This is, literally, one of the most regretable errors you can make about a person:

A Critic's Notebook article in Weekend yesterday about podcasts referred incorrectly to Dan Klass, creator of "The Bitterest Pill." While he has indeed called himself an addict, he said that the description was intended as a humorous reference likening himself to fans of his podcast who call themselves addicts, and that he is not really an addict.

Ouch.