Alice In Chains stars Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney have blasted the producers of U.S. reality show CELEBRITY REHAB for taking advantage of former drummer Mike Starr and the mother of their late frontman Layne Staley.
The rockers have saluted Starr's efforts to get clean after years of substance abuse, but were appalled when their former bandmate's rehab stint became part of Thursday night's (18Feb10) VH1 show.
Taped last year (09), the episode featured Starr still struggling to come to terms with the drug-related 2002 death of his friend Staley - and featured an appearance from the late rock star's mother, Nancy MCCallum.
Cantrell recently took aim at the show during a radio interview and now Kinney has spoken out, claiming Celebrity Rehab "exploits people at their lowest point."
He tells ThePulseofRadio.com, "The sad part is this is like entertainment for people when it's actually a life-and-death situation. I don't think it helps anybody and it makes entertainment out of people's possible death, and that's pathetic and it's stupid. So I don't support that show at all and I think it's pretty disgusting."
Cantrell recently told an Atlanta, Georgia radio station, "That particular show... is a real travesty. (It's a) shame to put people in a really vulnerable situation like that and make it entertainment for people to see."
Starr appears in the current season of Dr. Drew Pinsky's TV hit alongside stars like Tom Sizemore, Mindy MCCready and MACkenzie Phillips.