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Dr. Drew

Russell Armstrong`s Sister Speaks

Aired February 10, 2012 - 21:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DR. DREW PINSKY, HOST: Here we go.

Now, Russell Armstrong`s sister is here. She`s defending her brother and herself from Taylor`s accusations made last night on this show.

Plus, get this, a man who had sex with his car. I`m not kidding, neither is he. It gives new meaning to auto erotica. Who writes this stuff?

Plus, "Doctor`s Orders" with Lisa Lampanelli.

Let`s get started.

Thanks for joining us.

Now last night, I had an emotional interesting one-on-one interview with "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Taylor Armstrong. She opened up about her life after her husband Russell had killed himself, revealed details about years and years of physical abuse. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TAYLOR ARMSTRONG, STAR, "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS": I wanted the cameras to keep him from - from getting out of control. I didn`t want the world to know what was happening.

PINSKY: And so the fact it was all coming out, you thought he would beat you even more?

ARMSTRONG: Yes, I thought he might do something really drastic.

PINSKY: Like what?

ARMSTRONG: Kill me.

PINSKY: You were afraid for your life?

ARMSTRONG: He told me several times I`m afraid I`m going to kill you one day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PINSKY: And Taylor also made some shocking claims about her sister- in-law, Laurie. Listen to this one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARMSTRONG: Someone commits suicide, it`s - everyone wants to find someone to blame, and, you know, it`s very confusing to all of us. I wish there was someone to blame but there`s not.

And, you know, I hate to keep having - to have to even say this out loud, but she lives halfway across the country and was a meth addict for five years. I was married to Russell for six. We put her into treatment at Malibu Beach Recovery Center, and that took six months of her life. She was disconnected from her own children during the time she was addicted to meth.

And if she would back off from me, I wouldn`t have to keep saying that, but it`s the truth. And so I don`t really appreciate her acting like she had any insight into our life. Because the only thing she ever communicated to Russell was when she needed money.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PINSKY: Tonight, Russell Armstrong`s sister Laurie Kelsoe is here to tell her side of the story.

Laurie, thank you for being here. I just want to point a couple of things out. Let`s - you know, first of all, I`m so sorry at the loss of your brother. I know you had a major loss here, too, and I want to be respectful of that.

On the other hand, I have a woman I`ve interviewed who told me a story of abuse that was not in any way inconsistent with stories that I hear all the time, so I`ve no reason to not believe. If I saw inconsistencies, I would.

But Laurie, you say you don`t believe Taylor`s allegations that Russell beat her. Can you - can you tell us why?

LAURIE KELSOE, RUSSELL ARMSTRONG`S SISTER: Well, I don`t - first of all, if she`s a spokesperson for a National, you know, Crisis Center such as Battered Women and Children, why would she just now pick - you know, why would she pick this just for the minute thing after he`s dead. Why would she stay in that situation, for one? And two, why would she just come out with it when he`s not here to defend himself, you know, at all? I think -

PINSKY: Well, that`s what - that`s what abused women do. I mean, they get stuck in these cycles of silence and they are afraid to speak. And that`s just sort of the cycle of abuse, that`s how it works.

KELSOE: Right. But when you take on the responsibility of being a spokesperson in the limelight, in the know, you`re there for an example to the women that aren`t so strong, and I think that`s your responsibility when you take that position, and it wouldn`t be living in silence like she apparently says she was.

PINSKY: All right. And Laurie - go ahead.

KELSOE: If you follow the - if you follow the timeline of all of these allegations, the first one being in June, on June 12th when they came in for her birthday, and she says that`s the first time when he hit her in the jaw, in the eye, there`s no black or blue marks anywhere on her. My son was there to witness the next day. All of his friends were there and they`ve all said the same thing. She was perfectly looked normal.

And then the second one was on Super Bowl, that same year. She claims that`s when he dislocated her jaw. And that there again, my son was there and there was no signs of abuse. So -

PINSKY: But Laurie, let me just say. I`ve actually - I`ve actually - let me just say, I`ve actually seen the x-ray of that particular day. She had an orbital fracture. She had a traumatic orbital fracture. That`s indisputable. Those records are going to be released I guess in a couple of days to the public, so you can have at it. But the record is there.

And by the way, those don`t typically cause black eyes. And they cause like an entrapment where you can`t move your eye around and you cause pain, but you can`t get a black eye from that.

KELSOE: Right, right.

PINSKY: So what about her accusations towards you. She says you`re a meth addict, that they put you in treatment. Tell me about that. Are you in recovery now?

KELSOE: Yes, Sir, I am, thank you. No, there was no "they" to it. Russell was the one that had completely come to me and - and said, you know, you really need to consider this opportunity to go to rehab. I was in silence about it all. And so I was able to talk to Russell because he came to me without attacks. He was very supportive the first time.

