Ben Cousins documentary

[LostDoggy]

I don't get it.. how would the doco in any way deter any young person watching it from doing anything Ben did? The guy has come out of this a hero, with a whole flippin' two hour waste of tv space dedicated to him. Do you think you could learn more from watching a wanker talk about himself for two hours, or maybe say, learning about how Chris Grant lives HIS life?

But no, we don't make docos about the good guys in this country, do we? Chris should have gone and drank for a year and then stopped and got someone to give him lots of money to let them video him shirtless. That way, he would be a 'true-blue' hero to the working class man, because in this country if you live your life well you are ignored, but if you act up and be an idiot, you become a folk hero.

That was pure PR rubbish, and I have ZERO sympathy for the guy or his delusional big-fish-in-tiny-pond father, who are both in this for as much of the limelight as they can squeeze out of it -- he wasn't coming 'out', he was outed by the police, and this doco was nothing more than a narcissistic repositioning of the Ben Cousins brand. (I deal professionally with people with addictions regularly in my development work, and that doco had the professional value to anyone dealing with addiction of a doughnut.)

You want to see how to make a doco about truly inspirational stories and good guys in sport? Watch any episode of America's Game.

[GVGjr]

Yes, I watched it. I too have had experience with addictive personalities and 12 step programs, and I totally understand why his family found it difficult to "out" him. Most addicts need to get to rock bottom before they can start the long crawl back up, and for that to happen, friends and family usually have to give "tough love", i.e., no help at all. Very difficult for families to do, when the natural response is to help, rescue, etc. I heard someone comment this morning that they thought he was arrogant, but most addicts are in some way, it is usually "all about them".

A friend on mine who I have only known for 3 years was faced with a situation several years back where his son was well over the 0.5 limit but was insisting that he get into his car and drive to a friends place. The father offered to drive and or to pay for a taxi rather than see his son hop in behind the wheel but the son, despite his fathers efforts, still got into his car and drove off. Faced with the possibility of his son hurting himself or others my friend contacted the police who intercepted him a few minutes later. The son was charged and lost his license and was livid with his father for dobbing him in.
In the end the son calmed down and has never driven the car whenever he has had even one drink.

Till this day my fiend says that despite his natural instincts to not dob his son in it was the best decision he could have made.

From what I saw last night, Bryan chose a different approach.

[chef]

I'll watch it for sure.

I have 2 children aged 15 & 12 & will tape it. If I think it sends the right message I'll then let them watch it.

I wouldn't want me 13 year old daughter watching it so far.

[Desipura]

I just watched part 1 and thought he was glorifying the use of drugs saying how many good times he had. I hope part 2 is more about how it had ruined his and his families life.
There were strong rumours that he was on drugs when he first got drafted, they now have been confirmed by Ben himself which was good to hear his honesty.

[AndrewP6]

Yes, I watched it. I too have had experience with addictive personalities and 12 step programs, and I totally understand why his family found it difficult to "out" him. Most addicts need to get to rock bottom before they can start the long crawl back up, and for that to happen, friends and family usually have to give "tough love", i.e., no help at all. Very difficult for families to do, when the natural response is to help, rescue, etc. I heard someone comment this morning that they thought he was arrogant, but most addicts are in some way, it is usually "all about them". It is just the nature of the addictive personality (in my experience). It was confronting in a lot of ways, and I also did not realise just how long he had been doing drugs, i.e., from his late teens. Good luck to him on this part of his journey - I think that coming "out" like this is a very healthy part of his recovery.

Well said MG...

[DOG GOD]

Hmmm at any stage did Ben remorse the fact that he started taking drugs at 17? dont think so. The whole thing from my opinion was his story about how his drug taking (which he thought was ok) became something that he couldnt control, which lead to addiction. He showed no remorse other than the fact the his family was dragged thru it all. He is nothing but a bonafide wanna be rockstar who loves being the centre of attention and in the limelight.

His whole msg right at the start shouldve been...."Drugs are bad and ruin lives. DO NOT take drugs".

[AndrewP6]

Hmmm at any stage did Ben remorse the fact that he started taking drugs at 17? dont think so. The whole thing from my opinion was his story about how his drug taking (which he thought was ok) became something that he couldnt control, which lead to addiction. He showed no remorse other than the fact the his family was dragged thru it all. He is nothing but a bonafide wanna be rockstar who loves being the centre of attention and in the limelight.

His whole msg right at the start shouldve been...."Drugs are bad and ruin lives. DO NOT take drugs".

