Where have these people been hiding?

June 15, 2010 8:18 AM

The show Intervention has been on for a while. How do they still find addicts who do not know they are being filmed for it?

I have been watching for years and wondering how they find people who are willing to be filmed for a show about addiction but still do not see an intervention coming?
I cannot believe they are so out of it they do not know this show is on.

posted by shaarog to Society & Culture (25 answers total)

Many possibilities:

A lot of people don't have cable.

A lot of people aren't that tuned in to pop culture.

People who are probably don't agree to be on the show, but we don't see them.

Maybe some of them are also perverse fame whores willing to play along, although that seems less likely.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 8:25 AM on June 15, 2010

Maybe the addicts are too busy hustling to watch much TV?
posted by fixedgear at 8:25 AM on June 15, 2010

For starters, they're severe drug addicts who are (assumedly) paid for their appearance. When you see them on the show, they're very focused on what's next, if not just immediately in front of them. If, when they sign the agreement, the thought that an intervention may be at the end of it occurred to them, I think the short-term cash reward is clouding that.
posted by mkultra at 8:32 AM on June 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

My response is based off of the fact that my sister is an addict (e.g. addicted to several different drugs and behaviors). That, and I work in the medical research field.

Addictions are diseases. The premise of an addiction is that the person is obsessed/addicted/so involved with the drug/drink/activity of choice that they have total blinders on and cannot see how truly detrimental their own behavior is for themselves. The person is sick and cannot stop, hence the addiction. If seeing the show were to get the addicted person to stop whatever it is that they were addicted to immediately, then it probably wouldn't be an addiction. Oftentimes addicts are so far down whatever particular road that they know they are addicted but are powerless over whatever it is they are addicted to that they may even agree to be filmed.
posted by floweredfish at 8:41 AM on June 15, 2010

Best answer: I don't watch this show, but have a family member who has been dealing with substance issues. Last summer things came to a head, and we had an improptu intervention in a hospital room. We contacted other out of state family members about what was going on. One of the out of state family members happens to be in the entertainment industry, and made some calls. Within a few days I was on the phone with a producer. They were absolutely adamant that the person could NOT know they were going to be on the show, no other real rules came up with regard to "have they seen it/have you seen it."

We ended up not going through with it for a variety of reasons (namely we didn't want to be on the show).

I watched a few episodes shortly after this to see what it was all about, and it was pretty painful to watch. I honestly don't know anyone who watches it, and can't imagine why you would want to if you have seen this in your own life.
posted by Big_B at 8:41 AM on June 15, 2010

For starters, they're severe drug addicts who are (assumedly) paid for their appearance.

Based on my brief experience and small data point above this is not true, however the treatment is paid for.
posted by Big_B at 8:43 AM on June 15, 2010

I've never heard of the show. I am not a drug addict. However, were I an addict I still probably would never have heard of the show.

I cannot believe you are so out of it you do not know that not everyone watches the same shows as you.
posted by komara at 8:44 AM on June 15, 2010

Never underestimate the number of people who haven't heard of a given piece of pop culture. I've never heard of it either. It's like how people continue to sign up for interviews on the Daily Show even after one would assume by this point that everybody knows what the show is and that you're not likely to emerge from the experience unscathed. People still fall for it, time and time again.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 8:52 AM on June 15, 2010

I have seen the show, and I've seen some addicts mumble that they'd seen it when they saw everyone lined up in the room with the therapist for their intervention.
posted by sweetkid at 9:06 AM on June 15, 2010

I recall at least one episode where the addict knew what was going on (the tattoo artist that was addicted to heroin). When his intervention came up, he did one of those, "I fucking knew this" things and ran off -- with the cameras following him the whole time. He seemed to be more highly-functioning than a lot of other people on the show.

Another possibility is that people actually know what's coming and they do want to get better, but it's hard to just swallow your pride and say, "I have a problem." It's much easier to say, "yeah, my family made me go."

And then they sometimes get people who don't think they fall under the show's premise: people with eating disorders, people addicted to drugs that are prescribed for them, stuff like that.
posted by giraffe at 9:20 AM on June 15, 2010

Best answer: Not only have I seen episodes where the subject knows it is an intervention, but also recognized the interventionist. I remember an episode where they looked at Jeff VonVonderan(sp?) and said "I know who you are" with a ton of contempt.
posted by cuando at 9:32 AM on June 15, 2010

Best answer: How do they still find addicts who do not know they are being filmed for it?

Well, setting aside the fact that they are addicts with a questionable grasp on reality ... keep in mind that all reality shows are heavily, heavily edited. It's likely that you're just not seeing all the reactions that don't fit the "story" of the Intervention.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:46 AM on June 15, 2010

Some of the people on that show are so constantly delusional due to their addictions that they probably plain old haven't even seen or heard of the show or don't remember if they have. TV isn't a big part of everyone's life, especially not a hustling and fading out drug addict.
Not to mention, some of the addicts bounce around on peopels couches and live in accomodations where there might not be cable. Cable is also pretty expensive, so if they have their own place, money could be funneled to their addiction rather than cable.
posted by WeekendJen at 10:23 AM on June 15, 2010

Some people might be willing to play along as though they don't know it's for the show Intervention (they tell them it's for a documentary, I think) in order to get free treatment.