And then the second time he was like you will come to treatment, period. They, however, did not fund it at all, I did. And she had no part of it. I mean, not even as far as coming to the family reunion that where my kids and my brother and his children came to support me.

So that said, you know, and I want to make a point to say that, you know, instead of criticizing me for - at least I took care of my problem, and that says a lot right there. I was far from strung out. I was not disconnected from my children. I talked to them every day, including my brother, and he visited me often. So that said, I was not the one disconnected.

PINSKY: Did you ever go to their house?

KELSOE: I did, yes, Sir.

PINSKY: How many times?

KELSOE: I was invited over there, I went to once with my boys when we had taken them to Disneyland and to visit for a summer. I met Russell and Melette at their home. We`ve gone on ski trips with them. There were all kinds of activities.

PINSKY: How many times did you go into the house that Russell and Taylor lived in? How many times in their six-year marriage, how many times were you in that house?

KELSOE: Twice. And the one that they were up in the hills, yes, Sir.

PINSKY: And so it`s pretty hard to -

KELSOE: And the one -

PINSKY: -- you know, pretty hard to know what`s going on if you had only been to the house twice, right?

KELSOE: Right. Well, the problem - my thoughts on all that is my brother and I were extremely close. Whether she likes that or not, we were. We talked at least every week, you know, if not more, and he and I were very close, and he confided in me a lot about a lot of things.

So - and he never really once spoke negative of her, nor did I. I mean there was no problem, so these problems that have surfaced are quite baffling to me truly.

PINSKY: And let me ask you this. My understanding is there`s a court record documenting Russell`s previous marriage with domestic violence. Do you know anything about that?

KELSOE: Yes. There was some - there was an altercation that they had, and Barbara will come on today and support that he never abused her like Taylor is claiming. You know, there was never - it was like a push or shove or what not, which is still bad.

However, you know - and all of this was heated up through alcohol, and I will say for Russell`s sake that he and Taylor supposedly made an agreement to stop drinking, and he indeed stuck to that, and she did not, so therein again, you know, he was completely sober at the time of death, no drugs or alcohol.

PINSKY: Now, I have to take a break in a second. I have to read a statement that Taylor has asked to have read. But I understand you have quite a theory about what happened to Russell, so we`re going to get to that in just a minute.

Here`s Taylor`s statement. She says, quote, "Russell`s sister, Laurie Kelsoe, continues to tell lies about my life with my late husband Russell. She was not a part of Russell`s and my life. She lived almost 1,500 miles away and saw out family only a small number of occasions. Her statements that Russell was not violent with me are untrue.

Today, I furnished to a major media outlet my medical records from two of the surgeons who have treated me for blunt force trauma resulting from Russell`s punch to my face. This punch fractured the orbital floor of my eye socket. It required surgical intervention. There`s clear medical reference of Russell`s physical abuse. We published within a few days. My sincere hope is that Laurie`s lies will stop because of the medical evidence."

I don`t - I don`t hear the lied, Laurie. I just hear you`re taking issue with that. And I`m sure you`ll be interested in seeing those records as well.

Coming up, we`re going to get to what Laurie has to say about Russell`s death. She thinks it was a murder. Check this out. Something that`s unconfirmed, an allegation. We`ll see.

Something was also discussed on the reunion show of Bravo`s "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." We`re going to talk about it next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARMSTRONG: I hate to say it, but it would give me great solace to think that this was at the hands of someone else as opposed to my husband being in such despair that he took his own life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARMSTRONG: He would get so out of control with me, and it was like a loving thing. He would say days after a bad experience.

PINSKY: That`s not a loving thing.

ARMSTRONG: Well, a concern, like it was his concern. I`m afraid I`m going to get so angry one of these days, I`m going to kill you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PINSKY: I`m back with Taylor Armstrong`s sister-in-law, Laurie Kelsoe.

Now, we can`t confirm or refute the things you`re about to say here. But you think Russell`s death was in fact a murder, not a suicide. That`s a pretty intense allegation. What do you think happened?

KELSOE: First of all, and I hate to backtrack here, but I want to reiterate one thing please if I may. I`m not here to bash Taylor or lie about her. And what I say is factual for what I feel and what I`ve heard.

So therefore, I mean I`ve always said if she were indeed abused in any form, shape or fashion, you know, if she would have come to us as a family that we stood for and talked to us, we could have helped everybody through this. Given the fact that she sat in silence is not my - you know, our fault, so we`re not the mean ones here.

PINSKY: Well, let me ask you this. Let me ask you something. Do you think something, for instance, did the show cause this problem, do you think? I mean, should, for instance, Taylor have insisted that Russell`s segments be edited out of the show?

