Lindsay Lohan's open letter from ex-'Insider' Pat O'Brien

Talk about "The Insider" -- former television host Pat O'Brien has penned an open letter to Lindsay Lohan, detailing the struggles with addiction he presumes he shares with the actress, and also warning her of the choices ahead.

O'Brien, once host of "Access Hollywood" and "The Insider," has taken to the pages of the Hollywood Reporter to reflect on Lohan since she's been sprung from jail and rehab, and the blame she's placed on media outlets and her parents. He also likens her to icons Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. 

It's a tad bizarre, given his serious drop in visibility since being fired from "The Insider" after a long string of bad behavior, including two stints in rehab.

But to his letter.

"I've been through it, Lindsay. For me, there has been no jail, no courtroom antics, no ankle bracelet and, thankfully, I don't have the paparazzi snapping my every move. But I, too, have the same demons you have, and it's no fun," he writes.

"The good news is that with a certain amount of willingness, structure and personal inventory, those demons can be arrested."

No pun!

O'Brien then tosses the ball into Michael Lohan's court, only to tell Lindsay...

... it has no business being there.

"There's no blame; it's not the media's fault or the paparazzo's fault or even your father's fault. He's got enough problems of his own," he says, making the understatement of the year, "it has nothing to do with growing up too fast or being too young or even the jungle Grace Kelly hated called Hollywood."

A Grace Kelly reference! This open letter has more cameos than the coming season of "Glee"! 

O'Brien brings it home with "nobody ever said no to the King of Rock and Roll and eventually that killed him. Nobody said much to Marilyn Monroe, either. The brilliant and talented Dennis Hopper had his demons and conquered them and died with years of sobriety, yet the 10th, 11th and 12th words in his obituary were 'drugs and alcohol.'"

He wishes Lohan the best with today's release of her film "Machete," and congratulates on her making the cover of Vanity Fair. 

He does suggest, however, that Lohan "realize that the consequences of denial start to get much more serious than Perez Hilton making fun of you. Sadly, it's well-documented that the consequence waiting for you could be death."

He closes by suggesting the pair meet at a Starbucks.

Read O'Brien's full letter and tell us -- does he have a point for young Lindsay? Is he weighing in to cash in (the article mentions he's recently joined a Fox Sports radio program and is, naturally, penning an autobiography)? Tell us in comments below.

-- Matt Donnelly

Twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photos: In the left corner, Lindsay Lohan, who, recently released from jail and rehab, has a movie and clothing line and cathartic tell-all interview on the way. In the right corner, Pat O'Brien. Credits: Getty Images, left; Reuters, right.

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Comments

[Juna]

I think it is awesome that he did this. She might listen to someone else...she is not listening to herself. I have never heard anyone else say anything straight up to her. Everyone just shakes their head. She might be so into herself that she refuses to listen, or even hear the warning signals.

[Patricia]

This shows better than anything that the recovery movement functions at times like a robotic religious cult.

The doctors at UCLA -- the specialists in mental health and addiction who treated Lindsay -- said she was not an addict.

She has a personality disorder, according to the doctors who actually treated her, but she's not the hardcore addict at death's door that Dr. Drew and her terrible father and the tabloids have made her out to be.

Note: everyone so far who has painted her as a hardcore addict at death's door has made some money out of that assertion.

TMZ, Michael Lohan, Dr. Drew -- they have all profited from getting the public heated up with sensational accusations.

However, the professionals who actually treated Lindsay at UCLA did not concur with the assessment made by this publicity-seeking crowd.

I hope that FACT does not get erased from history and replaced by the self-serving mythology created by Michael Lohan, Dr. Drew and TMZ.

[Patricia]

And by the way -- kudos to Lindsay for turning down that million dollars offered by Dr. Drew, and getting some real help from real professionals who don't have a TV show to sell.

[leonard macaluso]

i understand public cynicism, but i think Mr. O'Brien is doing what some others, myself included, may consider an unusual stab @ a 12-step call on Ms. Lohan. anyone recall Woody Woodbury or Keefe Braselle? maybe they were once where she is now, but from all indications on their careers, they went down in flames. she doesn't have to get Jesus for Christ's sake, but from all apparent reports she does need to get clean. i, for one, have been wishing her well, as i'm sure Mr. O'Brien does.

[Lucy]

@Patricia, she was not diagnosed as not being an addict. She had been misdiagnosed with ADHD and improperly prescribed Adderall, and UCLA also concluded that she's not bipolar. But clearly she is an addict, since she hasn't been able to stop drinking and using drugs in the face of increasing personal and legal consequences, which is the definition of addiction. Even if she isn't at death's door now, it doesn't mean she won't be.

[Jesus_First]

Juna, the prison minister Marty Angelo has been reaching out to LL and Paris Hilton since 2007 with open letters..... These gals have to want to get better.... want help ... and it maybe only through suffering further consquences before they reach bottom. All the letters in the world will not change behavior. It has to come from within. And if it doesn't then the negative consquences will continue until a bottom is reached.

[Eve]

I think Pat was wasted when he wrote the letter . . .

[Olden Atwoody]

"He (O'Brien) also likens her to icons Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe."

I was think more Peewee Herman or Tila Tequila. Third-tier at best.