Heading to the bar after a contentious divorce is a pretty typical response seen regularly byfamily lawyers in Pasadena. So too, unfortunately, is the penchant to overindulge. Friends of pop star Christina Aguilera are saying a stressful divorce from record executive Jordan Bratman and career disappointments have caused the singer to spin out of control with binge drinking and excessive overeating. Since her divorce last winter, Aguilera famously flubbed the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, slipped on stage at the Grammys, and been arrested for being drunk in public. Now friends of the Grammy-award-winning performer worry that new boyfriend Matthew Rutler is a bad influence on her.
Long after the bars had closed on the morning of March 1st Aguilera and Rutler were pulled over and arrested by West Hollywood police on DUI-related charges. Authorities said Aguilera was "extremely intoxicated" and she was held at the police station until she sobered up. Rutler, who was driving that night, was released on $5,000 bail.
Late night partying for the pair, say sources close to the singer, is a regular occurrence.
"He is the one taking her out all the time," a source told Star magazine. "Matthew likes the nightlife, and Christina always wants to be with him."
Friends tell the magazine they are extremely concerned for the singer and worry that Matthew is enabling Christina.
"Christina's lost her confidence since she split from Jordan," says an insider. "She gets terribly sad, and that's when all the awful memories come flooding back and she ends up numbing herself with booze and food."
Star is reporting Aguilera allegedly has gained 40 pounds since her divorce. Rutler's family, however, says the production assistant is a good kid and the arrest has been blown out of proportion.
"Matt was only like .01 over the legal limit... it's not like he was that drunk," David Rutler, Matthew's dad, told Radar Online. "There are drugs and gangs running rampant in L.A., and they have a press conference about Matt."
He notes that his son has "perfect record" and has "never been in trouble."
Meanwhile, Aguilera's career received a shot in the arm last week when it was announced she would be one of the judges on The Voice, NBC's answer to American Idol.