Rob Lowe says infamous 1988 sex tape was a blessing: 'It got me sober'

More than 30 years ago, Rob Lowe's reputation was in the gutter — and he's better for it.

Reflecting on the infamous 1988 sex tape that ground his career to a halt, Lowe said on SiriusXM's "The Jess Cagle Show" that the controversy was "one of the reasons I got sober. I woke up one day and was like, 'What am I doing with my life?' 29 years in."

Lowe was 24 when he videotaped himself having sex with a 16-year-old girl, a decision he now acknowledges was fueled by "fame, money and drugs." The two had reportedly met inside an over-21 nightclub.

"I think it’s the best thing that ever happened to me," he said. "Honestly, I do, because it got me sober."

He continued, "Sober got me married. I’ve been married 29 years and I have two great sons, so I don’t think any of that happens without going through that scandal."

Lowe has, indeed, been sober for three decades. He married Sheryl Berkoff in 1991, and two years later they welcomed their first son, Edward. Two years after that, they had their second son, John.

It would take some time before Lowe would really return to prominence, but his roles in "The West Wing" and "Parks and Recreation" eventually made him as much a household name as he was in the mid-'80s.

Now 55, Lowe is a vocal advocate for healthy living, telling AOL in a 2018 interview that he sticks to a low-carb nutrition plan (although he doesn't turn down pizza when when he's in New York City).

"You have to think of it as a lifestyle, because diets come and go," he said.