Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis following hospitalization

Val Chmerkovskiyis back on his feet.

USA TODAY

The"Dancing with the Stars"pro gave fans an update on his health after sharing that he had been hospitalized for vertigo between performances on theshow's live tour.

"So I got BPPV, which isn't too bad, thank God. There's no tumor in my brain, God forbid," the 39-year-old said in avideo posted to social mediaon March 3.

He continued, "And thankfully, it's not related to my neck injury. And so having ruled those things out, I feel a lot better."

Two days earlier, the dancer shared avideofrom his hospital bed in Peoria, Illinois, revealing that he had been experiencingvertigo, a false sense of motion.

"I'm just spinning everywhere," he said.

BPPV, short for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, is the most common cause of vertigo and includes symptoms like dizziness and loss of balance, according to theMayo Clinic.

<p style=Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez 

Met: Season 3 (2006)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Willa Ford and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Met: Season 3 (2006)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Mark Ballas and Sabrina Bryan

Met: Season 5 (2007)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough

Met: Season 6 (2008)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Mark Ballas and Shawn Johnson

Met: Season 8 (2009)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Cheryl Burke and Chad Ochocinco

Met: Season 10 (2010)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff
Met: Prior to DWTS in 2003, but dated after Smirnoff's split from Lopez.
Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=James Maslow and Peta Murgatroyd

Met: Season 18 (2014)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Val Chmerkovskiy and Janel Parrish

Met: Season 19 (2014)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec

Met: Season 20 (2015)

Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Val Chmerkovskiy and Amber Rose

Met: Season 23 (2016)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Artem Chigvintsev and Nikki Bella

Met: Season 25 (2017)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd
Met: Outside of DWTS in 2009, but became a couple when Murgatroyd joined the show a few years later.
Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten

Met: Season 27 (2018)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Sasha Farber and Emma Slater
Met: Outside of DWTS in 2009.
Status: Divorced

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy
Met: Season 18 (2014)
Status: Married

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess

Met: Season 30 (2021)

Status: Still together

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Britt Stewart and Daniel Durant

Met: Season 31 (2022)

Status: Still together

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Gleb Savchenko and Brooks Nader

Met: Season 33 (2024)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber

Met: Season 33 (2024)

Status: Broken up

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

It's a romance on – and off – the dance floor. See which 'DWTS' couples are still together.

Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez

Met:Season 3 (2006)

Status:Broken up

More 'DWTS' news:'Dancing with the Stars' is launching its first fan convention

Val Chmerkovskiy returns to 'DWTS' tour after hospitalization

Valentin Chmerkovskiy attends the world premiere of 20th Century Studios "Avatar: Fire and Ash" at The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on Dec. 1, 2025.

Chmerkovskiy returned to the tour stage for the March 3 show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after missing the live performance in Peoria, Illinois, on March 1.

"I'm still a little fuzzy here and there, but good enough to perform. And I'll see you all tonight," he said.

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After initially opening up about his hospitalization, Chmerkovskiy's "Dancing with the Stars" family shared well wishes in the comments of his March 1 video.

"Get better soon! But take time to heal we need our ballroom diva back when he's ready to serve,"Xochitl Gomez, Chmerkovskiy's partner and winner of Season 32, wrote.

"We got you Val," fellow proEmma Slaterwrote.

The 2026"Dancing with the Stars" live tourkicked off in January and is planned for nearly 100 total shows before wrapping up in May.

In addition to starring a slew of fan-favorite pros, including Chmerkovskiy's wifeJenna Johnson, the tour featuresseveral stars from Season 34.

What is BPPV? Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis

BPPV causes brief periods of dizziness and is often set off by changes in the head's position, like lying down, turning over or sitting up in bed, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The condition occurs when tiny calcium crystals come loose from their normal location within the inner ear, perJohns Hopkins Medicine.

