Anthony Bourdain Toxicology Report: What Does It Reveal?

We have an update on the tragic suicide of Anthony Bourdain.

The celebrity chef and author, as you likely know by now, was hanged himself in his hotel room in Kaysersberg, France on June 8.

He was in the country filming an upcoming episode of CNN’s Parts Unknown at the time and his corpse was discovered by his close friend, French-born chef Eric Ripert. 

Bourdain left behind one daughter and was 61 years old.

With the entertainment and culinary world still in mourning over this shocking development, a new and critical piece of information has been made official.

A completed toxicology report for Bourdain has revealed that he had no narcotics in his system at the time of his death, a French judicial official told the New York Times on Friday afternoon.

The report states that the only thing found in the Peabody Award winner’s body was a trace of a non-narcotic medicine in a therapeutic dose.

Will this be comforting to those who knew Bourdain best? It’s hard to say.

On one hand, it may be helpful to know that he didn’t take his life due to some sort of drug-induced impulse.

On the other hand, this basically means he truly, legitimately, consciously wanted to die.

Earlier this week, Bourdain’s body was cremated in France, with this same newspaper writing that his remains and travel belongings were sent to Christopher, his younger brother and only sibling.

“He would want as little fuss as possible,” Bourdain’s mother, Gladys, said, adding that Bourdain’s relatives will likely gather together for a smaller, more private ceremony of their own at some point.

Gladys had previously revealed that she learned of Anthony’s death via a phone call from Christopher.

The late star had been open over the years about his history with substance abuse.

In the 1980s, Bourdain went from job to job at restaurants in New York City while struggling with a serious drug addiction, at one point even skimming his carpet for paint chips and smoking them, hoping they were remnants of crack, he told The New Yorker in a famous profile.

Bourdain entered rehab and eventually got clean in the early 1990s, yet continued to drink alcohol both on and off screen with no issues, he said.

“I was a heroin addict, for sure, and I was a cocaine addict, for sure, but I never stopped drinking,” he told People Magazine just this past February, adding:

“I never was a person who needed a drink. I’ve never felt the urge to. When I’m home it would never occur to me to sit at my house and drink beer, or pour myself a cocktail.”

Bourdain is survived by his girlfriend, Asia Argento, and his 11-year-old daughter, Ariane, whom he shared with his first ex-wife, Ottavia Busia.

Both Argento and Busia have issued statements in the wake of Bourdain’s suicide.

“Anthony gave all of himself in everything that he did,” said Asia on Twitter, concluding:

“His brilliant, fearless spirit touched and inspired so many, and his generosity knew no bounds. He was my love, my rock, my protector. I am beyond devastated.

“My thoughts are with his family. I would ask that you respect their privacy and mine.”

View Slideshow: Anthony Bourdain: Celebrities React to Shocking Suicide

ReadMore…

Prince Toxicology Report: New Death Details Emerge

We’re coming up on the two-year anniversary of Prince passing away.

It still seems impossible to believe, but the legendary musician died at the age of 57 in April of 2016.

Music fans around the world are still mourning his demise.

We learned several weeks after Prince left us that he died of an opiod overdose.

Following a few days in the hospital due to flu-like symptoms at the time, the singer was released to his home in Minnesota that spring…

… where he was eventually found unconscious in the elevator of his famous Paisley Park mansion.

The DEA found prescription bottles in Prince’s possession shortly after his death, with information later coming out that revealed Prince was prescribed heavy doses of Oxycodone just six days before he died.

In addition to the medication found in a suitcase of the artist’s, investigators also discovered opioids in various parts of Paisley Park; and also stored in containers other than pill vials, including vitamin bottles.

Simply put, there were drugs EVERYwhere inside of Prince’s home.

And now we actually have new information about the drug that most likely, most directly led to Prince passing away.

The Associated Press has made public a toxicology report that details the levels of fentanyl flowing through the star’s body on the day he died.

According to this report, the concentration of fentanyl in Prince’s blood was 67.8 micrograms per liter.

What does this mean, exactly? Just how far above the norm is this figure?

The document notes others have died from as little as three micrograms per liter; and as high as 58.

So you don’t need to be a medical expert in order to understand that this was an extreme overdose.

However, the Associated Press did talk to a medical expert – Dr. Lewis Nelson of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School – who referred to the level of fentanyl in Prince’s blood “exceedingly high.”

This would be true even a patient in chronic pain.

Indeed, it is not believed that Prince committed suicide.

It is believed that he simply took far too much medication to deal with whatever health issues had been plaguing him at the time.

(For the record: Fentanyl is an opioid that is used as a pain medication, typically together with other medications, for anesthesia. It has a rapid onset and effects generally last less than an hour or two.

