1. Headline
  1. Headline

Video: Celeb rehab center resembles five-star resort 

  1. Closed captioning of: Celeb rehab center resembles five-star resort 

    >>> on rossen reports, celebrities and addiction, while we don't know the cause of whitney houston 's death, we know she received treatment for drug and alcohol abuse several times over the years. why do so many stars relapse even after a pricey rehab? today national investigative correspondent jeff rossen has more on that.

    >> we see it over and over again. big-time star goes into rehab, comes out, messes up, goes back in again. so what's it really like inside these celebrity rehab centers? and when they do get out, why do so many stars keep falling off the wagon? this morning, we take you inside that exclusive world with the insiders who live it. from lindsay to britney to demi -- to charlie. it's rehab's revolving door.

    >> do you think these celebrity rehab facilities are too easy? are they too posh?

    >> well, they're certainly not difficult.

    >> child actor turned radio host , danny bonaduce , has been to rehab centers three times, including this celebrity favorite, promises rehab in malibu.

    >> it was fun. it was a really good time. a lot of conversation. and a lot of swimming and a lot of hanging out with really cool movie stars . i met the most famous people i have ever met in my whole life.

    >> was there rehabilitation goings-on?

    >> oh, god no. not that i was aware of. there was country clubs that don't have the decency to have a bar.

    >> stars pay up to $90,000 a month to get in a stay that includes sweeping views. luxury suites . resort-style swimming pools . gourmet dining.

    >> so this is the room that we use for massage.

    >> yes, that, too. the ceo of promises, dr. david sach gave us full access.

    >> it's beautiful, i mean it resembles a five-star resort. there's something called the princess suite. there's gourmet food out everywhere. a massage room. how does this help with recovery?

    >> we created an environment that was going to be recognizable to people as comfortable, welcoming, that was going to reduce their anxiety so that they would want to stay for treatment.

    >> you think it helps to calm them?

    >> i think it helps to respect them and to show them that respect in any number of ways.

    >> you make no apologies for how cush this is?

    >> absolutely not.

    >> he said it's not about recreation, it's a serious treatment facility. complete with therapy, meetings and mandatory drug testing and they have many success stories. but insiders say some stars go it rehab, not to get better, but to get out of trouble.

    >> you name a celebrity that's been to rehab, and i'll show you -- do you remember they were about to go to jail that day? i don't know a celebrity that's been to rehab, who wasn't either going to jail or fired off a movie set , or couldn't get insurance to do a movie.

    >> many of them use again. the national institute on drug abuse reports between 40% to 60% of patients relapse after treatment. and addiction experts say this is part of the problem. it's glamourized. mess up and you make the cover.

    >> with celebrities, they get notoriety, they get attention. but we're not looking at their private lives. most of these individuals are suffering profoundly.

    >> i certainly find that cause to revoke probation.

    >> and as stars fall off the wagon, many get help from their entourages. full of yes men like this.

    >> and you supplied them drugs?

    >> yes. i did supply drugs to several famous women.

    >> chris gardner is a celebrity journalists who says he worked his way into the inner circle of several troubled a-list stars . becoming their enabler.

    >> you were giving drugs to celebrities who you knew were out of rehab and trying to stay clean.

    >> everyone in this town wants to be friends with a celebrity. it is an exciting life. you get access to places you would never normally go. you get a level of service. and the trade-up is that someone you're supplying them with the drugs.

    >> if you say no?

    >> it's like see you later . if you don't agree with what that celebrity wants, you could be gone. there are dozens of, if not hundreds of people that are waiting to take your place.

    >> chris says he's now clean and sober and his days of enabling celebrities are in the past. he is speaking out now, hoping to change the dysfunctional hollywood culture.

    >> when you have people like whitney houston die, it should serve as a lesson to people, that hey, there's a problem here and something needs to be done about it.

    >> of course, there are success stories, stars who kick the habit for good after rehab. but addiction experts say it's getting harder and harder to stay clean in hollywood. like everywhere else, prescription pills are easy to get and legal to have and carry around. as one insider told me, they've become so popular, celebrities actually trade pills like mints at some events. matt?

    >> jeff rossen in los angeles this morning, thank you very much.

By
TODAY
updated 2/16/2012 8:21:14 AM ET 2012-02-16T13:21:14

This week, the White House drug czar called the death of Whitney Houston a “teachable moment.” Why do so many celebrities struggling with addiction keep relapsing, even after pricey rehab? Rossen Reports investigates.

  1. More from TODAY.com
    1. Town throws dream wedding for triple amputee Marine

      Juan Dominguez lost his both his legs and his right arm after stepping on improvised explosive device while serving in Afg...