A common treatment for BPPV is known as the Epley maneuver, an exercise to reposition the head in a way that helps move the crystals.

"Thankfully, our PT is certified in getting those crystals back and doing the Epley maneuver," Chmerkovskiy said.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached atmelina.khan@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Val Chmerkovskiy updates fans after hospitalization during 'DWTS' tour

Val Chmerkovskiy reveals diagnosis following hospitalization

Val Chmerkovskiyis back on his feet. The"Dancing with the Stars"pro gave fans an update on his health...
Billy Idol Reveals He Used Crack To Get Over Heroin Addiction

Rock musician Billy Idol confessed to kicking his heroin addiction by doing something else instead — smoking crack.

The Daily Caller TOPSHOT-SWITZERLAND-FESTIVAL-MUSIC ©(Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Idol admitted that he had many close-calls in his lifetime, including some frightening close-calls while using drugs, during a March 2 appearance on "Club Random with Bill Maher." He confessed that he shot up a few times before turning to his preferred method ofusing the drug— cutting lines and snorting it. The famous rocker described how difficult to get off the drug before revealing his unconventional solution to heroin addiction.

"Once you're trying to get off heroin, what do you go to? You go to something else. I started smoking crack to get off heroin," Idol said.

"Did you really?" Maher asked.

Idol doubled-down on his tactics. "It worked. It worked," he said with a laugh.

The famous 80s rocker described some frightening moments during the days of his heroin-use, and admitted to "nodding out" while using the drug.

In one instance, he claimed he was using heroin with a group of people that all passed out while he and another fellow kept going.

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"Eventually we did pass out and then when other people in the room came to, I was going blue," Idol admitted.

TOPSHOT – British singer Billy Idol performs on the main stage of the Rock in Rio music festival at the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on September 9, 2022. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP) (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)

He talked about his near-death experience matter-of-factly, and explained to Maher how heroin affects the body.

"They put me in a bath," he said, before explaining, "Well, if you're dying, you're going to start turning blue."(RELATED: Nicole Kidman Claims She Can Perform An Autopsy After Playing A Role As Medical Examiner)

Portrait of Billy Idol at a hotel in Tokyo, Japan, 1984. (Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images)

"I suppose it just overwhelms your system, and I suppose it stops you breathing or something," he told Maher.

The 70-year-old rockstar opened up about his wild lifestyle in the new documentary "Billy Idol Should Be Dead," released Feb. 26.

Billy Idol Reveals He Used Crack To Get Over Heroin Addiction

Rock musician Billy Idol confessed to kicking his heroin addiction by doing something else instead — smoking crack. ...
Kurdish dissident groups say they are preparing to join the fight against Iran with US support

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in northern Iraq are preparing for a potentialcross-bordermilitary operationin Iran, and the U.S. has asked Iraqi Kurds to support them, Kurdish officials told The Associated Press.

Associated Press Member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan PDKI stands at a checkpoint leading to their base in Koya district of Irbil, Iraq, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Rashid Yahya) Members of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan PDKI stand at a checkpoint leading to their base in the Koya district of Irbil, Iraq, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Rashid Yahya) Iraqi Kurds inspect the damage to their homes, after a drone attack struck their neighbourhood in Irbil, Iraq, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Salar Salim)

Iran Iraq Pahlavi Kurds

The Kurdish groups are widely seen as the most well-organized segment of the fragmented Iranian opposition and are believed to have thousands of trained fighters. Their entry intothe warcould pose a significant challenge to the embattled authorities in Tehran and could also risk pulling Iraq further into the conflict.

Khalil Nadiri an official with the Kurdistan Freedom Party, or PAK, based in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region said Wednesday that some of their forces had moved to areas near the Iranian border in Sulaymaniyah province and were on standby.

He said Kurdish opposition group leaders had been contacted by U.S. officials regarding a potential operation, without giving more details.

