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Dr. Drew
Whitney`s Family Speaks; Rihanna Revealed
Aired March 09, 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.
Whitney`s family breaks their silence. Too soon?
Rihanna goes topless for a cause. Too far?
And a porn actor gets his teaching job back. Would you want him in the classroom with your kids?
Those are a few hot topics this Friday on making the rounds.
And later, are your kids taking the so-called cinnamon challenge? That`s right. The stunt seemed harmless, but you will not believe how dangerous it really is.
Let`s get going.
(MUSIC)
PINSKY: Welcome to the program.
We are live tonight and we are making the rounds, talking about the topics that have America buzzing.
Here to help me dissect the stories, criminal defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh, I also have Dylan Howard, senior executive editor of "Radar Online" and Sheryl Lee Ralph, actress, singer and author of "Redefining Diva."
Let`s go ahead and get right to the headline. There`s her book there.
An American Airlines flight ran into, shall we call, turbulence earlier today. The problem is: flight was still on the ground. It was on the tarmac and according to passengers, a flight attendant -- if you haven`t heard this story, this is something you want to listen carefully to.
She took control of the P.A. system, the public address system, and began to rant -- reportedly mentioning the word, crash, and referencing September 11th and then screaming -- we actually have a little bit of audio. A guy, a CNN international news reporter held up his recorder, and watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SCREAMING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just want off the plane. Please sedate her. (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: Actually, that report came in from a CNN I-news reporter, an I-news reporter that would know to hold up a video phone.
The flight attendant reportedly then had to be restrained by passengers and other crew members.
Sheryl, can you imagine being on that flight?
(LAUGHTER)
SHERYL LEE RALPH, ACTRESS & SINGER: You know what? When I first heard it, I said to myself, obviously, I think right away somebody hasn`t had their medication. OK? Or --
PINSKY: Or too much. Too much of something. Too much of somebody`s medication.
RALPH: Or at the very least, this person is upset about what`s going on within their company and they have reached a breaking point. She lost it.
PINSKY: There was that guy that jumped off the plane -- remember the guy that got on the P.A., jumped off the plane.
RALPH: That`s right.
(CROSSTALK)
PINSKY: Right. Do you have inside info about this, Dylan?
DYLAN HOWARD, SR. EXEC. EDITOR, RADARONLINE.COM: He was lauded as being an absolute superstar. People said that he did the right thing, fed up finally with the passengers. I`ve got to say, what we don`t know is what predicated this. If this woman was giving the announcement to the passengers and somebody was talking when she was giving a safety talk. Well, I don`t blame her for getting a little agitated.
(CROSSTALK)
HOWARD: Perhaps, perhaps --
PINSKY: She was an American hero.
RALPH: She was going absolutely bananas. She was shrill. When they say she was railing, she was -- listen to that.
HOWARD: Is this American Airlines?
PINSKY: This was American Airlines.
HOWARD: I flew American Airlines recently and the air hostess or hostesses were complaining about their work conditions. So maybe she`s fed up with her employer.
RALPH: That could be it.
PINSKY: But again, Mark, I go out to you. The flight attendant that became sort of a -- what we call a folk hero for having been fed up, I`ve had enough, I`m going to speak out, speak my mind, he at least seemed sane when he did it though he did something insane. This woman is doing something insane and seems insane and it scared people, right?
MARK EIGLARSH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Right. No, my first reaction was this is hilarious. And then, I thought about the people on the flight, me being on the flight, I`d be petrified. So, then I moved to, I`m scared. And then, finally, I moved to compassion, because no one in their right mind would behave this way.
When I read they`re alleging she had a reaction to her medication, I said, there`s got to be something to this.
PINSKY: Yes. Let me tell you what`s to this. It`s more than the medication, I promise. It would be a hell of a lot of medication and be medication, maybe she was taking illicitly.
But whatever it is, let`s be fair. This is somebody who`s real in trouble psychiatrically and was taken to a hospital appropriately -- Dylan.
HOWARD: And so was another hostess taken to the hospital who intervened to try to stop her and became physically assaulted in the confrontation.
PINSKY: I mean, I don`t know about you guys. When I fly, I`m ready to fly out of my seat and help out. I really am.
HOWARD: I`m not.
PINSKY: You`re not.
HOWARD: I`m on the exit row and do not want to be disturbed.
PINSKY: So, you were the guy blowing up the chute and headed up --
HOWARD: Absolutely.
(LAUGHTER)
HOWARD: You said he was normal. He cracked open a beer before he went down the chute. That`s normal.
PINSKY: I said he seemed normal. He did something insane, but at least people could sort of relate to --
PINSKY: He had a beer to soothe his throat.
RALPH: I feel sorry for this woman that she reached that point. Some folks immediately thought it was funny. I think we have an issue with mental illness in this country that we don`t want to deal with.
PINSKY: Yes.
RALPH: And there are a lot of people right now under a great deal of stress and they are trying to hold on, but some of them are just not holding on, and when that brain gets broken, that is a moment when we all need to pay attention, because in times like these, it could be any one of us.
PINSKY: No, that is absolutely true. We`re having a little fun with this, but the fact is this is serious mental illness, we`re hearing about here.
