What The Hell …
There are a couple of things going on this morning. I’ve been trying to find my footing on some personal things that are occuring at Chez Coma and I’ve been trying to figure some stuff out. I believe the winter weather tends to throw a curveball at most folks with a bit of Seasonal Affective Disorder and I walk out into the cold sort of sighing. I’ve said this before in my time of blogging.
And usually my sleep patterns are messed up this time of year which happened, so last night I watched the Video Nasty marathon on IFC and Celebrity Rehab. Yeah, I pick such positive things to watch when I have the blues. I’d always avoided Intervention but last night I honestly could not look away at this car wreck of a show.
I would have watched the news but the cable news channels had decided to rehash six hour old news and it was between Celebrity Rehab and Lou Dobbs. Of course I went with CR because Dobbs freaks me out more.
Have I mentioned that Jeff Conway is one of the saddest, most bitter characters I’ve ever seen? Of course Squirrel Queen and I sat in the chilly living room of the house with our jaws dropped. And to hear Mary Carey talk about her porno career was just …
I have no words.
I have some guilty pleasures in my television viewing, I admit this. I will watch just about anything except According to Jim and I love watching me some Jack Van Impe for his wife’s Rexella’s newscasts. Man, that’s just priceless although I can’t watch more than five minutes of it. It’s best to watch Rexella with a beer in your hand, I assure you.
But I just can’t see the Z-listers trying to get sober on Celebrity Rehab ever becoming a guilty pleasure. There is such a desperation about it all that just made me cringe. I’m sure that it would be argued that seeing the wrestler Chyna Doll talk about her horrific childhood is amusing to some people, it was just tedious. I don’t know, I’ve always thought that some things need to be sacred and seeing Conway suffer through terrible DTs is a thing I question being on television as a rollicking good time. I guess that if you appear on the Surreal Life that the next step is Celebrity Rehab.
And then, by damn, I watched it. Yes, I question my own sanity.
SQ and I agree that at least Dr. Drew is a real doctor. And, we agreed that we’d rather have him to hang out with than Dr. Phil, who just gives me a case of the wiggums (and the whole thing of that he’s not a real doctor.)
In a world where people are fighting for adequate health care, I can’t help but wonder if these celebrities had to pay to be on this show. It is starting to make me think that Big Brother is on the level of Shakespeare.
Just saying.
There is something really messed up about a culture that loves–no, NEEDS–to pry into people’s psychic demons as a form of entertainment. And there’s something really wrong with a culture where totally fucked up people feel the need to air their dirty laundry before millions of people on television.
You know, narcissism is a disorder, people. Not a national past-time.
Southern Beale, you said it better than I could. That’s it EXACTLY!
BTW, although it has been a long time since I have watched it, I too, enjoy the Van Impe show. I got hooked waiting to watch wrasslin’ at 12:30a.
Rexella missed her calling. I don’t know what her calling was but damned if she didn’t miss it.
I laugh. I can’t help it.
[...] And then, by damn, I watched it. Yes, I question my own sanity. [What The Hell… Newscoma - 01-25-08] [...]
i started watching the CR, have it on record. i think i did that partly because i am interested to see some reality of rehab. i did chuckle when jeff was leaving, for the 5th or 6th time, and dr. drew had to come in late and was wearing a t-shirt and jeff was joking that dr. drew had some big arms. it is a shame if people tune in to laugh or point. chances are that they will find there is humanity in brokenness and can only find themselves caring for the people.
i always have liked dr. drew, even from the love line years on radio and mtv. he always seemed credible and balanced in presentation and practicality of his advice.
it is interesting to watch how he interacts on the show some of his spacing and body postures in dealing with each individual during the same one on one’s or group times.
maybe it’s me, but i also find it funny that he is always wearing his stethoscope. honestly, i did emt work years ago, there isn’t a need to be strapped with that all the time. that i think is for effect.
Jeff makes me want to cry. He’s such a talented guy. Drugs suck.