RIALTO CHATTER: Piven Tells GMA's Sawyer 'Broadway In His DNA'

Jeremy Piven, for the first time on a national news program defended his sudden and shocking exit from SPEED-THE-PLOW in an exclusive interview on "Good Morning America" this morning.

Piven told GMA host Diane Sawyer was "brought to my knees" by his condition and said that on doctor's orders he "couldn't do it."

"You talk about 'the show must go on,' this is in my DNA. To have the rap be on me that I walked out on this thing. ... This was the greatest moment of my life," he revealed to Sawyer. To watch the entire video visit the official ABC GMA site by going here.

Jeremy Piven claimed he was too sick with "mercury poisoning" to show up for his Broadway show and abruptly left the production under a cloud of questions and mystery.

In a Dec. 18 statement the play's producers gave a statement regarding the Piven exit, "We have been advised by Jeremy Piven's medical representatives that he is seriously ill and is unable to fulfill his contractual obligation to Speed-the-Plow. Consequently, he has left the production ten weeks early."

Piven was scheduled to perform throughout the show's run, which is scheduled to run until Feb. 22nd.

Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz stepped into the role of Bobby Gould on Dec. 23rd at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, he has since left and Emmy winner William H. Macy assumes the role tonight, January 13th.

The cast of Speed-The-Plow by David Mamet also features three-time Tony-nominee Raúl Esparza (The Homecoming, Company) and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men). Neil Pepe (David Mamet's Romance, Ethan Coen's Almost an Evening) directs.

The show is playing at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (located at 243 West 47th St.). Tickets are sold through Telecharge.com or 212-239-6200.