Winehouse in custody

Amy Winehouse is currently in a police station in East London, explaining those pictures from the Sun of her apparently smoking crack.

The Met Police have released a statement:

"Around 1pm today a 24-year-old woman from the Camden area attended a London police station by arrangement and was arrested in connection with the alleged possession of a controlled drug.

"She remains in custody. This is in connection with an investigation connected to footage passed to the Metropolitan Police on 22 January."

The Winehouse camp have also shared their perspective:

"Amy Winehouse voluntarily attended a London police station today by appointment.

"She was arrested in order to be interviewed and is co-operating fully with inquiries.

"The interview relates to a video handed to police earlier this year."

She's been in the station since one o'clock; seven hours is being very co-operative indeed.

Winehouse fallout: Gordon takes to the air

A flurry of activity on the radio as The Sun attempts to justify its coverage of the Amy Winehouse stories.

First up was managing editor, the splendidly named Graham Dudman, who ventured onto Five Live to explain how it was all for the best. (A large chunk of the interview can be heard on the Guardian's MediaTalk podcast). Dudman explained how the paper ran the film as some sort of social service - in the hope that the police or, mysteriously, "social workers" would get involved to help her as a result.

Momentarily wrong-footed by a question from Sheila Fogarty, Dudman seemed to suggest the Sun might donate any profits from the issue running the footage of Amy doing crack to help other drug addicts. We'll believe that when we see Rebekah Wade handing over an enormous cheque.

Meanwhile, Gordon Smart popped up on 6Music's The Music Week to defend the story. He kept repeating that it was a great exclusive - although not so great he though to mention Nick Parker, whose byline graced the story in the first place. Smart suggested that, since Amy went into rehab straight after the Sun ran the story, the paper had done a good thing by providing this last, crucial piece of evidence that gave Amy a chance to wake up to what she was doing. It made her admit she was a drug addict, and that she needed help.

However, even Gordon's own tale of events after the pictures appeared - which saw Winehouse pulled into Universal's offices, confronted with a bunch of negative press cuttings (that one guy had spent two days pulling together) and given the "choice" to admit she was hooked - makes it clear that far from being a moment where Amy opened her eyes, it was just the point where her paymasters lost their patience. Because if the Sun's video had made Amy decide to seek help, why would she have needed to spend time at a record company office block looking through a dossier?

The video wasn't a cold, hard dose of reality; it was merely something else for Universal to bounce her into rehab with.

Challenged that some 6Music listeners felt uncomfortable with the paper running shots from the film, and the invasion of privacy involved, Gordon rummaged around for an excuse. Aha! "Amy would take drugs regardless of if there was a photographer chasing her or not" explained Smart. So she didn't care if she was seen, we're meant to conclude, and from this there was no invasion of her privacy because she was behaving as would have in public.

Besides being a weak argument from a logical point of view, it's bollocks anyway - if Amy was always taking drugs when there were photographers around, where are all the photos, then? Clearly, she attempted to keep at least the consumption of drugs private.

Gordon also offered the defence that she went into rehab and thus, the invasion of her privacy was justifiable as "she needed the jolt". And then he tried to argue, again, that Winehouse held some sort of public office when meant the paper was justified in revealing what she got up to behind closed doors - "drugs" Gordon revealed "aren't glamorous; [Amy is] a serious role model [with] a position of responsiblity."

But if the idea is to try and stop kids thinking that doing drugs is cool, then why has Smart (and the rest of the media) run page after page on her drug abuse? Since Amy doesn't publicise her drug use, the only way the impressionable kids are going to know that Winehouse does drugs is because they've read it in columns like Gordon's. If they don't want kids to grow up thinking fame and snort and blow and cash go together like an after-hours party for Man United players, why keep banging on about it? And isn't it a bit hypocritical for Smart - who glories in over-indulgence, awarding a prize for "Caner of the Year" - to suddenly start worrying about role models and bad influences?

Some gentle probing about the source of the video gave Gordon a chance to stress how much he cares again: the tape reminded us how Amy is surrounded by "parasites... characters trying to make money out of her." The same parasites who, presumably, The Sun had paid money to for the footage in the first place. If there wasn't a market, there wouldn't be any parasites, would there, Gordon?

Most laughably of all, Smart promised that - since Amy is being good - her rehab will be "handled delicately". Having had photographer pursue her to the door of the clinic, that seemed unlikely; given that Smart is running a piece on Winehouse 's treatment this morning, we suspect he knew he was lying even as he told 6Music that "she'll get some space now" yesterday lunchtime.

[Thanks to Steve H]

Gordon in the morning: Business as usual

You'd have thought with the new 3AM column launching this morning, Gordon would have pulled out the stops for Bizarre this morning.

Nope.

The lead story is Kelly Rowland wore a basque. Or, as Gordon put it:

The former DESTINY’S CHILD star has covered up her assets for too long.

So it was great to see her strutting her stuff in this basque and sexy fishnets at London Astoria’s G-A-Y night on Saturday.

