Rob Ford’s freefall takes a turn for the tragic

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The Rob Ford saga is sliding from comedy to tragedy.

The Toronto mayor looked tired, lonely and beat up as he faced the media after the release of a disturbing video showing him in the midst of a vulgar, incoherent rant. He shook his head as if in disbelief as he stumbled through yet another admission, yet another apology.

He gave no explanation for the video except to say that he was "extremely, extremely inebriated." He had the air of a man so overwhelmed by events that he barely knew how to cope.

Sometimes over the past few days, the Ford story has seemed funny or weird. Now it just seems sad. Where will it end? The mayor appears caught in a downward spiral, unable or unwilling to grab the controls and pull up. Whatever you think of Rob Ford the mayor and the reckless, stubborn way he has acted, it is hard not to worry about the fate of Rob Ford the man.

As he put it, the whole world is getting a look at that video. He is a husband and father. What will his school-aged son and daughter think when they see that video or hear about it from their classmates? What does he say to them?

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, a friend of the Ford family, choked up as he spoke about Mr. Ford's predicament in Toronto, unable to speak for several seconds as he fought to control his emotions.

The mayor's mother, Diane, and sister, Kathy, say not to worry. Though Mr. Ford may weigh too much and sometimes drink too much, he doesn't need to quit or take a leave. Getting a driver and perhaps going to counselling should do. In an interview on CP24 television late Thursday afternoon, Diane said that if her son really were in "dire straits" she would drive him straight to rehab, but all he needs to do is "smarten up" a bit.

His city hall colleagues don't agree. "The mayor is in a personal crisis, clearly," said Councillor John Parker. "The mayor is in turmoil. The mayor is in distress. It is hard to think of a stress factor or a risk factor the mayor doesn't have right now."

Another councillor, John Filion, said that Mr. Ford is "obviously in pain." Yet another, the mayor's on-and-off ally Giorgio Mammoliti, said that "I fear that if the mayor does not get help now he will succumb to health issues related to addiction."

One of Mr. Ford's most faithful loyalists, Etobicoke's Vincent Crisanti, issued a statement underlining "the critical need for Mayor Ford to obtain professional help."

Even Jon Stewart, the comedian and Daily Show host, got serious after poking fun at Mr. Ford the other day. "Mayor Ford's a lot of fun to ridicule," he said. "But my guess is, not a lot of fun to eulogize. And that's where this thing is headed. Even though I will lose precious material, please go to rehab."

Will Mr. Ford pay any heed? So far, he has refused all pleas to take a leave or get help. Only a week ago, when Toronto police chief Bill Blair confirmed the existence of that famous video we learned about last spring, Mr. Ford was painting himself as a guy whose only problem was having a few too many drinks from time to time. His brother Doug said that instead of making a spectacle by drinking in public, he should "stay in your basement, have a few pops." Both agreed it would be sheer madness for him to quit drinking altogether.

Ford loyalist Frances Nunziata, the city council Speaker, says that talking to the mayor about getting help is like hitting her head against a wall. And yet Mr. Ford seems to acknowledge he is in some kind of trouble – just not enough trouble to stop him doing his job.

Speaking about his bizarre rant in the new video, which came out on Thursday in the Toronto Star, he said to the reporters pressing around him at the front door to his office: "I hope none of you have ever, or will ever, be in that state."

Sad.

Marcus Gee is The Globe's Toronto City Hall columnist.