The cause of the death of one of the first stars of the reality show was revealed.
MTV’s “True Life” thief Charlie Balducci succumbed to the “acute drug intoxication” of a deadly prescription drug cocktail, the New York coroner’s office confirmed to the Post on Monday.
Oxycodone, hydrocodone and Alprazolam – the anxiolytic commonly known as Xanax – were found in the bloodstream of the 44-year-old New Yorker, who did not respond on July 25 at his home on Staten Island. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Better known as “Charlie B”, the flamboyant artist was a proud pioneer of the reality show genre after starring in “True Life: I’m Getting Married” in 2001. He allowed MTV cameras to follow him for four months while was preparing to marry his fiancee, Sabrina.
The series featured one of the most infamous moments in MTV history: when the limo driver was late on Balducci’s wedding day, he swore, “I’m going to gut you like the piece of shit you are” and “I’m going to hunt you down like cattle. “
Unfortunately, Balducci – dressed in an elegant white suit – still arrived at the wedding two hours late.
The Great Kills resident was proud to introduce the “guided” lifestyle to the masses, and said that other neighborhood residents should play with the jokes – while simultaneously visiting the MTV “Jersey Shore” boys he claimed to have stolen your shit.
“Obviously, these people are playing the Staten Island stereotypes,” he said in 2009. “It’s funny to me how the actors act terribly when they’re trying to recreate the authenticity of a guide or handlebars.”
Subsequently, he acted in several roles, including a role as a talk show host on Derrick Simmons’ “Nobody’s Perfect” and as a narrator for the independent film “Staten Island”. He also had a brief appearance on ABC’s soap opera “All My Children” and starred as a guest on “The Ricki Lake Show”.
However, in real Life Balducci ended up founding the nonprofit 501c3 based in Staten Island, NYC Arts Cypher, in 2005, which was dedicated to creative programs aimed at young people at risk. He led everything from sanctioned graffiti murals to anti-bullying campaigns and breakdance programs, with the stated mission of keeping children out of trouble on the streets.
He was married to his wife Sabrina for more than a decade, but they would have separated at the time of his death. He left his two children, Louis, 19, and CJ, 17.
At the time of his unexpected death, Balducci’s mother told TMZ that the last words he said to her were “he is happy to have his children”.
