Shia LeBang

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After posting a 5.17.08 story about meeting the Indy 4 gang at the Carlton hotel during the Cannes Film Festival, some of the talkback yentas slammed me for trying to pay a compliment to Shia Lebeouf. "I told LeBeouf he looked great also, adding -- this was a minor mistake -- that the program obviously agreed with him," I wrote. "'The program?,' he asked. 'Yeah,' I said. 'AA....no? I read you'd gone into the program after the Chicago Walmart bust.' Lebeouf looked a little alarmed. 'Nope...no program,' he answered. 'Just livin' my life.'"

I interpreted "just livin' my life" to mean that Lebeouf didn't feel he had a problem that needed addressing so why not just chill and have a good time? Except today's news about Lebeouf getting popped for a misdemeanor DUI following a 3 am car-banger in Hollywood suggests there may in fact be a behavior issue he needs to address. This on top of the Chicago Walgreen's bust, I mean. Lebeouf reportedly told David Letterman that "drinking and driving is one thing, but drinking and shopping [is] just as bad."

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Scott Wolf said this morning "it was immediately apparent to officers responding on the scene that LaBeouf was intoxicated and he was subsequently placed under arrest."

In hindsight I would say I was getting down to business with Lebouf by mentioning the "program" and offering support and encouragement about same (however ignorant I may have been about his involvement with AA), so I would say I was more right than wrong, more generous and positive-minded than not.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 27, 2008 at 11:36 AM

comment #1

York "Budd" Durden says ...

I saw that he'd posted a profile on wealthy nonthreatening boys dot com just yesterday, in the partyboy subcategory.

Posted by York "Budd" Durden at July 27, 2008 12:16 PM

comment #2

Mgmax says ...

"some of the talkback bitches"

Honestly, that is as bad as any trashtalking you've banned anyone for.

I don't say that as someone who feels it refers to myself (I'm pretty sure I didn't comment in any thread about Sleepy LaBeef ever) but simply as someone who thinks that the tone on a site starts with the proprietor, for good or ill.

Posted by Mgmax at July 27, 2008 12:18 PM

comment #3

Mark B says ...

Speaking as someone who is "in the program," I would not presume to speulate on LaBeouf's condition. However, one admittedly unscientific statistic is that you'll get caught driving drunk about one out of every hundred times you do it. If that's anywhere at all close to being true, then, at the very least, LaBeouf probably has some issues that need to be dealt with.

Posted by Mark B at July 27, 2008 12:26 PM

comment #4

Aris P says ...

Another rich, young child with a drinking "problem". Give me a break. The problem is that he's a spoiled brat, who didn't get to suck on his pacifier enough as a child. Other than a really small % of people his age who have a clinical drinking problem, you can chalk it up to boredom, too much money and too many sycophants. The only program kids like this need is boot camp, or some good old fashioned discipline, instilling fear of real consequences, from parents. Douche.

Posted by Aris P at July 27, 2008 12:28 PM

comment #5

Nick Plowman says ...

I'm sorry, did someone say "Shia LaBeouf"?

*turns a blind eye* I wasn't aware that he had any flaws...

Posted by Nick Plowman at July 27, 2008 12:30 PM

comment #6

George Prager says ...

"talkback yentas" would've been the more appropriate term.

Posted by George Prager at July 27, 2008 12:30 PM

comment #7

BurmaShave says ...

He's just trying to acquire the necessary edge to play Robin in the Nolan universe.

Posted by BurmaShave at July 27, 2008 12:33 PM

comment #8

Terry McCarty says ...

Maybe it's internalized rage about being locked into doing TRANSFORMERS II.

Posted by Terry McCarty at July 27, 2008 12:40 PM

comment #9

qwiggles says ...

Jeff,

As talkback bitch #2 for that post, I maintain that your exchange with Indy IV's Tarzan is comic gold. Bless you for being brute-force honest to the point of not even realizing he might not appreciate such a question. And bless him for that terse response: "Just livin' my life."

Posted by qwiggles at July 27, 2008 12:59 PM

comment #10

qwiggles says ...

...And by question, I mean comment.

Posted by qwiggles at July 27, 2008 1:01 PM

comment #11

MilkMan says ...

I drove home drunk last night too. Was at Fantasy Island on Pico. Co-worker's birthday. Haven't been to a strip club since I was 18. Actually, Fantasy Island isn't a strip club. They serve booze, which means they were all wearing bikins. I ran out of cash pretty quickly on drinks. I said I was leaving but my co-worker, the guy turning 38, told me to stay, told me that he would buy me a lap dance. I've never had a lap dance before, so I was a little nervous. The girl he picked out for me was not the one I wanted. He picked out a skinny blonde with bad skin. The one I wanted was Asian, and the reason I wanted her was because I recognized her from porn. Her name was Lucy Lee. But that's not who I got. I also didn't get a boner during my lap dance, which I thought I would, because it's been ten years since I've had a woman who isn't my wife writhe in my lap, although, if I think about it, my wife has never really ever writhed in my lap. So I felt like a bad sport, me with my softy. Just as well, though. I asked my co-worker/sugar daddy if he could buy me three more lap dances, which he did, along with five more 7 & 7's. I drove home shitfaced, scarfing down a couple of double decker tacos. I felt glorious. Sorry, Shia. Better you than me.

Posted by MilkMan at July 27, 2008 1:14 PM

comment #12

MickTravis says ...

Yay! How fortunate that this bad news now makes your speculative mention of "the program" (which even you admit probably wasn't appropriate) seem -- at least in your estimation -- prophetic, "generous" and "positive."

Are there any working *male* actors under 30 that you don't have it in for?

Posted by MickTravis at July 27, 2008 1:33 PM

comment #13

breadlymoore says ...

Word is Shia fucked up his hand pretty badly in this senseless accident, which should make Michael Bay furious.

They will have to set aside some of the 300 mil budget for a CG hand!

Posted by breadlymoore at July 27, 2008 1:50 PM

comment #14

Daviddb says ...

Milkman you are my heterosexual hero...I don't know how you convinced the wife to let you go to a strip bar, most women aren't too comfy with that idea...they may tell you yeah you can go, but in her head she's already chalked up one night for herself...what's good for the goose philosophy...and they do keep scores...so beware. Can't believe L.A. still has that Puritan law about mixing boobs and booze...in New Orleans, if they passed a law like that, there'd be riots on Bourbon street.

Posted by Daviddb at July 27, 2008 2:01 PM

comment #15

Movie Watcher says ...

Milkman, that reminded me of myself back in the 80's. The memories hit me over the head like an empty beer bottle. People look back and say 'Did I really do shit like that? Was I that drunk?' Yes, sadly I was. I hope LeBeouf gets some help. Alcohol is a bitch.

Posted by Movie Watcher at July 27, 2008 2:03 PM

comment #16

Aris P says ...

^^ Or calls a cab.

Posted by Aris P at July 27, 2008 2:07 PM

comment #17

C-PhreekII says ...

MgMax - careful, keep in mind the Emperor Has No Clothes and all that. Pushing back is a dangerous game when thin skin is involved.

Posted by C-PhreekII at July 27, 2008 2:09 PM

comment #18

sweet_billy says ...

"The girl he picked out for me was not the one I wanted. He picked out a skinny blonde with bad skin."

was her name "isis"?

Posted by sweet_billy at July 27, 2008 2:39 PM

comment #19

longrunner says ...

It is somewhere between socially clumsy and downright rude to ask someone about being in AA. His response was certainly a lot more graceful than mine would've been.

Posted by longrunner at July 27, 2008 2:44 PM

comment #20