Gordon takes the opportunity to have the first of, what we fear might be many, unsubtle jives at Adele for not conforming to his idea of what's sexy:

She’s obviously been taking notice of the chart battle between ADELE and BASSHUNTER and realised it’s not just good vocals that get you ahead in the music world.

You'd have thought that even Gordon might have thought his story that Amy Winehouse is getting better would have been of a higher priority - although since she's only been in rehab for a couple of days, it seems unlikely that she's in a position yet where the headline ("Amy has cracked it") is anything other than over-optimistic. The story is hung on claims by a "close family friend" but, we suspect, the real meat of the tale is the large chunk in which yesterday's News of the World 'interview' with Blake is torn to pieces:

The family friend also slammed Amy’s jailed husband BLAKE FIELDER-CIVIL for saying he fears her habits could kill her within three months.

Blake is in Pentonville Prison in London awaiting trial over trial-fixing allegations and GBH.

The friend went on: “That is a complete joke. Before Amy met Blake she never took any Class A drugs.

“It is him who started her off on crack and heroin.

“She has gone into rehab so she lives to see her thirties, forties and fifties.

“It would destroy her to read his comments."

Ah, the Monday Sun - or "don't believe anything our sister says".

Blake: we're the living dead

You'd have thought being banged up inside would prevent Blake Cokehead-druggie from talking to the papers.

Sadly, not: he's somehow been conducting interviews with the News of the World through an intermediary. Yes, his old ma has been sneaking out his views on his wife going into rehab - presumably she's been hiding scribbed notes under her hat, or else spending visiting hours memorising Blake's responses word-for-word.

Apparently, Blake is "relieved" that Amy has gone into however-much-rehab-she-can-fit-in-before-the-Grammys:

Blake, 25, talking to the News of the World through his devoted mum Georgette, said: "I'm so relieved she has finally taken my advice after I begged her to go into rehab.

"I even threatened her with divorce because I thought it would be the only thing to make her see sense.

"My parents have both pleaded with me to divorce Amy and I told her so before she finally agreed to go in for treatment.

"They think she's the Black Widow who will be the death of me if I don't end our marriage. But I'd prefer to have a short life with Amy than a long life without her."

Those of you who are left caring - and we suspect that's probably just a couple of people who work for Universal, immediate family and the deputy editor of Heat - might recall that the last time we heard from "sources close to Blake", he was muttering about divorce because of her Christmas trip with her ex.

So, curiously, here we are, with Blake's Mum telling a newspaper what she claims Blake says that she'd told him in the first place. We like to think that, on B Wing at the moment, Crusher Knobs is listening as Blake reads aloud those same words in the paper, completing some sort of mystic circle.

Blake's mum says Blake says that he was worried by Amy continuing to take crack:

"Prison has saved me. But if Amy goes back on crack again I will be lucky if my wife's alive in three months."

This, of course, gives the News of the World its headline:

Amy Winehouse has three months to live, says Blake

... a not-very-subtle rewriting of what he actually said.

This all seems to be part of an attempt by Blake to try and reposition himself - hitherto, he's been cast as the villain; now, he's having a shot at turning himself into a contrite hero. Yes, we took drugs, he says, but I've got clean inside - while Amy has got worse outside. Worse, you see. Can't have been my fault, I've not been there; I've been pleading with her to get help.

We'd find it more convincing if he hadn't been telling the News of the World about it.

Amy Winehouse: so lovely that somebody cares

So, Winehouse is in rehab, as - it seems - a contractual obligation, seeing as how it's Universal Records that has issued the official statement:

Amy Winehouse's planned appearance at the NRJ Awards in France on Saturday has been cancelled as the artist has entered a rehabilitation clinic.

Amy decided to enter the facility today after talks with her record label, management, family and doctors. She has come to understand that she requires specialist treatment to continue her ongoing recovery from drug addiction and prepare for her planned appearance at the Grammy Awards. She is nominated in an incredible 6 categories.

Amy entered the facility by mutual agreement and continues to receive the full support of all concerned.

Amy is the most talented and important musical artist of her generation and has made huge strides on her road to recovery. Universal Music Group wants nothing more than to see her take the time she needs to come back to full health and fulfil her incredible potential with the label.

The label has always had the best interests of Amy at heart and has been guided by her family and doctors in the last few months as to the best direction to take.

All concerned feel that Amy must put her health before all other considerations and will be by her side whenever and wherever they are needed.

Fascinating, isn't it? The claim that she is "the most talented and most important musical artist of her generation" (really? The Most? And is this really the place for vacuous and clearly spurious marketing slogans?); the hopeful description of the rehab as part of an "ongoing" recovery, but most notably, that false concern.

Universal want her to "take the time she needs" but, at the same time, has made it clear she's gone to rehab to get into a decent state to do the marketing jig at the Grammys. In other words, she can have about a week and a half, but then back to work.

That doesn't seem like anything like enough - even in patients who aren't using crack and coke to self-medicate other problems, the withdrawal cravings can continue for weeks, with a high-risk of relapsing. Even if Amy's withdrawal is simple, it's hardly helpful to insist that she be sorted out by a cut-off point.