Mark, one last question to you is: people traumatized or maybe even injured subduing this woman, do they have any kind of legal remedies?
EIGLARSH: In theory I don`t see it going anywhere. I think that people recognized right away that this was a woman who was disturbed.
PINSKY: All right. Also in the news, this Sunday night, an Oprah exclusive -- Whitney Houston`s family, including 19-year-old Bobbi Kristina, they are breaking their silence for the first time since the pop icon`s death.
Now, Sheryl, many people say it is too soon for Bobbi Kristina to speak publicly about this. Do you think so?
RALPH: You know, for us, it would probably be too soon. I know if it were me, it would be too soon. But then again, it was Oprah who did come calling. And maybe it was a wonderful opportunity to finally just get it all out with Oprah.
But still, I can only imagine how raw Bobbi Kristina must feel.
PINSKY: Do you think Oprah`s pushing it for -- who could say no to Oprah, is what I`m saying. Is Oprah maybe out of line a bit by calling it out this soon? Dylan?
HOWARD: Well, I don`t know. Inevitably when I see something like this in a network ponying up, I believe that there is financial inducement here for her to talk. I`m in the industry. I know people don`t necessarily do things without getting paid, especially a story of this landmark.
And let`s face it, Bobbi Kristina probably needs the money. But at the same time, we saw Dionne Warwick speak to ABC News this week. So, clearly, behind the scenes, there has been some form of decision made where it`s time to address the questions from the public.
PINSKY: Now, Dylan -- go ahead.
RALPH: I`m sorry. We all -- when you say to me she probably needs the money, we all hear that she`s going to inherit millions and millions of dollars.
PINSKY: That`s what I want to get into. Yes. Nancy grace last night dedicated her entire show to talking about this will that Bobbi Kristina was going to get, inherit all this. And you`re saying what she`s inheriting is bupkis.
HOWARD: Well, in income and expense declaration, it was filed with the court in 2007 and only became public today reveals some startling details. And I want to quote from that. That Whitney Houston had a life insurance policy worth only $300,000 in 2007. More concerning, though, she had $29,000 in her checking account. That`s all, $29,000.
But more alarmingly, debts in excess of $4 million. She had assets but still had to pay on the assets, and a huge debt. That means Bobbi Kristina is almost certainly going to inherit that legacy.
PINSKY: Which is debt. She`s going to get only debt.
Mark, I`m going to go to you. Are there -- does this make sense to you? I actually saw some legal documents that were made public at the end of Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston`s marriage, the divorce, where the same thing was there. She had a house. It was sort of upside down. She had a bunch of debt in the house.
She had $100,000 in cars and $300,000 life insurance policy. And that was it. It seems like her situation has not improved.
What`s going to happen to her daughter?
EIGLARSH: Well, they say that stars are often worth more when they pass. In this case, her sales are hot right now. And so, I expect that her daughter will be able to generate some funds from her continued album sales and tribute movies and things that they`re going to be doing.
PINSKY: But, Sheryl, is it possible that whatever -- Dylan, I`ll ask you the same question -- is it possible that whatever had funds not heading Whitney`s way are going to continue to move away from her estate and maybe Bobbi Kristina will see none of this?
RALPH: You know, when I look at it, the whole thing is frightening to me, because we were talking some time ago about who did not have her back.
PINSKY: Whitney`s.
RALPH: Who did not have Whitney`s back, for real? Because when we look at this and we start talking about the millions that are absolutely gone, I don`t think she did those millions in drugs and alcohol.
PINSKY: No way.
RALPH: Something else -- it`s -- this is awful. And she didn`t write songs. So it`s not like Michael Jackson, the songs that she wrote are going to make more money for her children. She sang other people -- exactly. That`s a whole other thing.
PINSKY: I am gobsmacked.
HOWARD: I am gobsmacked, too, Dr. Drew. And for those that watch the show regularly know that gobsmacked is the word I like to use.
But to give you an idea, she will inherit the royalties. She will inherit the royalty. But the money goes to the publisher. That is the music publisher who will inherit the money as a result of the sales. To think that Whitney Houston sold over 170 million records and had this amount of debt in her name.
And to give you an idea, that house that Bobbi Kristina is living in in Atlanta, $1.24 million it`s worth. In 2007, Whitney Houston owed $1.46 million on it.
PINSKY: It`s upside down.
RALPH: Wow, it was worth a lot more to begin with.
HOWARD: The New Jersey house was worth a lot more. She had debt on that $6.5 million that was worth and she owed over $3.2 million.
PINSKY: Guys, I got to take a break. This is ending up being a sad story.
We`ll be reporting on that interview at the beginning of the week. But, first, next, before he was a school teacher, this gentleman was a porn actor. School found them out, fired him. But, now, he`s getting his job back.
Also, pop star Rihanna, she apparently goes topless to raise awareness about an African warlord.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PINSKY: And welcome back. Pop singer Rihanna is turning heads with a burst of celebrity activism. She tweeted a topless picture of herself to raise awareness about African warlord Joseph Kony and his alleged crimes against children.
It`s widely reported that over two decades, Kony had been kidnapping children into his rebel group and making the girls sex slaves and the boys child soldiers.
