Last night I went to see American Gangster, and it was good. The movie is about a heroin kingpin named Frank Lucas, nick named Superfly, played by Denzel Washington, who is brought down by a truly honest cop New Jersey detective Richie Roberts played by Russell Crowe. Denzel deserves an Oscar. Towards the end of the movie some blacks walked out angrily saying Lucas was scum because he snitched on other criminals. I was surprised to see this behavior, but having seen so many interviews where blacks discourage telling the police who committed a crime, because they consider it a betrayal to other blacks, helped me understand where the negative sentiment came from. Lucas was however, without a doubt, a very important person in the history of the United States. He had a black market heroin empire that rivaled even the Mafia. I wanted to learn more about him, and I found an interesting article about him and his life written back in 2000. If you’d like to learn more too click here to read the article.

US Magazine claims Owen Wilson was addicted to both heroin and cocaine, and he went to church 3 days before he attempted suicide. Here’s more:

Wilson visited a St. Monica church in his neighborhood on August 23, out of either devotion or desperation. Three days later, actor Luke Wilson, 35, found his brother in his Santa Monica, California, home with his left wrist slashed, having ingested a quantity of pills.

While the news stunned Owen’s fans, members of his and Hudson’s inner circles were reportedly all too aware of his private struggles with depression and addiction to cocaine and heroin.

According to sources close to the actor, his downward spiral only worsened after his June split from Hudson, 28.
"We always thought he was just too fun-loving, but now it’s obvious he was just dealing with way too much to handle," says a family friend.

I still think Owen went over the edge because of the breakup with Kate Hudson. She probably didn’t mind the drugs, but a church boy was just too much for her to handle what with her Pagan beliefs and all. Page Six agrees with US that Owen was addicted to cocaine and heroin. Here’s more:

Wilson’s drug use was so frequent, it was even the cause of his Memorial Day breakup with Kate Hudson. And his friends are placing the blame squarely on Wilson’s newfound best buddy, British actor Steve Coogan, with whom he starred in several films.

"I went through it with Steve," Coogan’s former girlfriend, rocker Courtney Love, told US. "I was just out of rehab, and he was right there with the drugs. I tried to warn Owen. I tried to warn his friends. I hope from the bottom of my heart that Owen stays the hell away from that guy."

Wilson’s addiction was so severe, his pal Woody Harrelson tried to stage an intervention at his home in Maui. "Owen went to Maui, Hawaii, to kick his habit," a longtime Wilson pal told the mag. "He was like a baby on that couch."

The friend said that heroin was the first thing that came to mind when Wilson and Hudson split and he suddenly "disappeared off the face of the earth."

Another cause of his depression was his very public split with Hudson it all became too much for the actress when Wilson’s struggles came to light.

She even banned Coogan from Wilson’s house while they were dating. "She knew he was bad," said a source.

If Courtney Love says Steve Coogan is bad news, then he’s REALLY bad news. It’s a good thing Coogan isn’t on trial for murder with Courtney on the stand pointing her bony finger at him saying, "Steve Coogan did it." If Owen was on drugs it’s no wonder he was depressed. I’d like to think it was more the drugs than Hudson, because I really like her as an actress, and I don’t want to imagine her crushing someone’s heart while it beats in her hand.

Yesterday Variety Fair asked Fox if Owen’s mental health situation might affect his participation in "Marley & Me." The Fox spokesman called the question "totally inappropriate." Today it is being reported that Owen is dropping out of a new comedy "Tropical Thunder." Owen was scheduled to begin filming his minor part in a week. Looks like that question was reasonable after all.

Get well soon Owen.

The Daily Mail says today that Amy Winehouse and her husband have flown to the US to immediately begin an intensive drug counseling and detox program after finally admitting that they have a serious drug problem. Winehouse, who collapsed last week after taking a cocktail of heroin, ecstasy, cocaine and the horse tranquilizer ketamine.

Winehouse decided to take action over her problems during crisis talks at a five-star hotel in Hampshire where she was recovering with her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil.

She was reported to have been caught smoking heroin in her suite by a friend, at which point her father Mitch flipped.

Mitch arrived the next day with his wife Janis, and Fielder-Civil’s stepfather Giles Civil and mother Georgette.
According to a source close to the family, the meeting descended into a row and at one point Mr Winehouse grabbed Mr Civil by the throat.

The source told a newspaper: "It broke Amy’s heart to see her parents and in-laws fighting. That was when she realized the drink and drugs were causing problems for everyone." Blake and Winehouse both denied injecting heroin.

The source said: "At one point both Amy and Blake stripped to prove they had not been using needles.
"But they realise that if they don’t get help now, they will both die young. This is their wake-up call."
The couple flew to the US later on Saturday and are today in their third day of intensive counseling and detox treatment.

No needle marks except for that one Amy got after her husband shot her with a tranquilizer dart while he hovered above her in a helicopter. It seems odd Amy would fly to the U.S. to get treatment when she was already in rehab, but she probably heard how successful rehab has been for Britney and Lindsay.

Nicole Richie will appear in court this morning and plead either guilty or no contest to driving under the influence. Richie was cited at 4:30am on December 11th when sheriffs deputies approached her car after several 911 calls reported Richie driving the wrong way down the Burbank Freeway. Richie was parked in the carpool lane and talking on her cell phone when they found her. When questioned, she admitted she was high on vicodin and had been smoking marijuana. This was not her first DUI. In 2002, she was arrested for driving 50 miler per hour in a 15 mph zone near UCLA. She had a .13 blood alcohol level, almost twice the legal limit. Six months later, she was convicted for possession of heroin and driving on a suspended license. About today’s court proceeding, TMZ says:

Richie will plead either guilty or no contest to DUI. She will appear before the Court Commissioner, who will sentence her on the spot. Sources say Richie will receive a minimum sentence of five days in jail. By law, anyone with two DUI convictions must serve at least five days. This conviction will be Nicole’s second DUI.

Put Richie in a red dress, and let her try to out run a bull for five days in a row, then maybe she’d understand how a victim of a DUI driver feels.

Kate Moss, Pete Doherty wedding news is spreading and video evidence of their unique love continues to surface.

In Doherty’s new memoir, he makes a declaration clearly intended to be romantic, and Moss concurs. This from the New York Post:

"Smack and needle-free we shall marry in the summer and I become 10 times happier than any given smackhead. Huzzah!"

The tome, "The Books of Albion," also includes a love note from Moss revealing how mesmerized she is by Doherty:

"You have touched my heart and soul you little [bleep]er . . . You make me high my sweet. My skin shivers and longs to be held by you."

That she is so smitten with the guy has people on both sides of the Atlantic scratching their heads. These two are like every dysfunction wrapped up into one big trainwreck.

Check out the videos, which feature the couple "singing" and stumbling about. Charming evidence that there’s someone out there for everyone.

Talk about mesmerizing. You may not be able get the tune out of your head.

The most recent one is here.

This one from a couple of months ago, which Pete posted to the Internet himself, is definitely worth another look in light of their romantic revelations.