George Carlin is entering a drug rehabilitation facility to shake his dependence on alcohol and a painkiller, reports USA Today.

“I’m going into rehab because I use too much wine and Vicodin,” the 67-year-old comedian said in a statement released Monday by his publicist Jeff Abraham. “No one told me I needed this. I recognized the problem and took the step myself.”

The name and location of the facility wasn’t disclosed.

Carlin, who performs his stand-up comedy in Las Vegas showrooms and is the author of the best-selling “When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?” on Hyperion Books, said he has never been treated in a rehabilitation facility.

“I know it isn’t easy, but I’m highly motivated, and will do whatever’s needed,” he said in the statement. “My levels of use are nowhere near the worst you hear about these days. I could easily have continued functioning at a good level for awhile, but my use would have progressed. I would have been in deeper trouble and I didn’t want to tolerate that.”

Carlin’s acting credits include “With Six You Get Eggroll,” “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey” and “Jersey Girl” with Ben Affleck.

Mayer in the headmaster’s office

Grammy Award-winner John Mayer returned to his alma mater to be inducted into its Hall of Fame – and wound up in the headmaster’s office, reports The Associated Press.

The 27-year-old guitarist and singer, a 1995 graduate of Fairfield Warde High School in Connecticut, decided to attend the induction ceremony but was barred because of what school officials said were security concerns. They said they had not expected the pop star to attend.

“We were not ready for John Mayer,” said Jim Conley, chairman of the school’s Hall of Fame committee.

Mayer said he was taken to the headmaster’s office, where officials stalled him until the ceremony was under way and then walked him to his car.

“It was hurtful,” he said Thursday.

Headmaster James Coyne said he explained to Mayer that he was “concerned for his welfare and for the welfare of the students.”

“I’m sorry he felt that way,” Coyne said, adding that the star wasn’t escorted from the premises. “We accompanied him to his car.”

Mayer said he initially was not able to attend the ceremony, but changed his mind this week. He said he intended to donate a guitar he used on tour.

As he approached James Blake, a professional tennis player who also was inducted with golfer J.J. Henry, a former teacher took Mayer by the arm and led him into Coyne’s office, Mayer said.

“So there I was,” Mayer said, “I could see James out there with his mom and the whole thing’s going on and I’m in the office.”

Blanchett offers strong performance

Cate Blanchett comes on strong when she first appears as Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese’s new Howard Hughes biopic, “The Aviator.” She’s talking a mile-a-minute in that Hepburn accent.

Blanchett says Scorsese wanted it that way.

“He wanted Hepburn to come into the film with a bang. And so the scene is constructed with her talking her head off,” she told AP Radio in an interview. “It’s quite an assault on the senses.”

Blanchett says Scorsese wanted the audience to ask themselves: “Oh, my God. Is that her? Is that Katharine Hepburn?”

“The Aviator” has received six Golden Globe nominations, including best supporting actress for Blanchett.