Spinner

Don Henley Casts Blame for Winehouse's, Spears' Troubles

Twenty-six years ago, in the song 'Dirty Laundry,' the Eagles' Don Henley first sang, "Dirty little secrets/Dirty little lies/We got our dirty little fingers in everybody's pie/We love to cut you down to size/We love dirty laundry." Those words haven't lost their relevancy in today's tabloid and paparazzi-infused society. And Henley, who recently sat down with us for upcoming Spinner Interview, has nothing but sympathy for frequent tabloid targets.

"I always say, 'This is the world that Rupert Murdoch made and we all have to live in it,'" he said. "I feel badly for people like Amy Winehouse and even Britney Spears because it's really hard for a kid to cope with sudden fame and a lot of money. [The Eagles] certainly had difficulties, but we were all grounded enough -- had good parents and middle class, working class roots -- that we were able to get through it somehow. I know what a lot of these kids are going through and I feel for them."

While Henley empathizes with Spears and Winehouse, he also casts blame, particularly on the very industry that breeds their success. "There aren't a lot of good managers out there anymore," he said. "A lot of these people aren't getting the guidance that they should be getting because managers don't want to rock the boat. They don't want to say something to the golden goose that may make the golden goose fire them. They're reluctant to tell these kids the truth, which is, 'You need to go to f---ing rehab now.' It's the responsibility, not only of parents, but of friends, relatives, managers and record companies to keep their artists from going off the rails, even if it means losing them. And that just doesn't happen very much."

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ANgela

I love him very much. I heard from my friends that he joined celebrities and wealthy club "S earching M illionaire.c o m". recently. I really expected that I can meet him there.If so, I could share my ideas with him.

April 02 2008 at 10:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
birdiemancini

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE STATEMENTS MADE BY DON HENLEY. ITS REALLY ALL OR SHOULD BE ALL COMMON SENSE. BY NATURE I'M JUST NOT A NEGATIVE PERSON BUT I'VE JUST BEEN DOWN RIGHT ANGRY ABOUT THE TABLOIDS AND NEWS MEDIAS OF ALL KINDS BUT ESPECIALLY OUR SUPPOSED RESPECTABLE NEWS SOURCES. THERE ARE NO RESPECTABLE NEWS SOURCES ANYMORE AND ALL OF THE TRULY IGNORANT INDIVIDUALS THAT SPEND SOMEBODYS (PROBABLY NOT THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY) MONEY ON THESE TABLOIDS MY GOD PEOPLE GET A REAL BOOK AND READ IT FOR A CHANGE. PEOPLE LIKE BRITNEY SPEARS AND AMY WINEHOUSE ARE STILL HUMAN BEINGS , WHAT HAVE WE BECOME WHEN WE CONSIDER ANOTHER HUMAN BEINGS MISERY ENTERTAINMENT. AND FOR ALL OF THE MANAGERS AND PARENTS OF THESE POOR YOUNG GIRLS GET A SPINE AND SAY THE WORD "NO" TO THEM. IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE THEM A MINUTE TO REMEMBER WHAT IT MEANS BUT A SWIFT KICK WILL REMIND THEM. JUST LOVE THEM ENOUGH TO HAVE THE GUTS TO TELL THEM THE TRUTH, IN THE END YOU MAY JUST END UP LIKING WHO YOU ARE TOO.

April 02 2008 at 3:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply