John Stamos is a celebrated TV actor known for playing the beloved Uncle Jesse in Full House and for starring in one of the best NBC Must See TV shows, ER. For all of his success though, the actor has faced his share of challenges. Stamos revealed in his memoir, If You Would Have Told Me, that he struggled with alcoholism. Sadly, many stars in Hollywood have lost their lives to that particular addiction and other dangerous habits. But, thankfully, Stamos is clean and credits Jonah Hill’s doctor for helping him avoid that tragic fate.
Addiction is a devastating disease that has prevented a lot of celebrities from reaching the age of 40. John Stamos admitted to Page Six that he could have suffered a tragic outcome if not for his therapist, Phil Stutz, who was the subject of Jonah Hill’s documentary:
I probably wouldn’t be here [without him]. He was big into helping me get sober.
Back in 2015, John Stamos was on the way to see his Full House co-star Bob Saget only to get pulled over for driving under the influence. He received three years of probation, was ordered to take a three-month alcohol abuse program, attend 52 AA meetings and partake in two hours of addiction counseling. After his DUI arrest, Stamos entered a substance abuse program one month later. Dr. Stutz, who Stamos has known for "close to 20 years" was instrumental in helping him get sober.
In the Netflix documentary Stutz, Jonah Hill opened up about his anxiety and was honest about his body issues, which he shared with Phil Stutz. Those who tuned into the doc were informed on the powerful tools with which the skilled therapist assisted the Superbad star. One such technique was The Grateful Flow, in which a person fights negative thoughts with gratitude. There's also the String of Pearls, in which each pearl symbols an action to add onto the string, and the Shadow, during which one talks to the part of themself they're ashamed of. Stutz’s therapy methods became so popular after the documentary that he gained major traction among social media users.
As for John Stamos, he seems to fully abide by the teachings he's learned from the viral therapist. During his recent interview, he went on to mention the words of wisdom he received from Phil Stutz during their sessions:
When I went to Stutz one of the first times, he said, ‘You know if you weren’t so fucking stupid you’d realize how good you have it,’ and I was like, ‘You’re right.'
Those are brutally honest words, but they seem to have been incredibly effective for the You actor. In fact, John Stamos used his therapy sessions to help him get into character for the Hulu new release, UnPrisoned Season 2. In the new episodes, he plays a “family radical healing coach” who helps the Alexander family through sessions and uses unconventional methods. Stamos brings a blend of humor and emotion that'll hit audiences even more knowing he’s drawing from real-life experiences.
It’s truly wonderful that Phil Stutz helped John Stamos avoid the tragic fate that many stars have succumbed to due to addiction. One hopes that the fan-favorite actor continues to thrive and get the most out of his therapy sessions. Those who want to see him in the second season of UnPrisoned can stream the season now with a Hulu subscription. And check out the 2024 TV schedule for info on other shows that are currently airing.