    2. 7-time Lotto winner shares his secrets
    3. Are Beyonce and Jay-Z expecting another baby?
    4. A 'moral' issue: Vote on lifting Boy Scouts' gay ban divides members
    5. Pint-size politician: Mayor of Minnesota town is 4 years old

We see it over and over again: Big-time star goes into rehab, comes out, messes up, and goes back in again. So what’s it really like inside these celebrity rehab centers? And when they get out, why do so many stars keep falling off the wagon?

Have an idea for Rossen Reports? Email us by clicking here!

Child actor turned radio host Danny Bonaduce has been to rehab centers three times, including Promises in Malibu, a celebrity favorite. Stars pay up to 90 grand to get in. A stay includes sweeping views, luxury suites, resort-style swimming pools and gourmet dining. Bonaduce calls such facilities “country clubs that don’t have the decency to have a bar.”

The CEO of Promises, Dr. David Sack, gave us full access. It resembled a five-star resort. There was something called the Princess Suite, a spa, a massage room. But how does this actually help with recovery?

Video: Details emerge about Houston’s final days (on this page)

"We created an environment that was going to be recognizable to people as comfortable, welcoming, that was going to reduce their anxiety so that they'd want to stay for treatment," Sack said. "When you serve them gourmet food, you're really saying that you're not a worthless human being just because you have a drug problem."

Should flags fly at half-staff for Houston?

‘Less consequence’
Sack said that Promises isn't just about recreation: It's a serious treatment facility, complete with therapy, meetings, and mandatory drug testing. And they have many success stories. But insiders say some stars go to rehab not to get better, but to get out of trouble.

Thai monks’ anti-drug Rx: projectile vomiting

"You name a celeb that's been to rehab, and I'll show you — do you remember they were about to go to jail that day?" Bonaduce said. "I don't know a celebrity that's been to rehab that wasn't either going to jail, or was fired off a movie set, or couldn't get insurance to do a movie."

Read more investigative journalism from Rossen Reports

And many use again. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that between 40 to 60 percent of patients relapse after treatment. And addiction experts say that part of the problem is that it's glamorized. Mess up, and you make the cover.

Video: O’Reilly: Media exploited Houston’s addiction

"For celebrities, there seems to be less consequence," Sack said. "They get the notoriety, they get attention, but we're not looking at their private lives. Most of these individuals are suffering profoundly."

And as stars fall off the wagon, many get "help" from their entourages, full of "yes men." Chris Gardner is a celebrity journalist who says he worked his way into the inner circle of several troubled A-list stars, becoming their enabler.

Video: Houston’s body flown to NJ hometown (on this page)

"Everyone in this town wants to be friends with a celebrity, it's an exciting life, you get access to places you'd never normally go, you get a certain level of service," Gardner said. "And the tradeoff is that sometimes you're the one supplying them with the drugs."

Getting worse?
And if you say no? "Then like, 'See you later,' " Gardner said. "If you don't agree with what that celebrity wants, you'll be gone, and there are dozens if not hundreds of people to take your place."

Video: Subpoenas for Houston’s doctors, pharmacists

Gardner said that he's now clean and sober, and his days of enabling celebrities are in the past. He's speaking out now, hoping to change the dysfunctional Hollywood culture.

"I think things seem like they're getting worse," Gardner said. "Anytime you have superstars die seemingly one right after the other, it seems that this is becoming an epidemic."

Video: Celeb rehab center resembles five-star resort  (on this page)

There are success stories — stars who kick the habit for good after rehab. But addiction experts say it's getting harder to stay clean. In Hollywood, like everywhere else, prescription pills are easy to get, and legal to have. As one insider told me, they've become so popular, celebrities trade pills like mints.

Have an idea for a future edition of Rossen Reports? We want to hear from you! To send us your ideas, click here.

© 2013 MSNBC Interactive.  Reprints

Discuss:

Discussion comments

,

More on TODAY.com

None
  1. Winning ticket for huge Powerball pot sold in Florida

    5/19/2013 5:35:33 AM +00:00 2013-05-19T05:35:33
None
  1. Who wants to take a one-way trip to Mars?

    A one-way trip to Mars sounds like something you'd wish on your worst enemy — yet more than 78,000 people have paid up to $75 for a chance to die on another planet. Three hopeful voyagers explain why.

    5/19/2013 8:49:38 AM +00:00 2013-05-19T08:49:38
None
  1. NBC News

    video First lady to grads: Live your dream

    5/18/2013 9:22:31 PM +00:00 2013-05-18T21:22:31
None
  1. Andreas Rentz / Getty Images

    Jennifer Lawrence, more stars shine at Cannes

    5/18/2013 6:23:56 PM +00:00 2013-05-18T18:23:56
None
  1. Getty Images

    Oxbow upsets Orb in Preakness

    5/19/2013 6:38:24 AM +00:00 2013-05-19T06:38:24
None
  1. North Korea fires three short-range missiles

    North Korea fired three short-range missiles Saturday, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said, but the purpose of the launches was unknown.

    5/18/2013 8:55:00 AM +00:00 2013-05-18T08:55:00