A Million Little Pieces

For those of you who haven’t read it, (is there really anyone out there who hasn’t?) it’s a “memoir” by a face-down-in-a-urine-puddle-in-the-alley drug addict about his recovery from the grip of terminal alcoholism and heroin use. Using stream of consciousness writing interspersed with sixth-grade-level expletives, he drags us through endless days in dreary rehab and endless nights in the dreary reaches of his mind. It’s been on the best-seller list due in part to the recommendation of Oprah who, as we know, controls the reading habits of the nation.

But oh…now we have accusations that instead of a true memoir, this is a compilation of a Million Little Lies. Accusations that James Frey, drug addict and generic jerk, might not have written a true account with the accuracy of a clear-minded individual making notes in a journal on a Sunday afternoon. So James goes on Larry King Live and defends the book. Oprah calls in and defends him.

Then Oprah has an awakening and decides she was duped and James goes back on her show to take a verbal beating. Acting, I might add, just like a relapsed addict in a therapist’s office sitting with head down and arms hanging between his legs (no tail). He does not defend himself this time in the presence of this formidable Defender Of Truth who makes every effort to ostracize and shame him. (Timed coincidentally with the release of his new book.)

So what? How many druggies do you know who can remember last week much less put down in excruciating correctness every detail of being high months ago and then living through rehab to tell about it. Uh…that is the definition of being high. A break with reality. Duh. I don’t see what all the fuss is about. What I want to know is when does Oprah plan to have George Bush on her show. He could use a little chastisement and ostracism and a good chewing out for duping the American people.

But it would seem that lying about the details of one man’s drug addiction is more heinous than lying about WMDs and a preemptive war for oil in the Middle East. What is wrong with this picture?

First we are upset about Clinton’s blowjob, and now a druggie’s misrepresentations of a sad and pitiful life that might be even worse to read about if the truth were told. It’s hard to “spice up” drug addiction, but he did and millions of little minds enjoyed it. So…if you haven’t read it, now you don’t need to.