Inside George Lopez’s Struggles With Alcohol Before His Lopez Vs. Lopez Season 2 Storyline

Highlights

• George Lopez’s sober journey in Lopez vs. Lopez is inspired by his real-life struggles with alcohol abuse.
• The sitcom star’s decision to quit drinking was prompted by a 2014 public intoxication arrest.
• With a commitment to a healthier lifestyle after a kidney transplant, Lopez’s on-screen sobriety mirrors his personal journey towards wellness today.

While George Lopez starred in his own sitcom from 2002 to 2007 which featured a wealthy cast, his show Lopez vs. Lopez might be the most meaningful. George stars on the sitcom with his daughter Mayan, which must be a meaningful and heartwarming experience. In the past, Lopez was in the news for some tough moments, including when he hurt the comedian Carlos Mencia. But there’s truly nothing negative to say about his latest sitcom.

Fans have responded so well to Lopez vs. Lopez because it feels real and heartfelt. According to TV Insider, season 2 featured a plotline of George Lopez’s character on a sober journey. He explained that he used to drink too much, which is why the sitcom told that story. In this article, we’ll take a look at George Lopez’s history of alcohol use, along with the Lopez vs. Lopez season 2 storyline that was inspired by these tough times in his life.

Lopez Vs. Lopez Star George Lopez Struggled With Alcohol Years Before His Hit Sitcom

While fans watched George Lopez’s fictional character realize that he had trouble with alcohol in season 1 of Lopez vs. Lopez, it turns out that Lopez drank too much and even passed out on a casino floor in Canada. According to TV Line, he was arrested in 2014 for public intoxication.

Lopez explained to the publication that he felt terrible about what happened. It seems like he felt even worse since he has a daughter, Mayan. He explained that he wanted to address the subject on Lopez vs. Lopez and said:

“So many things in my career have come from real life. I came from a place where alcohol was abused, and then I abused it — but I also abused it around people who didn’t abuse it, and then that’s when it became a bigger and more concerning issue.”

The star talked about being arrested in an interview with The Huffington Post and said that he stopped drinking immediately because this was such an awful moment in his life. He said:

“Yeah, [I’d had] way too much to drink and [it was] very embarrassing for me. But since I got up — this is the good news — I haven’t had a drop of alcohol, nor do I desire any alcohol. It was the end of the road.”

The actor also talked to Howard Stern about his arrest and said that he had 17 shots of Patron. He explained that while he had trouble staying awake because of his alcohol use before, he had been able to keep that hidden. But once other people were aware of what was going on, he knew that it was time to change.

Since he felt embarrassed about being seen drunk and because he was arrested, his drinking definitely affected his life negatively. It sounds like his arrest had quite a big impact on him, which is likely why he wanted to include a Lopez vs. Lopez storyline about giving up alcohol.

While George Lopez’s drinking got a lot of attention because of the Lopez vs. Lopez season 2 plotline about it, he discussed it often back in 2014. He appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that year and joked about his arrest, but it was clear that he was upset about it.

Lopez said, “Very polite. They told me, they said, ‘Sir, this behavior cannot continue and if it does continue we would be honored if you would be mayor of Toronto.”

The comedian then said he was “the new George” since he cut alcohol out of his life. He sounded committed to this lifestyle change, and since he decided to include his sober journey in Lopez vs. Lopez, it’s clear that he is still sober to this day.

Which Stars Have Been Arrested For Public Intoxication?

• Josh Brolin (2013, according to CTV News)
• Garret Hedlund (2022, according to The Independent)
• Mitchel Musso (2023, according to Fox News)
• Miles Teller (2017, according to Variety)
• Bam Margera (2023, according to TMZ)
• Tyler Christopher (2023, according to People)

It must have also been a good idea for George Lopez to stop drinking because, as he shared in an interview on the podcast Brain & Life, he began living a healthier lifestyle after a kidney transplant in 2005. In the podcast, he shared that he was eating more vegetarian food as a result and taking care of himself.

Inside The Lopez vs. Lopez Season 2 Storyline About George Lopez’s Sobriety

The season 2 premiere of Lopez vs. Lopez is about George Lopez’s character not drinking anymore. In an interview with KTSM.com, Mayan Lopez shared that filming this storyline was an emotional experience.

She said of the storyline:

“He’s feeling his feelings for the first time and the family is realizing that they can’t blame the drinking anymore. I’ve been able to find lessons that I bring in, even into my own life. It’s almost been very cathartic and therapeutic.”

How Many Sitcoms Did George Lopez Play A Version Of Himself In?

• George Lopez (2002-2007)
• Lopez (2016-2017)
• Lopez vs. Lopez (2022-present)

In an interview with TV Insider, Lopez talked about wanting to be healthy now that he’s a certain age, which was another reason to include this particular plotline.

He said, “But I think the show is, in a way, paralleling of me wanting to be healthier as I’m getting older. The shows that I’ve always liked and the shows that last are the ones that you can take something away from.”