Dr. Drew Pinsky officially can do no wrong. With the debut of Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew on VH1 two Sundays ago, the addiction specialist, radio host, national speaker and all-around good guy has put forth a topic that has been bubbling beneath the surface for some time now and appears to be close to exploding: Sex Addiction.
Pinksy’s gathered together 8 intriguing people and had them agree to 21 days of treatment at Pasadena Recovery Center on camera. And, while you may recognize some of them (model/actress Amber Smith is from the last season of Celebrity Rehab and its accompanying series Sober House), most are unknown to the public at large.
Kendra Jade is a former porn star and current model/dancer who is married to Rockstar Supernova frontman Lukas Rossi, Jennifer Ketcham (“Penny Flame”) is a current porn star, James Lovett is a professional surfer, Nicole Narain is a model, Kari Ann Peniche is a former Miss United States Teen, Duncan Roy a film producer & director, the aforeme
ntioned Amber Smith, and rock drummer Phil Varone (Skid Row).
The addictions stem from one end of the spectrum to another. From Varone’s mother’s death to repeated rape and molestation (pretty much all of the female cast members and the openly homosexual Roy). The counseling and group sessions in just the first two episodes of Sex Rehab have been intense, powerful and saddening and Dr. Drew has just gotten started with these people. I fear that the weeks ahead are going to reveal even worse atrocities inflicted upon these people.
But one cast member is already starting trouble (ala Jeff Conaway from the first two seasons of Celebrity Rehab). Peniche, Dr. Drew suspects, is either addicted to drugs or potentially psychotic. She lashes out at both clinical psychologist Jill Vermeire (Dr. Drew’s de facto co-host), but saves her fiercest ire for counselor Selma, repeatedly telling her to “Fuck off” and in general, acting like a spoiled lunatic. Peniche insists on leaving to go home and “pay her rent” and “fix her extensions” – you know, important things, In the previews for episode three it looks like Peniche is going to go overboard and all hell will break loose.
The only minor complaint about this show is that the annoying way that VH1′s editors show you about tw0-minutes of footage “coming up” just as they did with Celebrity Rehab and Sober House is still present. But that’s the only minor quibble about a show that is as emotionally raw and powerful as Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew is that I can think of.
