Artie Lange helping other addicts: That’s just who he is

I wasn't surprised when I saw Artie Lange tweet that while he's continuing to fight addiction, he's going to help others who are not as fortunate. That's just who Artie Lange is.

If Artie Lange were a super hero, his microphone would be his secret weapon that he would use to help others, it's just what he does. When he first came on my show he talked about the time he went back to Union High School, where he should be in their Hall Of Fame, and raised $73,000 for the family of a fireman that he knew who had died. The first time I opened for Artie was at the Broadway Theatre in Pittman where he was raising money for, "Stand Up To Addiction," which was formed by his friend Jimmy Graham, who was also fighting to save his sons who were battling this disease. The list goes on.

When Artie announced the he was going into rehab, one of the things he talked about with City Of Angels founder Kevin Meara was helping others, and now Artie is putting that plan into action.

"I think people are getting a peak at the Artie Lange that I saw on our first night we met him" says Meara, "There is a humble guy who cares about and wants to help people."

Meara, who lost his son Casey 10 years ago to addiction, went on to say, "It's an admirable trait in many people who suffer from substance abuse disorders, but I offer a stern warning to all and that's to take care of self first. A healthy Artie will be helping people for a long long time...his story will save lives."

If anyone can do it, it's Artie Lange. In the time I've known him, both from in studio and hanging out alone, it's easy to see why he's so beloved. He's one of those people who looks out for those around him. If he sees that you're struggling with something, he'll focus on making sure you're alright. He truly is a good man who made some bad mistakes, but he understands the ramifications and wants to fix them, not only for himself, but for others. He's talked about doing this from the beginning. Again, it's just who he is.

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