This Just In
'Real World' Star Joey Kovar Has Died But Hopefully Not in Vain (VIDEO)
Really sad news -- TMZ reports that Joey Kovar of Real World: Hollywood and Celebrity Rehab fame was found dead this morning in a friend's house near Chicago. A female friend discovered him with blood coming out of his nose and ears, and when the paramedics arrived, they pronounced him dead on the scene. The 29-year-old's family believes it was a drug overdose.
If you saw Joey on either of those reality shows, you know that he struggled to overcome his cocaine and alcohol addictions. When he left The Real World to go into rehab, he admitted how hard it was to squash those demons.
Sometimes it's really easy to ignore substance abuse. There are millions of ways to justify it from both sides -- whether you're the one abusing or it's a friend or a family member -- you can tell yourself that they (or you) are just young and partying, or that it's a phase, or everyone's like this, or they'll (or you'll) stop once school's back in session, or work picks up, or the divorce is final, or or or.
Joey, from what I saw through the Bunim/Murray lens, may have been ignoring his problem for a few years, but he eventually made the brave decision to go to rehab on the show, and was able to stay sober for a long period of time. (On the RW: Hollywood reunion show, he'd been sober for 10 months.) And when he fell off the wagon, he got back on at Celebrity Rehab.
Unfortunately, Joey's battle was lost, but hopefully his life touched a few people out there, maybe more than a few, who saw what he went through and were inspired to get help. It's easy to criticize people who go on reality TV and assume that they're not serious about getting help since, you know, it comes with a side of fame, but I don't know, I have to think that Joey and others like him go on these shows in an effort to help others as much as they do it for the notoriety.
Rest in peace, Joey.
Did you watch Joey on RW or Celebrity Rehab?
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billsfan1104
Floridamom96
A life lost to addiction is definitely lost in vain. There is nothing inspirational or redeeming about throwing a life away to substance abuse.
Samcro
@ Floridamom96 - Spoken like a person who has never had a problem with drugs or alcohol. Although I do agree that there is nothing inspirational about throwing his life away, his death may inspire some other addict out there to clean themself up. You never know who is affected by things like this. Try being a bit more compassionate. As a recovering painkiller addict, I completely understand what he was going through and why it was so difficult for him to stop. The drug takes over your life little by little until you have lost complete control over yourself. You will never understand that feeling until you have been there yourself. I pray you never have to know.
Miriam Valle De Hernandez
Are these ladies Joey Kovar's baby mamas? http://fandaily.info/?p=30289
Floridamom96
Samcro, you have no idea what my experiences in life have been. Few things are more tragic and heartbreaking than loving an addict. Recognizing the tragedy of addiction and, even worse, a life ultimately lost to addiction is not uncompassionate. Accountability for one's actions is the key to healing an addict. I will not whitewash or glamorize death by overdose. It's horrible and imminently preventable, by the addict themselves. An addict may be in a very terrible place, but they are not a victim. I would argue that those, like Ms. Mannering, who excuse, glamorize, or even simply deny the horror of addiction related deaths do a grave disservice to addicts and their loved ones. Addiction is a thief.
Bubbles318
I remember him from both shows. I remember that on Celeb Rehab, he said his girlfriend was pregnant with his first child so that was his main motivation to get clean. Unfortunately, his son wasn't enough. Now, he'll have to grow up without knowing his daddy. Such a sad, sad story. I hope he's found peace.
April Marie Moseley
NatAndCo
TorranceMom