Mike Catherwood joins us. He is my co-host from "Love Line."
Mike, Rihanna is getting her message out by taking her top off. Good move? It`s a good move?
MIKE CATHERWOOD, DR. DREW`S "LOVELINE" CO-HOST: I support that fully. I support that fully.
PINSKY: That`s it? End of topic?
CATHERWOOD: That`s all we need -- atrocities are terrible. No one likes what Joseph Kony has done in his life. If it gets Rihanna to take her top off -- I mean, really, weigh that on a scale.
PINSKY: Sheryl weighs in.
RALPH: Look, I`m telling you we all know that sex sells. There are a lot of folks who want to buy into the sex fantasy of seeing Rihanna topless.
PINSKY: If it means, if it does something good like this. Is -- I`ve heard various mixed stories about Kony, though. Is it for real?
CATHERWOOD: I don`t think there`s debate whether or not it`s real.
PINSKY: They`re saying it`s overstated. I mean -- my question to anybody who takes issue at this Kony thing that`s taking off on the Internet, is could it be harmful? No, it could only do good, right, to raise awareness about this?
CATHERWOOD: Sure. What I think it does, this entire recent movement exposes how much the Internet can be a sheep-herding mechanism. For instance, Dr. Drew, on our radio show, "Love Line," we have a responsibility to take calls regarding sex, relationships and addiction.
PINSKY: Yes.
CATHERWOOD: Hundreds of people, literally hundreds of people put up on our Facebook page, you must talk about Kony tonight, it`s your job, it`s our responsibility. And now, our Facebook page is deluged with Kony stuff. It`s really not our responsibility. It takes away from our ability --
PINSKY: We talk about it on HLN.
RALPH: The hard part about that, I dare say a lot of folks don`t even know what the whole Kony thing is going on. A lot of them think that it has been -- it happened last weekend. It did not happen --
PINSKY: Two decades, right?
RALPH: Exactly. This has --
CATHERWOOD: Imagine everybody in Africa was tweeting right now, you got to get out to Los Angeles and take -- there`s a sports star who killed his wife and got away with it. You won`t believe it. You won`t believe what happened. This guy murdered his wife, bloody glove and got away with it.
PINSKY: Let me stay with the Rihanna story. Her father, Ronald Fenty, was also in the news this week. In a recent interview, he gave to "Heat" magazine. He`s forgiving of the fact that Chris Brown physically abused his daughter.
Here`s what he says. Quote, "Chris is a nice guy and everybody is entitled to make mistakes in their life. God knows how many I`ve made."
RALPH: That`s interesting.
PINSKY: Dylan, is he telling us something?
HOWARD: In that same interview, he also said Rihanna is fat.
PINSKY: I got that quote. Let`s go right to that quote right now.
HOWARD: That he`s delusional.
PINSKY: She`s the size of this pen. She`s tiny.
(CROSSTALK)
PINSKY: I saw her at the MTV music video awards.
HOWARD: She was never fat. Are you saying she was fat?
RALPH: OK. I`m not saying she was fat. Her father with his West Indian self is probably thinking my daughter was a little bit chubby back then.
PINSKY: OK. Here`s what he said, I actually thought she was a little fat the last time I saw her. When I saw her at this week`s Grammys, "I thought she was back to her normal size. I used to joke with her, `Robyn, you`re getting too fat,` but I think she`s fine."
HOWARD: Thank, dad.
RALPH: Dad, you`re talking about this whole West Indian thing here. When the dad says, you know, they made a few mistakes, their daddy beat you, your husband beat you, take that problem back home. Don`t bring it here.
It`s a family problem. If he beat you. You`re all right. Get home, go back to work.
PINSKY: It`s a family problem. Let me for my viewers` sake, when that happens in the home people get attracted to kinds of people that re- enact that stuff again.
RALPH: That`s right.
PINSKY: Dylan?
HOWARD: What I`m saying is if the dad thinks that she`s fat, he`s clearly delusional. If he thinks Chris Brown is a great guy, he`s delusional. He`s not alone. People in Rihanna`s family aren`t speaking openly. We spoke to somebody who was her nanny, if you like, when she was growing up.
They think Chris is a wonderful guy and she should, indeed, get back with him romantically if he`s not already. I think it sends the wrong message to society, to an adoring public --
PINSKY: Dylan, we often give passes to men that mistreat women. That I think has got to stop.
But I`ve got another topic. Public school and pornography, what happens when they overlap?
Well, one teacher out of Oxnard, California, found out this week when she was put on administrative leave after school officials saw an online pornographic movie she allegedly participated.
So, now, we got a woman involved on this stuff. Her contract apparently doesn`t have a morality clause, or moral turpitude clause. But according to California`s education code, she should be fired. She might want to contact the teacher by the name of Sean Lauftus (ph). I think that`s how to pronounce his name.
He`s a former porn star who began substitute teach in Miami. Administrators found out about his previous career and revoked his license. This morning, Sean pled his case in front of the Florida education commission. He won back his license. Not the outcome he actually expected.
You`re seeing him right there. I`m going to skip the tape.
Mark, what do you think about this case?
