by Belinda Youlten

Created on: January 30, 2008

The VH1 network has drawn a long bow calling its reality show "Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew". You're not going to see Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan or Colin Farrell on this show.

The most recognizable face is minor movie role actor Daniel Baldwin, famous for being the sibling of those other Baldwin boys Alec, Stephen and Billy and his paparazzi documented drinking and drug binges.

In fact none of the participants on the show have even made B-grade celebrity lists. Except for Brigitte Nielsen's fame that came more from the coat tails she clung to. The statuesque blond flirted with the A-listers for a short time as the wife of Sylvester Stallone. She's had the odd movie role and dabbled in other reality shows like The Surreal Life.

However the producers at VH1 have not let reality or truth get in the way of this reality show. Casting a wide net over the term celebrity and offering participants the prospect of turning sober and a salary for being filmed, (VH1 refuse to disclose the amounts) has led to a rather uninspiring menagerie.

There's the mobile drama of the wheel chair bound drug addicted actor Jeff Conaway who clings to his heyday acting roles in the movie Grease and TV comedy Taxi. Conaway has had more spins through rehab than Grease on Ice. Obviously Conaway and John Travolta didn't take the same path.

But not everyone on the show is an actor. Throw in a couple of singers like fallen American Idol contestant Jessica Sierra and rock band Crazy Town's lead singer Seth "Shifty" Binzer, the onetime child star Jaimee Foxworth.

Of course no show would be complete without a few good looking bodies so there's also female wrestler and former Gladiator Chyna and Ultimate Fighting competitor Ricco Rodriguez. But all good shows have to have sex so for a bit of T & A, because you know they're going to show it, is porn star Mary Carey. Who ultimately is portrayed with the most compassion.

Yes, Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew has something for everyone. But reality this is not. This is a paid gig for these actors and fame cravers. For as many degrees as the charming and capable Dr Drew Pinsky MD has, these celebrities would have made more progress on an Oprah Winfrey interview.

Sit through one of these shows and you realize that this is more like Big Brother on drugs. The producers don't have much to work with so continue to rehash any footage they get of bad behavior or personality clashes. Dr Drew's insight somehow gets lost under the heap.

Many events on the show aren't fully explained. Daniel Baldwin seems to constantly be getting a "pass" to go leave the rehab center and dishes out more advice to his co-participants than Dr Drew. Eventually he's evicted from the center for showing his genitals to the recovering porn star. Which is more exciting than going out sober.

Unfortunately out of everyone on the show, Dr Drew is the biggest loser. Although it is an admirable attempt to show what rehab is really like and he has genuine concern for the participants, rehab on camera just doesn't to work.

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