This morning I saw this PBS Story on screenwriter Joe Eszterhas. A few years ago, he reached the end of his rope and was rescued by God. The way he talks about God’s work is fantastic! Below are a few gems from the interview.
“Eszterhas resembles only physically who he once was: Hollywood’s highest-paid screenwriter, churning out erotic sizzlers like “Basic Instinct,” where depravity — indeed, evil — triumphed.”
On his old life:
“I’ve been a bad boy all my life. I was the king-daddy of sex and violence, the wild hair, the rogue elephant, the drinking, drugging, wild man, the cocaine cowboy.”
“The booze was out of control. The waking up in the morning and not knowing where I was or who I was with was out of control.”
On his conversion:
“It was probably the most desolate moment of my life, and a block away from here I sat down on a curb, sweating, shaking, trying to get the bugs out of my trachea, trying to breathe properly, and I started to cry.” “When you’re absolutely cracked open, and you’re completely vulnerable and desolate, when I opened myself up to the possibility of God entering my heart, I think God did. That day I was ambushed by God.”
“I don’t. I don’t. I don’t know why God has blessed me and graced me the way God has. In terms of my own view of my life, you know, it’s something miraculous. I thank God for gracing me. I always will. But in my own mind I don’t deserve it.”
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wowza! ptl. thanks so much for bringing this to our attention, j. i wonder what his next screenplay will look like… presumably we’ve been spared a Showgirls sequel?
I confess, my favorite part of the PBS video was when the anchor said “From Sharon Stone to Jesus. From darkness into light.” haha!