'Insider' Anchor O'Brien Enters Alcohol Rehab

Former 'Access Hollywood' Host Says He's Self-Admitted

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LOS ANGELES (March 20) - Television host Pat O'Brien, anchor of "The Insider" news magazine show, has entered an alcohol rehabilitation program, he said in a written statement Sunday to The Associated Press.

"I have had a problem with alcohol. I have decided to take action by checking myself into an intensive recovery program," the 57-year-old broadcast journalist said.

"Overcoming this problem is a top priority in my life and I am excited to return to work as soon as I am able," he continued. There were no details about the recovery facility or when O'Brien entered the program.

O'Brien, who covered the Summer Olympics in Greece for MSNBC and NBC late-night programming, was a TV news reporter in Los Angeles and Chicago before joining CBS Sports.

He occasionally hosted "Entertainment Tonight" and in 1997 became the full-time host of "Access Hollywood." That contract expired last year and he began hosting "The Insider."

"We support Pat's decision to seek treatment and look forward to welcoming him back on the air at the appropriate time," said Manfred Westphal, a spokesman for Paramount Domestic Television, which syndicates "The Insider."

Westphal said the show's New York host, Lara Spencer, will take over during O'Brien's absence.

I for one, won't miss him a bit. I don't like Pat O'Brien. To me, he kisses too much Hollywood butt!

But still, kudos to anyone who checks themselves into rehab.

I guess Hasseloff will get a new room mate.

Whoa, he's 57??!?!

I would like to say Get well to Pat O'Brien

I love Pat O'Brien....... I hope he gets well and I'm glad that he's doing the right thing. Good Luck Pat!

I hope Pat gets well. I'm glad he's taken steps to overcome his problem.

UPDATE:

What's the inside story on "Insider" host Pat O'Brien's decision to enter rehab Sunday?

Hollywood sources suggest the timing was to defuse the release of several sexually explicit voice-mail messages, available on the Internet yesterday, soliciting sex froman unidentified woman.

"Let's just [bleeping] have sex and fun and drugs and go crazy," says a male voice.

Yesterday reps for "The Insider" would not comment on widespread attribution of the voice to O'Brien.

The tape describes in graphic detail just how "badly" the caller wants various activities that involve, gosh, all parts of the woman's body.

"I'm so into you, Betsy is so f——ing jealous," the voice claims in one message. "I know you want me, but you have to be with Betsy, too."

"The Insider" host has one child with his wife, Linda.

Sadly, by the final message, Betsy seems to have pulled out of the threesome.

Says the caller: "Get another woman up, hire a hooker, let's get crazy, get some coke and if you get this message, if you agree with this, just look at me and say yes."

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'Insider' host Pat O'Brien entered rehab as a voice on a booty-call tape was said to be his.

'Insider' Host Pat O'Brien Exits Rehab

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(AP) Television host Pat O'Brien arrives at the Episcopal Church
of Bethesda by the Sea where Donald... Full Image (http://apnews.excite.com/image/20050426/PEOPLE_PAT_OBRIEN.sff_NYET188_20050426165916.html?date=20050427&docid=D89NF7EO0)

NEW YORK (AP) - Pat O'Brien, host of "The Insider" syndicated entertainment news magazine, has left an alcohol rehabilitation program and will be back at work next week.

"I want to thank everyone for their support during the past few weeks," O'Brien said in a statement Tuesday. "I plan to continue my recovery with the help and support of my family, colleagues and friends, and look forward to getting back to work."

O'Brien left the program Sunday, Manfred Westphal, a spokesman for Paramount Domestic Television, which produces the syndicated TV program, said Tuesday.

There were no details about the recovery facility or when the 57-year-old O'Brien entered the rehab program.

Linda Bell Blue, the show's executive producer, said O'Brien will return to work May 5.

"I spent time with Pat recently and he's looking and feeling great," she said in a statement. "We're all excited to welcome him back to the office and back on the air."

