Andrea Harner: The world as Jeremy Blake and Theresa Duncan saw it by Chris Lee, LA Times

August 6, 2007

Wow. The most comprehensive reporting to date on the deaths of Jeremy Blake and Theresa Duncan.

Two snippets:
In a 27-page "chronology" written by Blake in October in preparation for a lawsuit against the church that was never filed, he alleges the couple was "methodically defamed, harassed, followed and threatened" by Scientologists. The document lists Tom Cruise, filmmaker-artist-author Miranda July, writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson, former Viacom Chief Executive Tom Freston, alternative rocker Beck and Art Forum Editor Tim Griffin, among others, as players in the dispute. In addition, a number of Hollywood talent agents and major league art collectors were accused of being in on the conspiracy.

"I think Theresa, in one of her rare moments of self-reflection, recognized she had burned all of these bridges in Jeremy's career with the paranoia," Schlei said. "Jeremy was her creation. And she was killing the thing she created, this great, terrific artist. She realized what she had done. To let him live, she had to go. But in a symbiotic relationship, one couldn't last without the other."

This article notably also mentions in passing "the massive manhattans they were always drinking." I am not saying that some other mental illness wasn't involved, but it sure sounds to me like a-l-c-o-h-o-l played apart in fueling whatever demons drove them to such extremes. I would be surprised if they weren't major drinkers or even alcoholics (paranoia and depression are both common hallmarks of alcoholism). Another case of great creative minds self-destucting under the influence. Sad that it came to this.

AH.com: I agree - undoubtedly the alcohol/alcoholism was a factor.

Posted by: Kim C at August 6, 2007 5:05 PM

N.B.: Also in this same article, “A source at Rockstar, who declined to be identified for fear of violating company policy, recalled the artist [Jeremy Blake] as someone who "looked like a rock star. He wore sunglasses indoors. Sometimes he sipped whiskey at work." Q.E.D.

Posted by: Paul H at August 27, 2007 11:17 AM