Asked about reports that the Trump administration was considering arming Iranian Kurdish groups, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Wednesday: "None of our objectives are premised on the support or the arming of any particular force. So, what other entities may be doing, we're aware of, but our objectives aren't centered on that."

Before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday, triggering a new war in the Middle East, the PAK had claimed attacks on the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for Tehran's violentcrackdown on protests. Butan officialwith the group said it had not sent forces from Iraq into Iran.

If the Iranian and Iraqi Kurdish groups were to join the war, it would be the first entry of a significant ground force into the battle. The Kurdish groups have battle experience from the fight against the Islamic State group.

An official with Komala, another of the Kurdish Iranian groups, said Wednesday that their forces are ready to cross the border within a week to 10 days and were "waiting for the grounds to be suitable." He spoke on condition of anonymity out of security concerns.

Kurds in Iran have a long history of grievances and uprisings against both the current Islamic Republic and the monarchy that preceded it. During the rule ofShah Mohammad Reza PahlaviKurds were marginalized and repressed and sometimes rebelled.

After Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, the new theocracy also battled Kurdish insurgents. Iranian forces destroyed Kurdish towns and villages in fighting that killed thousands over several months.

While they share a desire to see the current authorities ousted, the Kurdish groups have also butted heads with otheropposition groups— notably the faction led by the former shah's son, Reza Pahlavi, who has accused the Kurds of being separatists aiming to carve up Iran.

Iraqi Kurds hesitant to join the fray

The potential operation has put leaders of the Iraqi Kurdish region in a delicate position.

Three Iraqi Kurdish officials told the AP that a call took place Sunday night between U.S. President Donald Trump and Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani — the heads of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, or KDP, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, or PUK, the two main Kurdish parties in Iraq — to discuss the situation in Iran.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

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One of the officials said Trump had asked the Iraqi Kurds to militarily support the Iranian Kurdish groups in operations in Iran and to open the border to allow the Iranian Kurdish groups to move freely back and forth.

When asked about the call and reports that Trump has sought military support for Iranian Kurdish groups, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: "He did speak to Kurdish leaders with respect to our base that we have in northern Iraq," but denied that Trump had agreed to a specific plan.

The Iraqi Kurdish official said the Iraqi Kurds were concerned that getting directly involved in the conflict would draw a harsh Iranian response. Already the Kurdish region has seen a string of drone and missile attacks by Iran and allied Iraqi militias in recent days, targeting U.S. military bases and the U.S. Consulate in Irbil as well as the Kurdish groups' bases.

While most of the attacks have been intercepted, civilian homes have been damaged, and the region is suffering from electricity cuts after a key gas field halted operations due to security concerns.

In a statement, the PUK confirmed that Talabani had spoken by phone with Trump, who "provided clarification and vision regarding U.S. objectives in the war." The statement said the PUK "believes that the best solution is a return to the negotiating table."

Spokespeople for the Kurdish regional government in Iraq and for Barzani declined to comment.

The news site Axios first reported the call between Trump and the Kurdish leaders, and CNN reported that the Trump administration was in discussions with Kurdish groups over providing military support.

Iraq moves to seal the border

The presence of armed Iranian Kurdish groups in northern Iraq has been a point of friction between the central Iraqi government in Baghdad and Tehran.

Iraq in 2023 reachedan agreement with Iran to disarm the groupsand move them from their bases near the border areas with Iran — where they potentially posed an armed challenge to Tehran — into camps designated by Baghdad.

Their military bases were shut down and their movement within Iraq restricted, but the groups did not give up their weapons.

Iraq's National Security Adviser Qassim al-Araji said in a post on X that Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, had requested in a call between them "that Iraq take the necessary measures to prevent any opposition groups from infiltrating the border between the two countries."

Al-Araji said Iraq is committed to "preventing any groups from infiltrating or crossing the Iranian border or carrying out terrorist acts from Iraqi territory" and noted that security reinforcements had been sent to the border.