EIGLARSH: Let me just say this. It`s a personal feeling. I know people are very judgmental about this. I think a porn star is nothing more than, these days, someone who`s doing what other people are doing but in front of a camera, quite frankly.
My question is, are these good teachers? If they are, then what they`ve tone in the past has no bearing on my offspring at all. So I`m fine with it.
PINSKY: Mark, Mark, that`s a pretty -- heads at the table are shaking. They don`t believe you. It`s a little aggressive.
EIGHLARSH: Really?
PINSKY: Not saying there`s any association here, but I mean, people - - you know what I`m saying?
EIGLARSH: What, what? What? What does it have --
PINSKY: I met with this kid -- I met with him. He was on the show. He talked about recovering. I think people should get a second chance. I`m with you.
But they`ve got to show willingness to change. Not everyone that does things that are not so good change.
EIGLARSH: Change what? Hold on, hold on. Maybe you can help me.
PINSKY: I`m holding on.
EIGLARSH: Some guy 20 years ago stars in "Forest Hump" and now he`s teaching my kids. What does that have to do with anything?
RALPH: Oh my gosh.
HOWARD: I tell you what it has to do with it, Mark. In a local TV interview, he said, quote/unquote, "He felt his past in porn could be good in the classroom," because he`d be able to teach the kids something. What? What?
EIGLARSH: Well, if he`s teaching them how to -- listen --
PINSKY: Guys, I got to wrap it up. I`m holding on one second, Mark. I get your point.
We`ve got to take a break. Thank you to my panel. We`re continuing this. Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PINSKY: Welcome back. Reminder that we are live with our panel.
Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh found himself on the hot seat last week. During his radio program, he called Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a slut, after she had testified in front of a congressional committee about why her Catholic university health insurance should be allowed to cover contraceptive costs.
Limbaugh then put out a statement of apology. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Susan Fluke, who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex, what does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My choice of words was not the best. In an attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting words choices.
SANDRA FLUKE, GEORGETOWN LAW STUDENT: I don`t think a statement like this issued saying that his choice of words was not the best changes anything, and especially when that statement is issued when he`s under significant pressure from his sponsors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: Whether Fluke`s reaction had an impact on Rush Limbaugh or not, he apologized again, this time he apologized on the air. I want to skip that. We`ve got limited time here.
So now, this is what I want to report on. Famed attorney Gloria Allred has thrown herself into the mix. She sent a letter to the Palm Beach County attorney`s office yesterday.
Dylan, did you know this?
HOWARD: Yes.
PINSKY: OK. I`m going to explain it to my viewers.
Asking prosecutors consider a charge -- this is awesome -- under a law from 1883. Making it a misdemeanor, I think it was actually a higher charge than that, to question a woman`s chastity.
Mark, you were a Florida defense attorney. Is this going to go anywhere?
EIGLARSH: Absolutely not. The First Amendment gives wide discretion to be outrageous and offensive. You want to talk about -- Gloria, you want to go back and start prosecuting cases that are on the books, laws from the 1800s, let me just start with sex between adults involving man kissing the woman`s breast is unlawful. Missionary position is the only lawful position in Florida. Still on the books.
These are the -- a woman cannot sing in a bathing suit in public.
So, you want to start bringing out prosecutors --
PINSKY: Can`t sing in a bathing suit.
OK. What I learned from you, Mark, is that Sheryl ain`t going to Florida. Mike sure ain`t going to Florida.
CATHERWOOD: Boring down there.
RALPH: Oh, my God.
PINSKY: Anything of the story we don`t know, Dylan?
HOWARD: The house of cards is truly crumbling for Rush Limbaugh -- 76 out of 88 advertisers on yesterday`s program were public service announcements, free, because every other brand pulled their ads out of these programs. The seven that were still there are in the process of pulling their ads.
RALPH: Stop right now. Thank you.
HOWARD: A public statement for something that was outrageous.
RALPH: That`s a good thing.
PINSKY: Mike, we`re from radio. Is he too big to fail?
CATHERWOOD: No, he`s not. Certainly not in this day and age in radio, the way things are going with the Internet, and everything getting diluted with all the media sources and access nowadays, I don`t think anybody is too big to fail.
RALPH: Well, he set Women`s History Month off with a bang. You know what I`m saying? I said to myself, this is very interesting. He`s got a problem with this woman asking for birth control, but he`s got no problem going out there singing, viva Viagra, Rush Limbaugh. I bet you Cialis, too.
PINSKY: I`m just saying, here`s to Women`s History Month.
RALPH: Thank you.
PINSKY: All right. Women`s History Month, and by the way, yes, that`s what I`m saying.
A lot of the stories tonight have been taking aim at women I`m going to get into that a bit. I have to go.
(CROSSTALK)
PINSKY: Thank you, Sheryl. Thank you, Dylan, Mark.
Next up, your questions about sex, kids and life.
And later, the cinnamon stunt. I`m offering challenges but not this one. Diane Huntsville (ph) is going to ring in.
Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY (voice-over): A spoonful of sugar may help the medicine go down, but a spoon full of cinnamon makes a medical emergency. It`s an old stunt finding a renewed life on the internet. Teenagers swallowing cinnamon and landing in real trouble. Stupid human tricks do not stop with the spice rack. There`s owling, vodka eyeballing, and of course, planking.
Are your kids doing it? Only a jack ass would give them a try, so I`m bringing in "Jackass" host, Johnny Knoxville. He might be the guy your kids get some of these ideas from.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get away! Get away!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just want off the plane. Please sedate her (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY (on-camera): That`s right. Before we get into planking and cinnamon, we`re getting a lot of comment from you about that flight attendant who you just saw there who lost control with the public address system. Here`s what you have to say about it.
Kathryn on Facebook writes, "Why is everyone assuming she`s nuts? Perhaps, she noticed something vitally important to the safety of the plane and couldn`t get the pilot to listen or do anything about it." I hope you heard what we`ve heard, that -- I mean, she -- this was not somebody -- no.
Karen writes, "I don`t fly anymore. If the train can`t go there, I don`t go there. I`m not that much in a rush. The train is expensive. Peace of mind and no security lines make it worthwhile." I think you`re not alone with that.
Also finally Jessica on Facebook says, "If it was a reaction to medication, what kind of meds is this chick on?" OK. Oh, Diane, another one, "If I were a passenger, she would have gotten taken down immediately. I wouldn`t deal with that crap ever." Yes, what can I say?
I mean, first of all, listen, we`re having a little fun with this. Couple things. Not funny to say anything out of line on a plane, particularly, if it`s in the air. I`m just glad this didn`t happen in the air. That would have been a disaster. And two, honestly, this woman clearly has severe mental health issues.
Whether it -- by the way, even medical -- there are medical problems that can manifest this way, too. I mean, she`s hospitalized. We`ll hear what really happened in the future.
Rhonda is on the phone in Pennsylvania. What`s going on there, Rhonda?
RHONDA, PENNSYLVANIA: Hi, Dr. Drew.
PINSKY: Hi, Rhonda.
RHONDA: Hi. I watched the entire show last night.
PINSKY: Thank you.
RHONDA: Yours and the show you were talking about.
PINSKY: The "GCB" show.
RHONDA: Yes. I found it highly entertaining, hilarious, and insightful.
PINSKY: The "GCB" show?
RHONDA: Yes.
PINSKY: So, I guess, we had Ted Baehr on last night who is from an organization that took issue, as religious organization, that it was somehow demeaning religion and being -- what was the word he used -- bigoted towards religion. He said it was taking an entire group and making these characters represent the entire group. They don`t, do they? It`s clear they don`t.
RHONDA: They don`t.
PINSKY: Yes.
RHONDA: Actually, they took swipes at -- I through the show, I heard them knocking people from Texas, liberals, gays, exercise, AA. You know, there was everything in there. From my perspective, it illuminated just another tendency which is hypocrisy.
PINSKY: Well, Rhonda, I got to tell you, I agree with you. I think comedy is meant -- it`s supposed to be smart, and it`s meant to illuminate. And if we shrink away from satire, I think, I think our rights are being infringed upon at that point as is our ability to think for ourselves. Thank you for that call. I`ve got Missy in Indiana on the line. What`s up there, Missy?
MISSY, INDIANA: Hi, Dr. Drew.
PINSKY: Hey, Missy, what`s up?
MISSY: I was married to someone I believed to be a narcissist.
PINSKY: Oh, yes.
MISSY: He`s a pathological liar, manipulative --
PINSKY: Slow down. Sounds like a good time, though. Let`s start. Narcissist -- let me just start with that. Narcissism is something the people -- it`s a term people throw around, but somebody who`s truly a narcissist actually -- the two hallmarks are they feel very empty on the inside. They`re usually severely injured as a child emotionally.
And they need the world to keep them pumped up, and they start thinking that they are what the world tells them they are, and they tend to lose the capacity for empathy.
Their biggest liability, they don`t identify with other people`s feelings. They don`t empathize with others. And in your case, I guess, he went so far to be a cheater and act in ways that really was hurtful to you, right?
MISSY: Correct.
PINSKY: OK. So, What`s happening?
MISSY: In the aftermath, I`m suffering from severe depression and exhibit many symptoms of posttraumatic stress --
PINSKY: You sound like you`re almost crying tonight.
MISSY: Oh, no. I just got a cold.
PINSKY: OK.
MISSY: People say just get over it. It`s overtaking my life. Do you have advice for me?
PINSKY: Well, oh, Missy, listen, are you in treatment of any kind?
MISSY: I take Zoloft --
PINSKY: No, no, not that kind of treatment. I mean, I`m not saying don`t take that. That might be helpful for the PTSD and the depression, obviously. But, listen, you`ve been severely injured by a relationship.
And the way you get through that and regain the capacity to feel whole again and regulate your emotions is through another relationship, a therapeutic relationship, a healthy relationship, either in a group setting, where it`s highly controlled by a professional, or with a therapist. Can you do that? That`s really important.
MISSY: Yes.
PINSKY: You can`t --
MISSY: I can do that.
PINSKY: Yes. I mean, this is not an intellectual process. You can`t convince yourself out of this. You`ve had an injury. And that injury has to be worked through with somebody who`s got a scalpel, their ability to build the relationship back so you can feel whole again, OK?
