ROB LOWE COMES CLEAN WITH CIGAR AFICIONADO

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SMOKING STARS

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Rob Lowe

Rob Lowe Speaks to Cigar Aficionado about Good Looks, Cubans And Charlie Sheen. The star is featured on the cover of the July 2014 issue of Cigar Aficionado, on newsstands June 24th.

On whether he’s had plastic surgery to retain his good looks: “I’d like to think that, if I had work done—which I haven’t—I wouldn’t be coy about it. I’m just a product of good genetics and taking care of myself.”

On his relationship with Charlie Sheen: “I love him, even though he hates sobriety. We spar over all kinds of things. There’s no funnier, smarter, more enjoyable raconteur than Charlie. I love him when he rants about why people in AA are idiots. I admire him living the life of his choosing.”

On getting sober and turning to cigars: “When I got sober. That was 1990. One of the things you have to do when you stop [drinking] is you have to find other ways to have fun. You’re looking for new ways to bond, to be social, to be out amongst people. For me, in the early days, that meant playing golf and smoking cigars.”

On the thrill of illegal cigars: “Of course, Cubans, always. Because they were illegal. At least that was the reason at the start. Cubans are inconsistent. Pound for pound, there are cigars from other places that are every bit as good. But I will say: There is nothing like a Cuban that’s been well-kept. Really, I think if the embargo ended, so would the hype. That’s part of the mystique—it’s something that’s hard to get. That’s part of the appeal.”

On his role as Chris Traeger on Parks and Recreation: “I was supposed to be on for four weeks—and I stayed for four years.”

On how he became a cigar fan: “It’s funny—I used to laugh at some of the reviews in Cigar Aficionado, the way they described the different flavor notes. I thought it was silly. But the more I smoke, the more I realize how right they are. You need experience to understand when a cigar has a big finish or a mild finish, things like that. Now I know what that means. My palate is getting better.”

On turning 50: “The key in the middle of life is to become more and more curious about life, instead of less. Because it’s a slippery slope: If you don’t engage, the next thing you know, you’re the guy saying, ‘Get off my lawn!’”