It is 50 times more powerful than heroin.)

No one has been charged in Prince’s death just yet, not the doctor(s) who prescribed the drug or anyone who may have worked for the singer who helped him obtain the medication.

Last week, the lead prosecutor in the county where Prince died said in a statement that he was reviewing law enforcement reports and would make a decision on whether to charge anyone “in the near future.”

May the artist continue to rest in peace.

View Slideshow: Prince: Remembering the Music Legend’s Life In Photos

ReadMore…

Prince"s Confidential Toxicology Report Shows High Levels of Fentanyl at Time of Death

Prince had “exceedingly high” levels of fentanyl in his system at the time of his death, according to a new toxicology report obtained by the Associated Press. The report — which is said to have been confidential — gives a glimpse into just how…

ReadMore…

Prince"s Confidential Toxicology Report Shows High Levels of Fentanyl at Time of Death

Prince had “exceedingly high” levels of fentanyl in his system at the time of his death, according to a new toxicology report obtained by the Associated Press. The report — which is said to have been confidential — gives a glimpse into just how…

ReadMore…

August Ames Toxicology Report: Late Porn Star Had Cocaine, Other Drugs in Her System

In early December of 2017, porn actress August Ames committed suicide following a series of controversial tweets that nearly tore the porn industry in half.

This tragedy was mourned by both her supporters and her detractors, but some pointed the finger at the online backlash that she had received.

Now, the toxicology report has finally been completed. What light does this shed on her death at 23?

It all started with a tweet, when August Ames shared what she believed was a warning to fellow porn actresses:

“whichever (lady) performer is replacing me tomorrow for @EroticaXNews , you’re shooting with a guy who has shot gay porn, just to let cha know. BS is all I can say? Do agents really not care about who they’re representing? #ladirect I do my homework for my body.”

Yes, she was wrong, and we’ll get into that in a moment. But that does not in any way make her death less tragic.

She went on to defend herself from the backlash.

“NOT homophobic. Most girls don’t shoot with guys who have shot gay porn, for safety. That’s just how it is with me. I’m not putting my body at risk, i don’t know what they do in their private lives.”

It’s no secret that the porn industry can be miserable for women. It sounds like it might not be that fun for bisexual men, either.

“How am I homophobic if I myself am attracted to women? Not wanting to have sex with gay men is not homophobic; they don’t want to have sex with me either. So byeeeee.”

August then tried to slam people, particularly within her own industry, for what she perceived as hypocrisy and mixed messages.

“‘Choose who YOU want to work with’ ‘Don’t do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable’ ‘Share your thoughts’ Hmm. Well, I did all three, and twitter took a dump on me.”

For the record, though that is all good advise, if the thoughts that you want to share are bigoted or even just appear to be so, it might be a good time to not speak up. But, again, we sincerely wish that she were still alive.

“I don’t have anything to apologize for! Apologizing for taking extra steps to ensue that my body stays safe? F–k you guys attacking me when none of my intentions were malicious. I fucking love the gay community! What the f–k ever! I CHOOSE who I have inside my body. No hate.”

She tweeted something not unusual to see on a porn star’s Twitter, but some wondered if it was how she was coping with the backlash:

“Coffee & weed.”

Finally, August Ames sounded fed up:

“F–k y’all.”

The backlash was intense. Too intense, in fact.

Obviously, everyone has the right to refuse sex to anyone, at any time, for any reason.

But people can also have some truly terrible reasons.

Some porn stars will refuse to film scenes with black men for fear that it will “lower their value” as performers and cause them to get paid less in the future.

(Yeah, it’s horrifying — that’s perhaps less of an indictment of the women who decline than it is of all of society for being racist)

In this case, we’re talking about a bigoted belief that a man who films porn with other men but undergoes the same STI screening that she does — is any more likely than any other porn star to have HIV.

It’s not true — anal sex increases the risk of HIV transmission relative to venereal intercourse, but obviously that doesn’t preclude straight porn stars from getting infected. Particularly those who film anal scenes with women.

At what point does backlash amount to bullying? That can be difficult to determine.

But August Ames’ cause of death was suicide by hanging. It is difficult to look at her tragic death as anything but the consequence of the controversy that preceded it.

Remember when we suggested that her toxicology report might shed further light on her state of mind when she took her own life?

The Blast obtained August Ames’ toxicology report, and her system contained signs that she had taken:

-Sertraline (generic Zoloft, a pretty standard SSRI antidepressant)

-Alprazolam (which is just generic Xanax)

-Cocaine

-Marijuana

-Seizure medication

Coupled with the knowledge that August Ames had attempted suicide in the past, it appears that the controversy and ensuing backlash were related to her death … but hardly the sole cause.

