Danny Bonaduce: Intrigue, Passion and Controversy

Whether you remember Danny Bonaduce as the cute and funny Danny Partridge on the 70's sitcom The Partridge Family, or have only become familiar with him through his publicity in recent years, almost everyone knows who he is. On his reality TV show Breaking Bonaduce airing on VH1, the world is given a glimpse into the psyche of the man who is hated by many and dismissed by many more. The emotional wounds and psychological dysfunction of Bonaduce date back decades, as well as his extreme lifestyle of bad habits and volatile behavior. Who is this man? And is he as "bad" as so many think he is?

As most of us know now, being a former child star can be rough on an actor in a lot of different ways. For many of them it was a lack of supervision and parenting in those child years that resulted in a spin out of control in adulthood, at which point they became a mockery to their formerly adoring public and were forced to live in the spotlight of humiliation. Most of these cases would end up sad stories of working in convenience stores or dying before the age of thirty, but not Danny Bonaduce. While he faced these same exact challenges, he did something different from those whose footsteps he'd followed: he did not allow damaged pride to end him. While he has been criticized by some in the industry as being "a washed up child star who refuses to go away", he wears that title proudly. Danny Bonaduce will not let you forget who he is, and will continue to profit from who he is for as long as he possibly can.

Certainly much of Bonaduce's publicity has not been good over the years. He's been quite candid about his drug and alcohol abuse, and his tendency to be a "hothead" has gotten him into trouble as well. Though he's also worked very hard at all the projects he's involved himself in, mainly his radio career where, for a time, he hosted radio shows in two different cities (Detroit and Chicago) five days a week. He also enjoyed brief success as a co-host of the talk show The Other Half with Mario Lopez from 2001-2003. If nothing else, Danny Bonaduce is tenacious in the sense that when one venture fails, it just means it's time to begin a new one.

The most recent project Bonaduce has involved himself in is his reality series Breaking Bonaduce, which began airing in 2005 on VH1; a series he shamelessly admits taking part in simply for the monetary rewards. In these episodes viewers have seen explosive moments between himself and his wife of sixteen years, Gretchen. A good portion of the filming is done in the office of their much-needed marriage counselor during sessions. For those who didn't previously know much about the actor, all is told of the ugly years Danny spent abusing drugs and alcohol, cheating on his wife and throwing tantrums. Also seen is the effect this turmoil has had on the couple's oldest child, daughter Isabella. The Bonaduces have received criticism for the potential consequences the show could pose to their two children, yet the couple defend their decision to continue the show and deny that it would be the cause of any damage that hasn't already been inflicted upon them.

It's possible, though that the "bad boy" days could be coming to an end for Danny Bonaduce. As he has recently accomplished almost a year of sobriety and a recommitment to his wife and children, it's possible that there might not be enough drama to hold viewer interest in this household anymore. Danny and Gretchen made an appearance last month on the show of Danny's friend, Dr. Phil and sought advice on how to continue down this path of improvement. Only time, and the intense scrutiny of the public eye, will tell how that plays out.
And speaking of the public eye, it was on him recently when he was approached by 9/11 conspiracy theorist John Conner during his lunch. The whole interview, if one can call it that, was captured on video and can be seen on You Tube. In the video, Bonaduce responds rather hostilely to Conner's claims that 9/11 was either an inside job, or at best Bush had advanced knowledge of the events and allowed them to happen. His response was littered with expletives as he took great offense to the claims and defended the president for whom he voted and supports. It is certainly an interesting encounter to say the least; an encounter for which the Bonaduces say they have received death threats.

Starting January 2, Danny can be heard on KLSX FM in Los Angeles as he becomes a member of the Adam Corolla Show airing weekday mornings. It is yet another job the actor can claim, and one he will likely excel in as radio seems to be his niche.

Many words can describe Danny Bonaduce, but boring is not one of them. Be it from his humor, explosive temper or sheer candidness, there is a lot to be intrigued by in this complex man.