Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Silver Fox

While I have eluded to the fact that I really love this show, I've never actually written about it seriously. I started watching this VH1 creation expecting the usual from VH1--exploitation of B-list stars for the reason of laughing at them and their stupidity (see: The Surreal Life (1-2098781), Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, Flavor of Love, Celebrity Fit Club, etc... and my own personal favorite...My Fair Brady). While it's not nice, these shows are dirtily fulfilling because we all know these people are stupid...VH1 is finally giving our opinion some empirical evidence and, thus, validation.

BUT...Celebrity Rehab is not the typical show on this channel and I have to believe it's because of Dr. Drew. We all know and love him from Loveline and we're fascinated by him for his frank discussion of often embarrassing topics with seemingly no personal judgment injected. He's, in fact, the exact opposite of Dr. Phil (who's not really doctor making him just Phil). For that, we love you Drew.

There is so much potential for this show to be a trainwreck exploitation and yet I'm eerily drawn to the television for the full hour, compelled to watch not the horror of withdrawl or the general sadness of seriously drug-addicted people*, but to watch the personal transformation that occurs as they wean themselves off chemicals and how much work rehab actually is. There's nothing "horrific" in this show in terms of tastelessness or ugliness towards the people; in fact, it's so life-affirming, I'm curious to see whether VH1 will actually keep it.

Most surprising to me is that I'm fascinated most by the staff: Dr. Drew's competence as a doctor, an addictionologist (I've never heard of that before so see, this is a learning experience), and a human is really something to behold. Of course, these episodes have been edited to within an inch of their lives, but after watching this show I can understand why he's been so very effective in treating people. I wanna give him a call and go to lunch. He's personable and professional and relatable--how does he do it? But the "resident techs" are the most interesting. All of the people working in his facility (on the show at least) are recovering addicts themselves and they crack me up, both in their ability to handle seriously addicted individuals who are out of control while also being counselors and mentors with great senses of humor and insight into their own lives. Shelley, the most familiar one on the show, looks like 92-pounds of kick-ass woman with a 400 pound heart of gold (and I love her hair...what?).

I'm disappointed to know that the entirety of the show is only 8 episodes--for the journey that some of these people are on, there's just no way we'll see any kind of resolution. For many, the rehab process seems profound and long. But now that I've started this journey with them, I feel like I want to see it through--I'm weirdly personally invested. I think it's a fascinating process to watch as celebrity is stripped away. We see so many stars "being born" in the media everyday that to see a celebrity returned to their original humanity is humbling but refreshingly real. In my estimation, there's nothing exploitative here...just the ability to watch people reclaim their lives and to undo the price of fame.

It leaves me wondering if I can somehow construe my television watching as an addiction requiring Dr. Drew's attention. If it's possible, I'd really like to get into his rehab. Please.

*The rehabbers are:
1) Jeff Conaway: You might know him as "Kinicky" in the movie Grease. He was also on the tv series Taxi. Addicted to alcohol, coke, and opiates. Going through the most comprehensive rehab of anyone on the show.
2) Daniel Baldwin: Yes. Of The Baldwins. Alec and Billy's younger brother, Stephen's older brother. Likely, the most talented of all of them. Never heard of him? Because he's been busy injecting, snorting, and smoking anything not nailed down. Comes into this rehab already sober but obviously still recovering.
3) Chyna (Joanie Laurer): She was a wrestler on WWF. She bills herself as actress...I'm not sure why. Doesn't know why she's in rehab. OK.
4) Brigitte Nielsen: Was married to Sly Stallone during which time she made several crappy movies with him. Always played this amazonian Communist character...even though she's from Denmark. OK. Now married to an Italian normal person (relatively) and lives in Italy. An alcoholic.
5) Jaimee Foxworth: She was on Family Matters...y'know...the show with Urkel. A seriously addicted pot smoker. Dr. Drew says her rehab will likely be the most difficult.
6) Mary Carey: Porn star and gubernatorial candidate in the California recall election...also ran: Gary Coleman. An alcoholic and pill popper.
7) Seth "Shifty" Binzer: Lead singer of Crazytown. Candidate for my favorite rehabber on the show. Rehabbing from crack, heroin, and pills...and alcohol. According to Dr. Drew, his withdrawl would likely be the most physically painful.
8) Ricco Rodriguez: A UFC heavyweight champ; the first to be suspended for cocaine use (and to be suspended from UFC...I imagine that takes a lot). Addicted to cocaine and alcohol.
9) Jessica Sierra: Not an American Idol. That's seriously why she's a celebrity...well except for all of the drug-related arrests. An alcoholic and cocaine addict.