With the recent deaths of ‘Celebrity Rehab’ alums Jeff Conoway and musician Mike Starr, critics are beginning to question whether the show and its founder Dr. Drew Pinsky are making a positive impact on the lives of their troubled celebrity participants or leading them to a turn for the worse.
Some of the stars who appeared on the reality show claim, including Jeff Conoway before he died, that they were told to play up in front of the cameras. Some even say that participants are exploited at times for the sake of advertising during their stay in the show.
According to a feature on Cleveland.com, one of the first to defend the show was actor Jeremy London who says that when he was under Dr. Drew’s care, his therapy sessions did not stop even while the show wasn’t on air. There are also after-care providers from the show which are hardly recognized when a season ends.
“The people that are going to die are going to die anyway,” London said. “I hate saying that, but there’s a certain personality type that even Dr. Drew will never ever be able to help.”
Eric Roberts also gave an interview for Today.com and stated that despite the thrust for more advertisers, the show’s main personalities, Dr. Drew and Bob Forrest, have taught him so much and that he owes a lot to the show and to its people.
Tiger Wood’s rumoured ex-flame Rachel Uchitel also has good words to say about ‘Celebrity Rehab.’ Uchitel told Today.com that while it is a reality show, it still does make changes on the lives of those who went in and experienced Dr. Drew’s guidance. “I promise you that for the time these people are in ‘Celebrity Rehab,’ it’s saving their lives. What they choose to do with [the experience] later is their own doing,” she says.
Tags: celebrity rehab, celebrity rehab alumni, celebrity rehab benefits, dr. drew
