Christopher Bowman competes for the United States in the men's figure skating event at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France
Posted on 01/10/2008 11:24:27 PM PST by BurbankKarl
Two-time U.S. figure skating champion Christopher Bowman, known as "Bowman the Showman" for his crowd-pleasing skills and as "Hans Brinker From Hell" for his unruly lifestyle, was found dead at a North Hills motel Thursday afternoon.
Bowman, a Hollywood native who had lived in the Midwest but returned here to coach skating about a year ago, was 40.
Bowman was found shortly after noon inside the Budget Inn in the 9100 block of Sepulveda Boulevard. His death is being investigated as a possible drug overdose, said Lt. Joe Bale of the Los Angeles County Coroner's office. The coroner's office must determine whether his death was accidental or a suicide.
Capable of controlled elegance on the ice and devilish behavior away from the rink, Bowman finished second at the 1989 world championships and third in 1990. He was seventh at the 1988 Olympics and missed a medal by placing fourth in 1992.
A former child actor, Bowman began skating in the San Fernando Valley. He was coached for 18 years by Frank Carroll, but their fractious relationship ended not long after Bowman disobeyed Carroll's instructions and improvised much of his free skate program at the 1990 world championships.
Bowman had checked himself into the Betty Ford Clinic for treatment of a drug problem before the 1988 Games. Toller Cranston, a Canadian skater who coached Bowman and allowed Bowman to share his Toronto home, described scenes of drug dealers and prostitutes ringing his doorbell at all hours in search of Bowman in his 1997 book, "Zero Tollerance."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Christopher Bowman competes for the United States in the men's figure skating event at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France
Just plain sad.
His former coach said, “His life was short, but most of it he enjoyed.”
That’s all his coach could say about someone who was regarded by some of his peers as one of the most talented skaters ever? He was a usually a successful narcissist?
So where are all the libertarian drug-users that usually come out of the woodwork on these threads when we discuss legalization of drugs?
If Bowman used drugs it was his choice.
A most cowardly selfish choice.
“If”?
That’s like saying “if” Robert Downey Jr. is a drug user....
There’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes . . .
not anymore ;-) he isn’t. Congrats Robert.
Yes, junkies, users, drunks or what ever you want to call them are the most selfish people in the world. The only thing that matters to them is themselves and their drug of CHOICE and their loved ones comes long after their ability to use.
So his “friends”, the enablers who sold him the drugs, or provided them to him for free, getting him hooked, were just supporting his right to “choose”.
I wonder if the deceased’s parents will hug his enablers at the funeral (that is, if they are sober enough to show up or care)? After all, they were just supporting thier son’s right to “choose”.
Maybe Chris Bowman’s parents can sell all his belongings, so they can pay these “friends” who he still owed money to, for the “choice” drugs he used as he exercised his “choice” to kill himself with drugs. I’m sure they’d appreciate that little gesture of civility.
So where are all the libertarian drug-users that usually come out of the woodwork on these threads when we discuss legalization of drugs?
Here we are! How well is the drug war going anyway? Almost won by now? If this guy had killed himself on a Harley would we be calling his dealership “enablers”? People make selfish stupid decisions, they waste God given talent and end up dead.If I want a motorcycle,a pistol or a bottle of whiskey I don’t feel I need a nanny to take away the right for my own safety. Thanks, I’ll make my own decisions, take my own risks and pay my own consequences.
I ride myself. Riding motorcycles is legal. And though I certainly enjoy riding, it’s not physically addictive.
One of the many problems with illegal drugs is, there only has to be one “choice” to use them — meth, heroin, crack, cocaine. After that the addiction takes over, and it really isn’t much of a “choice” anymore. But there certainly is a cost to continued use, to both the user and society at large.
Have you ever spent any time with a child that’s brought into this world by a drug-addicted mother? Talk about problems — all inflicted on an innocent human being, all because their mother chose to to something both stupid and illegal.
You don’t want to know what I’d do to these (libertarian?) dopers helping kids to “choose” this new drug called “cheese”.
Authorities say there have been 21 “cheese” deaths in the Dallas area since 2005
• Schools, police have begun campaign to try to stop the drug from spreading
• Middle schoolers cheer after detective says U.S. has the most drug users
• Dad of a teenager who died says: “All it takes is once”
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/12/cheese.heroin/index.html
Dontcha know there’s no such thing as physiological addiction?
That no scientist has every demonstrated addiction in lab rats and mice?
That it’s just selfish behavior?
/sarcasm
or “’If’ I did it.”
The person that sold him the drugs is not responsible for his death just as a gun dealer is not responsible if a gun he sells is used by a customer to commit suicide.
Chris Bowman had the capacity to tell right from wrong, the lab rat you speak of does not have that ability not does it have free will.
Chris was in control of what he did and what he put into his body.
Another flawed analogy. The liberal-tarians are really slow today.
As before when I said motorcycles are legal, and not addictive. I have one. Selling guns is legal — dealers are licensed. Guns are not physically addictive. I have several.
There is a reason ILLEGAL drugs are ILLEGAL.
Surely you can come up with a better analogy — maybe even one that makes sense?
What about smokers who die of lung cancer or a heart attack?
Nicotine is addictive, therefore the kid who works at the local 7-11 is responsible for people that die due to smoking?
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