Natalie Cole's Winehouse worry

[okarol]

Natalie Cole's Winehouse worry

(Monday February 09, 2009 11:00 AM)

Natalie Cole has stood by her comments criticising Amy Winehouse for her drug use.

The jazz singer, daughter of Nat King Cole, too some flak two years ago for lashing out at Rehab singer Amy.

"I got into a bit of hot water for what I said about Amy Winehouse and I still say it again," she said. "I'm an ex-drug addict and I don't take that kind of stuff lightly."

Natalie, who appeared at the Grammy Awards despite waiting for a kidney transplant and battling Hepatitis C, believes she contracted the virus through heroin use more than 20 years ago.

"It stayed in my body for 25 years and it could still happen to this young woman or other addicts who are fooling around with drugs, especially needles," she said. "I would hope that what happened to me does not happen to her."

Natalie must undergo kidney dialysis three times a week, and at the awards she wore a gown with a strap that hid the catheter implanted near her collarbone for the procedure.

http://uk.news.launch.yahoo.com/dyna/article.html?a=/09022009/344/natalie-cole-s-winehouse-worry.html&e=l_news_dm

[Kitsune]

Natalie Cole's Winehouse worry

(Monday February 09, 2009 11:00 AM)

Natalie Cole has stood by her comments criticising Amy Winehouse for her drug use.

The jazz singer, daughter of Nat King Cole, too some flak two years ago for lashing out at Rehab singer Amy.

"I got into a bit of hot water for what I said about Amy Winehouse and I still say it again," she said. "I'm an ex-drug addict and I don't take that kind of stuff lightly."

Natalie, who appeared at the Grammy Awards despite waiting for a kidney transplant and battling Hepatitis C, believes she contracted the virus through heroin use more than 20 years ago.

"It stayed in my body for 25 years and it could still happen to this young woman or other addicts who are fooling around with drugs, especially needles," she said. "I would hope that what happened to me does not happen to her."

Natalie must undergo kidney dialysis three times a week, and at the awards she wore a gown with a strap that hid the catheter implanted near her collarbone for the procedure.

http://uk.news.launch.yahoo.com/dyna/article.html?a=/09022009/344/natalie-cole-s-winehouse-worry.html&e=l_news_dm

I take umbrage to Ms. Cole saying that hepatitis "happened" to her. It's not like she was playing tag with toddlers in the park and she stepped on some random hypodermic needle, later going to the hospital and finding out the terrible news. She's yet another one of those whiny Hollywood types who thinks fame makes you invincible and can't understand why there are consequences for her actions. As a person who got sick at 3 years old, my illness happened to me. Hers was a result of her drug abuse, and this is one of the many reasons I don't feel one bit sorry for her. But she needs never fear, for she is a celebrity (however minor these days) and all she'll have to do is whine enough, and BOOM! a kidney will be found. Whoever said fame can't buy you health didn't know anything I guess.

[monrein]

I certainly don't know Natalie Cole but my reading of Karol's posted item was very different than yours Kitsune.  She may indeed be exactly as you describe her, a whiny celebrity, but it seems to me that she is in fact taking responsibility for having been a heroin user which is why her kidney failure happened.  She's also saying that her experience with addiction qualifies her to warn Ms Winehouse about the dangers of such a choice.
Despite any weakness or personal issues that might have lead her to make such a poor choice, it's too bad that her kidneys failed IMO.    My understanding was that her son was looking into donating to her.

[Kitsune]

Yeah, it's too bad anyone's kidneys fail, but it shouldn't come as some kind of "tragedy" to people who cause it themselves, because people have more than enough information so that they can make an informed choice and if the choice happens to be a poor one, as in the case of Ms. Cole, they need to (as people in my old neighborhood used to say) act like they know and man-up (or woman-up) and say, "Yeah, I know why this happened, it's because I caused it myself, I made my bed, now I have to lie in it.", rather than going, "*sniffle, sniffle* Boo hoo, it just happened and I'll try to be brave."

People whose actions result in expected consequences who act like bad things just happen for no reason make me sooo angry. Here I am, someone whose kidney disease actually "happened" to them because of a doctor that was too old and too blind to practice medicine and I complain less than Natalie Cole, who could have had healthy kidneys but blew it so she could stick a needle in her arm and get high and then when it did happen, she sent her rep to go cry the blues to anyone who cared to pick up the newspaper that day and made herself the unofficial spokeswoman for beating addiction.