KELSOE: I think anyone in their right mind would have, like my mom asked, the only thing she asked was from Bravo was to be - to please respect our family and to not film him anymore. I mean, not show any more footage of him after his passing and they still had to bank on it and they went forward as they wanted to. I think that`s a complete lack of class.

PINSKY: All right. Well, I asked Taylor if they should have aired "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" this season particularly her husband`s parting. Take a look at her comments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARMSTRONG: I mean, I think they were right.

PINSKY: Because?

ARMSTRONG: Because we`re making this a conversation now. We`re telling a story.

PINSKY: About abuse?

ARMSTRONG: Yes.

PINSKY: Is it disrespectful to Russell and his family?

ARMSTRONG: I think they feel it is.

PINSKY: Why -

ARMSTRONG: I`m part of his family, too, though.

PINSKY: Interesting. Why did he sign up for this? You wanted it to stop the abuse. Why did he allow it to happen? If he knew he was an abuser, why did he let the cameras in?

ARMSTRONG: He was incredibly narcissistic and very much loved - he loved it. It was on Google Alert every single day. He loved to see his name in the press. PINSKY: So he liked it, too.

ARMSTRONG: He liked it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PINSKY: Laurie, did he express to you that he liked being on the program?

KELSOE: At first there was interest, and then towards the middle and end of it, no. In fact, I had a spot on the show as well with Sally, the co-producer where I was coming in to do some part of the second series, and Russell was the one that called and said, "Laurie, please don`t." And he goes, "You`ve been through enough and so have your children." And so, no, he didn`t.

PINSKY: And what do you wish - OK. And what do you wish had been done for your brother? What do you wish had been different?

KELSOE: You know, I think the what`s the most - the biggest unjust thing that happened was that they - you know, reality or not, what they did was they completely defaced his character, because I don`t know that man that they talk about on the show, nor was he anything like that.

And Taylor, shame on her for doing this, and sort of thinking all he was is bad. You know, if that`s the case and why did she stay there and spend his money. So that`s irritating.

PINSKY: And Laurie, is it possible he had bipolar disorder which I`ve sort of heard bantered around, and he was getting into a manic state and in that manic state he was somebody different than what you were accustomed to see?

KELSOE: I`ve been with my brother long enough to know and so have other people, I`ve not ever witnessed that. I know that probably with drinking, there were some episodes where he would, you know, change somewhat of a personality. But like most people do I guess in a drunken state.

However, no, I have not ever witnessed this, no.

PINSKY: And there`s mental illness in the family, is that correct?

KELSOE: Some depression. It`s hypomania, but not - not to this extreme at all, nothing like it.

PINSKY: OK. All right. So that - but the hypomania and depression is bipolar disorder, by definition that`s what that is. So there`s bipolar in your family. So it wouldn`t be out of line biologically to - to potentially speculate that he had some of that biology there.

Let me ask you -

KELSOE: Like I said, I have never seen any - I mean, let`s keep this about what it is about and it`s about my brother`s murder, not bipolar in my family or something other than whatever - let`s look at what narcissistic Taylor is doing if she wants to -

(CROSSTALK)

PINSKY: This is what I want to talk to you about. What about the murder?

KELSOE: OK.

PINSKY: Tell me about that now. You make allegations. So we can`t - we can`t confirm, we can`t refute. But you say this was not a suicide. Tell me about that.

KELSOE: Well, when you go and I was on air with Nancy Grace on CNN, when I found out that there were pillows stuffed in the windows. The coroner and they told my mom that there were no bruising. There were no bruises on Russell`s body or nothing out of the ordinary that didn`t appear like it wasn`t suicide.

And then live on the air, I learned that he was bruised on the right side of his body, his foot was on the floor with cuts on it. There were pillows in the window. There`s a lot of great evidence things that are just not normal.

Taylor`s behavior. Why wouldn`t she call us and tell us Russell had died and have some other, somebody else call us. Twenty-fours hours later, not the day - not right then. There`s a lot of red flags to me as well as other people that I want answers for.

PINSKY: What are - can you tell me some of these other red flags? I mean, so far, not sure.

KELSOE: Yes, sure. There`s Taylor going into his office, probably when he was not even cold yet, unauthorized, and not once but probably they said twice. What was she looking for? Why was she trying to protect herself, which was their comment when I asked why she didn`t call my mom and dad to tell them their son had died? And she`s protecting herself from what?

She knows something. I know in my gut that she knows something.

PINSKY: That`s a pretty harsh allegation, right?

KELSOE: Yes.

PINSKY: It doesn`t -

KELSOE: And she - why would she say she was scared? What is she scared of? I mean, he was - to her, he was hanging, he killed himself. That`s all she seems to think. You know, there`s way more going on than that. If you read any of what`s going on.