Last month, O'Brien announced he "had a problem with alcohol" and that "overcoming this problem is a top priority in my life and I am excited to return to work as soon as I am able."

O'Brien's image has recently taken a beating after obscene phone messages left by what sounds like his voice were distributed on the Internet. The show's New York host, Lara Spencer, has taken over the show during O'Brien's absence.

Let's hope part of the program was to teach him not to leave disgustingly obscene messages on some bimbo's answering machine for the whole world to hear. His wife must be sooooo embarrassed by that! I'm no prude, but I've heard the messages and they were unbelievably graphic. He must have left 15 of them all in one afternoon. I think it takes more than just an alcohol problem to make you do that.

He should call Charlie Sheen up since he'll be hauling out his old little black book again I'm sure! :lol:

Reading this topic and the one above it, I was like "WTF, Conan's in rehab?"

Glad he's doing okay

Pat O'Brien to Get Session With Dr. Phil

NEW YORK (AP)— This didn't take long: Pat O'Brien, fresh from rehab, will have to face Dr. Phil next week in a prime-time CBS special.

Dr. Phil McGraw will "confront O'Brien about the incidents that led up to his stay in the recovery program, the issues he faced while in treatment and the stories about his personal life that made headline news," CBS said Friday.

The hour-long special will air Wednesday at 8 p.m. EDT.

O'Brien, host of "The Insider" syndicated entertainment newsmagazine, is expected back at work Thursday after undergoing treatment in an alcohol rehabilitation program. He exited the program April 24.

A recording of obscene phone messages left by what sounds like O'Brien's voice hurtled around the Internet while he was gone and became frequent water cooler talk.

O'Brien will talk about how he will deal with his colleagues when he returns to work and how to approach life without alcohol, CBS said.

He'll also appear May 5 on the syndicated "Dr. Phil" talk show.

I have really enjoyed the Insider lately without having to hear good ole Pat O'Brien's annoying voice.

I have really enjoyed the Insider lately without having to hear good ole Pat O'Brien's annoying voice.
Well of course since he left Access Hollywood last year for the Insidre he had a dispute with NBC U on the transition, but when O'Brien debuted in Insider last fall, he was obligated to do his news and I think Lara Spencer does a very good job on trying to help Pat while he was gone. But I will be happy that Pat will be back to the Insider on May 5th since it's been renewed until 2008.

I have to say it is good to see Pat O'Brien Back on The Insider Tonight
I would like to Welcome Pat O'Brien Back to The Insider

PeopleNews

Pat O'Brien Comes Clean About Rehab

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Pat O'Brien spent years covering the stories behind Hollywood's stories for Access Hollywood and The Insider, before his behavior became a story itself. Last month, O'Brien checked himself in for a 40-day stint an alcohol rehabilitation facility in Los Angeles, after it was revealed that the celebrity host had left obscene voicemails that were then distributed on the Internet.

In an interview with PEOPLE, O'Brien, 57, insists that he didn't enter treatment to escape the fallout from the messages, but rather that he did so because he realized he had a problem. . "When you hit the bottom with this disease, it's a real bottom, like being in a grave that hasn't been covered yet," he said.

O'Brien, who is scheduled to return as host to The Insider on Thursday, said that his break from drinking had allowed him to see that "on the other side of that door is hell. And I'm not ready to see that again."

Regarding the obscene voice messages that had started his descent, O'Brien admits that it is his voice on the tape, but says that he does not remember making the calls, following a drunken and cocaine-fueled afternoon.

Still, he is able to maintain some degree of humor regarding his recovery. "There was one morning in rehab," O'Brien tells PEOPLE. "We listened to Howard Stern on the way to the gym, and he was going crazy with the tape, mixing it with the Pope. I actually started laughing at one point. I thought, 'This would be funny if it wasn't me.' Maybe someday I'll laugh at it, like in 2012."

I still think his whole rehab stint was a publicity stunt.