Jeremy Piven’s Fishy Illness – Aint Nobody Buying It

Amazingly, the producers of “Speed The Plow,” the Broadway show that Jeremy Piven was starring in last year, don’t seem to believe the mercury poisoning story as the reason that he had to bow out of the production less than two months after it opened.

In fact they have gone so far as to file an official grievance with Actors’ Equity, against Piven to show just how much they don’t believe him.

In a statement, one of the show's producers, Jeffrey Richards, announced, "The producers of Speed The Plow have officially filed a grievance with Actors' Equity re: Jeremy Piven's departure. A date for these proceedings is to be determined."

Piven left the show just before Christmas, claiming he was suffering from mercury poisoning due to the large amounts of sushi he had apparently been stuffing down his throat continually at all hours of the day for many years.

He allegedly had six times the levels of mercury found in a normal person and as the illness left him with acute exhaustion, he wasn’t able to lift a finger let alone carry on with his role for the run of the production. However, he was able to continue partying till the break of dawn which brought on no acute exhaustion.

The story has now got so out of hand that Piven has been forced to defend his fishy claims by appearing on Good Morning America for a grilling by Diane Sawyer. (see footage below)

His rep also issued a statement about the Speed The Plow producers grievances saying "The claims made by the producers of Speed-the-Plow are absurd and outrageous. Mr. Piven's serious medical condition has been well documented by multiple physicians. He withdrew from the play due to medical necessity on the advice of his doctors, after he was hospitalized and warned by his physicians that enforced rest was necessary in order to avoid serious medical problems, including a heart attack.”

Since the theatre debacle, Piven has been diligent in undergoing treatment by following the doctor’s orders closely and taking his “enforced rest” at various parties after his abandonment of Broadway.

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