MISSY: OK.
PINSKY: All right. My dear, good luck.
Got a Facebook from Bobbie. She or he says, "Dr. Drew, I`ve been sober for ten years. Last year, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Is it possible I could have had a mental disorder as a child which went undiagnosed then at the age of 13 started to medicate due to my disorder?"
This is what every addict wishes for, if I can just explain why I use, then I won`t use anymore. No. The fact is that when you have addiction, that is a separate problem that gets triggered for many reasons. Maybe just because you`re partying, maybe you`re a truck driver and take speed or maybe you have depression and you start -- the most common reason is unregulated emotions.
That`s in my world, the most common reason. Now, where do unregulated emotions come from that you can`t tolerate? Childhood trauma. That`s the most common reason. And yes, depression can be a feature of all that. And later on, of course, once you`ve been doing drugs for a long time, you could injure your brain and that can cause the depression down the line.
So, that may be why you`re having depression now. But the fact is, whether it was there or not, treating it -- it certainly wouldn`t help you with your addiction now.
That has a separate treatment. Addiction has a separate treatment. And then, Depression has a separate treatment. And again, be careful that depression may be from some sort of trauma, because that`s usually what happens in drug addicts.
Kim in Oregon. You have a quick question. I`ve got less than a minute.
KIM, OREGON: Hi. My friend of mine recently had a mammogram, and it wasn`t her first, but it was really painful where she almost walked out, had bruising, and severe pain for several hours afterwards.
PINSKY: Kim, please, don`t let stories like that, and anybody else listening right now, don`t let stories like that prevent you from getting a proper screening. It can be a little uncomfortable. People do complain about it. There are ultrasounds, there are MRIs, there are other ways to screen for breast cancer if, indeed, you have some intolerable discomfort. But please, please, don`t let a story like that -- still get your colonoscopies as well.
I mean, this is how we prevent cancer today. We get it early enough that we can cure it. So, mammograms, colonoscopies, cholesterol screenings, see your doctor on a regular basis. And by the way, don`t ever say to yourself, I don`t have problems with that. I have no lumps. I have no problems with my bowel system.
So, I don`t need to get screened for these things. No, yes, you do. You have to get screening because there are no symptoms. That`s why we do the screening to prevent these things from hurting people.
All right. Got to take a break again. Thanks to all of you for writing and calling in.
Next up, we`re going to talk about the cinnamon challenge. You saw that in the video footage heading into the segment. It`s crazy. We`re going to talk about the crazy things people do, and we`re going to have a little visit from Johnny Knoxville. So, stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PINSKY: Just a reminder that we are live. Now, you would think that the cinnamon game is your typical, ridiculous frat boy challenge. That`s been around for as long as stunts like trying to chug a gallon of milk or eating saltine cracker without water. But all of a sudden, the cinnamon challenge has a found a renewed life.
There`s been a surge of thousands of teens posting videos to YouTube, and they don`t seem to realize how dangerous it can be. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three you go. Swallow it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do it. Are you ready? Ready, go.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED KID: Just do it. Just eat it without spitting it out, OK? Just eat it, OK? Just swallow it. Swallow it. No, no. Come on, you can do it. You can do it. You`ll be like the smallest person ever to do it. You do it? You do it? Did he do it?
UNIDENTIFIED KID: He did it, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED KID: Did you do it? Yes or no?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PINSKY: Wow! The cinnamon does not dissolve in liquid. The powder can get into your lungs. I want to show you something, a quick demonstration here. This is the cinnamon, obviously, right here and this is a tablespoon, right, Psycho Mike?
MIKE CATHERWOOD, DR. DREW`S "LOVELINE" co-host: Yes.
PINSKY: And if you put it in water, you see how it stays clumped. It doesn`t -- this is -- there you`re able to see it there. It doesn`t dissolve. Well, it dissolves a little bit but tends to stay kind of clumped.
So, that`s what people are putting into their mouth. There`s no question, teens do dumb stuff, planking, owling, ingesting things they shouldn`t. Question is why? Are they just trying to be YouTube stars? Is that now what`s motivating to do this more? Here with me to discuss this are two people who`ve actually tried this. My "Loveline" co-host, Mike Catherwood is back. He completed the challenge.
CATHERWOOD: That`s right. Champion.
PINSKY: Also, Kristin Klingshirn, she is star of "The Bert Show" on Q100 Atlanta. And also joining me by phone, the king of stunts, Johnny Knoxville. Hey, Johnny, thanks for joining us. Obviously, we`ve seen you do lots of stuff. Have you ever done the cinnamon challenge?
VOICE OF JOHNNY KNOXVILLE, STAR, "JACKASS": No, but we had Dave England do it with flour on the "Jackass" TV show. And he -- no, I think Dave England had Aaron do it. And since he about choked to death, we decided not to air it.
PINSKY: Wait, hold on a second, you had a near death experience with one of the "Jackass" guys and you backed off?
KNOXVILLE: I -- I don`t know if it was near death, but he was really choking. We thought we should not air that because it seems really imitatable.
