Lindsay Lohan tells Matt Lauer she's 'clean and sober'

Lindsay Lohan sat down with Matt Lauer for an interview that will air Thursday on Today. The show has released a preview clip in which Lohan, who’ll host Saturday Night Live this weekend, insists she’s clean and sober.

Lauer admits to Lohan he thought of her after Whitney Houston’s death earlier this month and asks if that news made her reflect on her past troubles: “Not really. I don’t want to go there. That’s kind of a scary, morbid thing to discuss,” she says. “But, I mean, maybe to some extent when I went to jail and being in that place, that was really terrifying for me.”

Lohan agrees with Lauer that substance abuse can rob people of their talent. “I’ve experienced things like that… and it’s a really sad factor that can come into play in people’s lives sometimes if you don’t recognize it. And a lot of people don’t like to, and I think I did that for a long time. I think I was scared and didn’t want to admit it to myself, let alone anyone else,” she says.

According to Today‘s written preview of the conversation, Lohan knows she’ll have to work to rebuild her professional reputation. “I think that takes time,” Lohan says. “And I think that it’s actions. Because people can say things all they want, but I think I still need to go through the process of proving myself, you know, with SNL, being on time, being, you know, keeping my — can’t say the word — but stuff together.”

She also seems to confirm rumors that she’ll star in Lifetime’s biopic of Elizabeth Taylor. “I’ve been doing tons of research. But I’ve always kind of researched her. She’s always been a fascinating woman to me. So I’m really honored. And I will not let anyone down, especially myself.”

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