Is Richard Grieco on Drugs?

Hell, I don't know.  I don't know the guy.  And I don't really think it's any of my business.

That appears to put me in the minority, though, since I get visitors to this blog every day on search terms like "Richard Grieco drugs."

Since there seems to be a good bit of interest in the subject, and since I've done a fair amount of research on Richard Grieco over the past few months, here's what I know:

Richard Grieco Did Go to Rehab

According to Entertainment Weekly, Richard went into rehab in 1997.  He reportedly told the magazine that his decision had been motivated by vanity, because "I knew that if I looked like shit, I was never gonna work." 

Since then, he's made 29 movies, so...draw your own conclusions.

Where Do the Richard Grieco Drug Rumors Come From?

So far as I have been able to find, the only allegations that Richard Grieco might have a drug problem have come from commenters on blogs and in forums.  Not one that I have seen claims any personal knowledge.  They seem primarily to come in response to photographs from a few years back, when Richard was quite thin, including the series from which this IMDB shot was taken.

Here's what I haven't seen: reports, even from tabloid sources, of alleged drug use, bad behavior typically associated with drug use or problems on sets; negative comments from anyone actually in the film industry; allegations of issues commonly associated with excessive drug use such as unreliability or volatility.

In short, the only source I've been able to find for any claims that Richard Grieco might have a drug problem have been snarky people who have nothing better to do than hang around celebrity message boards talking shit about people they don't know. 

So, Does the Guy Do Drugs or Not?

Like I said, I don't have a clue.  I've never met him.  But I don't think that's really the question people are looking to have answered when they Google phrases like "drugs Richard Grieco."  I strongly suspect that what you really want to know is "Does Richard Grieco have a drug problem?"  On that one, I'm going to say, "pretty damned unlikely." 

The guy is producing a television show, has filmed at least four movies in the past year and has a pretty solid third career going as a painter. 

He just turned 48 (or maybe 49, but that's a subject for another post) and this is the physical condition he's in  >>>>

And, without exception, every industry professional I've found commenting on working with Grieco has had nothing but good things to say. Sure, they're professionals and they're not necessarily going to spill the dirt...but dirt does get spilled, doesn't it? We hear a lot of specifics about celebrity drug use and the trouble it causes--but I haven't heard any about  Grieco. 

For what it's worth (and I'll readily admit that I have no idea what it's worth), TMZ reported that when Grieco pitched himself to replace Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men, his representation pointed out that he didn't have any substance abuse issues and would be reliable. And, of course, he keeps getting work.  True, he's not doing big movies, but neither does anyone seem to be shying away from working with him.  In fact, he seems to be doing a lot of work in a niche where word would get around even more quickly if there were issues. 

So...bottom line:  if you're looking for someone on the Internet to confirm your suspicion that Richard Grieco has a drug problem, you're going to have to go to a guy who calls himself something like NunjanachosXXlovrgrrrrrrl and has never come closer to Hollywood than flipping on his television set.