Robert Downey Jr. On Prison – ‘It Wasn’t So Bad’

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that Robert Downey Jr. actually spent time in prison, but the actor was actually jailed twice in the late 1990’s on drug offences.
He told Britain’s GQ Magazine that he can’t believe he avoided jail for as long as he did!
“Jail didn’t help me any more or less than anything else. But I know I created that experience for a reason, and I’m only just starting to understand those reasons. Remember this is California, ‘Come on vacation, leave on probation.’ I mean, I can’t believe I stayed out of the pen for as long as I did.”

“I do think there’s something divine about large-scale humiliation, but no, it never worked for me. It never produced enough of a blow back for me to catch the drift. It doesn’t so much produce results as just get your attention – you become a fish in a barrel and there’s really something quite beautiful about that.
“And I didn’t mind it inside really; it wasn’t so bad.
“Listen, a prison is just like a public school. Did you ever go on a film set on location? It’s just like prison. Have you ever been in a bad relationship? It’s just like having a cellmate who wants to kill you. Have you ever been in a street fight? It’s just like chow-time meal time. Have you ever been to a rave-up? It’s like a yard riot. I wouldn’t wish it on anybody, but it neither fazed me, nor changed me, nor informed me – but maybe it toughened me up a little bit.”

Hmmm, interesting way to think about it, I guess. I’m happy to see that RDJ has managed to turn his life around; I think he’s a pretty good example in Hollywood about how you really can reclaim your former glory. RDJ’s new movie ‘Due Date’ is out this Friday