In addition to retaliation by Iran, any movement by Iraqi Kurds to join a cross-border attack would likely inflame tensions with Iran-backed Iraqi militias, which have already claimed missile and drone strikes on Irbil in recent days.

Abdul-Zahra reported from Baghdad. Abby Sewell in Beirut and Konstantin Toropin and Michelle Price in Washington contributed.

Kurdish dissident groups say they are preparing to join the fight against Iran with US support

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in northern Iraq are preparing for a potentialcross-bordermilit...
US working to charter flights for Americans trying to leave Middle East

The U.S. State Department is asking Americans in parts of the Middle East tofill out an online formif they want assistance leaving the region during the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Scripps News

In a social media post, the agency said U.S. citizens in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Israel should register through a State Department website to receive information about possible evacuation options.

The form allows officials to contact Americans directly about available aviation and ground transportation if they need help departing.

RELATED STORY |'They were going to attack first:' White House continues defense of Iran strikes

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is working to arrange charter flights while also helping Americans secure seats on commercial flights that are still operating intermittently.

"The State Department is asking that they register at the website so they can directly identify you, and we are actively and rapidly working to charter flights," Leavitt said during a White House briefing.

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RELATED STORY |Officials identify 4 US service members killed in Iran conflict

Leavitt said the flights arranged by the U.S. government would be provided free of charge.

"The administration is already rapidly chartering flights free of charge and booking commercial options, which we expect to become increasingly available as time goes on and the success of this mission further comes to fruition," she stated.

The evacuation effort comes as the Trump administration says it is trying to help Americans leave the region following the launch of what officials are calling Operation Epic Fury.

Leavitt said more than 17,500 Americans have already safely returned from the Middle East, including more than 8,500 who returned to the United States in a single day.

"We will not rest until every single American is returned home safely," she said.

US working to charter flights for Americans trying to leave Middle East

The U.S. State Department is asking Americans in parts of the Middle East tofill out an online formif they want assistanc...
The family of a girl killed at Camp Mystic asks a Texas judge to prevent the camp from reopening

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas judge is hearing evidence Wednesday on whether the youth camp where 25 girls and two counselors were killed incatastrophic floods last yearshould remain closed while a lawsuit filed by one of the girls' families is pending.

Associated Press Alli Naylor, mother of Wynne Naylor who died at Camp Mystic, reacts as attorneys argue for a temporary restraining order regarding the camp, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool) Judge Maya Guerra Gamble listens as an attorney argues for a temporary restraining order regarding Camp Mystic, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool) Will Steward attends a hearing about a temporary restraining order regarding Camp Mystic, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool) Alli Naylor, center left, mother of Wynne Naylor, and Malorie Lytal, center right, mother of Kellanne Lytal, attend a hearing about a temporary restraining order for Camp Mystic, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool) Camp Mystic owner Tweety Eastland, center, attends a hearing about a temporary restraining order regarding the camp, at the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool)

Texas Floods-Camp Mystic-Lawsuit

The family of 8-year-old Cile Steward, who was swept away during the flooding and whose body still has not been recovered, has asked a Travis County judge to prevent Camp Mystic's owners from reopening the camp and to halt any construction while the lawsuit is pending. Their request for a temporary injunction maintains that any changes at the camp could destroy evidence needed for their lawsuit.

"It now falls to this Court to protect the public, plaintiffs' search for answers, and the evidence at the Camp Mystic site," the attorneys wrote.

The camp's decision last year to partially open and to construct a memorial on the groundsdrew outragefrom many of the girls' families who are mourning their loved ones and who said they weren't consulted on the plans.

"We call on Camp Mystic to halt all discussions of reopening and memorials," CiCi and Will Steward wrote to Camp Mystic officials after the camp's decision was announced.

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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has asked Texas regulatorsnot to renew the licensefor Camp Mystic while the deaths are being investigated and cited legislative probes that are expected to begin in the spring.

