If you have a voyeuristic itch that needs scratching and you get the chance to go on set of a reality show, please do so. You’ll be satiated for weeks. At least, that’s what I found after visiting the set of Celebrity Rehab 2 (which is obviously the set of the first Celebrity Rehab and isn’t even a set at all, really, since it’s a functioning facility). Dr. Drew invited the VH1 Blog to the Pasadena Recovery Center to take in the first day of filming on June 9, and it was a wholly fascinating experience in regard to learning about the reality TV-making process specifically and human behavior in general.
Below, is my Twitter-like account of that first day, replete with pictures, off-the-wall/-cuff quotes from the Rehabbers and other stuff that never even made it close to air.
8:15 – I arrive on set and am almost immediately greeted by Dr. Drew, who’s so attentive to me and the needs of this blog that he shows me around despite a ticking time bomb before his first scene. Maybe it’s his nerves that are allowing me the time: “I feel 1000 percent better now than I did before,” he says. “I was unsure last time if this would be a good thing for people.” He’s a lot more assured now that he’s seen his televised rehab’s success rate was on par with average rehab success (if not above – at the time of the filming of the second season, Brigitte and Ricco Rodriguez were still 100 percent sober).
As Dr. Drew shows me around the facility, he explains it has been prettied-up for TV. The foliage and furniture you see in the outside area is normally not there – rehab isn’t supposed to look nice. It’s not a spa. Shifty’s tagging from last season’s food-fight episode has been sanded off, to Drew’s chagrin. Disdain for misbehavior aside, I think he regards such outbursts as mile-markers, proof of what is in best-case scenarios, former suffering.
Anyway, here’s a gallery covering my tour:
8:54 – In the office, I run into Shelly, who, unlike Drew, is nervous. She is at the very least, fearful of the toll this season may take on her. “Last time the fatigue level was so high.” And then there’s the matter of absorbing the production once it has wrapped. “I hate watching myself,” she says. “I think I have one of the most grating personalities. I hate my voice.”
9:20 – I’m sitting in front of a monitor with a board that holds 24 buttons, each corresponding to a different camera in the facility, whether it be surveillance-style stationary or held by an operator.
Some technical issues aside, what’s going on in any given cranny at any given moment is at my fingertips. This is voyeurism on a level I’m not accustomed to, even as a seasoned reality TV viewer. It’s like peering into the most emotionally volatile ant farm on the planet. The lack of aversion that the eyes would do out of politeness or that editing would do for you is like nothing I’ve ever experienced socially. It is intoxicating.
9:25 – Gary Busey informs Shelly that he’s “completely sober” and recording an album. Neither seems plausible.
9:39 – Fun fact! Gary brought $575 with him. “I don’t carry credit cards; I only deal in cash.”
9:44 – “I’m not a patient,” says Gary for the first time in the presence of cameras. But it certainly won’t be the last! He says something else about a knee injury that kept him out of the Vietnam War and sports. Later, a producer points out that said sports are bowling.
9:46 – “Hello. Welcome to my world. It’s a world of clarity. Kindness. Grace. Love.” – Gary Busey
9:51 – Executive producer John Irwin to VH1 execs breaking the command Gary’s had on the room (via the monitor) for the past 20 minutes: “I told you this is going to be a 90-minute premiere!” (Turns out, he was right.)
9:54 – Gary sings and plays the guitar.
9:55 – Drew checks in: “If we make it through this day, I’ll consider it a huge triumph for Gary,” he tells the room.
10:18 – Urinalysis discourse. “I did mine yesterday,” Gary reports.
10:21 – “Cocaine is my drug of choice,” says Gary twice. And like many things, he’s gonna keep on saying it!
10:34 – Gary introduces the idea of a coffee-table book called Buseyisms. He’s implicitly hopefully that people will pay for something he gives away so liberally for free.
10:35 – Amber walks in.
10:50 – Tawny stops in the production room to use the bathroom. On screen, I notice that her future roommate’s wardrobe is vast.
10:56 – Gary: How do I lock the door? Shelly: You don’t.
11:05 – “John McCain is a dear friend of mine.” – Gary Busey
11:10 – Gary sits down with Drew.
11:16 – Drew wonders if Gary’s had a colonoscopy. “Is that when they pull all of the poop out of your body?” wonders Gary.
11:29 – Gary complains about lights, outlets and cell phones. Dr. Drew has never seemed more patient.
11:36 – Amber is still putting her clothes away.
11:43 – Gary talks about his out-of-body experiences.
11:51 – Rodney arrives.
12:00 – As Rodney speaks, he takes dramatic, disconcerting pauses. As in, “I drink…alcohol…more than I…drink…water.” As if that statement needed more foreboding!
12:10 – All things considered, Rodney King is a good-looking dude. He’s aging particularly well.
1:00 – Tawny enters.
1:10 – “It’s really hot in here, or I’m having a hot flash.” – Tawny Kitean
1:18 – Tawny meets with Michael Bloom, the owner of the facility, as they all have. Highlights of this check-in procedure include her refusal to disclose her weight, and her description of her hair color as “reddish.”
