Rufus Wainwright Responsible for Rehab

According to Rufus Wainwright, we have him to thank for the fact that these days celebrities are more likely to go into rehab than "collapse from exhaustion." The recent switch towards honesty is refreshing and, one would hope, might actually do some good. Wainwright said in a recent interview:

"I like to think I made rehab fashionable. Now you got everybody going into clinics which is a good thing, but I was there first."

In 2002, Wainwright was addicted to crystal meth. The addiction nearly cost him his eyesight. Five years later, he's cagey about whether or not he's entirely sober (the most he'll say is "it can switch on a dime"), but he's looking healthy and hasn't been spotted out with Paris Hilton sans underwear or anything.

The most beautiful part about this quote is that it's so quintessentially Rufus. Most celebrities would want to sweep that sort of thing under the rug. If it was ever brought up at all, they'd probably make some little nod to being clean and sober and then move on. The enigmatically egotistical and self-deprecating musician, on the other hand, brings up his addiction himself, takes credit for other people seeking treatment, and then points out that an addiction is never entirely conquered.

It says a lot about Wainwright that he can do things that have the potential to be unspeakably obnoxious, like claiming he made rehab trendy, and yet come off as adorably charming.