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Do Celebrities Charged With DUI Realize How Selfish They Are?

We're becoming desensitized to seeing DUI in headlines, and it's not OK.
By Taylor Ferber
October 16, 2015 / 12:00 PM

The first big, shocking celebrity DUI charge that stands out in my mind is Paris Hilton's. This happened in 2006. The Today article on her arrest began with: "For most celebrities, getting smacked with a DUI is an instant image crisis." I read it and find myself shaking my head and letting out a sigh. This statement holds virtually no validity today.

Yesterday, we learned John Stamos was charged with a DUI for driving while on drugs in Beverly Hills. Does anyone care, actually? Anyone? Admittedly, when I saw the headline I didn't even click to read the article, thought barely anything of it, and kept scrolling through my feed. I know I'm not alone. Seeing celebrities linked with the letters "DUI" means barely anything to us anymore because it feels like we're hearing about another celebrity getting charged with one almost every other day. The shock value has worn off. I'm not even sure that it exists at all anymore.

Here are just some additional celebrities who have been arrested for DUI in recent years:

  • Natasa Lyonne (2001)

  • Chris Klein (2005)

  • Nick Carter (2005)

  • Nicole Richie (2006)

  • Mike Tyson (2006)

  • Haley Joel Osment (2006)

  • Mischa Barton (2007)

  • Khloe Kardashian (2007)

  • Heather Locklear (2008)

  • Craig Robinson (2008)

  • Shia LaBeouf (2008)

  • Charles Barkley (2008)

  • Jeffrey Donovan (2009)

  • Vince Neil (2010)

  • Samantha Ronson (2011)

  • Flo Rida (2011)

  • Jaime Pressly (2011)

  • Matthew Fox (2012)

  • Jenna Jameson (2012)

  • Miguel (2013)

  • Reese Witherspoon (2013)

  • Kevin Hart (2013)

  • Ryan Merriman (2013)

  • Xzibit (2014)

  • Justin Bieber (2014)

    • After seeing maybe five or six of those in the news, how could you genuinely still care or be surprised? Did you even make it through that whole list, or did you just skim it? There are so many cases, TMZ even has its own DUI category on its site. That's disturbing.

    Another 28 people die every single day from drunk driving crashes in America. 10,076 people were killed from drunk drivers in 2013 alone. And after learning these kind of statistics, paying their time and dues, these celebs were selfish and stupid enough to do it more than once:

  • Lindsay Lohan (May 2007, July 2007, 2009)

  • Amanda Bynes (2012, 2014)

  • Michael Phelps (2004, 2014)

  • Michelle Rodriguez (2003, 2005)

  • Mel Gibson (1984, 2006)

  • Vince Neil (2007, 2010)

  • Keifer Sutherland (four times between 1989 and 2007)

  • David Cassidy (2010, 2013, 2014)

    • I'm not saying it's only wrong for celebrities to drive under the influence. It's wrong for anyone to drive under the influence. Being so careless and reckless with other precious lives in your hands should never be taken lightly. But these specific type of people have money and resources and can have almost anything they want at the drop of a hat. So why can't they call themselves a goddamn Uber?

    What really makes me sick is hearing their excuses. Paris Hilton claimed she was "[j]ust really hungry and wanted to have an In-N-Out burger." She told Ryan Seacrest her arrest was "nothing," when really, she could've killed a stranger. Xzibit was arrested just hours after his own wedding reception. I mean. C'mon.

    I honestly don't understand. Why do celebrities continue with this horrific behavior? Why can't they call a car service? Their personal drivers? Or, here's a brilliant idea: a cab? Is it a pride issue? Is it a status thing? I'm not sure we'll ever really know, but refusing to allow ourselves to become so desensitized to such a serious issue can help, and is a start in forcing celebrities, and other people out there, to get their shit together.