HALEY JOEL OSMENT - OSMENT'S BROADWAY BOSSES BATTLE TO KEEP HIM ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW

OSMENT'S BROADWAY BOSSES BATTLE TO KEEP HIM ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW

HALEY JOEL OSMENT's Broadway bosses are trying to save him from more embarrassing headlines, two years after he was caught drink driving - by keeping him away from alcohol during his stint in the play AMERICAN BUFFALO.
At a star-studded launch party for the production in New York on Monday night (17Nov08) each of the play's lead actors, directors and producers were presented with a bottle of whisky.
That's everyone except for the 20-year-old child star, who was given an XBox360 games console instead - presumably to keep him busy and away from Manhattan's notorious party scene.
A red-faced Osment had to pick up the gift from party host Cedric the Entertainer, who told the crowd, "Well, he hasn't quite crossed the threshold yet but I'm gonna save him a few bottles for when he does."
Osment hit headlines in July 2006, when he flipped his car while driving drunk in Hollywood. He was also found to be in possession of marijuana, and was sentenced to probation, rehab, a course of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and a hefty fine.
Theatre bosses are obviously keen to keep the still-underage star out of the gossip pages for the wrong reasons - but they'll have his American Buffalo co-star John Leguizamo to contend with.
The 44-year-old Romeo + Juliet star reveals, "He's only 20 but he can't wait. We'll try to lead him astray. And there are other vices besides drinking."