Did Robert Oppenheimer try to make himself stupider?

Factual Questions
1

In the December issue of Atlantic Monthly, there’s an article, “Our Genius Problem,” by Marjorie Garber. On page 69, she discusses the eccentricity that sometimes accompanies genius, and mentions that, for example, “Oppenheimer, after he lost his security clearance, drank lead paint to make himself stupider.” Can anyone confirm this, or elaborate? Thanks.

2

In his 1972 biography, “Oppenheimer: Fritzin’ at the Ritz”, Sir Gwendolyn Adams writes:

Languishing in the nadir of his career, “Honey-Pie” Oppenheimer made several desperate attempts to revive his flagging reputation. Mistakenly thinking a reduction in his IQ would be advantageous, he requested of his lover, Tony Curtis, to purchase several gallons of lead paint which was commonly available at the time. Instead of drinking it, as many would suspect, Oppenheimer instead opted to snort it, with disastrous results.

So Garber was partly right.

3

“Honey-Pie” Oppenheimer???

His lover, Tony Curtis???

Snorting paint???

4

Wow you learn new things every day. Was that Tony Curtis the movie star?

Why did Openheimer think that becoming more stupid would be an advantage?
And how does lead paint make you stupid(apart from just damaging your health)?

Truly weird.

5

Torgo kids. He kids.

Haj

6

The lead paint has a time travel affect. You drink/snort it and then it goes back in time and makes you stupid enough to consider drinking/stupid enough.

7

This doesn’t even qualify as a bad joke.

Assinine? Sophomoric? Bullshit? Yeah, that’s more like it.

8

Torgo - GQ is generally not the place for fake quotes or citations even in jest. The mods get all grumpy and that scenario generally ends in tears.

9

LOL. That was rather dense of me. I guess my BS antenna was down because this was GQ.

10

Erm…
…stupid enough to consider drinking/snorting it.

11

“Is there no place for a man with a 105 IQ?”–Homer Simpson

12

pretty good, torgo! (btw, WAS that tony curtis THE tony curtis?)

13

Signal to noise, signal to noise … can I hear you …

To give a serious response to the original question, I’ve read most of the books (Stern, Davis, Major and Goodchild plus various others) on the Oppenheimer hearings and this is the first I’ve come across the “lead paint” allegation. Garber’s certainly not citing some “fairly well-known” story, so unless she’s also producing a source, well, she should be …