He did in the intro, speak of how he hoped the film would send a message about the effect drugs can have on your life, and of his hope that showing it might save even one person's life, and help people better understand addiction. Sadly, the story of a teenager thinking they're "bullet-proof" and that they can survive doing dangerous things is all too common - as is the instance of people realising too late that they've messed up.

EDIT: IN the intro of part 2, Cousins does acknowledge the perception that he doesn't care about his behaviour, and also apologises for the hurt he's caused. He finishes the intro with "The message is clear: drugs ruin lives". To me, that's very honest and gutsy.

[DOG GOD]

He did in the intro, speak of how he hoped the film would send a message about the effect drugs can have on your life, and of his hope that showing it might save even one person's life, and help people better understand addiction. Sadly, the story of a teenager thinking they're "bullet-proof" and that they can survive doing dangerous things is all too common - as is the instance of people realising too late that they've messed up.

Yeah the effect of drugs, not the fact that you shouldnt take them AT ALL. To me Andrew P6, he never came across as someone who regrets taking drugs. He was sorry for how it has all panned out re: his family, footy etc, but not remorseful for taking drugs in general. Maybe its just me though.

[AndrewP6]

Yeah the effect of drugs, not the fact that you shouldnt take them AT ALL. To me Andrew P6, he never came across as someone who regrets taking drugs. He was sorry for how it has all panned out re: his family, footy etc, but not remorseful for taking drugs in general. Maybe its just me though.

I get what you mean, his public persona does paint that picture... just having some personal involvement with addiction, I'm kind of looking at it from another angle.

Just watching it again now actually...his retelling of the "running from the cops" incident didn't really help his cause. That segment certainly comes across as him boasting of his attempted escapade.

[Twodogs]

Gee a lot of people knew of his problems but wouldn't out him to primarily protect his career. Did this help him or just delay the inevitable?

That one. If you are functioning as a drug addict and making people money or bringing them success then those people arent going to do anything about it except ignore it.

Ive often thanked my lucky stars that I didnt have any special gifts to give to the world. It meant that when I wanted to to stop I could do it without the entire population putting their two bobs worth in.

When I relapsed (which is pretty much inevitable), my drama wasnt played out in public. I could address at in my own pace.

A friend on mine who I have only known for 3 years was faced with a situation several years back where his son was well over the 0.5 limit but was insisting that he get into his car and drive to a friends place. The father offered to drive and or to pay for a taxi rather than see his son hop in behind the wheel but the son, despite his fathers efforts, still got into his car and drove off. Faced with the possibility of his son hurting himself or others my friend contacted the police who intercepted him a few minutes later. The son was charged and lost his license and was livid with his father for dobbing him in.

You're comparing apples with oranges mate. What your friend did was the right thing and we know that because we have the drink/drive message shoved down our throat all the time-noone is under any misaprahension about what happens when you climb behind the wheel pissed.

The drug world is a lot more complicated. Not as much is understood or is public as drinkdriving. It's murky, dangerous and if you make the wrong move it's fatal on many levels(you could overdose, you could go to jail, you could be killed because someone owes you/you owe them money).

Brian Cousins did exactly the right thing when he was confronted with Ben's situation. He took advice, he proved his love over and over again and he was there for Ben when Ben needed him.

I know it's usualy a frivilous show but the hour between 10 and 11 on KB's show on SEN yesterday with Neil Balme and Dave Colbert(I Think) was great listening. I leared a lot listening to that hour and I've been an addict for the last 30 years. I've put my parents through exactly the same thing that the Cousins went through and I have them to thank for the fact that I still walk the Earth.

I'll always be an addict. I havent used in so long but I still have to be careful where I go and what I do-if I found myself confromted with drugs and I wasnt in the right mood to say no, I dont what would happen.

[LostDoggy]

He did in the intro, speak of how he hoped the film would send a message about the effect drugs can have on your life, and of his hope that showing it might save even one person's life, and help people better understand addiction. Sadly, the story of a teenager thinking they're "bullet-proof" and that they can survive doing dangerous things is all too common - as is the instance of people realising too late that they've messed up.

EDIT: IN the intro of part 2, Cousins does acknowledge the perception that he doesn't care about his behaviour, and also apologises for the hurt he's caused. He finishes the intro with "The message is clear: drugs ruin lives". To me, that's very honest and gutsy.

Although Ben might have been sincere in what he said in the introduction, the intro seemed tacked on at the last minute and was probably a condition of getting the thing to air (that it be percieved as having some kind of anti drugs message or educational value). I thought it was nothing of the sort and glorified drug taking as much as serving as a deterrent.

[Ghost Dog]

Interesting way to compare Asian and western culture. He would be a dead man in most other countries.