Cory Monteith is currently touring with Glee. He can also soon be seen in theatres with Selena Gomez and Leighton Meester in Monte Carlo. Please don’t make me look up the plot of that movie. I don’t think plots will matter to the people who will see that movie.

Anyway, to promote all his current projects, and increase his profile of course, Cory was interviewed by Parade and decided to reveal that he was once a drug addict and went to rehab. I say “decided” because this was clearly a calculated move to control his story on his own time and terms, as opposed to letting it get out some other way, which eventually it would have. If you’re going to make this move though, be as candid as possible, and get the ugly sh-t out there too. I think Cory played it right.

Cory started using at 13 and had dropped out of school by 16:

"I burned a lot of bridges. (I did)anything and everything, as much as possible...I had a serious problem. That's when I first went to rehab (after an intervention). I did the stint but then went back to doing exactly what I left off doing. (Then I) stole a significant amount of money from a family member. I knew I was going to get caught, but I was so desperate I didn't care. It was a cry for help. I was confronted and I said, 'Yeah, it was me.' It was the first honorable, truthful thing that had come out of my mouth in years."

His family gave him two choices: get help or we’re calling the cops. (Yes! That! Is what my ma would have done. And has done. I’ve never gotten into trouble with drugs, but I did date a boy who was bad bad news and she sent the local Yuen Long, Hong Kong police after my ass. For real. And that’s what we call the non-Lohan approach.) It worked for Cory.

"I was done fighting myself. I finally said, 'I'm gonna start looking at my life and figure out why I'm doing this.'"

He left town for a while, he started working, hard work, and he surrounded himself with people who look out for him. Like genuinely look out for him. Unlike a lot of young people in Hollywood, Cory has associated himself with really good, really real, really kind professionals who genuinely care about him. And I would be very, very surprised if he didn’t stay with this team for the long ride.

Now he’s using his experience to try to help others. He has partnered with Virgin on youth outreach, and, on a personal note, Cory was involved in our SMUT Soiree last year with a $5,000 personal donation and a special video that he sent to me that was played at the event in support of Covenant House Vancouver where we work with at-risk and street youth who are trying to rebuild their lives. Please click here for more on Covenant House Vancouver.

His is the example we hope for our kids. That we can all turn it around together.

"I don't want kids to think it's okay to drop out of school and get high, and they'll be famous actors, too. But for those people who might give up: Get real about what you want and go after it. If I can, anyone can."

Click here for more from Cory in Parade including details about his dates and whether or not he’ll release an album.


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