the evening news

I wasn't expecting that. Joey going on TV and confessing to a 14 year - most of his career - history of recreational drug use. Wow.

But hold on. Here we hear (what an awful start to a sentance...) yet again the pressure and stress and depression defence. Has any busted high-profile non-rock-star drug user ever not been a poor soul tortured by the pressure of their life? It may say more about me than Johns, but I'm not buying it. I would have bought "I was a young fit bloke with the world at my feet and a truck load of cash - COME ON!" I think the shame he confesses is not the shame of taking recreational drugs but rather the shame of his outing. Drugs are rife and it is to be expected that we find use among sportsmen and women - most of them are slap bang in the right demographic. But we expect better of our role models.

That said...we should allow our heros to make honest drug confessions - and if you're reading Joey, I apologise if I am misreading your plight. A better message for the kids; first rule - don't fuck up. Second rule - if you do fuck up, but be straight about it. Lies do more damage than drugs.