When someone struggles with suicidal depression, they don’t always need an excuse. One might conclude that the controversy was a catalyst, but that’s a guess at the most.

From that list of drugs, it appears that August was using both prescription and non-prescription means of attempting to combat her anxiety (with alprazolam and marijuana and likely the seizure medication) and to beat a particularly bad depressive episode (the sertraline and cocaine).

We all long for a day when people hold more enlightened views. We also long for a day when people on social media understand nuance and compassion and can show a modicum of chill.

The backlash could have been a discussion. Perhaps then, August Ames wouldn’t have died at 23.

View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Died in 2017: In Memoriam

ReadMore…

Lil Peep Toxicology Report Shows Fentanyl, Xanax Overdose

Lil Peep died from an overdose of Fentanyl and Xanax, according to the toxicology report … TMZ has learned. The Pima County Medical Examiner conducted the testing and found the cause of death came from the “combined toxic effects of Fentanyl and…

ReadMore…

Chester Bennington: On Drugs at Time of Death? Toxicology Report Confuses Fans

Back in July, the music world was stunned by the news that Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington had taken his own life.

Bennington had been open about his struggles with depression and addiction over the years, but friends and family say he showed no outward signs of struggling in the weeks leading up to his death.

Naturally, many questions remain as to what led Bennington to commit suicide on the birthday of his friend Chris Cornell, who had also recently hung himself.

Unfortunately, a toxicology report released this week offers little in the way of answers.

The report reveals that Bennington may have been under the influence of multiple substances at the time of his death.

According to test results obtained by TMZ, Bennington had both alcohol and MDMA in his system 

However, the alcohol was detected only in “trace amounts,” and two follow-up tests did not detect any MDMA in Bennington’s system.

Authorities reported finding a bottle of the sleeping medication Zolpidem on Bennington’s dresser, along with an empty beer bottle and a pint glass half-filled with beer.

They also detected pieces of fingernail underneath his iPhone and on a table in his bedroom, but wife Talinda Bennington attributed these findings to a nervous tic of Chester’s.

Needless to say, the reports provide little in the way of closure for Talinda and other loved ones of Chester’s.

At one point, his widow informed authorities that Bennington had attempted to take his own life in 2006 after drinking heavily.

That does seem to be the case here.

The amounts of alcohol found in Bennington’s system were reportedly not enough to have intoxicated a grown man.

The singer was involved in an outpatient rehab program at the time of his death, and one month before his passing, he informed friends that he had been sober for six months.

Those who knew him best will no doubt continue to seek answers, but the fact remains that depression and mental illness are unpredictable and poorly understood.

Tragically, it seems that Bennington simply succumbed to a disease that affects tens of millions of Americans.

View Slideshow: Chester Bennington: Celebrities React to Singer’s Shocking Suicide

ReadMore…

Prodigy"s Cause of Death Delayed Pending Toxicology

Prodigy’s autopsy is now complete and the Clark County Medical Examiner will not determine cause of death until there is a full toxicology report, but we’re told that in no way insinuates drugs were a factor. TMZ broke the story … the Mobb Deep…

ReadMore…

Billie Lourd Speaks Out about Carrie Fisher"s Toxicology Report

Look, we know that there’s always the temptation to not talk about Carrie Fisher’s toxicology report and to just leave her alone.

But she wouldn’t want us to, and you don’t have to take our word for it.

Take it from her daughter, Billie Lourd.

We all know that, drug-wise, Carrie Fisher had a little bit of everything in her system when she died.

Her daughter, Billie Lourd is speaking out about the toxicology report, and she’s honestly an inspiration.

We know that she must be hurting about it all, because how could she not be.

But her words are wise and a fitting tribute to her mother.

“My mom battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life. She ultimately died of it.”

Technically, sleep apnea with other undetermined factors isn’t always drug use, but … drugs can take a hell of a toll on the body.

And when drug use and abuse is a direct result of mental illness, as is so often the case, you wonder if people ever stood a chance.

“She was purposefully open in all of her work about the social stigmas surrounding these diseases.”

It’s so important that Billie said that.

Carrie’s battle was a personal one but it wasn’t a secret.

“She talked about the shame that torments people and their families confronted by these diseases.”

It’s clear that Billie isn’t ashamed of the amazing woman her mom was.

“I know my Mom, she’d want her death to encourage people to be open about their struggles.”

That is the most extreme case of making good out of a bad situation that we’ve ever read.

But she’s right.