There hangs a suspicion that this spell in rehab is more about getting Amy a visa than getting Amy clean. If that isn't the case, Universal should be ashamed for issuing a "take all the time you need - providing it's not more than a fortnight" public statement.

Bookmarks: Some stuff to read on the internet

From tomorrow's Times, but already online, Nick Kent considers Amy Winehouse's addictions - and the public's addictions to seeing heroes crumble:

Like Winehouse and her dodgy entourage, the Stones sometimes found themselves being sold out by dubious druggy acquaintances in need of ready cash. The process was repeated in the Seventies, when individuals in the Sex Pistols’ cheesy retinue started selling photographs of Sid Vicious injecting himself. In the Eighties it went into a higher gear with the advent of Boy George and his heroin problem.

Since then the media has been unstoppable in its obsessive pursuit of falling music idols. There is one obvious reason for this: the general public has developed an insatiable desire for watching its favourite stars debase themselves further and further in the public forum.
[...]

Nobody has taken greater advantage of this cultural predicament than Pete Doherty, who has allowed himself to get dragged into some unholy pact with the tabloids in order to become fêted as the most infamous rock star of the millennium. In Doherty’s case, though, it’s understandable. He simply doesn’t have the musical talent to make it any other way.

Amy: You've let a multinational company down, now

Oh, crack-snorting Amy Winehouse, Universal Records aren't angry with you. No, they're just let down:

[H]er record company, Universal, said: "We are deeply disappointed and upset by these latest revelations and are doing everything we can to offer Amy our full support in dealing with her problems."

You can almost hear the quiver in their corporate voice, can't you? It's not entirely clear to us if they're disappointed by the revelations themselves, or what has been revealed - would they be upset if Amy was taking crack in secret still? They don't say.

Meanwhile, the BBC drops a fairly big hint that they don't think the revelation is quite kosher:

The footage is grainy and appears to be camera phone quality, while a date and time in the corner of the screen suggests it was filmed on a video camera.

Perhaps the charmer who flogged the video to the Sun scuzzed the quality to give it that authentic crack-den feel?

Amy Winehouse does drugs

We're still a little confused as to why The Sun thinks that the revelation that Amy Winehouse does drugs is worth clearing the front page for: didn't we already know this?

Of course, it dresses this up as a concerned friend rather than a gawping bystander poking the fuck-up with a stick:

It will horrify relatives and friends who fear she could soon end up dead.

Because, of course, her family and friends don't already know she's addicted.

And, the trouble is, that beyond 'this is a video of Amy doing what we've already told you she does', there's little to add, beyond describing what's on the video:

At one point, lank-haired Amy is warned to watch out for smashed glass on the floor as she scours a bedroom for her kitten barefoot.

Funny name for a kitten.

To pad out the story some more, The Sun consults experts:

What the experts think

Amongst these 'experts' is

SHARON SIMMS
Ex-Crack Addict

- so, presumably, this makes her the paper's crack expert?

Simms tells what it's like being a crack addict:

I was convinced people were coming with guns to kill me.

It's not clear if this was drug-driven paranoia or dealers coming to settle debts.

Simms doesn't have very much to add, so the paper also consults

SHAUN BAILEY
Youth Worker

He's worried that this makes kids thinks drugs are alright:

I don’t think too many young people will be impressed by what she did, but it normalises drug taking for them.

They see Amy Winehouse doing well and winning awards, then smoking crack.

She’s sending out the message that it doesn’t affect her career.

So, in effect, The Sun shouldn't be trumpeting about her drug-taking as it sends out the wrong message?

There's room for one more expert. Who to ask?

JANE MOORE
Sun Columnist

Jane also wants Amy locked up:

Surely... the time has come to have her sectioned under the Mental Health Act?

While it might be insane to smoke crack, can you actually be sectioned for taking drugs?

Never mind, Jane has got another idea:

The temptation is to drag her by her egg-yellow hair round a ward at Great Ormond Street Hospital and show her the children fighting to stay alive.

To hammer into her thick skull that she’s lucky enough to have a healthy body and mind that she’s wilfully choosing to destroy.

Ah, yes. Take her to see some sick kiddies. That'd make all the difference. (And, probably, scare the sick kiddies.) If that fails, it's either got to be National Service or a referendum on the European Treaty.

Thank God the Sun has experts on hand. Otherwise we might think they were just publishing sensationalist froth.

Drug addict takes drugs. Hold the front page.

Amy disappears down the cracks

Nothing on the Sun website yet, but Paxman's just run through the front pages of the papers for tomorrow; The Sun is leading with a photo of Amy Winehouse apparently smoking crack last Friday morning.

A husband inside

The family of Blake Fielder-Civil and Amy Winehouse are rallying round with Blake inside. Just not round each other, according to The Sun.

Victoria Newton is, you know, concerned about Amy's well-being:

Amy looked pale and painfully thin as she arrived at the prison with a pal yesterday.

Her lips were horribly cracked — a symptom sometimes associated with crack cocaine abuse — as she stormed erratically around the streets.

Mmm. Cracked lips can be a symptom of doing crack; on the other hand, it can also be a symptom of not wearing lipbalm and going out in the wind.