We Are All Responsible For Amy Winehouse’s Tragic Death

Hello, and welcome to The Reheat! Each week, I write a column summarizing the highlights of the podcast I co-host with Sadaf Ahsan. Our podcast, also titled The Reheat (what a coincidence!), re-examines the most salacious scandals of yester-year through a contemporary lens. Whether it’s a deep dive into Bennifer’s original love story from the 2000s or a meditation on the time princess Anne was almost kidnapped, we explain why each saga captured our imaginations back in the day. Sadaf and I also ask, would these stories be as scandalous if they happened in 2021? The answers to that question might surprise you!

Whenever we release a new episode, I share some of the juiciest tidbits right here, for Addicted Magazine’s lovely readers. Obviously, we hope these columns tantalize you enough to listen to our podcast. That’s where you’ll learn the fascinating details I don’t share here…

This week’s installment of The Reheat revisits Grammy-winner Amy Winehouse’s tragic death at age 27, a fact that makes her a member of the infamous “27 Club” of artists who left us too early…

Amy Winehouse Always Loved and Studied Music

Amy’s musical abilities developed at a young age. While she wasn’t always a model student (she was known to cut class), the budding icon was accepted at The Brit School, the UK’s leading high school for the performing arts. Funded by the British government, The Brit School is application-only and highly selective. Other famous graduates include Adele, FKA Twigs, and Tom Holland. Obviously, Amy was always destined to be a superstar. Sadly, we’ll never know what masterpieces she might have produced had her life not been cut short…

Amy’s Problems With Substance Use Started Young

Substance use disorder is a disease, like any other. It’s also an illness that can take root at a young age, which was the case for Amy. As the singer explained, she began drinking whiskey at age 12. Amy’s discovery of hard drugs coincided with the start of her love affair with Blake Fielder-Civil, who was addicted to hard drugs, including heroin. 

Admittedly, Winehouse’s struggles with drugs and alcohol inspired some of her most successful music, including the iconic Rehab; however, these struggles also contributed to her untimely death, when she succumbed to alcohol poisoning in 2011. No one deserves such a tragic fate.

The Media Bullied Amy

Addiction is a disease, like any other. It’s difficult to imagine a 21st-century blogger bullying a celebrity with breast cancer, and yet it was open season on Amy Winehouse’s as she struggled with addiction. Perez Hilton was particularly cruel to Winehouse, dubbing her “Wino”on his website. We’ll wager that getting cyber-bullied by one of the 00s most popular bloggers didn’t have a positive effect on Amy’s mental health. As a rule, it is never okay to mock an addict for having an addiction.

The legendary Lady Gaga was herself a huge Amy Winehouse Fan. In an interview with The View in 2011, she discussed Amy’s untimely passing with empathy and wisdom.  “I felt that the lesson was for the world to be kinder to the superstar,” said Gaga. That’s a lesson we should all take to heart!

There Is Help For Substance Use Disorders

An unfortunate fact of Amy’s life is that she didn’t receive the help she needed and deserved. If someone you have been impacted by a substance use disorder, we recommend reaching out for help. Organizations like She Recovers, FAR, and Alcoholics Anonymous provide support to those who need it.

 

Sarah Sahagian

Sarah Sahagian

Sarah Sahagian is a feminist writer based in Toronto. Her byline has appeared in such publications as Elle Canada, Flare, Bitch Media, The Toronto Star, and The National Post. She is also the co-host of You Do You: A Dating Podcast. Sarah holds a master’s degree in Gender Studies from The London School of Economics. You can find her on Twitter, where she posts about politics and live-tweets The Bachelor
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