Comedian and musician Reggie Watts, known for publicly championing ketamine and psychedelics as tools for spiritual exploration, now faces allegations from friends of his deceased ex-girlfriend that his advocacy contributed to her fatal addiction. Katherine Early McCollough, a 36-year-old who had earned admission to Cornell Law School, died by suicide in Peru in March after developing a severe ketamine dependency within approximately two years of dating Watts.
McCollough’s close circle of nine friends and her sister have told Rolling Stone that Watts actively encouraged the use of various drugs under the guise of intimacy and enlightenment. They contend that without his influence, McCollough would not have developed her addiction or subsequently taken her own life following a drug-induced psychiatric episode that prompted their breakup. Friends describe a dramatic deterioration in McCollough’s physical and mental state during the relationship, characterized by weight loss and cognitive decline.
Watts’ legal representative flatly rejected these claims, calling them “dangerously false” and a “preconceived narrative.” The attorney argued that McCollough was already an experienced drug user who required no encouragement from Watts. However, five additional women who previously dated Watts have shared similar experiences with Rolling Stone, describing patterns of prioritized demands, erosion of self-confidence, and pressure to use substances together.
McCollough’s sister expressed conviction that the relationship fundamentally altered her sibling’s trajectory, stating she believes her sister would still be alive had they never met.
Originally reported by Rollingstone →
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