Whoopi Goldberg, the Hollywood actress, has opened up about her past struggle with drug addiction and coping with grief. In her new memoir titled,
Whoopi Goldberg, the Hollywood actress, has opened up about her past struggle with drug addiction and coping with grief.
In her new memoir titled, Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me, she revealed that the loss of Emma Johnson, her mother, and Clyde, her older brother, left her feeling emotionally drained.
She said she could not grieve properly because her work schedule would not allow for it.
Goldberg also recalled succumbing to cocaine during her early years in show business.
She said she believed she could control her cocaine use. However, her dependence escalated, leading to hallucinations and a frightening incident where she was unable to leave her bed for a whole day.
“I was invited to parties where I was greeted at the door with a bowl of Quaaludes from which I could pick what I wanted. Lines of cocaine were laid across tables and bathroom counters for the taking,” she wrote.
“So I did not move out of bed for twenty-four hours. That kind of shit does not end pretty. There is only so long a person can hold their bladder.”
The actress revealed that the turning point came when a housekeeper caught her using cocaine in a high-end hotel room. She said seeing her reflection with drugs scattered around was a stark wake-up call to quit for her life.
“I knew I would have to change out my friends and turn down invitations, but I could do that. I did not want to die,” she added.
Goldberg is a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. Her career launched on stage in 1983 with her one-woman show, The Spook Show.
Over the years, she has amassed numerous accolades, including Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards.