If she's so concerned about the celebrity junkies of the world, where was she when Robbin Crosby made the announcement that he had AIDS in 1994 from shooting up? Where was she when they found Layne Staley dead? Nowhere to be found, because it didn't benefit her or her career in any way. Now that her use of smack has finally caught up with her and her kidneys are fried, all of a sudden she's Little Miss Concerned Ex-Junkie because her career is dead and she needs a kidney and wants people to think she's seen the "error of her ways" so they will feel sorry for her and test to donate and/or buy her (in my opinion, hackneyed and cliched) music, which hasn't been popular since like 1991.

I say, let Amy Winehouse shoot smack if she wants to. She's a big girl and old enough to know what can happen to her from it, and when it does, she'll have no one to blame but herself for her actions. Natalie Cole doesn't give a shite about this girl, she just wants to make herself seem like the selfless ex-junkie celebrity who doesn't want to see others "go down the same path she did", so that people will help her with her "tragic sitautation".

Natalie Cole's situation, while indeed it does suck, is neither a "tragedy" nor an "unfortunate event", it is the result of using drugs for years and then being too lazy to get proper medical care., Call it what it is people. If this were some ex-prostitute saying the same thing, we'd all say, "She knew the risks", but because of who's saying it, we're expected to be distraught and act like it was unexpected. Bull. This woman had to know that heroin is one of the worst drugs you can use and that sharing needles is a good way to get a bloodborne illness. But wait! *cue superhero music* She's a celebrity so she's invincible!!!

I maintain my position that this was completely preventable and didn't just happen, and if they put this woman's "inspirational story" in any of the AAKP magazines that my mother persists in having sent to me, rather than pitching it like I normally do, I will put it through the shredder in effigy and send it back to them in pieces, stating the reason why.

[Sluff]

I think it is unfortunate when anyone drug user or not gets the news that they have organ failure because a lot of us at one time or another has done something that would hurt us, mine is sugar, I am like so addicted to candy but I am diabetic. So does this mean I deserve to go into a high blood sugar coma? I think as humans we sometimes know better (like I do) that some of our choices are not in our own best interests, however I can still have sympathy or empathy for those individuals. Kitsune I fully understand your point of view, and although I don't agree with it you are entitled to your feelings, and I feel bad that at 3 years old you were affected by kidney disease. I'm sure you have been to hell and back because of it and I wish you well.

[paris]

I think many of us would be told we were responsible for our kidney failure -- either by diabetes, drug abuse, etc.    I have followed Natalie Cole since she was a little girl.  Her Dad was in incredible talent and she had much to live up to.  She made bad choices and is paying for it.  How many of us with kidney disease pick up a bag of chips knowing it will hurt our kidneys.  I know, that isn't the same, but we all make poor choices in our lives.  That means we aren't perfect.  Some of us have our imperfections posted in newspapers and the internet.  I am so glad there isn't a picture trail of all my dumb mistakes.     And I do feel sorry for each person dealing with a medical issure.  None of it is easy.  Compassion is easier to live with than bitterness.    Here is to hoping all of us that need a kidney will get one, no matter what our circumstance or how we got kidney disease.   

[Chris]

Meanwhile....
Back to Amy, I don't care, let her get whatever disease she get's. I don't feel sorry for her and I'm sick about hearing about her drinking and drug habbits in the news when I check online. She's bringing it on herself. Just need to ship all these whinney stars and singers to the moon. So far I'm thinking Paris Hilton, Brittney Spears, a few sports people, some other singers, a few celebs and so called celbs. Gonna need a bigger ship I swear!

[Zach]

Just ned to ship all these whinney stars and singers to the moon. So far I'm thinking Paris Hilton, Brittney Spears, a few sports people, some other singers, a few celebs and so called celbs. Gonna need a bigger ship I swear!

Wasn't there a movie a few years ago with a scene in it like that?  

[Chris]

Not sure Zach, but wish I had scene it

Maybe a new thread "Stars you would like to send to the moon!"