PINSKY: Well - and what if she was an abused woman. What if he was in a bipolar manic state and committed suicide as often happens, and what if he was drinking, and what if he had some outbursts where he struck her? What do we do with that?

KELSOE: Well then we would - whatever we could have done to help her through it, if she would have given us the opportunity, but she didn`t. She took it upon herself to do this the way she did, and that`s the unforgivable part.

It`s not that she`s an abused woman, that`s not the problem here. I mean, it`s not the - it`s not why we`re not talking. I mean, I didn`t know there was a problem with Taylor in my family until all this happened and she didn`t contact us. I mean, that`s - where does all this come from? Like it`s our fault or something.

PINSKY: Now, you live far away from them. You said you were in the house only twice. How about Kennedy, how about the daughter? Are you concerned about her?

KELSOE: Very much so. And let me let you guys know something. We`re not out of touch for any reason other than she does not - I`ve never been given her phone number, she never said call me. She never reached out to me either. So - and my mom will attest to the same thing. She kept my brother more to herself.

PINSKY: All right. Again, that`s all behavior when a family has something to hide and when there`s abuse in the family or substances, you know, people tend to isolate. We always say you`re as sick as your secrets.

KELSOE: Sure.

PINSKY: But, Laurie, appreciate you coming in. Good luck with your recovery.

KELSOE: Thank you.

PINSKY: And I`m sorry you and your family about Russell`s loss. Regardless of how this went down, it`s a sad, sad situation.

KELSOE: It is.

PINSKY: Now coming up, I`ve got your comments and questions about the Armstrong Family. And next - that`s next.

And later, this is craziness. Can you be in love with a car? There`s my friend there, Nathaniel. It`s stranger than you might even think. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PINSKY: All right. Now, Taylor Armstrong is a polarizing figure to say the least according to all the e-mail and Facebook comments and twitter you left for us last night. So here`s what some of you are saying.

We`re going to go to the phones first and get to Amie. She`s from Colorado. Go ahead, Amie.

AMIE, BAYFIELD, COLORADO (via telephone): Hi, Dr. Drew.

PINSKY: Hi, Amie.

AMIE: I`m sad to see that so many domestic violence survivors are judging Taylor. I`ll be honest she`s not a (INAUDIBLE) around with and socially we`re on two different planets. But writing the book helped her process and overcome the tragedy and perhaps helps another women in a similar situation, it`s a good thing.

PINSKY: Well, I agree. If in fact that`s what happened here. People are suggesting that she`s just an out and out liar, that none of this happened. To me, the story she told me is consistent with what I hear from many, many women, there`s nothing inconsistent about it.

So I agree with you, I think it might help other women. Hopefully does. Even if nothing ever happened to her, I hope it will help other women out there.

Lisa on Facebook writes, "Thank you for providing a platform to discuss such an important and relevant issue." Really, that`s the main thing here. We`re doing - have a conversation about this thing that is so common. "It`s odd that so many people flock to reality television or happy as long as it`s irrelevant shopping and parties. As soon as it gets real, like Camille`s philandering husband or Kim`s alcohol problems or Taylor`s abuse, the so-called reality fans don`t want to support the women. These women not only deserve our support and our thanks for shedding light on the real issues." Agreed.

And we`ll go to another one. Cheryl writes, "What does releasing her medical records prove?"

I think she`s hoping it will prove that something actually did happen to her, maybe the doctors will remark in there that there was some sort of trauma, though she was explicit with me that she didn`t tell the doctors how it happened.

Finally, Kellster tweets, "How can you believe what she says? Her credibility is dot, dot dot, not doing so well."

Well, I tell you what, that is the one thing that keeps coming up is people seem not want to believe Taylor at all. They think that she`s lying to me and that she`s pulled the wool over my eyes.

And I think - I`ve asked Taylor this question, I`ll ask you all the same thing, too. Which is it just that these women on the show seem to be so interested in money and their values seem kind of skewed that that`s why you want to judge them so harshly?

I`m saying we`ve got an abuse situation here probably and somebody died, I mean, this is much more serious stuff. Please see the rest of it, through the rest of it to look at these important issues that we can all learn from.

Amy writes, "From watching Taylor on the show, she doesn`t seem truthful to me, she`s setting a bad example for anyone who is abused. She never reported it when it happened, it makes it an "he said, she said" thing instead of legally fighting it and documenting it."

Which is why anyone of you out there who`s experiencing any of this in silence as most people do, you need to go right now and report it to the police, social services, make that call. We have a dead person, died as a result of this, it could have been her, could have been both of them. That`s how this stuff goes down.

Finally - so call it, report it.

Bunnie says, "Just in general, it seems like the show has destroyed more relationships in the whole "Real Housewives" series, from California to Georgia. I personally don`t agree with the word REAL because it`s all for the cameras and all they can talk about is money, BOTOX and gossip."

