms, I wouldn’t be snarky about this if I thought for one minute he was sincere in his attempt. I think it was a story to add to his “cred”- poor angst filled youth. He makes me ill.

  15. headache says:

    thank you, anon69. You said it better than I did. He is making these statements to a fanbase that treats suicide and depression as trendy as baggy pants. It’s going to end up having the opposite effect than people were hoping for.

  16. vis says:

    When at first you don’t succeed…

  17. TooBad says:

    He failed at suicide, just goes to show you he isn’t good at anything at all.

  18. Biscuit says:

    Open Letter to Joe Simpson:
    I Thank God that Owen Wilson and Pete Wentz as well as countless others, trusted someone or themselves enough to have spoken out indirectly or otherwise, and didn’t make THE FINAL DECISION. The fact that they are still ALIVE is True Success! I’m sure their family members & friends TRUST in them enough to LOVE them even more. To those of us who aren’t so LUCKY, may the one’s we’ve lost to suicide, ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED! This cause desperately needs more Awareness and Attention!!!!!!!!!!!!! There shall be no SHAME to those left behind, and those who are missed beyond words.

  19. Zoe says:

    cynical pricks. This guy actually TOOK a bottle full of pills. That’s a hell of a risk to take to get some attention. Not just death, but organ damage as well. If you ever lost someone to suicide, had to look at their dead body….a cry for help is a cry for help. Maybe, now that he’s better he’s embelishing the story, that makes him a knob, fine, but people in trouble need to know they’ll be supported no matter what.

  20. Scott F says:

    Sorry, he did it for attention and credibility. Come on, how dense do you have to be not to see that? Teenage girls throwing a temper tantrum over being dumped take too many pills in a public parking lot.

    If you REALLY want to commit suicide, then you’ll most likely succeed. Eat a bullet, jump off a bridge, lay down on railroad tracks, jump into a transformer and cook yourself.

    If you fail at suicide, it’s because you’re not trying hard enough.

  21. Alek says:

    Yeah, sorta like Hillary landing under all that shelling one year after the end of the war. It’s Pete’s wishful memory enhancement moment.

  22. Jessica says:

    Who cares if the story is BS… he’s trying to help ppl.. and, as someone who has had depression and now realizes what a COLD MTHFKN WORLD we live in, I think that’s great. Good on him.

  23. fred perry says:

    better luck next time douchebag!

  24. ChristinaX says:

    My sisters are huge Fall Out Boy fans who’ve told me a while back he attempted suicide.

    I personally dislike the guy. I think he embodies your typical narcisstic self-absorbed rich spoiled emo kid. He was born in the wrong generation.

    Whoever said he’s doing it for credibility, I agree. I wouldn’t have said this, except for the fact that suicide is fashionable among teenagers.

  25. Amelia says:

    I find it disturbing that people are willing to mock somebody for what is an honest attempt to elighten others.

    It tells a terrifying story of our society.

    He has stated in several interviews that he didn’t want to ‘die’ he just wanted his head to shut down for a bit; Ativan is (as you may have read) an anxiety medicine so he just took more of that than he should have done in an attempt to feel better.

    If you dislike him, fine, but don’t wish him ‘better luck next time’ that’s not only massively disrespectful, but also proves that you’re a flaming moron.

  26. emo boy says:

    Hey there, im starting an emo blog and wanted to add your site on my blogroll.