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'Celebrity Rehab' Dr. Drew has his hands full - video
By Stone Martindale Jan 18, 2008, 18:12 GMT
03/28/2007 - Dr. Drew Pinsky - © Glenn Harris / Photorazzi
Last night on "Celebrity Rehab," Dr. Drew addressed his group in the detox episode.
Conaway arrived at Dr. Drew Pinsky’s rehab clinic drinking a glass of champagne.
“Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” premiered on VH1 on Thursday night, and, as Pinsky told Today- Conaway's arrival was typical for the nine quasi-famous people who check into the clinic at the beginning of the show.
“Most of them were intoxicated when they showed up,” Pinsky said.
“Celebrities are what people are very focused on these days,” he replied. “People are very focused on celebrities and their addictions, but they don’t know what this means.”
Dr. Drew added, “Celebrities are more likely to have addiction and personality problems and trauma issues than the average person. People seem to focus on that and they’re very confused about what these people are going through when we bring them to treatment.”
They experience what an estimated 22.6 million Americans who are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol are going through. “They’re the same as the rest of us,” Pinsky said. “They just have very, very severe mental illness.”
Conaway has been acting for more than 35 years. He starred as “Kenickie” in the movie “Grease,” was Bobby Wheeler in the TV series “Taxi.”
He was exposed on YouTube snorting cocaine, and came to Pinsky’s reality show with addictions to alcohol, painkillers and drugs.
Shortly after entering rehab, he’s shown having a really hard time shaking his addictions. Jeff also almost quit the program, because they wouldn't let his girlfriend come two hours early to visit him.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
The decision to televise their struggles can be actually very informative it is done in more of a documentary format than a regular reality show. In addition, I truly believe that Dr. Pinsky is attempting to help the individuals on the show. In addition I think that he has had previous rehab experiences with some of them Jeff Conaway included, and has had a lot of rehab experience from the things he had said and done on the show. It isn't as exploitive as you would imagine it to be. If you think this is exploitive then you want to get rid of National Geographic and Discovery Health because this show would fit right in with either one of those channels but it is on VH1 where I think it needs to be because it can reach a greater audience of individuals that may be engaging in a lot of the self-destructive behavior not realizing what the reality flip-side is.
How entertaining - sitting watching people disintegrate before our very eyes! And it's done strictly for entertainment value - don't think otherwise!!
DR Drew please keep up the good work, there are nnot enough people in this world like you dr drew , that will give up their time to help others with thir problems. i am a recovering addict and hope that dr drew can help these people with their addiction problems. keep up the good work it isnt going to be easy recovering addict keith chicago il
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DisgustedJan 18th, 2008 - 22:48:02
How much farther can TV stoop? This has got to be one of the most disgusting shows yet - it's embarrassing watching people fall apart for our entertainment, and all I've seen is the previews! This so-called doctor has fallen to the bottom of the barrel in sleaze in my estimation!
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