Families of several of the girls who died havesued the camp's operators, arguing that camp officials failed to take necessary steps to protect the campers as life-threatening floodwaters approached.

Attorneys for Camp Mystic have expressed sympathy toward the girls' families but maintained there was little they could have done during the catastrophic flooding that quickly overcame the camp.

"Nobody had every seen a prior flood anything like we saw in 2025," said Mikal Watts, an attorney for Camp Mystic and its family of owners.

Murphy reported from Oklahoma City

The family of a girl killed at Camp Mystic asks a Texas judge to prevent the camp from reopening

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas judge is hearing evidence Wednesday on whether the youth camp where 25 girls and two counsel...
Braves manager says he's disappointed about Profar but the suspension creates opportunity for others

Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss said Wednesday he was disappointed but determined to keep a positive outlook afterJurickson Profar's suspensionfor the 2026 season.

Associated Press FILE - Atlanta Braves' Jurickson Profar reacts after fouling off a pitch during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File) FILE - Atlanta Braves' Jurickson Profar reacts during a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File) Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss (22) walks in the dugout during a rain delay before a spring training baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in North Port, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Braves Profar Drug Test Baseball

Profar was suspended by Major League Baseball on Tuesday following his second positive test for a performance-enhancing drug.

Profar, an outfielder and designated hitter, was expected to be a regular, perhaps as the No. 2 hitter behind Ronald Acuña Jr., inAtlanta's lineup. Weiss, speaking to reporters before Wednesday's exhibition game against Team Colombia in North Port, Florida, said the Braves could overcome losing Profar just as they won the 2021 World Series after losing Acuña to a knee injury.

"The moral of the story is something good is likely to come from the bad news," Weiss said. "It just tends to happen that way. Someone's gonna step up, someone's gonna get an opportunity. In 2021, the day we lost Ronald, nobody's picking that option. And nobody's taking this option. But guess what, and I truly believe that something good will come of this."

Weiss had been the Braves' bench coach since 2018 before he wasnamed the manageron Nov. 3, following Brian Snitker's retirement.

Profar tested positive for exogenous testosterone and its metabolites, the commissioner's office said, which means testosterone that was not produced by his body. Because it was a second offense, the length of Profar's suspension was 162 games.

Weiss said he has to prepare to be without Profar all season even though Profar will appeal the suspension.

An All-Star in 2024, Profar wassuspended for 80 games last March 31following a positive test for Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG), a hormone that helps production of testosterone. He issued a statement then saying: "I would never willingly take a banned substance, but I take full responsibility and accept MLB's decision."

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Catcher Drake Baldwin, the 2025 NL Rookie of the Year, was the designated hitter on Wednesday. Weiss said he expects his designated hitter spot to be "fairly fluid" without Profar.

Weiss said "I feel really good" the Braves signed left fielder Mike Yastrzemski to a $23 million, two-year deal in the offseason. Yastrzemski, Acuña and Michael Harris are expected to be the team's starting outfielders. Profar might have shared time with Yastrzemski in left field on days Baldwin was the designated hitter. Now Eli White may serve as the fourth outfielder.

Mauricio Dubon will open the season as the starting shortstop while Ha-Seong Kim recovers from a finger injury. When Kim returns, Dubon could be another option in the outfield.

Weiss insisted Profar's suspension "doesn't change anything we do here. We're getting ready for our season, and it doesn't change anything about our camp. There'll be opportunities created because of this. It's not something that we would choose but that's where we're at, and it's onward. That's the message, and we have a professional group. They're handling it really well and very focused."

Weiss said he has not talked with Profar, who he recently praised for his leadership after returning from last year's suspension.

"Look, I said that and I talked about him winning me over last year and he did," Weiss said. "I'm not gonna change that. The fact of the matter is he was a really good teammate last year, and was a good player for us, was a leader in our clubhouse, you know? And that's what I said. None of us saw this coming. So yeah, I stand by what I said at that point in time. And again, we'll let this (appeal) process play out."