And I think that is the issue that really makes people want to attack the human beings you`re looking on on the show. These are actual people whose lives are being exposed here and everyone sitting and judging them. Be careful. Try to learn from this.

And, again, anyone is getting in an abusive relationship out there, get help now.

Finally, I want you to meet the man now. We`re going to switch gears entirely. A man who is in love with his car. He likes his car. Yes. There he is. He`s actually in love with it. Is it possible to have a love attachment to such an object? Yes, you`ll meet him. I`ll tell you what I think.

Give me the camera back here. I want to say - I want to - show me here for a second. Get it off this guy. You`ll see plenty of him in a second. I mean, this guy really, really likes his car. You don`t want to miss this. So stick around.

Go to HLNTV.com. Read more about this and other stories. See you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PINSKY (voice-over): Coming up, "Doctor`s Orders," the comedian, Lisa Lampanelli, what is she scratching and sniffing these days?

But first, unusual obsessions and attachments. Is it possible to love mothballs? This woman says yes, scattering them all over her house and car.

And speaking of cars, many of us have a soft spot for autos, coveting some, admiring others, but when does loving something on four wheels cross the line on the highway of desire?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PINSKY (on-camera): We all have cars that we`re fond of, especially our first car, I remember mine, but have you ever heard of anyone being in love with their car? I mean, like in love with their car? Our next guest has been in an intimate, monogamous relationship with his car for the past five years.

Nathaniel goes on dates with his cars, buys it birthday gifts, even has intimate physical contact with it, apparently. In this clip from TLC series, "My Strange Addiction," it seems just one look was all it took.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NATHANIEL, SEXUALLY ATTRACTED TO HIS CAR: Hi, baby. Handsome man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nathaniel is in a committed relationship with a car that he`s named Chase. He met Chase in a resale lot about five years ago.

NATHANIEL: Love you, baby.

It was love at first sight. His body and then his interior, and everything just together just seem to fit. And I just felt an instant connection.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nathaniel`s obsession first developed as a teenager when he would build model cars, but he didn`t find true love until he met Chase.

NATHANIEL: I found this part of him the most sexy because of the subtle lines and curves. I`ll give him a kiss here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PINSKY: This behavior has a name, it`s called objectophilia, which refers to someone who develops a very strong, obviously, strong emotional and sexual relationship with inanimate objects.

With us tonight to make sense of all this, Dr. John Sharp, psychiatrist with Harvard Medical School and 27-year-old Nathaniel. Nathaniel, you know, can you appreciate that for the average person this seems a little peculiar?

NATHANIEL: I could understand that.

PINSKY: You could understand that. And how do you think this happened to you? How do you think you -- you know, how do you understand what happened to you to develop this sort of intimate connection?

NATHANIEL: I`m not sure what actually started it. I just know I was really young and I hung around in my room a lot, didn`t have a lot of friends growing up, and just hung around my models and things of that nature, developed friendships with them, began talking to them, and actually sleeping with one that I have here with me now, which is Dillon. I`ve had him since I was about seven or eight.

PINSKY: Go ahead and show me Dillon, if you wouldn`t mind.

NATHANIEL: OK. This is him here.

PINSKY: Here comes Dillon. There you go. OK. So, Dillon looked like -- and by the way, you name them all hims, too. They`re male vehicles?

NATHANIEL: Yes. To me, I see them as males.

PINSKY: And Nathaniel, I have to ask some of these questions. How is it that you have an intimate physical -- how do you have a physical relationship with a car?

NATHANIEL: It`s pretty tough to explain, really. I mean, I know it doesn`t reciprocate love like people would, but I get certain vibes and feelings from them that, you know, I feel is enough. You know, I felt like Chase, he`s actually helped me in many ways to better my life. And so, I kind feel like I can help him as well by, you know, giving him the parts that he needs and tune-ups and things of that nature.

PINSKY: So, when people talk about it being a sexual relationship, are they overstating what it is?

NATHANIEL: Not really. I mean, I see it more as a traditional relationship, but I mean, it does have sexual times as well. I don`t have sex constantly, it`s more of, you know, once every two weeks or so.

PINSKY: I can`t, I`m sorry, it`s like an itch I have to keep scratching. How do you do that?

NATHANIEL: There`s many different positions that Chase likes. One being lying under him like there. That`s one of our more wild positions as I call it. My, our favorite though is I lean over his driver`s side fender over his hood and kiss him along the crease in his hood and rub up against his fender at the same time.

Other things include just sitting inside of him, making love like with the steering wheel. There are other things you can try as well.

PINSKY: OK. Dr. Sharp, help us make sense of this. I imagine there must be some very strong sort of shall we call them experiences in childhood to make this kind of an association, almost like the brain wiring has now connected to object as opposed to subject?

