Earlier this month, U.S. drug czar Gil Kerlikowske presented former Friends star Matthew Perry with the Champion of Recovery Award for “giving a voice to millions of Americans in recovery.”

How has the 43-year-old actor done that, you ask?

By being so vocal about his own addiction and recovery and supporting President Obama’s efforts to fight alcohol and drug abuse in America, to the White House’s way of thinking.

Specifically, his staunch support of America’s drug courts.

Mariel Hemingway is sharing her life-long struggles with mental illness, drug addiction, and family suicide (seven relatives — including one of the most influential writers in American history, her grandfather Ernest Hemingway — have committed suicide) in her new documentary, Running from Crazy.

The 51-year-old model and actress teamed up with Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple (Harlan County, USA; American Dream) to create a film that “places an emphasis on suicide awareness and the importance of mental health evaluations” and one that, the two hope, “offers hope for people living with mental illness by showing that they are not alone in their struggles.”

R&B star Mario recently talked with The Fix about the Mario Do Right Foundation, an organization he established in 2007 to help kids who deal with alcoholism and drug abuse in their families and communities.

Through the Mario Do Right Foundation, the 26-year-old also created the “Live Right Do Right” program, a 16-week after-school program that both educates children about substance abuse and helps them cope with drug addiction and alcoholism in their families.

(Initially, I had another post planned for today’s “Weekend Reading,” but in light of today’s passing of country legend George Jones, I thought it appropriate to switch gears. )

It’s a sad day for country music fans, dear readers.

George Jones died earlier today (Friday, April 26, 2013), after checking into Vanderbilt University Hospital April 18, 2013 for a fever and blood pressure issues.

Speaking of recovering addicts and sobriety…

Before he hit it big, rapper Macklemore struggled with substance abuse.

The “Thrift Shop” mastermind went to rehab for drug and alcohol abuse and has been sober since 2008.

However, he opens up in the latest Rolling Stone (March 29) about how, in the wake of his massive success, his sobriety has been hard to hang onto.

Jane Velez-Mitchell is one of the few nighttime HLN hosts I can stand (note that I said “few” – they don’t all make me want to pluck out my eardrums).

It’s Jane’s mix of no-nonsense and understanding that makes me like her, and I’m sure that comes from her own life experiences.

(Jane is a recovering addict who has a personal stake in LGBT issues and works with humane and environmental causes, too).

Planning on being in New York City tonight and have a few thousand dollars lying around (I’m just guessing on that – don’t get excited, it’s probably booked up)?

Maybe you’ll want to swing by the Amy Winehouse Foundation Inspiration Awards & Gala.

The Foundation’s inaugural gala not only will feature performances from award-winning singers like Jennifer Hudson, but also it will present its own awards.

That’s right. Tony Bennett, who’s been a huge supporter of of the Foundation and has donated more than $200, 000 to it, will receive The AWF Inspiration Award for Lifetime Achievement. NAS, who described Amy as being “like a little sister to [him]” (I had No Idea), will receive The AWF Inspiration Award for a New Generation.

According to Amy’s father and mastermind behind the Foundation, Mitch Winehouse, the Foundation hasn’t really gotten the ball rolling on fundraising just yet, but is already present in 200 schools and has given 10 scholarships to the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra also has been on the receiving end of the Foundation’s charity, to the tune of $10,000.

Even if they weren’t in the audience, Green Day fans no doubt remember when frontman Billie Joe Armstrong lost control on stage at the iHeart Radio event in Las Vegas back in September 2012.

(Would a “Wake Me Up When September Ends” pun be too soon? Sorry, sorry. It just pushed it’s way in there.)

Armstrong lashed out, upset that the band only had one minute left and insisting they play some new songs before apparently giving up, destroying his guitar on stage, and storming off.

Unfortunately, we’re starting the week off with some sad news, folks.

Mindy McCready, the country music singer perhaps most popular for the 90s female empowerment anthem “Guys Do It All The Time,” was found dead yesterday of an apparent suicide.

A statement from the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office in Arkansas claims the 37-year-old suffered what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Fix, an excellent (in my opinion) website about addiction and recovery that often tackles celebrity substance abuse issues is teaming up with the national nonprofit addiction treatment organization Phoenix House later this afternoon to talk about something that’s been on all our mind’s since Colorado and Washington pretty much told the world, “Yeah, we do what we want” and legalized pot.

Drug policy. Specifically, legalizing drugs.

Not just marijuana, either. The Fix and Phoenix House are set to talk about everything from heroin and cocaine to mass incarceration and mandatory vs. optional addiction treatment.