Winehouse fame

Singer's manager says drug use is symptom of her failure to cope with fame

27 July 2008 - Amy Winehouse's manager, Raye Cosbert, has told a Sunday paper that he thinks Amy's drug use is down to her inability to cope with fame.

He also said that her high profile combined with her sociable nature has led to conflict with the media. "Amy is a public person," he told the Sunday Times "She's not like your usual reclusive star. She likes ordinary people. She likes playing pool with the bin men in her local. If she could take the Tube everywhere she would. She feels deeply uncomfortable in the world of VIP celebrity."

He lamented: "It's unfortunate that you can't teach somebody how to deal with fame."

Apparently Amy envies the drummer of the Arctic Monkeys - despite the band’s spectacular success, his place at the back of the stage affords him anonymity.

The article then goes on to quote Amy’s father, Mitch Winehouse, who recalled her reaction to her Somerset House gig in London last summer - apparently, she was baffled by the size of the audience: “She said to me, 'Dad, what are all these people doing here?' She didn't get it. She didn't understand that she was the Number 1 recording star in the world and that everyone wanted to see her."

According to the article, Amy also wishes she could have a lower public profile, and has spoken to friends about how much she envies the drummer of the Arctic Monkeys - despite the band’s spectacular success, his place at the back of the stage affords him anonymity.

Victoria Hannaford