DR. JOHN SHARP, PSYCHIATRIST, HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL: Dr. Drew, I don`t think you need a psychiatrist on the show. You`ve got it figured out.

(LAUGHTER)

SHARP: I think it could very well be just as you say. And you know, what a psychiatrist would do here would be to guess what, go all the way back to Freud (ph) who would say that this is a creative way of achieving pleasure. This is a substitute for giving Nathaniel what a substitute for intimate relationship with another human being where all the same feelings can be had in a safer way. That would be my theory.

PINSKY: Now, the he we`re talking about here is the Monte Carlo he calls Chase. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATHANIEL: We have our times when we get sexual.

Does that feel good? Handsome man. Mmm. Love you, baby.

What we do the most often is I like to lean over his fender and across his hood, do things like that and kind of press up against him and rub against him like that. One of his more bold positions is for me to be underneath him. He really likes it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PINSKY: Now, Nathaniel, I kind of like the way Dr. Sharp framed this as a creative solution to something maybe difficult or overwhelming in childhood. Did you have tough experiences growing up?

NATHANIEL: Not really. I didn`t have a lot of friends. I did get picked on some in school, but I didn`t have anything that just, you know, I couldn`t bear. My parents --

PINSKY: Was there anything ever associated with vehicles, I mean, like in a major traumatic car accident or anything of that sort?

NATHANIEL: I did have a car accident when I was in about first grade. For some reason, I remember every detail about it, but I don`t remember, you know, if that was what started it, you know, the particulars.

PINSKY: Dr. Sharp, could that be it? Sort of a clinging to, you know, in those moments of terror, clinging to something to make an intimate connection, and there was the vehicle?

SHARP: As you say, you know, there`s an element of trauma in that, and it could be that that formed a bond and that Nathaniel, you`re doing a lot of things now, including trying to work through those feelings.

You know, think it could be that this is an important time in your life to look at what`s happening, you know, with your cars and also with other people in your life and try to have feelings like this, you know, towards others. Is that happening at all?

NATHANIEL: Not really. I mean, I haven`t really been focused on trying to meet other people. I`m just kind of -- I feel happy the way I am, and I don`t, you know, I don`t really look to change it any time soon.

PINSKY: Nathaniel, have you ever had a relationship with another person, like a romantic relationship with a person?

NATHANIEL: I have. I`ve had a few in the past. They never seem to work out, because that one piece of me just couldn`t let go of, you know, my cars and stuff like that, and I felt like I couldn`t give my significant other the attention that they deserved, and I didn`t feel like I should make myself do that or have them suffer, you know, when they could probably have something better.

PINSKY: So, finally, Dr. Sharp, before we clear out here, I just wonder if somebody has no problems being the way they are, he likes it, and it`s working for him, and he, otherwise, you know, is having no emotional distress, and he feels like he`s productive in his life, leave it alone?

SHARP: I`d say don`t worry about it too much. I mean, that may sound kind of shocking because this is amazing stuff to talk about, but my only worry is that this could be quote a "defense against a greater kind of intimacy that you could have with another person." And I would just consider, you know, whether that might be in your future.

PINSKY: Thank you, gentlemen. You`re going to stay with me.

Next, we meet a woman who can`t get enough of -- get this -- the smell of mothballs. I hate mothball, but she doesn`t. She loves it. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALICIA, LOVE THE SMELL OF MOTHBALLS: Everyone has something that gives them a sense of comfort. For some people, it`s cigarettes or a glass of wine. For me, it`s mothballs.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PINSKY: Welcome back. And tonight, we`re talking about odd things people do to regulate their emotions the way Dr. Sharp and I think about this. It`s emotional regulation, a bid for emotional regulation. People do all kinds of goofy things. Sometimes, they take drugs, sometimes they do acting out behaviors, sometimes they get involved with mothballs.

Now, we just told you about a 23-year-old Nathaniel who is in an intimate relationship with his car, a Chevy Monte Carlo he calls Chase. There they are making out. Now, we`re going to meet Alicia, a single mother of two who`s developed the strange behavior of smelling mothballs. Both Nathaniel and Alicia will be feature on TLCs third season of "My Strange Addiction" which premiers Sunday, February 12th at 10:00 p.m.

And I want to just take issue with that for a second I can`t resist is that these aren`t addictions. That term is over utilized, and as addictionologist, I have great concerns about that. These are situations that if you change the psychiatric circumstance, the symptoms, the behaviors will change.

Addiction will not change. Addiction will continue. Now, Alicia, at one point scattered over 200 mothballs around her house. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALICIA: It`s sort of like a chemical smell, and it`s really strong, but it smells really good. I have mothballs in my closets and the couch cushions, pillow cases, flower vases. I sprinkle them on the carpet when I vacuum so it gives off the smell. I always keep mothballs in my car under the mats.

