Jeremy Piven Makes Up With "Speed-the-Plow" Costar, Talks Poisoning At Globes

Jeremy Piven talked about his mercury poisoning and claimed to have made up with at least one of his "Speed-the-Plow" costars.

At a Golden Globes afterparty Piven talked to Fox News about the uproar that happened when he dropped out of the Broadway play last month and his health leading up to it:

"I was so sick for most of the run of the show. Some days I would sleep right until the time I had to go to the theater. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I was exhausted. Finally, I went to a doctor at Greenwich Hospital in Connecticut just so it wouldn't turn into a circus. He said, 'you've got to stop working.' My heart rate was 47. My mercury level was off the charts. I hadn't had a real break in 20 years of acting.'"

Many people are skeptical of Piven's mercury excuse. Playwright David Mamet told the papers of Piven: "He wants to be a thermometer." Piven told me that was a funny line. "But what do you expect? He's a great writer." Piven told me he had nothing but respect for co-star Raul Esparza, even though Esparza has bad mouthed him publicly since the exit. Last night at the HBO party, Piven spoke for the first time to his other ex-castmate, Elizabeth Moss. "We're okay," Jeremy told me. "She said she understood. She knew how much I put into the play."

Read about Ezparza's bad mouthing.

During the NBC preshow, Piven told Tiki Barber:

"You know what, I'm so unbelievably grateful to be here and it was a completely humbling experience. I don't know if they've ever taken you out of a game, or if you've had to stop a season short, but that's basically what the doctors did to me. I could have gone against doctor's orders. I didn't, but I'm just grateful to be here."

More Globes coverage here.
Plus Red Carpet photos
Tina Fey's speech
Sacha Baron Cohen's jokes

See Tracy Morgan's speech

Comments

[whatisgoingonblog]

Jeremy Piven's illness was diagnosed earlier and he did not leave the show immediately?:

http://www.whatisgoingonblog.com/2009/01/actor-jeremy-piven-facing-criticism.html

[proudandtrue]

Jeremy, you're not fooling anyone. Enough with the 'mercury' crap and back off the CO.CA.NE.

Stop blaming the California Roll !!!!

[Dannydel]

The guy is a typical actor: He's short (REALLY short), is neurotic, narcissistic, self loathing, an alcoholic, a drug dabbler and is a pain in the arse. 'Survey Say's'.....97% of all actors are like this. They are not...repeat NOT...real people.

[huntergreen]

As anyone who frequented the Rose Bar in NYC during Piven's short-lived Broadway run will tell you, his crippling illness did not keep him from his rigorous schedule of post-show partying. You can't play the debilitating illness card when you're a nightly fixture in the after hours club scene. We were all there.

[happycat]

I can feel Piven's swarminess through the computer.

[stepper]

Swarminess? He's like a bunch of bees? No wonder there's so much buzz about him.

Try smarminess.

[happycat]

Thanks for the correction! I forgot to preview.

[whatevahs]

LOVE jeremy Piven ever since his small role in Say Anything. He's a naturally funny and very talented actor who should get a shot at doing more serious roles.

[DG3]

The dude looked so nervous at the Globes. Beads of sweat, fake smile, the whole works.

[yogagoddess]

Mamet's line was pretty funny. I love Jeremy Piven, and I hope he continues to feel better.

[bigbluedot]

I saw the show with Norbert Leo Butz a week or so ago and he (Norbert) was AWESOME. I had a big crush on him after seeing him in Wicked so was actually pretty excited about the replacement. I'm glad Mr. Piven is taking care of his health but didn't miss him in the show :)

[jesuslovesObama]

Piven's Ari Gold is one of the best characters in years. Piven RULES. And to those that make fun of his height, what a bunch of jealous losers.

[pickwickianmom]

Absolutely not jealous. The guy is as short as me and has mercury poisoning.

[DG3]

Ok, we're jealous if you'll agree to being delusional?

game?

[Faxus]

I honestly don't believe that outside of New York City anyone gives a damn about this story.

[josephbua]

I was thinking that no one outside of Piven's immediate family gives a damn.

Actually, with all that he leaves in his wake, I know that many are always looking to enjoy a bit of schadenfreude.

[KatDawgATL]

Definitely my favorite midget.

[Eric8869]

He prefers little person

[Scooter60660]

Half of Broadway shows closed because of the poor economy, He left before the show was hit with that silver bullet. Big deal. We both feel that health is more important than any job. Hopefully, the understudy was a starving artist that really needed the work. Piven's name was the producers' only hope for selling more tickets.

[Eric8869]

Well he didn't help his show by leaving it did he?

and don't start the "health is more important than any job" business. On Broadway there is a long legacy of people going on stage injured, sick, dying or at time of great crisis in their personal lives.

No one truly believes he was sick.

[ElPerro]

"no one?"

Nice to know you now speak for the entire planet. Congratulations on that promotion.

[JhNyc]

I've worked on Broadway for nearly 30 years, and that supposed legacy of people going on sick, etc. is certainly not the case much anymore. In fact, as soon as an actor has earned a sick day he's very likely to take it, sick or not. We had a major star several years ago who could predict an "illness" with absolute accuracy a week or more in advance, and the exact dates he would be out sick. He was never wrong.

[FantaPants]

I wonder if he keeps little pieces of tissues paper up his nose to stem the bleeding?

[Orphie]

What about his hopes? His dreams? What he had for breakfast? Curious minds want it now!