John Skipper says he was victim of extortion attempt from cocaine dealer

Until now.

In a captivating interview with James Andrew Miller of The Hollywood Reporter, Skipper revealed that the substance he sought treatment for is cocaine. The former ESPN honcho described himself as an “infrequent” user of cocaine over the past 20 years and said it never interfered with his work.

“At ESPN I did not use at work, nor with anyone at work, or with anyone I did business with,” Skipper said. “I never allowed it to interfere with my work, other than a missed plane and a few canceled morning appointments. I’ve never been a daily user. My use over the past two decades has, in fact, been quite infrequent. I judge that I did a very good job and that it did not get in the way of my work. I worked hard, I worked smart. I worked all the time.”

Skipper also said he had no thoughts about resigning until just days before, when he met with Disney CEO Bob Iger and realized he had put him in an “untenable position.” Given the way Skipper described his cocaine habit, Miller asked him to clarify why he had to resign so suddenly if it never affected his work life. That’s when Skipper admitted he was the victim of an extortion attempt from a cocaine dealer.

“In December, someone from whom I bought cocaine attempted to extort me. … They threatened me, and I understood immediately that threat put me and my family at risk, and this exposure would put my professional life at risk as well,” he said. “I foreclosed that possibility by disclosing the details to my family, and then when I discussed it with Bob, he and I agreed that I had placed the company in an untenable position and as a result, I should resign.”

The entire interview is worth reading, as it helps shed light on why Skipper’s colleagues and employees felt the way they did when he suddenly stepped down.