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Ex Seinfeld Writer Doesn’t Hold Back While Explaining Why Cocaine Was So Popular Among TV Show Staffs In The ‘80s: ‘Everybody Was Doing It’

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Larry Charles, who once penned scripts for Seinfeld, has had a lengthy stint in Hollywood. He recently looked back on his years in the industry, focusing particularly on a distinctive phase in show business: the 1980s, a time when cocaine was frequently passed around in Tinseltown. Remarkably, he also shed light on why this drug was often found among different television production teams.

Today’s TV schedules might be as rich as those from the 1980s prime-time, but the inner workings of Hollywood have significantly evolved. As Larry Charles recounted to Page Six, when he began his career in 1980 by writing for a show called Fridays, which was similar to SNL, the industry norms and unrealistic deadlines were stringent. This is why stimulants often made their way into writers’ rooms during that era.

Initially, as you began using cocaine, it provided an extraordinary boost of energy and self-assurance. This was the method by which tasks were accomplished.

It’s fascinating to see a fresh perspective on something that was so commonplace before. It makes sense why authors in the field would have found ways to express this thought professionally, as a means of overcoming potential insecurities and exhaustion. I’m amazed at how pervasive it appeared, but it’s been reported that the stand-in drug on sets these days has quite an impact!

Charles elaborated on the private use of the substance, pointing out that those in higher positions were frequent users. Moreover, he emphasized that the initial appeal of cocaine had made it so widespread and commonplace that its usage seemed quite normal, similar to Gwyneth Paltrow reminiscing about her wilder days in the ’90s. He disclosed:

In the ’80s, particularly in the vibrant city of Los Angeles, I found myself utterly captivated by a production that seemed to have been crafted by the creators themselves, with an almost indulgent flair. It was a fascinating spectacle, one that left me spellbound during that era.

Being born slightly after the peak of drug use in Hollywood, I must admit, I’m quite astonished by what I’ve recently learned about its prevalence back then. While I’ve always been fascinated by Tinseltown and its myriad productions and personalities, it’s still shocking to gain a behind-the-scenes perspective on an era marked by drug use, particularly when considering how things have evolved compared to today, even in light of high-profile cases like the Diddy trial.

In a straightforward and conversational manner, the former writer for “Seinfeld” expanded on the theme, stating that similar content can be discovered not just within the confines of a television writers’ room, but in various ordinary situations as well. Charles remarked:

At a restaurant, you might observe individuals openly using drugs by snorting lines right at their tables. This behavior was out in the open for all to witness, as there was no attempt to conceal it; everyone seemed to be participating.

The image captures a moment and setting so vividly that you can find it in diverse settings, such as your favorite eatery or the writers’ room of a cherished TV show. It’s astonishing how ubiquitous this sense of familiarity and relaxation is. Later on, Larry Charles elaborated on the consequences following the stimulant’s early phases, expressing gratitude for his ability to quit cold turkey.

Today, we are blessed with an abundance of resources, educational tools, and films focusing on sobriety and recovery. It’s indeed fortunate that the widespread use of cocaine has moved past iconic sitcoms like Seinfeld, which can now be streamed through a Netflix account.

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2025-07-08 05:37

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