Celeb Rehab 2: Rage against the everything

It's clear now that drug rehab technicians should do preliminary training as junior high school teachers, because this episode definitely had that "Oh my god we're back in Junior High" feel. I can't remember the last time I saw more petulant temper tantrums. Yes, I can -- it was seventh grade. 

Celebrity Rehab's special guest star this week was Repressed Anger, and he got a lot of screen time. I got so sick of Jeff Conway screaming at everyone, over everything, all the time. And then there's Sean Stewart, (pictured) who acted like a 9-year-old, screaming at Gary Busey and calling him a 12-year-old. Apparently if you touch Sean on the arm, you have attacked him and he will call the cops. 

It all starts when Gary and Jeff fight over "shotgun" when returning to the center from an art therapy class (something I'd expect my little nephews to do). Jeff says Gary pushes him (from the camera angle, it really didn't seem to be anything) but it turned into a pretty serious argument, with Jeff totally losing it, screaming his brains out at Gary while Gary stands there wideyed and confused (just like me). Shelly to the rescue.

Then later Gary puts his hand on (near) Sean's arm as he's walking away, so that he can talk to him about the argument, and Sean loses it and goes off down the hall telling everyone he was attacked. I can understand why Gary was a little baffled.

And poor Rodney King, who admits twice that he is uncomfortable with confrontation (who can blame him), tries desperately to get away from these situations, which makes it a little awkward/brilliant when Dr. Drew later asks him to be the moderator who decides when "Gary putting his hands on people" crosses a line. He didn't want to do it but says if it will help him with his recovery, okay.

Gary apologizes to Jeff later and by this time Jeff has calmed down and accepts his apology. Gary's apologies (like Jeff's) are frequent and heartfelt, but they are mocked by Sean and Nikki. Okay, we get it -- Gary has this irritating pattern. But guess who else has irritating patterns? The rest of you addicts, so back off.

Later when Dr. Drew tells Gary that he's going to show The Buddy Holly Story to the group, Gary is touched and excited, but worries that no one will want to watch it. And when Gary's talking to the group about making the movie (clearly, the high point of his life) and Sean keeps saying "Who's Buddy Holly?" I pretty much know he's doing it just to hurt Gary and show that he's a big donkey.

Sean says later that seeing Gary so happy at the movie "touched him" but then quickly explains that Gary touched him emotionally, not physically. Because we all know that would have been an attack and Sean would have called the cops. And to show he's a big guy, Sean says he is letting some of Gary's "character defects go" (HE HAS BRAIN DAMAGE, SEAN!).

Then we have Steven Adler's anger, which is focused squarely on his mom, who abandoned him when he was a child. He has a confrontation with her, in the presence of Dr. Drew and Dr. Sofie (he of no socks with his suit). On the topic of how she put him out on the streets when he was a child, Mama Adler says, "he put himself out on the streets" because he didn't listen to her. And she shrugs off the notion of "emotional abuse," but Dr. Sofie doesn't let her off the hook. This guy is good, socks or no socks. And mom is a piece of work.

Next week, the previews show some more pretty intense stuff with Steven, who is breaking my heart. And Sean goes AWOL, I think, which is okay with me (I know, I'll probably love him by the end of the season. Maybe.).

What I want to know is when do we get to more Rodney????

Original episodes of Celebrity Rehab 2 air Thursday nights at 10pm, but there are reruns all weekend on VH1.