People: Dennis Rodman to undergo alcohol rehab
Dennis Rodman has checked into an undisclosed alcohol rehabilitation center to treat his long-time struggle with alcoholism, his agent said.
Darren Prince declined on Saturday to say which facility will treat Rodman and how long he will be there. Rodman recently returned to the United States from his latest trip to North Korea.
He later apologized for comments he made in North Korea about a detained American missionary, saying he had been drinking and was under pressure as he organized an exhibition game there. He also sang “Happy Birthday” to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the start of the friendly game.
“What was potentially a historic and monumental event turned into a nightmare for everyone concerned,” Prince said. “Dennis Rodman came back from North Korea in pretty rough shape emotionally. The pressure that was put on him to be a combination ‘super human’ political figure and ‘fixer’ got the better of him.
“He is embarrassed, saddened and remorseful for the anger and hurt his words have caused.”
Rodman, 52, won five NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls and was one of the NBA’s fiercest rebounders and most colorful personalities. Detroit selected Rodman in the second round of the 1986 draft out of Southeastern Oklahoma. The native of Trenton, N.J., also played for Chicago, San Antonio, the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas. He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2011.
Madonna back-and-forth over slur
Madonna apologized Saturday for using a racial slur on Instagram to refer to her white son, seeking forgiveness a day after calling those who criticized her language “haters.”
On Friday night, the singer posted a picture of her 13-year-old son, Rocco, boxing and included the comment, “No one messes with Dirty Soap! Mama said knock you out!” She then added a variation of the N-word.
She quickly deleted the comment when outraged Instagram users berated her for the use of the word, and was initially defiant. But in a statement Saturday, a contrite Madonna said: “Forgive me.”
“I am sorry if I offended anyone with my use of the N word on Instagram. It was not meant as a racial slur. I am not a racist. There’s no way to defend the use of the word. It was all about intention,” she said. “It was used as a term of endearment toward my son who is white. I appreciate that it’s a provocative word and I apologize if it gave people the wrong impression.”
Besides Rocco, she has three other children, including Lourdes, David and Mercy. Mercy and David are black, adopted from the African nation of Malawi.
The birthday bunch
Actress Tippi Hedren is 84. Country singer Dolly Parton is 68. TV chef Paula Deen is 67. Singer Dewey Bunnell (America) is 62. Actor Desi Arnaz Jr. is 61. Actress Katey Sagal is 60. Comedian-impressionist Frank Caliendo is 40. Rapper Mac Miller is 22.