PINSKY: I`ve seen you nearly killed by a bull. I`ve seen Steve-O. fall off into a hot fire and nearly get burned to death. But the cinnamon challenge is the thing -- the flour challenge is the thing that turned you back?
KNOXVILLE: Well, because flour and cinnamon are readily available right at your house. No one can run out in their backyard and get a bull or dive in with sharks.
PINSKY: There is that. Now, Mike, you actually tried this. You completed it. I want to show the video where Mike actually completes the challenge. Can we check that out? Let`s just show it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cinnamon challenge on the Kevin and Me show. All right. He has tilted his head back and he`s got a mouthful of cinnamon. I didn`t even finish. What? Are you done?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he`s getting there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re going to do it. Wow! You`re going to get a lot of dates out of this.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He did it! Are you kidding --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unbelievable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: And mike, you did it in like 24 seconds.
CATHERWOOD: I did. I think I`m one of the world record holders, because that time was the first time I did it. It was a little over a minute. Then people sent me videos of them doing it quicker. So, I had to step up my game, Dr. Drew.
PINSKY: Now, Kristin, you did it, was it this morning you did it?
KRISTIN KLINGSHIRN, "THE BERT SHOW" Q100 ATLANTA: Oh. No, this was actually several years ago at my previous morning show, "Bob and the Showgram." And I failed miserably.
(LAUGHTER)
PINSKY: And can you testify to how caustic it is to the mouth? You know what I mean? And how easy it would be to inhale this thing?
KLINGSHIRN: Absolutely, because you kind of you get caught up in it and you start to laugh at yourself as soon as you see this plume of cinnamon come out, which means then you`re inhaling the cinnamon, and I inhaled it and could feel it burning my lungs.
PINSKY: Here it is.
KLINGSHIRN: Yes, this is -- there`s the plume. Yes. The big plume of cinnamon. It was -- yes, and the guys are loving it, and they`re laughing, which makes you laugh, which means you`re ingesting it even more. And then, it induces vomiting. I couldn`t stop throwing up. I had to go to the urgent treatment center, get a shot of Benadryl, cortisone, phenergan. It was a nightmare. I failed.
PINSKY: His joy is immense. Somehow, your pain has created immense joy in my partner.
(CROSSTALK)
CATHERWOOD: I had an unfair advantage. My lungs and mouth have been burned away from napalm back in -- Dr. Drew.
KNOXVILLE: Yes.
PINSKY: Oh, Johnny says yes. Same thing for you, Johnny?
KNOXVILLE: Oh, yes, yes, in the bush.
(LAUGHTER)
PINSKY: Johnny, do you -- do you have -- a serious question, to sort of change here a little bit. Do you guys have concerns about people imitating the stuff that you guys do?
KNOXVILLE: Absolutely. And that`s been a concern since the start. And we will nix bits before the studio or, you know, the network -- of course, they have their standards as well, but we`re very conscious of it, and we`ve done it many times. We did it with the flour bit. We did it with a bit where we had judo Jean Labelle (ph) combined and choke out the whole cast.
It was funny to us, but we thought little kids wouldn`t know how to choke other person out. And we decided not to air that in the first movie.
PINSKY: Right. And we`re watching -- we`re actually looking at stills of you guys in "Jackass." And the choking games are actually amongst the most dangerous. One of the things I was going to include in the story tonight was an interview with someone who actually lost a child, because, you know, they do -- remember you did it once, Johnny, somebody hold Steve-O from behind and real tight after he`d been hyperventilating? Remember this and he went unconscious?
KNOXVILLE: Yes. If you cut off the blood supply to the neck. Yes. But people don`t -- they`ll cut off the wind supply because they don`t know how to do it, and it`s just too dangerous.
PINSKY: Choking somebody else is too dangerous. I never thought I`d hear that from Johnny Knoxville.
CATHERWOOD: A lot of people don`t know, but Mr. Knoxville is very responsible.
KNOXVILLE: Very responsible with my stupidity.
PINSKY: So, Kristin, I`m going to go back out to you. In doing this said act, how long ago was it now?
KLINGSHIRN: This was like two or three years ago. Two or three years ago.
PINSKY: Now, it seems to me that being a part of morning radio, just like being in the "Jackass" organization has a sort of a liability, right?
KLINGSHIRN: Very.
(LAUGHTER)
KLINGSHIRN: You know what you`re getting yourself into for sure.
PINSKY: Are you still -- are you being encouraged to do things that could potentially be interpreted as dangerous still in your morning show presently in Atlanta?
KLINGSHIRN: No. `The Bert Show" is a little different than "Bob and the Showgram." And so, we don`t -- I haven`t been asked to do any kind of crazy stunts like that. But, you know, I just wanted to be one of the guys and I could hang in there with them most the time with the best of them.
In this case, they all -- I had to do this first and they saw me fail miserably, and none of the guys on the show did it, by the way. They decided --
PINSKY: But Kristin, you said the magic words. And, this is something I want to address. And I`m glad it`s Mike and Knoxville here with me on this. Being -- there`s no reason on earth anyone should want to be one of the guys.
