What would you have done?.....

[ELVIS68]

Amy Winehouse`s dad Mitch has often been quoted as saying she was always "Daddies little girl", do you think he could or should have done more to help her beat her demons?

[kawakiri]

I'msure he's thinking that himself.

[andy-hughes]

Since none of us outside the immediate family and close friends can possibly know what he did, or didn't do to help his daughter, it's impossible to say.

My youngest daughter is as big a Daddy's little girl as it's possible to be, but that doesn't mean she would always follow my advice - which, since she is a grown woman with a fiance and a baby, is absolutely fine.

[tinkerbell23]

I think as the old saying goes you cant help someone who dosent want it :0(

I may be wrong but didnt he try to control her moneh etc? Advised her got her rehab- so personally i think he done his best. I dnt think famillies have enough rights over their addict family members. Its such a shame isnt it! X

[ELVIS68]

It`s sad but she has been like that for the past 5 years or more, he has dabbled in the celebrity circle himself doing gigs as a crooner and I wonder if that took his eye off the ball so to speak

Easy to say but if that was my son or daughter in the papers and on tv smashed out of their heads I would do everything in my powers to sort it

[tinkerbell23]

Elvis im a daddys girl and have taken his advice thankfully (im 24) he isnt strict but when drugs take over......!! I think you would be practically chaining them to the radiator and locking the door but thats what i mean when i say families have little rights cos theyd be prosecuted x

[Mamyalynne]

When your child goes wayward you try your absolute best, but it is only when they realise their problem will they cooperate. Other than that you are stuffed, I know this through one of my nephews and he is now reformed.

[Lore]

It's a difficult one, do you give up everything and focus on fixing them - which is what I would do, but then what if its not what they want and you end up pushing them away?
It's not easy trying to do the right thing without them thinking you're interfering or trying to control the situation.

[ELVIS68]

I`d go for the radiator and chain method, feck the press and record companies

[netibiza]

Agree with tinkerbelle. She knew what she was doing, she was 27yrs old, you cannot lock someone like that up in a spare room, much as you may want to. She had an addictive pesonality and couldn't resist the drink and drugs. My child started on the drugs and it was very hard, we used to test her everytime she came home, and luckily she gave up, but we couldn't lock her up, she's a grownup. Luckily the group of "friends" split up and she is now clean.

[nellypope]

Amy Winehouse was ONLY a saleable asset as a drunk drug addict! Harsh but true. The tragedy comes from the fact that if her record company and management had only withdrawn her contracts, she may have stood a chance. And I do believe this is what her father wanted. Sober? I don't think she would have had the same appeal, the music industry is a cruel, harsh fickle world for many!

[ummmm]

The thing is....junkies and drunks don't go round constantly wasted. My mate is a heroin addict and manages to hold down a job....

Her father probably only finds out about the relapses when he sees her picture in the paper.

[Mosaic]

The truly terrifying aspect of parenthood is that you can be the kindest, most structured and reasonable pair of parents and the child can still go off the rails, as a kd or adult. The miracle is that most turn out OK.

[pa___ul3]

I think the fact that she regularly got professional help, supposedly the very best professional help, and that didn't work suggests that she was behond help.
Nellypope, I really haven't a clue how you're suggesting she was only saleable as drunk drug addict! She wasn't a punk star trying to appeal to impressiobale kids, she was a soul singer with a hugely varied audience, you could argue that given her personal preference was for 50's / 60's music she'd be more targeting the older market.

[ummmm]

I have to admit Paul.....I thought a lot of her sheenanigans were put on to keep her in the papers...

I was wrong. I only ever seen her as a junkie.....until yesterday when I watched a before and after clip on youtube...

[andy-hughes]

nellypope - I think you are confusing the two strands of Amy Winehouse's appeal to two very different media markets.

On the one hand, she has a massive following for her wonderful writing and singing, which is not based at all on her personal live.

On the other, she has an appeal to tabloid readers who would not know a decent singer if one jumped up and bit them. These are people who love to hold up their hands in horror at the dreadful lifestyles of modern musicians - they have been tutting and puffing since the days of The Stones, and it's a huge market in newspapers and magazines.

The important fact is that the two are mutually exclsuive - few if any people buy Amy Winehouses's music because of her drug habit, few Middle Englnaders who love to look down on the less fortunate would buy the music of someone who'se continual spiral into addicition they love to be titlated over.

Happily, the two lots of people occupy different worlds.

The nusic industry is a harsh ficle world, I know, I work in it, but it's not as simple as you are trying to make it sound.

[nellypope]

ANDY: Ah yes! I have worked in it too and found to my cost it was indeed full of B**tards who are happy to watch you sink into a quagmire and cash in on the talent you hold! I have never been a fan of Ms WInehouse's music, however I do recognise her work as being more than valid and admire her contribution to the music world. My talent was wasted by *** who cashed in on it and watched me plummet. So maybe my viewpoint is a little hardened!

[nellypope]

HMV & Our Price were really terrible employers ;-)

[ummmm]

hahaha....is that comment so people don't start asking you questions?

[nellypope]

Ummm: yes! I got carpal tunnel from working on the tills, and then got hooked on the post op painkillers ;-) No to be serious, I don't think her poor father could have done much at all, it's a terrible tragedy that families are going through every day. Anyone who has been through it or have children suffering, they have my thoughts.

My only regret is that I never got to release that quadrophonic concept solo album . . . such a shame ;-)