Jeremy Piven Exits Broadway Play After Health Scare

[Barefootsies]

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. -- Jeremy Piven is ending his run in Broadway's "Speed-the-Plow," due to a condition caused by a high mercury count, according to Variety.

The "Entourage" star missed a Tuesday evening performance and a Wednesday matinee due to his high mercury count health concerns, but David Mamet, the playwright of "Speed-the-Plow," appears skeptical of the actor's exit.


"I talked to Jeremy on the phone, and he told me that he discovered that he had a very high level of mercury," Mamet told the entertainment trade mag. "So my understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer."

But, the show will go on said Mamet.

"The good news is that some really great actors will be helping out and stepping in, which to me is a sign of great heroism and friendship," the playwright added, but declined to name who would be stepping for Piven.

A rep for Piven told Variety that the actor wanted to continue his Broadway stint, but was advised by a team of doctors to end his run immediately.

Piven is best known for his role on "Entourage," playing manic Hollywood agent Ari Gold. Piven has been nominated for a Golden Globe and two SAG Awards for his role on the HBO comedy.

http://omg.yahoo.com/news/jeremy-piv...scare/16718?nc

[tiger]

Hmm, how the hell do you end up with high levels of mercury, thats probably the first thing he should figure out.

[Fletch XXX]

Originally Posted by tiger

Hmm, how the hell do you end up with high levels of mercury, thats probably the first thing he should figure out.

easy, seafood

[Fletch XXX]

Study: A study sponsored by an environmental group has produced new evidence linking high fish consumption to potentially unsafe levels of mercury.

-- About 50 percent of the participants who ate seven or more 6-ounce servings a month of fish purchased in restaurants or stores exceeded the safety guideline of 1 part per million.

-- Almost 33 percent of those who ate four or more servings a month of canned tuna had mercury exceeding the guideline. The study questionnaire didn't differentiate between different types of tuna. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that canned albacore has three times the mercury as chunk light.

-- Almost 36 percent of the people who ate three or more 6-ounce servings a month of locally caught fish exceeded the guideline.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...NGKH9D3KO1.DTL

[Fletch XXX]

basically what happens is, actors try to lose weight for parts and go on diet of fish, then get high mercury lol

[EthnicLover]

"The human body continuously eliminates mercury and other toxins in urine, feces, hair, sweat, nails and skin. If excessive exposure is avoided, the body will efficiently eliminate most toxins. Mercury, for example, has a half-life in the body of only two to three months with no treatment at all."

http://www.drcranton.com/mercury.htm

"A recent study by the University of Rochester shows that eating ocean fish an average of 12 meals per week did not cause toxicity from mercury, even in pregnant women and small children."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/en...=pubmed_docsum

[Sly]

Originally Posted by tiger

Hmm, how the hell do you end up with high levels of mercury, thats probably the first thing he should figure out.

"Older" fish can have a high level of mercury, so if you have too much of that you can get it. An example would be tuna. Now the thing is, there are different types of tuna and I can't for the life of me remember which is which. I am talking about canned here. One type uses the large "older" fish, another type uses smaller younger types of tuna. The younger ones would probably be better for you overall because they do not take in as much mercury over time.

[Triple10Terry]

He better not die. He needs to finish up with Entourage!!

[Tom_PM]

Typical story that doesnt even mention this mysterious condition that "a team of doctors" advised him about.

Hell of a quit though, lol.

[LexiLexxx]

Yep. Don't live on Tuna...esp. to lose weight.
If you have cats, don't feed them much tuna.