LEON, ALICIA`S COUSIN: It`s a very strong type of smell. It kind of gets up into your sinuses. When you leave that home, you can still smell it. It stays in the nose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PINSKY: Back with us, Nathaniel who has been dating his car for nearly five years and Alicia who developed her mothball habit 15 years ago.

Alicia, can you understand people like me who just hate mothball smell, I can`t stand it. But it must be -- it might be quite an offense to you, but my understanding for you, this is a strong association with your grandmother who had mothballs around her and that was somebody you were deeply attached to. Is that correct?

ALICIA: That is correct, and I`m not offended by the fact that you hate the smell because I get that a lot from other people. But I actually love it. And, It does give me a connection to very fond memories of my grandmother and spending time at her house, which is where I first discovered that I loved the smell of mothballs.

PINSKY: And Alicia, does it surprise you that people think this is peculiar, because for you, it seems like something that you indulge in, you love?

ALICIA: No, it doesn`t surprise me. I`ve been teased about it. Family and friends have joked about it for years. So, I do know that it`s not common.

PINSKY: Was that your -- let me ask this. Was that your boyfriend or husband we saw there, and has he learned to love mothball smell? I don`t think I can ever -- I`m sorry, Alicia, I don`t think we could ever be together. I don`t think it happen.

ALICIA: That is not my boyfriend or my husband, that was actually my cousin. And he`s been on me for years about quitting this mothball thing. He tells me --

PINSKY: Go ahead.

ALICIA: He tells me that if I go out, that guys will say wow, she`s pretty, but she smells like an old lady.

(LAUGHTER)

ALICIA: he`s really on me hard about the mothballs.

PINSKY: Have you found that? Have guys reacted negatively to the mothball smell?

ALICIA: If they smell it, they never complained. I never heard anyone say I smelled like mothballs.

PINSKY: You got to love men. Alicia did, eventually, seek some help from a doctor who told her that smelling mothballs could lead to life- threatening problems. It really is a concern. Take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some mothballs are made out of para- Dichlorobenzene. Those are these chemicals, though, from a solid to a gas. And when you breathe the gas, you`re essentially ingesting the solid. These chemicals will bond with proteins in your body, particularly, in the lens of your eye and they can cause cataracts.

Other commonly found side effects from this can be liver cancers, kidney failure. Those are all life threatening things.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PINSKY: Alicia doesn`t seem that that grave warning changed your behavior, did it?

ALICIA: Actually, it did. Before I did "My Strange Addiction," I did scatter mothballs, have them with me a lot more. I`ve cut down a lot, especially because I don`t want to endanger the health of my children. I have two children, and after I spoke with the doctor, I stopped having them around the house.

I haven`t completely quit, because it`s pretty hard, because I do really love the smell. And honestly, I haven`t heard any evidence of anyone dropping dead or anything tragic happening to anyone just from enjoying the smell of mothballs.

PINSKY: I have not met anyone that enjoyed the smell of mothballs, Alicia. So, I was not surprised if you haven`t seen people having profound toxic effects. Nathaniel, I want to go back to you. Some things occurred to me while we were in the break. I just want to understand. It`s funny, this whole thing is about things we love, how we experience the love.

It`s part of the brain called the insular cortex that lights up, and the anterior cingulated region that gives us that nurturing feeling of love, and sometimes, it gets turned on by things that all of us don`t think of us associated with that. Now, Nathaniel, if you drive another car, some other car, somebody else`s car, are you cheating?

NATHANIEL: No. No.

PINSKY: Chase is understanding about that?

NATHANIEL: I try to be respectful. I don`t touch on other people`s vehicles. And I don`t, you know, I don`t grope with them or anything like that. I try to stay true to chase. And so, yes, I don`t try to -- like I said, I try to be traditional about it and be respectful.

PINSKY: How does chase express his jealousy?

NATHANIEL: He actually doesn`t get very jealous. He knows that I love him. And him and Dillon are really good friends, because he knows that Dillon was here a long time before Chase came along.

PINSKY: I think my car would throw a rod if I cheated on him. One last question here. You described these vehicles as male and you also said that you had relationships in the past that didn`t work out. The fact that the cars are male, is that a gay relationship and the previous relationships you have, were they with male humans?

NATHANIEL: The previous relationships I had were actually females. If I had to classify, I guess, it could be a gay relationship. I just relate better with men. So, that`s kind of the reason that I see them as males.

PINSKY: If I were to ask chase, would he say he`s gay?

NATHANIEL: Probably not.

PINSKY: Probably not. Chase is at least bisexual.

