Machine Gun Kelly has been a magnet for a lot of negative attention over the years and in his new documentary, Life In Pink, he recalls how it all came to a head, resulting in a suicide attempt that he barely survived.
After his father died in July of 2020, MGK says he fell into a depression, during which he says he locked himself away, sleeping with a shotgun next to his bed. “I couldn’t get closure on it,” he recalls. “I wouldn’t leave my room and I started getting really, really, really dark.”
He says that even his then-budding romance with actress Megan Fox became a stressor. “I called [girlfriend Megan Fox], I was like, ‘You aren’t here for me,'”
he remembers. “I’m freaking out on her and I put the shotgun in my mouth. I’m yelling on the phone and the barrel’s in my mouth. I go to cock the shotgun and the bullet as it comes back up, the shell just gets jammed. Megan’s dead silent.”
The incident prompted Kelly to seek therapy, which he says helped him cope with life in the spotlight and losing his dad. Hopefully, he also made amends with his girlfriend for what was almost certainly a traumatizing experience.
MGK isn’t the only star who struggled with suicidal ideation in recent years. In 2021, Logic’s memoir also touched on the backlash he received from the public on social media, much of it ironically over his hit song “1-800-273-8255” named for the American National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. While the song certainly helped awareness of the issue (calls to the number went up and suicide rates went down), Logic himself nearly gave in under the weight of the negative commentary sent his direction, only reversing course to avoid becoming “a meme about how the Suicide Guy killed himself.” That’s something to think about before you hit “send” on that “funny” tweet or comment you were just typing up.
You can check out Life In Pink streaming now on Hulu.
If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide or contemplating self-harm, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text TALK to 741741, or visit Speakingofsuicide.com for additional resources.
