Drugs & Alcohol

Steve-O is an expert on rehab and substance abuse ... and he's torn up over the recent troubles of his old friend and "Jackass" co-star Bam Margera.

We got Steve-O out in L.A.'s Franklin Village ... and he told us how he's broken up by news of Bam's relapse.

As we reported ... Bam was robbed at gunpoint during a super sketchy cab ride in Cartagena, Colombia ... and handled it by downing his first drink in more than 7 months.

Steve-O drops some insight into the struggles Bam and other alcoholics face on a daily basis -- with a spot-on metaphor for the whole situation. He also has an opinion on Bam's claim he had been sober since he went to rehab back in January following his DUI arrest.

If there's one person who can get through to Bam ... it's got to be Steve-O.

Prince's family is going after the doctor who prescribed pain pills for him, claiming he failed to properly treat him for opioid addiction so he's to blame for his death ... according to a new suit.

The family claims Dr. Michael Schulenberg last treated Prince on April 20, but failed to appropriately diagnose and treat the rocker's addiction ... which ultimately led to his fatal fentanyl overdose on April 21.

According to the docs ... the doctor's failure played a substantial part in Prince's death.

As you'll recall ... the family already sued the hospital that treated Prince's first opioid overdose, along with the Walgreens for dispensing narcotic prescription medications to him for an invalid medical purpose and failing to make sure he was using the drug properly.

This new suit also includes that hospital and Walgreens, along with Schulenberg. TMZ broke several stories about Prince getting various prescriptions filled from a Walgreens near his home in the days before he died. We posted a pic of Prince pacing the night before his OD -- looking frail and nervous -- as a member of his team got his Rx.

Surveillance video shows Prince visiting Dr. Schulenberg's office the day before he died.

Ben Affleck has had a rough time, and not just for a few weeks or months ... and the only thing that has spared him from a complete crash and burn is his children.

Sources directly connected to Ben tell us he has been fighting a losing battle with booze for 18 months. He's had periods of sobriety and then lapsed back deep into the bottle. TMZ broke the story ... it came to a head Wednesday when Jennifer Garner staged an intervention and drove him to a rehab facility.

We're told when Ben has been at his lowest over the last 18 months -- and there have been multiple times during that period when he hit bottom -- it seemed hopeless, and the only way he was able to pull himself out of the spiral was the love for his children and the realization of the consequences if something truly tragic happened to him.

Ben has had sporadic contact with the kids. Jen has been careful to protect the 3 children when Ben was in free fall, so there were periods when he regularly saw children and periods when he didn't.

The sad story ... his alcohol issues have consumed his life for the last year and a half, but hopefully this stint in rehab will get him back on track.

Ben Affleck wanted to get back on the sober train -- badly -- days before his estranged wife staged an intervention and drove him to a rehab facility ... TMZ has learned.

Turns out, Ben had been attending wellness classes at a Los Angeles wellness center as recently as a week before checking into a live-in facility.

The center specializes in "Buddhist ethics" ... meaning meditation with a focus on a healthy body, mind and spirit. Our sources say Ben went on his own accord several times last week ... well aware he had fallen off the wagon and into a downward spiral.

We broke the story ... Ben's estranged wife, Jennifer Garner, staged an intervention Wednesday at his Pacific Palisades home and drove him to an L.A. County rehab facility where he will live for at least 30 days. We're told Ben didn't need much convincing because he knew he was in desperate straits.

We're told the trigger for Jen was on Monday, when she saw this pic (below) of Ben accepting delivery of a box full of beer and hard liquor.

The actor has been open about his struggles with sobriety over the years. After Ben completed his second stint at a rehab facility last year, he said, "I want to live life to the fullest and be the best father I can be. I want my kids to know there is no shame in getting help when you need it, and to be a source of strength for anyone out there who needs help but is afraid to take the first step."

He continued, "I'm lucky to have the love of my family and friends, including my co-parent, Jen, who has supported me and cared for our kids as I've done the work I set out to do."

