Rob Lowe reflects on the infamous scandal that changed his life: 'It got me sober'

Rob Lowe has found a silver lining in his career-threatening scandal from the late '80s.

The filmed sexual encounter made during the 1988 Democratic National Convention was brought up during the 55-year-old star's appearance on SiriusXM's "The Jess Cagle Show." In 1989, the "St. Elmo's Fire" actor faced a lawsuit from the mother of a 16-year-old girl involved in the tape. Lowe denied knowing the girl was underage, according to CBS News and Yahoo.

Today, Lowe speaks about the incident with a lighthearted tone.

"The problem was, I didn't make any money off of it like everybody does now. I was too stupid," he said with a smile.

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Lowe says he owes his life today, in part, to the ordeal.

"It's one of the reasons why I got sober," he said. "I, like, woke up one day and was like, 'What am I doing with my life?'

"People talk about it, I go, 'I think it’s the best thing that ever happened to me,'" he continued. "Honestly, I do, 'cause it got me sober. Sober got me married. I’ve been married 29 years, and I have two great sons. I don’t think any of that happens without going through that scandal. I really don't."

Lowe got sober in 1990 and celebrated 29 years on Instagram in May.

"Thank you to all those who have inspired me on this wonderful, challenging and life-changing journey," he captioned a photo of his younger self. "If you, or someone you know, are struggling with alcohol or addiction, there CAN be a future of hope, health and happiness. And it comes one day at a time. #recovery #ItWorks."

Reflecting on his early triumphs, Lowe told Cagle, "It's not a great recipe for success to give an 18-year-old male fame, money, drugs and expect there not to be something that goes wrong."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rob Lowe's sex tape is 'the best thing that ever happened,' he says