Takes more than a hat and sunglasses for Gary Busey to avoid being recognized. All he has to do is open his mouth and you can’t miss him! Gary has highly recognizable teeth! Although they did seem even bigger when he starred in The Buddy Holly Story…
Above, Gary shopping at pavilions in Malibu
Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA
Acquaintances of Gary Busey are not the least bit surprised that he filed for bankruptcy because he’s “never had a good grip on his finances.” “Gary still spends and acts like he’s an A-list star” we were told. Gary was nominated for an Oscar for “The Buddy Holly Story” in the late 70’s, followed by a number of successful movies like ”Lethal Weapon.” After that, his income went down, but his spending DIDN’T. He’s never owned a house because he always had bad credit. But he HAD to keep up “the image” so he RENTED a (modest) Malibu house for years, and drove a 20 plus year old Mercedes. Recently Gary got lucky and clicked on the reality show circuit (above, Gary on Celebrity Wife Swap) and made some money, but “spent it like the big star he isn’t any more.”
ABC is upping the ante for their culture clash show Celebrity Wife Swap by booking two religious fanatics for the reality series – disgraced evangelist Ted Haggard, and crackpot actor Gary Busey, who is also a minister with Promise Keepers. Haggard became famous when he was caught doing drugs and having sex with a male prostitute. He allows he’s probably bisexual and has returned to the ministry. For some reason his wife Gayle is still with him. Certainly anybody who can not only put up with Gary Busey’s annoying habits (played out on Celebrity Rehab,) AND have a baby with him, is puzzling. These WOMEN will be fascinating. Gary’s baby-mama Steffanie >Sampson will trade places with Ted’s wife Gayle on the show and the rest is up to Jesus.
There’s no doubt that Gary Busey is, indeed, a celebrity. He’s appeared on Celebrity Fit Club, Celebrity Rehab, Celebrity Apprentice, and now he’s on Celebrity Close Calls on the bio channel. The show is all about celebrities who’ve had near-death experiences, and features (our favorite) re-enactments. Gary of course, talks about his nearly fatal motorcycle accident. Click Here for the show’s video.
A “dramatic” situation is percolating on Celebrity Apprentice this season: Deaf actress Marlee Matlin met Gary Busey for the first time, and she immediately observed that he spoke too loud and had trouble understanding conversations. She realized he was partially deaf and pulled him aside and suggested he see her hearing doctor. The doc told Busey he had only 40% of his hearing and fit him with a hearing aid. (Since it was filmed for the show, he probably got it free.) He communicates better now, but what he says is still pretty outrageous.
Gary Busey seems to be making a decent living thanks to reality shows. He made around $100,000 as the loose cannon on Dr Drew’s Celebrity Rehab and now he’s set to appear on Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump. The other day he was pulled over by police for suspected drunk driving but he passed sobriety tests and was released. Here he’s relaxing in the park (in his pajama bottoms?) with his girlfriend Steffanie Sampson and their one year old baby Luke.
Also from the Hollywood Collectors Fair, Gary Busey (Celebrity Rehab) made lots of money, but whenever he had a free moment he was seen socializing with attractive women. According to a witness, both actors and fans were subjected to his overt flirtation and angling for phone numbers. Surprising, because Gary has a girlfriend waiting at home (Steffanie Sampson, above, who must have a screw loose) with his two month old baby Luke.
Photo Credit: Splash News
You never know what’s going to happen when Celebrity Rehab’s Gary Busey is involved. He shopped in a beauty supply store in Malibu and a pretty sales clerk was very helpful and nice to him. She walked him outside and he impulsively planted a big fat kiss on her. She WAS a good sport about it.
Celebrity Rehab is so juicy we wish it were on every day instead of once a week. It’s just amazing to see how these celebrities live their drug addled lives. Dr Drew Pinsky has a real challenge when it comes to Gary Busey. On episode 3 he still hasn’t convinced Gary that he’s a patient and not a counselor. When born-again Gary signed up for the show, he told friends he was, indeed a counselor. Dr Drew is treating Gary’s “lack of self control” and other issues of denial. (He DID have that horrendous motorcycle accident and brain damage.) We hear that Gary is not leaking details about the show events or ending, but he thinks he came away better and figured out some of his problems. Plus, of course, he was happy with the $100,000 paycheck.
We were really disappointed to learn that Heidi Fleiss has backed out of appearing on Celebrity Rehab – and at the last minute. She would have been fun to watch. Rod Stewart’s problematic son Sean Stewart signed up for the treatment – we’re betting daddy cut him off and he needs money. And weepy, whiney, Jeff Conaway is COMING BACK. He seems doomed to repeat all his mistakes. Another interesting patient will be Rodney King, the lovely man whose arrest started the 1992 racial riots in LA. Sexy video vixen Tawny Kitaen is best known for being arrested for battering her exhusband Chuck Finley with her high heel boots. To top it off, crazy, born again Gary Busey will be a drug counselor! (We KNOW he needs the money) Can you IMAGINE taking advice from Gary? Dr Drew Pinsky (shown above with last year’s grads) is in for a WILD RIDE. The show will air in October.