Here's the reality ... most addicts relapse. It doesn't mean they can't eventually stay sober, but it's a long, difficult road and falling off the wagon is not necessarily game over. The most important thing ... it's clear Ben realized he had a problem and sought help, even before Jen staged the intervention.

8/23 -- The photo above is Affleck at Jack in the Box, where he stopped before arriving at the rehab center.

8/22 7:20 PM PT -- We've learned Ben has arrived at a live-in rehab facility and will check in for an extended period of time.

Jennifer Garner has staged an intervention to help Ben Affleck, and TMZ has learned Ben wanted the help and agreed to go to rehab.

Jennifer went to Ben's Pacific Palisades home Wednesday afternoon to sit down with her estranged husband, begging him to get help. We've learned Ben didn't need begging ... he knows he needs help and was receptive.

Jen and Ben drove off at around 6 PM PT from the house ... and sources say the destination is a rehab facility. Our sources say Ben will enter a facility in L.A. County. We just found out they stopped at a Jack in the Box en route to the rehab place.

We're told Ben fell off the wagon a while ago, and has gotten progressively worse.

Our sources say the tipping point came 2 days ago when Jen saw a pic of Ben grabbing a box from a delivery man ... a box filled with beer and liquor.

Ben has been to rehab before ... back in 2001 for alcohol abuse. He also went back to rehab last December.

Jen filed for divorce in April, 2017 ... 2 years after they announced their split. The former couple remained close -- partly for their 3 kids -- and they are still not officially divorced.

Ben showed signs of excessive drinking when he took his date Playboy Playmate Shauna Sexton to Nobu in Malibu last week. His face was blotchy and he looked disheveled.

Jonathan Davis says his wife Deven was very sick for the past decade, and suggests her mental illness led to her addiction ... and it's to blame for her death.

Korn's lead singer shared a message on Instagram Wednesday night to address what happened to his estranged wife. He said, "Over the past decade, my wife has been very very sick. She had a serious mental illness and her addiction was a side effect. I loved her with ALL of my being."

He goes on to say Deven was an amazing wife, mother and friend ... and he tried for a long time to hide what was going on with her in order to protect her.

Davis says Deven's the reason he has advocated so passionately for people struggling with mental illness, and hopes her story will help inspire change. He also mentions their 2 children, saying ... "I promise I'll do everything in my power to raise our precious boys the right way, teach them the good values you wanted them to have so badly, and break the cycle of abuse we both experiences as kids."

We broke the story ... Deven died Friday, and the news came on the heels of Jonathan's request for a domestic violence restraining order on her. Jonathan alleged Deven was deep into drugs and her drug use was causing emotional harm to their 2 sons.

According to the legal docs, Deven had been in a sober home but went AWOL a week before she died.

Big Boy says he was THIS close to laying the smackdown on the EXTREMELY drunk driver who rear-ended him in Calabasas.

The legendary radio DJ tells us ... he was SHOCKED to learn the man who smashed into his ride Tuesday was a prosecutor on leave with the L.A. County D.A.'s Office.

Big Boy says he tried to attack the drunk driver, Michael Pettersen, before cameras and police arrived ... but he was held back by his friend as cooler heads prevailed.

The video is wild ... Big Boy says he was in disbelief when the driver took a pull from a VODKA BOTTLE after a half-hearted sorry while still in the driver's seat.

The unbelievable scene unfolded Tuesday afternoon ... when a BMW barreled into the back of Big Boy's Nissan Armada. When cops finally got the drunk driver out of his car, his pants fell down ... and he hit the ground next.

8/22 -- We've learned the drinking driver is Michael Pettersen, a prosecutor with the L.A. County D.A.'s Office who's been on a leave of absence since January 1, 2017.

It looks like a joke -- but this was very real.