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Braves manager says he's disappointed about Profar but the suspension creates opportunity for others

Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss said Wednesday he was disappointed but determined to keep a positive outlook afterJuric...
Billy Idol Claims Smoking Crack Helped Him Quit Heroin: 'It Worked'

Billy Idol revealed the unexpected substance that helped him quit heroin

People

NEED TO KNOW

  • During a Monday, March 2 appearance on Club Random with Bill Maher, the "White Wedding" performer spoke about how smoking crack helped him wean off of the substance

  • Idol has previously revealed that he nearly died of a heroin overdose in London in 1984

Billy Idolrevealed the surprising substance that helped him kick his heroin habit.

During a Monday, March 2 appearance onClub Random with Bill Maher, the "White Wedding" performer spoke about how smoking crack helped him wean off of the substance.

"Once you're trying to get off heroin, what do you go to? You go to something else," said Idol, 70.

Billy Idol in March 2025 in Los AngelesCredit: Christopher Polk/Variety/Getty

He continued, "I started smoking crack to get off heroin."

Bill Maherthen asked if he "really" did that, to which Idol replied, "It worked. It worked."

In his documentaryBilly Idol Should Be Dead,which premiered at Tribeca festival in June 2025, the "Eyes Without a Face" artist reflected on his near-fatal overdose in London in 1984 in the midst of the success of his second albumRebel Yell.

At the time, Idol had found major success in the United States but had decided to return to England as a sort of victory lap, "because I'd done it."

Billy Idol on 'Club Random with Bill Maher' in March 2026Credit: Club Random Podcast/Youtube

"I was coming back in triumph and I nearly ruined it," said Idol at the time. "We flew to London where we met a load of our pals that we knew. They had some of the strongest heroin. Everybody did a line or so and they all nodded out except for me and this mate of mine."

Idol recalled doing more of the heroin with his friend while the rest of the group passed out,

"I was basically dying. I was turning blue," he recalled. "So they put me in an ice cold bath and I remember them walking me around on the top of the building, on the roof."

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In the doc, the Grammy-nominated singer explains the allure of drugs during his hard-partying days, saying it was something that the rock scene really "embraced" at the time.Additionally in the documentary, Idol revealed that he ultimately gave up heroin for good after a wild trip to Bangkok that resulted in him and a friend racking up an estimated $75,000 in damages to a hotel. At the time, hisson Willem, who was born in 1988, was a baby.

Idol recalled passing out in an elevator at one point with the elevator doors opening and closing on him.

Billy Idol in April 2025 in New York CityCredit: Jason Mendez/Getty

Inan exclusive interview with PEOPLE in May 2024, he revealed that he was "California sober."

He said he chose "not be a drug addict anymore" after a 1990 motorcycle accident he was involved inwhere he almost lost his leg.

"I really started to think I should try and go forward and not be a drug addict anymore and stuff like that," Idol recalled. "It took a long time, but gradually I did achieve some sort of discipline where I'm not really the same kind of guy I was in the '80s. I'm not the same drug addicted person."

He continued: "I mean, AA would say, 'You're always a drug addict.' And that may be true, but I don't do anything that much anymore. I got over it somehow. I was really lucky that I could get over it because a lot of people can't."

Once in a while, Idol said he can imbibe once in a while without it affecting him."I can have a glass of wine every now and again," he said. "I don't have to do nothing. But at the same time, I'm not the drug addict that I was in the peak '70s, '80s."

Billy Idol Should Be Deadwas released on Thursday, Feb. 26.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

Read the original article onPeople

Billy Idol Claims Smoking Crack Helped Him Quit Heroin: 'It Worked'

Billy Idol revealed the unexpected substance that helped him quit heroin NEED TO KNOW During a Monday, March 2 ...

 

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