Carrie Fisher was so open all along because she hoped that, if she spoke about it, others would feel open to discuss their issues.

And to maybe do more than speak.

“Seek help, fight for government funding for mental health programs.”

That’s a great cause.

Maybe people will find places and donate in Carrie’s name.

Or at least in honor and memory of Carrie Fisher’s death.

But real change can only come through guaranteed funding from the state.

And, of course, in ending the stigma so that people aren’t afraid to seek help.

“Shame and those social stigmas are the enemies of progress to solutions and ultimately a cure. Love you Momby.”

Billie Lourd’s so well-spoken about her mother’s death.

She has her mother’s courage.

As much as she’s hurting — more than any of us, which is a lot — she’s not wasting any time in making sure that everyone understand what her mother stood for.

In the process, she’s putting her mother’s death and the factors that lead to it in a helpful context.

Because, just like her mother and grandmother, Billie Lourd is better than we deserve.

Anyway, we’re not crying, we’re just allergic to sadness.

Carrie Fisher was mentally ill and an addict for life.

That’s not the kind of struggle that even a phenomenal woman like Carrie overcomes overnight.

And that, medical and legal jargon aside, is how she came to die at 60.

We don’t need to dwell on the details of her final days.

But loving Carrie Fisher and her memory means accepting and understanding the complicated person she was.

And the battles that she fought — and ultimately lost — during her too-short life.

View Slideshow: Carrie Fisher: Mourned, Honored by Hollywood

ReadMore…

Carrie Fisher: Toxicology Report Complicates Cause of Death

Honestly, tweeting “mom” at celebrities has lost its magic since the ultimate Space Mom, Carrie Fisher, died last December.

We’re continuing to learn more about the beloved actress’ cause of death.

And now we know the results of her toxicology report and it’s a bit of a doozy.

While Carrie Fisher was initially reported as having suffered a heart attack — most deaths and the problems that lead up to them are technically cardiac events of some sort — we’ve had many more details since then.

Just a couple of days ago, we learned that Carrie Fisher died of sleep apnea and other issues, including a tissue buildup within her arteries.

But remember how the autopsy, to no one’s surprise, mentioned that she had signs of drug use.

Cue the collective gasp.

Carrie Fisher was very open about her decades-long struggle with addiction as well as her struggle with mental illness.

But now we know more details.

According to the full autopsy and toxicology report, Carrie Fisher had cocaine, morphine, codeine, and oxycodone in her system.

Now … that doesn’t mean that she’d taken all four at once.

A lot of people medicate in some form or another before getting on an airplane.

Or while on the plane, for that matter.

But for an addict, even a little bit of certain things — even legal medications — can be too much.

You may have looked at that list of drugs and thought to yourself that one of those things is not like the others.

And you’re right.

Carrie’s been pretty upfront about her coke use.

That can be a peril at any time, but a troubled celebrity in the 1980s would have had an especially hard time avoiding it.

While chronic cocaine use can gradually turn people into worse versions of themselves (yes, really), Carrie managed to be an absolute darling to the end.

It’s important to note that sleep apnea with some drugs in your system is not the same thing as a drug overdose.

Ultimately, we know all that we need to know:

That she died in moonlight, strangled by her own bra.

That is how Carrie Fisher hoped that others would remember her death, as she stated years ago in her one-woman show, Wishful Drinking.

The line refers to how George Lucas had told her during filming of Star Wars: A New Hope that she couldn’t wear a bra under her Princess Leia costume.

His reasoning was convoluted but the idea being that the human body would expand in space but that bras would not.

It was the ’70s, folks.

Carrie’s death reminds us that the opioid epidemic is real and it’s not just something that impacts the poor.

It can strike people of every economic level and social status.

It also reminds us that addiction can be a lifelong battle.

Some people can drink or not drink whenever they like.

Other people can’t take a sip without drinking a whole bottle.

It’s so easy to look at someone as having chosen an overdose for themselves the moment that they started using a substance.

But the truth is a lot more complicated.

Carrie Fisher’s death caused mourning all across the globe.

Her mother, Debbie Reynolds, died the very next day.

While the world reeled from that pair of losses, no one could have felt it more acutely than Billie Lourd, Carrie’s daughter and Debbie’s grandmother.

Carrie left behind Gary Fisher, her beloved emotional support dog, who was and remains widely beloved by her fans.

December was when we went from “Billie Lourd seems lovely” to full on ride-or-die for her.

And for Gary.

To compound the tragedy, Carrie Fisher was reportedly greatly looking forward to filming Star Wars: Episode IX.

She will be featured in Episode VIII, so we’re just going to go ahead and bring tissues with us into the theater for both films.