Legendary radio DJ Big Boy was rear-ended by a VERY drunk driver in Calabasas ... and when he confronted the man, the guy pulled out a VODKA BOTTLE and started chugging while still behind the wheel.

It all went down Tuesday at 2 PM -- Big Boy was driving his Nissan Armada when he was smashed from behind.

The DJ appeared to be okay -- but couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the other guy pull out the bottle.

"He just crashed into me and he's in the car drinking," Big Boy said ... "He is still in the car, still drinking!"

A bystander told the driver to put the booze down -- but he refused.

Cops ultimately got to the scene and pulled the man out of his BMW -- his pants fell down ... and then he did, too.

We're told the man was transported to a local hospital where he was being checked for injuries and most likely undergoing blood alcohol tests (though you can guess what they're gonna show).

The area where the collision occurred is right near The Oaks -- one of the most prestigious, elite communities in L.A. where stars like Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian own homes.

Lamar Odom says it's a miracle he's alive -- revealing he had 12 strokes and 6 heart attacks while he was in a coma from his 2015 drug overdose.

Th ex-NBA star spilled his guts about the incident to Kevin Hart while sitting in an ice bath for KH's YouTube show, "Cold as Balls."

"All my doctors that see me say I'm a walking miracle," Odom said while shivering in the ice tub next to Hart.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Odom was rushed to a hospital on October 13, 2015 after he was found unconscious at Dennis Hof's Love Ranch South in Pahrump, Nevada.

Blood tests showed Odom had cocaine in his system at the time of his overdose. There were times doctors didn't think Odom would survive -- but somehow, he managed to pull through.

Since recovering, Odom has been to rehab and says he's now fully sober and over his addiction.

In fact, Odom told Kevin Hart he feels grateful to be alive -- joking about how it beats the alternative.

During the "Cold as Balls" segment, Odom also joked about the brothel and opened up about how much he appreciated Khloe Kardashian stepping up and handling his care while he was unconscious.

"It was big," Odom said about Khloe.

Odom -- who was legally married to Khloe (but separated) at the time of the overdose -- had tried to get back with her after he got better ... but she had moved on.

Give Shaun Weiss this -- he's got a helluva sense of humor. Check out how the guy who played Goldberg in "The Mighty Ducks" announced checking into rehab.

Shaun posted an emotional but also hilarious message Tuesday on Facebook announcing he's checked into a long-term rehab center. TMZ broke the story ... Shaun was busted earlier this month for public intoxication. Shaun spent a few hours in the drunk tank and, though he wasn't cited, his arrest did produce this incredibly sad mug shot that had his fans feeling bummed for him.

Shaun wrote, "At this time, in an effort to break free from the self destructive patterns of behavior and drug abuse that have landed me at rock bottom, (to be real... BELOW rock bottom. Even rock bottom is like 'holy sh!t, how'd you get all the way down there?') I have checked in to a well reguarded, long term rehabilitation center. I have surrendered to the reality that without immediate treatment my life is in eminant danger. My spirit was until recently depleted, weak and shrouded by darkness has been renewedby the overwhelming out-pouring of love and support from fans of my early work as an actor."

12:00 PM PT -- TMZ Sports spoke with Corey, who says he's determined to clear his name with the Beer Mile community and work on his chugging to make sure he never gets disqualified again.

The dude who crushed a Beer Mile run in less than four and a half minutes had his time officially disqualified ... 'cause he left too much foam in his bottles.

For real.

The poor guy's name is Corey Bellemore ... and after recording a new world-record time of 4:24 in this month's Beer Mile World Classic -- he was DQ'd 'cause he didn't chug his beers all the way.

FYI ... the Beer Mile is a race where competitors slam a 12-ounce beer at the beginning of every quarter mile.

Officials ruled Bellemore left roughly 4.5 ounces in his bottles after chugging ... which is about a sip over the 4-ounce limit.

Corey took the L in stride ... tweeting after the ruling, "Never rush through life better luck next time!"

