James Frey's Pants...

...Are on fire. Liar.

No, I'm not late to this story. I was just waiting to get the straight dope -- right from the addict's mouth. It took all of 2 minutes of James on "Larry King Live" for me to shout "Liar!" at the T.V.

First things first: Frey looks like a wuss. How was The Smoking Gun the first one to notice this and then start checking records?? There is NO WAY this dude was threatening anyone in a treatment clinic, or at Denison University. Imagine him delivering some of the dialogue from his book in that lispy, high-pitched voice of his...

Second, whether it's a memoir or a biography or a travelogue, if you lied -- you lied. The genre of writing does not excuse what you do within it. To excuse "embellishments" because "oh, but it's a memoir," is irresponsible. Why? Because, stupidly or not, actual real life people have decided to follow Frey's methods of beating addiction. And when many "little" embellishments never took place, you'd have to wonder whether any of it really took place. Did you really use Taoism to beat addiction, James? Don't we all have to call that into question now? What about all those people who took you at your word, ignored traditional methods, and tried to fight their demons with will-power as you "did"? What happens to them?

I guess we're all to blame. We're the enablers -- buying this book, reading it, recommending it to our friends. We forgot that addicts are liars. And liars lie.

I hope the Tao punishes you for your transgressions, James.

And once you're down, maybe Jesus can give you a swift kick to the ribs...