Home » Archives » November 2007 » Celebrity Rehab [Previous entry: "Roger, You Owe Me One Pair of Slacks..."] [Next entry: "We are safe"] 11/29/2007: "Celebrity Rehab"
So, some of you may be hearing about some leaked videos from the upcoming show "Celebrity Rehab," which debuts Jan 10 2008 on VH1...which are causing a bit of controversy.

The videos, which many have asserted show simulations of celebrities (Jeff Conway, Chyna/Joanie Lawler, Brigitte Nielsen, Tom Sizemore, Andy Dick, etc.) using drugs are, in fact, real in every sense. They are not simulations.

Dr. Drew [who is one of my personal heroes because he is still a practicing MD, board-certified addiction-medicine specialist, teacher and manages to host a nightly radio show and raise triplets (with the assistance of his wife, of course) whereas I pretty much manage to work occasionally, overeat and watch TV] hosts the show, and on Loveline on the 27th he confirmed that the videos are real, and justified their existence and release (I thought pretty well).

He pretty much said this:
1. These are addicts. Of course they are doing drugs. That's what addicts do. They were going to do it anyway. We simply filmed it.
2. These tapes serve as a "scared straight" thing for drug use. There is no way Jeff Conway can deny that he's doing cocaine while we watch him do cocaine off a mirror on his desk.
3. He (Dr. Drew) showed them to the subjects about half way through the program to show them how full of shit they are...because all addicts are full of shit.
4. These are not a how-to manual. People who are going to do drugs are going to drugs. Maybe this will help someone to see how much it will fuck them up.

Basically, ignorance will not fix this public health issue. The sex education controversy has taught us that. You don't have to like it. It's reality.

Also - F You, Fox News.