Don't feel too bad for the guy ... his 2017 Beer Mile World Classic time of 4:33 still stands as the world record.

Brooklyn Nets star Kenneth Faried was arrested and charged for possessing more than 2 ounces of weed on Sunday ... and TMZ Sports has the mug shot.

The 28-year-old was arrested on the Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton, New York at 1:30 AM ... after the vehicle he was riding in was stopped at a sobriety checkpoint.

A rep for the Southampton Town Police Dept. tells us the officer at the scene noticed a "strong odor of marjuana was emanating from the inside of the vehicle."

Faried was booked for 4th degree unlawful possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor. He was transported to a nearby station for processing.

The other 2 people got tickets and were released at the scene.

Cops say Faried got the harsher charge because he was in possession of more than 2 ounces.

If convicted, Faried faces up to a year in jail ... for WEED.

The Nets released a statement to TMZ Sports, saying, “We are aware of the situation involving Kenneth Faried and are in the process of gathering more information at this time.”

Pat Houston says she and her family have no animus toward Max Lomas, a close friend of Bobbi Kristina's who himself died of a drug overdose last week.

We got Pat Monday on her way into LAX ... and Bobbi's aunt was remorseful and saddened by Max's passing -- last week he was found unresponsive on a bathroom floor with a syringe near his body.

As we reported ... Max played a big role in the mystery surrounding Bobbi Kristina's death. Lomas found Whitney Houston's daughter in her bathtub on the verge of death, and was often seen with Bobbi and her BF, Nick Gordon, in the days leading up to the incident.

Bam Margera was 7 months sober ... until he got robbed and needed a drink.

Bam just HAD to crack open a cold one after being jacked at gunpoint in Cartagena, Colombia.

The "Jackass" star says he got robbed of $500 during a shady taxi ride from the airport. He was traveling alone ... and sounds fortunate to be alive.

Bam had been on the wagon since checking into rehab in January following his DUI arrest in Los Angeles.

12:02 PM PT -- According to legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- cops discovered a lunch box in the vehicle that contained weed. The docs say Davidson's friend also had a "white/yellow substance in a clear plastic bag" that tested positive for marijuana.

Pete Davidson was pulled over by cops in Upstate New York ... but even though he was behind the wheel it was his boy who ended up going to jail.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Pete and his friend were driving in Syracuse around 4 AM last weekend where Pete was filming "Big Time Adolescence" with Machine Gun Kelly. It's unclear why, but cops ordered him on the side of the road. We're told officers smelled weed ... triggering a search.

Sources say Pete passed a field sobriety test, so he was in the clear. His friend, however, wasn't so lucky.

According to an arrest report -- obtained by TMZ -- the friend was booked for felony possession of a controlled substance and cited for unlawful possession of weed. As for the controlled substance ... cops aren't saying what they found.

Here's what we don't know ... there were drugs in the car, but we don't know why cops fingered the passenger.

Max Lomas -- the close friend of Bobbi Kristina who found her lifeless in a bathtub -- has died and suffered the same fate as her -- a drug overdose ... TMZ has learned.

A law enforcement source in Mississippi tells TMZ Max was at a friend's home Wednesday and went to use the restroom. We're told his friend became concerned after Lomas didn't come out for a while, and went to check on him.

Our source says Lomas was found unresponsive on the floor in the bathroom with a syringe near his body. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died.

As we reported, Lomas played an big part in the mystery surrounding Bobbi Kristina's death. Lomas was the person who found Whitney Houston's daughter on the brink of death in her bathtub, and spent a significant amount of time with Bobbi and her boyfriend, Nick Gordon, in the days leading up to her death.

Lomas was thought to be a drug dealer who got drugs for Bobbi Kristina and Gordon, something he denied. He was at Bobbi Kristina's home in the hours leading up to her death.

No charges have been filed in connection with Bobbi Kristina's 2015 death. The family won a civil suit against Nick Gordon for $36 million.