Former MTV VJ and renowned music personality, Matt Pinfield, suffered a major stroke on January 6th due to pre-existing health conditions, according to Rolling Stone. The 63-year-old remains hospitalized. Pinfield’s stroke has prompted his daughter, Jessica, to file for temporary conservatorship, citing concerns about his capacity to manage his personal and financial affairs, as reported by TMZ. Court documents reportedly state that the former Columbia Records executive is “incompetent to make decisions.”
Following the stroke, Los Angeles radio station KCSN, where Pinfield hosted a show, announced his temporary absence on Facebook. “The SoCal Sound’s legendary DJ Matt Pinfield will take a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons,” the statement read. “We fully support Matt and hope to have his energetic rock n’ roll knowledge back on the air soon.”
KLOS, another station where Pinfield hosts a show, also released a statement expressing support for his recovery. “Everyone at KLOS & Meruelo Media, along with Matt’s family (daughters Jessica and Maya, brother Glen, sister Colleen, mother Nancy), his girlfriend Kara, and the entire rock and roll universe support Matt in taking some time off to rest and heal,” the statement said. “Matt is a family member, and we look forward to having him back on the KLOS airwaves as soon as possible. We know his fans across the country and all the artists feel the same way.”
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This is not Pinfield’s first serious health challenge. In 2018, he was hospitalized after being hit by a car in Los Angeles, sustaining a broken leg and head lacerations that required stitches, as reported by People.
Pinfield has also been open about his past struggles with substance abuse and heart problems, specifically atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition characterized by an irregular heartbeat that can lead to serious complications such as blood clots and stroke. In a 2017 interview with The San Francisco Chronicle, he discussed his experience with AFib and the importance of seeking treatment for addiction and underlying health issues. “I was dealing with A-fib,” he stated. “Drinking on top of it wasn’t a good idea. And it turns out I was overmedicated.” According to the American Heart Association, atrial fibrillation can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.
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Pinfield’s career began on MTV in 1992 after an appearance on “The Real World.” He rose to prominence in 1995 as the host of “120 Minutes,” a show dedicated to alternative music. He went on to host several other MTV shows, including “MattRock,” “Pinfield Suite,” “Pinfield Presents,” “Rocks Off,” “Say What?” and “MTV Live.” In 2016, Pinfield published his memoir, “All These Things That I’ve Done: My Insane, Improbable Rock Life,” detailing his experiences in the music industry.
