'Real' Reality

I have a confession to make... I am addicted to watching 'Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.' I know that is a strange or even ironic choice of wording given the topic... but I am! I watch it every week and find myself cheering on these long-forgotten stars or B-listers. The cast includes former Grease and Taxi star Jeff Conway, American Idol finalist Jessica Sierra, Pro-Wrestler Chyna, Daniel Baldwin, Bridgette Neilson, a musician, and a porn star. They are either their for drug treatment or to begin a battle against alcohol. I was drawn to the show because it is literally one of the 'realist' shows in the reality television genre. Nothing is scripted and its all very raw. You see these semi-celebrities struggling to come to grips with the fact that they are allowing a chemical dependency to rule their actions, lives, words... they are struggling to regain control so they can get custody of their children or they can just live again. I find myself rooting for them and cry when one of them doesn't make it through. Already they've lost Daniel Baldwin and Jeff Conway. I was really rooting for both of them and hate to see them leave the program! You would think I was actually emotionally invested in them personally!