Some people are going to use her toxicology report to shame her, even in death.

Because some people are just unrepentently vile.

It’s her basic natural right to put whatever substances she likes into her body.

The only problem was her addiction, which made moderation was essentially impossible.

Carrie Fisher didn’t choose to have substance abuse issues.

She also didn’t choose to be bipolar.

What she did choose to do was to raise an amazing daughter and to touch the lives and minds and hearts of millions and millions of fans over multiple generations.

And she’ll keep doing that in perpetuity.

Star Wars is forever, and a personality like Carrie Fisher’s transcends death.

View Slideshow: Carrie Fisher: Mourned, Honored by Hollywood

ReadMore…

Chris Cornell: Toxicology Report Reveals Singer"s Cause of Death

It’s been two weeks since the music world was stunned by the sudden death of Chris Cornell, the pioneering singer/songwriter whose inimitable vocal stylings helped Soundgarden and Audioslave rise to the top of the charts.

Just hours after his body was found, medical examiners in Wayne County, Michigan ruled Cornell’s death a suicide.

Cornell’s widow, Vicky Karayiannis, and others close to the musician expressed doubts about the coroner’s findings.

Karayiannis maintained that drugs played a role in Cornell’s death, a theory that shocked fans, as the singer had been sober for nearly 15 years prior to hsi passing.

Nevertheless, Karyiannis issued a statement expressing her belief that the results of a pending toxicology report would corroborate her beliefs.

Today, TMZ obtained the results of that report, and it seems that Karayiannis was correct in her assertion that Cornell was under the influence at the time of his passing.

The coroner who examined Cornell’s body confirmed that the following drugs were found in his system:

Naloxone (Narcan), Butalbital (sedative), Lorazepam (Ativan), Pseudoephedrine (decongestant), and unspecified barbiturates.

Witnesses claimed to have seen puncture marks on Cornell’s arms, but it appears those were the result of Narcan injections made by paramedics in an effort to save the 52-year-old’s life.

Shortly after her husband’s death, Karayiannis stated that she knew Cornell was intoxicated just from speaking with him on the phone.

She asked the singer’s bodyguard, who was staying in the same Detroit hotel, to check on Cornell, but tragically, it was too late.

An apparently drug-addled Cornell had hung himself in his room with an exercise belt.

Karayiannis issued the following statement in response to today’s findings:

“Many of us who know Chris well, noticed that he wasn’t himself during his final hours and that something was very off. We have learned from this report that several substances were found in his system. 

“After so many years of sobriety, this moment of terrible judgment seems to have completely impaired and altered his state of mind.

“Something clearly went terribly wrong and my children and I are heartbroken and are devastated that this moment can never be taken back.”

She concluded:

“We very much appreciate all of the love we have received during this extremely difficult time and are dedicated to helping others in preventing this type of tragedy.”

Our thoughts go out to Cornell’s widow and children during this tremendously difficult time.

View Slideshow: Chris Cornell: Mourned, Remembered by Stars Everywhere

ReadMore…

Chris Cornell"s Toxicology Report Reveals Prescriptions Drugs

Chris Cornell had several prescription drugs in his system when he hanged himself in a Detroit hotel room … according to the toxicology report. According to the report, obtained by TMZ, the singer had Naloxone (Narcan), Butalbital (sedative),…

ReadMore…

Scott Weiland: Toxicology Report Reveals Cause of Death

Earlier this month, rock legend Scott Weiland passed away on his tour bus just hours before he was scheduled to take the stage in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Weiland’s cause of death was initially reported as cardiac arrest, with no further details provided.

Given his lifelong struggles with addiction and substance abuse, many fans assumed the 48-year-old had overdosed, but Weiland also had a family history of premature death from heart disease (Scott lost a younger brother to cardiomyopathy in 2007.), and the underlying cause of his passing remained unclear until today.

TMZ is now reporting that Weiland did in fact overdose on a cocktail of illegal and prescription substances.

According to the website, a toxicology report reveals that Weiland’s heart stopped due to large quantities of cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol that were found in his system.

The former Stone Temple Pilots had reportedly also been using Xanax, sleeping pills and Viagra in his final days, but the report indicates that those drugs did not play a role in his death.

In his later years, Scott’s personal troubles eclipsed his prodigious talent, and he made often made headlines for his brushes with the law and erratic behavior.

In a stirring open letter to fans, Weiland’s ex-wife, Mary Fosberg, asked fans not to “glorify” his death and to instead take the singer’s shortened life as a reminder of the tragic toll of addiction. 

View Slideshow: Scott Weiland: Mourned, Remembered by Stars Everywhere