(LAUGHTER)

PINSKY: Just saying. Now, OK. Guys, thank you very much. I am goofing a little bit on you, but I mean, I hope that Alicia, particularly you, I hope you will not get -- you know, I understand it, I get it, but it seems like it could potentially be harmful, and certainly, I appreciate that you`re trying to keep your children safe, well done.

And also, Nathaniel, thank you for sharing this. I think you appreciate that people listening to this are interested, yes?

ALICIA: Thank you for having us.

PINSKY: And "My Strange Addiction" premiers this Sunday, February 12th at 10:00 p.m. on TLC. You think this was funny. "Doctor`s Orders" are coming up. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PINSKY: It is time now for what we call "Doctor`s Orders" where we present some of the more ridiculous items of the week, and I prescribe, hopefully, little laughter. My side kick this week, very exciting, Lisa Lampanelli. There she is. Comedian and contestant on the newest cycle of "Celebrity Apprentice" beginning February 19th on NBC.

And Lisa, you were on with Mr. Carrolla, and you had to face down trump. How was the whole experience?

LISA LAMPANELLI, "CELEBRITY APPRENTICE": Oh my God. It was fantastic.

PINSKY: Really?

LAMPANELLI: I`m telling you, it was really hard work. Honestly --

PINSKY: You didn`t get crazy?

LAMPANELLI: I went insane.

PINSKY: OK, good.

LAMPANELLI: But to me, that`s good. It puts my real personality out there. Why hide behind my sweet, on stage persona when you can have nuttiness and craziness and screaming?

PINSKY: I can`t wait to see this. All right. Let`s get to it. Now, just a few minutes ago, you didn`t see this, Lisa, but we all met Nathaniel. There he is. He was in love with his car named Chase, and they have intimate relations, yes. And he told us why it made him feel certain ways.

Look at him there. He really loves that car. He just is into it. Yes, I know, it`s crazy. But he literally has -- there he is, yes, Lisa, yes. Chase is described as a male, but he debated with me whether it was a homosexual relationship he has with the car, because Chase didn`t describe it that way.

LAMPANELLI: Oh my God. Well, --

(LAUGHTER)

LAMPANELLI: Thank God it`s not horse and buggy days. You would have a real problem there. I think that`s against law in some state.

PINSKY: Yes, it would.

LAMPANELLI: No. Did you really buy that he was telling you the truth or he was just trying to get on TV?

PINSKY: No, no. You could get the feeling. Yes, it gives you that feeling. Look at him. You see how he`s into it.

LAMPANELLI: A little too loving for me. I`m off put by the emotional dependency that they have together. Me, personally, as someone who`s closed off, I don`t like that.

PINSKY: Yes. Even though a car.

LAMPANELLI: Make out with a bike. Start small.

PINSKY: Start small. There you go.

(LAUGHTER)

PINSKY: All right. The "Doctor`s Orders" are it seems to work for him. I`m only interested in helping people that want to change. Nathaniel didn`t want to change, so have at it, buddy.

All right. Moving on, a judge this week sentenced a man to a date because he forgot his wife`s birthday which then led to a physical altercation. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go home, pick up his wife, get dressed, take her to Red Lobster, and then, after they had Red Lobster, they`re going to go bowling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PINSKY: Lisa --

(LAUGHTER)

LAMPANELLI: Red lobster and bowling, isn`t that called a death sentence? Are you kidding me?

(LAUGHTER)

LAMPANELLI: Do you consider a date with your wife punishment?

PINSKY: No, but I don`t think we`d do exactly that combo of things. But the guy had been physically abusive with his wife. I can`t believe a judge would do that.

LAMPANELLI: I know. I know. Where was it, Florida?

PINSKY: Germany or Florida. Usually that`s it.

(LAUGHTER)

PINSKY: "Doctor`s Orders," go to jail. There will be -- when you do go to jail because there will be a next time, get some real treatment.

Finally, one for you guys and maybe you girl, it`s a Canadian export. The country sent us glow in the dark jeans has now marked a new product scratch and sniff jeans, denim. Apparently, these pants smell like candy and cost only $150.

LAMPANELLI: Wow! I heard they smell like specifically raspberry.

PINSKY: Yes.

LAMPANELLI: -- which is a vast improvement on Dingell berry. So, I say go for it, man. We shouldn`t have to smell your sack.

(LAUGHTER)

PINSKY: Hindsight, my "Doctor`s Orders" are take Lisa`s advice. We shouldn`t have to smell your sack is what she said. And I would agree with her on that.

So, again, you can check out Lisa on "Celebrity Apprentice." It is airing 9:00 p.m. eastern, February 19th on NBC. Lisa, I love working with you. Thank you so much for joining us. I can`t wait to see you on there. You and Carrolla (ph) going out. That`s going to be something. Thank you for all watching. I`ll see you next time.

END