Men, particularly, at the age you`re talking about, can do horrible things, can think horrible things, can engage in all kinds of activities that they regret later in their life. Please don`t, don`t go down to their level. Mike, back me up on this.
CATHERWOOD: I agree. Don`t bring yourself down to our level, but I have to ask a professional question. Do all people in radio look like you in Atlanta? Because if so, I`m moving.
(LAUGHTER)
KNOXVILLE: Wow!
KLINGSHIRN: Come on down.
KNOXVILLE: Way to go, Mike.
(LAUGHTER)
CATHERWOOD: Thanks, Johnny.
PINSKY: All right, Johnny, thanks again for joining us. Anything we should look for, where we can find you in the near future?
KNOXVILLE: Well, I thank you for having me on. And I just want to say real quick, everyone should know how much you help people. You really help saved Steve-O`s life. And, you know, I just recently contacted you about another friend who was in trouble and you got back to me immediately and gave me so many recommendations. He`s doing good now.
PINSKY: Good to hear.
KNOXVILLE: From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
PINSKY: Johnny, thank you. And I appreciate that. I accept that. But I want people to know that Johnny called me about Steve-O. Mike, you know this story. I told him what to do. He did exactly what I told him to do which no one ever does.
People always kind of make their -- do their own version of what I tell them to do. And because of Johnny`s intervention, Steve-O is alive and doing well today.
Coming up, more with --
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PINSKY: We are back with you live. We`ve been talking about the cinnamon challenge, so-called. Now, it sounds harmless swallowing a spoonful of cinnamon. It`s actually rather dangerous and nearly impossible to do. Mike has, however, been the champion of this.
CATHERWOOD: You said nearly impossible.
PINSKY: You`ve done it.
CATHERWOOD: Right here, buddy.
PINSKY: And Kristin, thank you for staying with us. She is from "The Bert Show" in Atlanta Q100. And during the commercial break there, my friend, Mike, is making arrangements to move down to Atlanta. I don`t know what to say --
KLINGSHIRN: It`s a lovely city.
PINSKY: Maybe hire a security force for you. I think it`s necessary.
CATHERWOOD: You`re a lovely woman. You`re a great American.
KLINGSHIRN: Thank you. Thank you.
PINSKY: We were amazed by how many silly and dangerous teen stunts we found posted online. You have to see this one from YouTube, apparently, of some kids in Russia. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: Yes. Kids do unbelievable things. And what the anthropologists say, just to get a little heady on everybody, what the anthropologists say, particularly males that do this, are sort of signaling that their genetic makeup is somehow worthy or superior of withstanding violent stunts.
Kristin, I know this must be very arousing for you to see these men acting like idiots. Do you read that -- I mean, people -- there are various stories throughout the animal kingdom of animals doing dangerous things as a way of signaling genetic hardiness, let`s say. We had - Mike, before you ring in, I want to ask the woman on the panel what she thinks.
KLINGSHIRN: I was thinking, what does it say about me, because I did the stupid cinnamon stunt? No, I mean, when I was watching this, I was cringing just because women don`t find this attractive. They really don`t. And for a guy to think to do something like that would get a woman`s attention, I hate to tell you.
I mean, congratulations, Mike, on, you know, winning the cinnamon challenge, but it`s not going to do the trick.
(LAUGHTER)
CATHERWOOD: No, it`s all I have, though.
(LAUGHTER)
CATHERWOOD: But say what you want about men. Say what you want about men, Kristin and Dr. Drew, but no boys and two girls one cup (ph).
PINSKY: Oh, Mike.
(CROSSTALK)
PINSKY: Mike, I want to be able to have you back on this show again. I`m just saying, Mike, you can remember being a young male doing stupid stuff, right?
CATHERWOOD: Oh, yes. It is somehow a point of approval from other guys if you can do something more dumb. Right now, someone`s watching this show and they`re playing triangle paper field goal kicking football, in their cubicles doing that. Us, guys, love stupid, worthless games and just holding the trophy, even if it`s imaginary, is very important to us.
PINSKY: Is that a way of establishing prowess over other males or you`re trying to impressing the females?
CATHERWOOD: I think it`s a way of making yourself feel better about yourself even just for just a moment.
PINSKY: Because you attract the attention, the approval from the other males for nearly killing yourself. Yes, that`s the thing that I find most silly about it is that young males will put themselves out there for their male peers even to the point of doing something really dangerous just to get their approval.
CATHERWOOD: Very much --
PINSKY: And of course, we know that`s the same thing for the females as well. Mike, thanks for joining us. Kristin, I really appreciate you being here.
KLINGSHIRN: Thank you.
PINSKY: I`ll come visit my friend, Mike, in Atlanta, in prison probably after he assaults you. I apologize.
(LAUGHTER)
PINSKY: I`m just saying. I`m just saying. And of course, Knoxville, thank you for joining us today as well. Thank you, all. I guess we found also that it`s empowering women`s month.
CATHERWOOD: Yes.
PINSKY: We`re going to get onto that.
CATHERWOOD: Go ladies.
PINSKY: We`re going to report about the interview with Whitney Houston`s family with Oprah after Sunday night. We`ll report that next week. And thank you all for watching. We`ll see you next time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
