Army Wives star Kim Delaney was escorted from the stage at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center Thursday night after she appeared to have trouble delivering a speech honoring Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
The actress appeared slightly disheveled and fumbled with her words as she delivered a speech that she appeared to deliver as her character from the Lifetime series.
“So I’ve served in active duty military family for five years,” she began. “Like so many others, I’ve struggled with multiple deployments, supported my spouse through changes in administration, changes in station as he made difficult as a senior officer. I’ve seen soldiers come home with painful life altering injuries borne of their time and service. I’ve attended numerous military funerals, including that of my best friend’s son.”
Midway through her slightly slurred speech, she revealed, “For me, it’s all make believe. I do that as a job. It’s make believe. I have the luxury of doing all this on a television show.”
Gates, who was on hand to receive the Liberty Medal Award, appeared slightly uncomfortable in footage broadcast by Philadelphia ABC affiliate WPVI.
Eventually, Delaney’s speech was cut off by a voice over in the auditorium and a stagehand wearing a headset escorted her backstage.
The Philadelphia-born actress has a history of substance abuse. She was arrested in 2002 on suspicion of drunk driving and served two years’ probation. She was also in rehab for alcoholism twice, most recently in 2006.