Comments on: I Don’t Think Amy Winehouse Is Going to Make It

By: Nickopotamus

Nickopotamus — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 05:37:11 +0000

I think that you get a very biased view of Amy on your side of the pond. She’s a nice person? I personally have seen her swear at a bunch of fans and push them out of the way following a gig, before glowering at myself to get out of the way (I was there as medical cover for the gig), and then look how she treats the audience at Glasto: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7479092.stm.

She has been offered the physical and mental care that she needs on numerous occasions, but doesn’t want it – she even wrote a song about it! Unfortunately you (society, her parents, healthcare professionals) someone into rehabilitation and psychiatric reviews, I can’t help feeling that although she is a mess she *chooses* to stay a mess by the company she keeps (look at her husband) and the lifestlye choices she makes (drink, drugs, you name it). Why? It’s her image, it’s what sells her records now (rather than the fantastic voice and clever songs she had years back).

By: sc

sc — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:19:26 +0000

Liz,
You are the queen of compassion. I admire you for it, but it must get exhausting at times.

By: aurora

aurora — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:44:55 +0000

I love Amy Winehouse too. Her voice is amazing. She was so beautiful when she first started, and I am so curious to listen to her subsequent albums, she’s the kind of artist we want to see develop musically. I don’t know what can be done.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=lyIDH22xjlw&feature=related

I hate to see her insecurity, that seems written all over everything she does, especially her anorexia… I wish she would see that she was good enough just as she was.

By: Katharine

Katharine — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:35:28 +0000

Thanks for posting this Liz. It breaks my heart that the majority of what I hear about Amy Winehouse is snickers and jeers… and how it’s so cool to dress up as her for Halloween… ugh. The poor girl is sick for crying out loud! I wish more people would respond with compassion and concern as opposed to aloof mockery. I am sad for Amy Winehouse because of her struggles, but I am also sad because of our society’s general reaction to her…

By: Dano MacNamarrah

Dano MacNamarrah — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:38:33 +0000

Liz,

I would have loved to read your post about Amy Winehouse, as she rocks my world. But I am more concerned with our mutual friend Susan, from “If You’re Going Through Hell”.

I went to my dashboard and as I follow several blogs, I saw the lines from her most recent post. The title was “I’m So Lonely I Could Die>”

I tried ringing her, but it’s about eleven p.m. now. I’m hoping that the reason she didn’t answer is because she took her meds and went to sleep.

Or maybe you two are hanging out?

I know that you edit comments, so I’ll give you my private info, so that if you know anything, you could let me know. The stuff before is fine to print.

OK. My name is Karen, but I will answer to Dano also, if you chose to call me. My cel is the only phone I have and the number is:
215-923-6044.

I’m just concerned about Susan and know that you both are friendly. Please, if you learn anything, call me.

I’ll be at LBI this weekend, and might be able to figure out a way to see her this week-end. If not, then I’ll go myself next week-end.

I’ll shut up now. Sorry for all this, Karen/Dano.

By: Ken Wolman

Ken Wolman — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:13:54 +0000

I’m a bit too old to be a Winehouse fan (I’m 64), and my grown sons think she’s a junkie bitch, but something about Amy fascinates and moves me. It’s not her looks, which are destroyed; and I don’t find her even marginally sexy anymore. It’s raw talent: sheer, powerful songwriting and singing talent that you don’t see very often.

She reminds me of Judy Garland, only Garland didn’t write her stuff.

Sadly, there is a website out there called “When Will Amy Winehouse Die?” It’s a lottery and the winner gets an iPod. No thanks, I already own one….

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:41:15 +0000

Hi Liz,
Unfortunately I agree things are looking grim for Amy. what I wanted to highlight in regards to your comments about her getting the right care both psychiatrically and from a substance use counsellor, is this. For Amy to have the best chance of recovery her care should be integrated, that is she should be receiving both psychiatric and substance use treatment from the one treating team I work in the field of co-occurring mental illness and substance use. One thing we know that enhances peoples chance of recovery is integrated care from the same clinician or team. If she can obtain this, maybe we won’t loose such a wonderful, soulful voice and she may not loose her life.

By: Carter

Carter — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:06:01 +0000

Agreed — it seems like long odds that she’ll make it out of her 20s.

Her life looks like a perfect storm of addiction, mental health problems & an environment that constantly discourages her from getting help for either.

Her dad tries, others close to her try, but like other celebs she’s mostly surrounded by people who don’t give a shit about anything but her fame & money. Plus, she’s got a trainwreck of a husband who’s clearly co-dependant (& probably even less likely to ever get help).

And it’s obvious that most of the people in some position to nudge her toward consistent treatment don’t understand the first thing about mental health or addiction; they seemed to think a Grammies sweep might convince her to “clean up her act.”

But the saddest part is that she’s one of less than a handful of genuine musical talents in the last quarter century. She’s probably convinced that she can’t keep that going without the drugs, but personally I get the feeling she falls into the Hemingway/Fitzgerald camp: Her early work might draw on drug use & addiction for inspiration, but it will only decline over time (assuming she does live past 30). Hemingway couldn’t stop drinking, & his last novel was an absolute turd.

By: David

David — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:48:49 +0000

Hi Liz, when her name started popping up about a year ago, I thought she must be England’s answer to Brittany Spears. But having heard a bit of her music, I think she is the real deal. I remember reading that her dad was imploring fans not to buy her latest record as if that might knock some sense into her. Of course then she wins the grammy. Screw that. I get the feeling AMy has jumped off a tall building and is falling ever so slowly towards the ground. We all see her falling but there’s not a damn thing to do. Does she have some sort of death wish? Well when you have Keith Richards telling you to get your shit together, you know you are in trouble. My advice? Have Amy hang with Keith. He can teach her how to cheat death. He’s been doing it for the past 40 years. I think Amy, like the rest of us, needs the right kind of love, whatever that is. Dave