1:26 – Gary’s manager pleads with him to stay.
1:30 – Rodney sunbathes with his shirt off, sweating like it’s 30 degrees higher than the gorgeous 72 degrees of L.A. mildness that it is.
1:31 – Gary takes his mic off because, shocker, he thinks he’s a counselor.
1:32 – Amber meets with Drew.
1:47 – Gary calls his dentist to find out when he needs to inform everyone that he’ll be leaving the facility.
2:00 – Steven’s ambulance pulls up.
2:07 – “I’ve vetoed cameras coming into my private room. These people invade my peacefulness.” – Gary Busey
2:15 – Tawny and Amber discover that they were born in the same hospital.
2:16 – “I look up to Oprah because she’s so cool in her 50′s, and I’m not there yet. So because of her, I know that getting older is cool.” – Tawny Kitean
2:25 – Tawny meets with Dr. Drew.
2:27 – Steven enters.
2:28 – “My grandmother was…what’s that religion that doesn’t believe in medicine? Christian Science Monitor.” – Tawny Kitean
2:30 – Tawny indulges in more hot-flash discourse. They’re horrendous, apparently.
2:35 – “I got a headache off Botox one time. But I do believe in Botox.” – Tawny Kitean
2:40 – Tawny also takes medicine for her hot flashes, apparently.
2:43 - In contrast to Gary, Steven has brought $44 with him. He reveals this and that he has no cell phone as Shelly checks him in.
2:50 – Rodney reads out loud to himself (whispering).
3:02 – Steven’s sweetness is apparent as he hugs everyone hello.
3:15 – “This group is…different.” – Dr. Drew. He adds that they won’t bond as fast as the last batch.
3:37 – The camera filming Drew’s sit-down with Steven won’t come in, so all we have temporarily is audio. It underscores how much Steven Adler sounds like Jeff Conway. They could be voice twins.
4:00 – Sean checks in.
5:06 - During Drew’s sit-down with Rodney, it’s clear that he’s calmed down considerably.
5:07 – “Everyone’s got the burpies.” – Dr. Drew in response to apparently mass gas.
5:14 – Sitting alone at the picnic table, Steven Adler taps gently.
5:18 – Nikki checks in.
5:20 – “There’s a knife in here. I don’t know how I got on the plane with it.” – Nikki McKibbin
5:27 – Drew’s offered a 15-minute break. “I don’t need it,” he responds.
6:10 – Dinner time!
6:14 – Nikki sniffs a lot.
6:58 – “I’m not into the bulls*** Hollywood lifestyle. I think that’s what’s wrong with our culture.” – Bob Forrest, stopping by the production room to impart some wisdom on me.
7:09 – Jeff walks into the production room with the gentle aura of Mr. Burns during the X-Files episode of The Simpsons. He comes in peace…kinda. “I gotta go pee,” he announces to the room.
7:10 – Bob and Drew’s synergy is apparent even when they aren’t in the same room. Drew asks why Nikki’s there and she says, “I just want to be healthy!” Bob says to the screen: “Not good enough.” Drew says to her: “Usually, there’s more than that.” They don’t even need to be in the same place to converse!
7:27 – Vicki comes in with baggage of the functional and emotional varieties.
7:56 – Jeff arrives during the meeting.
8:06 – “The angel sent me here.” – Gary Busey to Jeff Conway.
8:09 – Tawny asks Amber about Jeff’s condition last season. Amber: This is an improvement! Tawny: I wish I could have seen him.
8:15 – “I collect pens.” – Jeff Conway
9:00 – The Vicki drama starts. Reality just became way more showy.
Related content
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew show page
Celebrity Rehab videos and extras
153 responses to to On The Set And Behind The Scenes Of Celebrity Rehab
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You poeple need a church at that rehab and me to run it, I can open these poeple eyes to happiness.Like they have never felt. Mr. Robbins
Observing this show once tonite with the ex-band member’s melt down. I do believe that Shelly agitates certain patients, she comes across to much like a sloppy ex adict herself, without much personality and actually brings a lot of aggression towards herself. They really need a replacement, but maybe she is there to stir the mix for the viewers. The other fellow that sports the hat is very good, he seems to have a knack or possibly he has been formerly trained to deal with addicted people. I used to respect Dr. Pinsky but it looks like he is in it for the viewers, if he was really dedicated to helping people he wouldn’t exploit them although they have agreed to this exploitation is this what life has come to putting people on display like a circus or freak show
Take what you can from this experience and apply it to your life. Some of us will not have the opportunity to have such great help as Dr. Drew and his staff. I know exactly what you are going through and wish you all the best. I would do anything to be in your position and have the opportunity to be sober and go through treatment again. Its much harder when you don’t have a support team behind you or family that hasn’t given up on you. Thank you for all of the ups and downs. This is not a laughing matter….it’s a life or death situation. I wish you the best of luck!!! One day at a time!!! SOunds stupid but it’s the truth!
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