But I think a lot of people genuinely haven't heard of the show. I don't have cable - I actually don't have a functioning television right now, I just watch TV online - and I've never come across the show on TV when I did have cable. I have heard of the show and watched a couple episodes online, but only because I was reading/watching everything I could get my hands on related to eating disorders. If I hadn't been doing that, I'm sure I wouldn't have heard of it. I have a couple friends who aren't big on TV and I would be willing to bet haven't heard of it either.
posted by insectosaurus at 10:32 AM on June 15, 2010

Best answer: Speaking as a recovering alcoholic, it's quite easy. In active addiction I am self centered to the point of insanity. I existed only to drink and to further the things I needed to do, and the people I needed to manipulate to place myself in situations where additional use was possible. When presented with an opportunity to be in a "documentary" about addiction. I would either know exactly what was going to happen, and decline/accept depending on the pervasiveness of my inner cry for help, or be so wrapped up in my own addiction I wouldn't care, or care to notice--I can't tell you how many times I've found myself in certain situations, even though the signs were clearly there that a certain consequence was going to happen, just thinking "This doesn't happen to ME!!!" Secondly, being in a documentary about addiction and having someone document your use is the PERFECT excuse for guilt free abuse. My family and significant others were hounding me for years, begging for me to stop, and I could not. Having a TV producer, film crew, etc. following me around and "condoning" my use would be a breath of fresh air, even though it is temporary. It would allow me to freely use and abuse my substance of choice and diminish the guilt and shame I otherwise felt always hiding it from others. Pretty much, they'd exist to cosign my addiction, and even though it would only last a week or a month, it wouldn't matter... because I never thought of life in any continuous stream, just a mad, scared dash from oblivion to oblivion. Also, keep in mind how many people have seen "To catch a predator, and Bait Car, and other "trap 'em" shows... Not to mention being even the slightest acquaintance to Ashton Kutcher.... People get so used to living an ordinary life, that sometimes the out of the ordinary happening seems so impossible... especially so, when you're only living to get high or drunk again...
posted by Debaser626 at 10:33 AM on June 15, 2010 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks for the serious answers. Makes sense that some would know and not care.
Floweredfish: Not saying the show would get an addict to stop. Just wondering why they might not know it was a show that ended in their intervention.
Komara: WTF? "so out of it you do not know that not everyone watches the same shows as you"? It was just a simple question to people who may watch the show. Where do you get that I am out of it for not thinking everyone watches this show? What a rude bastard you are.
posted by shaarog at 12:37 PM on June 15, 2010

shaaroq: I was deliberately misquoting your question's closing statement to emphasize how ludicrous it sounded to me, to hear someone saying, "HOW CAN THERE BE ADDICTS WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING?!" when I've never even heard of this show.

We all have different hobbies, interests, and so forth. When you said "I cannot believe they are so out of it they do not know this show is on" it struck me as funny. I'm a photographer by hobby, and I'm sure there is (or has been, or will be) some television show about photography but I don't know about it. Debaser626's comment really brought home the truth of addiction and how it separates you from reality. A hobby or addiction or pastime or interest doesn't necessarily imply omniscience with regards to every mention of it in the media.

So relax. I was poking fun at your statement. I didn't really mean you were "so out of it." If you want to call me a rude bastard, that's fine. My feelings aren't hurt.
posted by komara at 12:46 PM on June 15, 2010

I watch the show pretty religiously when there are new episodes (which seems to be at really random times of the year). One observation is that they have found a few people recently who know about the show. It's hard to tell if that's just posturing or what but I'm guessing at least a few people who have been on have known that the show exists.

I remember one episode with a girl (Amy?) who was addicted to meth and when her boyfriend started getting pissed at the cameraman, she went off on her boyfriend. She said she wanted to be on a documentary or whatever because she wanted to show people that there's good in everyone, even drug addicts. It was a little heartbreaking.

Also, and this is a trend I've noticed in reality TV in general, not just Intervention, it seems like they're filming more and more episodes in Canada where the specific show might be less popular.

Wow, I watch too much TV.
posted by kat518 at 1:20 PM on June 15, 2010

Response by poster: Komara - my apologies for the bastard comment. Wound a little tight today for other reasons and took it out on you.
posted by shaarog at 1:42 PM on June 15, 2010

I'm not mad at you.
posted by komara at 1:46 PM on June 15, 2010

By which I mean, "Apology accepted and I can easily see how you missed the attempted joke in my first comment."
posted by komara at 1:47 PM on June 15, 2010

I watch the show on occasion, and never noticed that any episodes were filmed in Canada. I'm not saying that your not correct, just that I never noticed it. I'm Canadian by the way, and if you have cable, you will be be able to watch Intervention.

Back to the OP's question, I've often wondered the same thing, and have thought that perhaps they don't tend to watch the show because it reminds them of their bleak situation. It's like putting a mirror up in front of them, and they don't want to look.
posted by cleo at 2:28 PM on June 15, 2010

Recently, the Amy P. (South African immigrant, eating disordered) episode of Intervention was in Canada.

I know someone who looked into it, and she was given information that her family could give the addict - there's a fake (but legitimate) looking website and documentary name that do seem very plausible. (I won't give any more information because I think Intervention provides a valuable service for people who really need treatment (in the form of free treatment).)
posted by quadrilaterals at 5:48 PM on June 15, 2010

Response by poster: Komara - thank you. You are an AMAZING photographer. I love your stuff.
posted by shaarog at 1:21 PM on June 16, 2010

Aw shucks. Thanks!
posted by komara at 2:39 PM on June 16, 2010