Celebrity Rehab Premieres on Vh1

The media coverage of celebrity drug and alcohol use is unyielding, and the portrait painted of Hollywood’s drug culture by the entertainment press is not always accurate. Celebrity Rehab is a show in its second season created by addiction expert Dr. Drew Pinsky that demystifies the recovery process stars go through. Peering into the dark, complicated world of Rehab’s patients, viewers witness the struggle in overcoming addiction and dealing with painful personal issues that led to substance abuse. Pinsky determines to represent the reality of addiction treatment — that celebrities who enter rehab aren’t simply checking into a center and avoiding drugs for a few weeks. It’s a lifelong process that requires constant attention.

One point of controversy over the show is the fact that the celebrities are paid to participate. Since most of the performers and public figures are out of work due to the control drugs and alcohol have had over their lives, it can be considered that they are participating in order to be granted re-entry into the spotlight. But Pinsky aims to dispel the idea that stars are pulling a publicity stunt when seeking help. He follows the practice of recent experiments paying addicts to stop using. MSNBC reported in 2006 about reward programs that incite users to stay clean. A study of 415 cocaine and methamphetamine users published in October 2005 in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that they stayed in treatment longer if they had a chance to win a prize. Some researchers believe that if rewarding sobriety shows positive feedback from addicts, why not use such methods?

I find Celebrity Rehab fascinating because it delves into the intimate experiences of addicts. The fact that they are celebrities only intrigues me because their public personality provides a point of reference. I watched Nikki McKibbin sing on the American Idol stage in front of thousands of adoring fans. Now I’m experiencing her crying about her addiction to cocaine and her mother’s death from a drug overdose. The show reiterates the one-dimensional nature of celebrity coverage, and that everyone has a story hiding beneath their persona.