Preview for Next Week's Episode of "Intervention"

Preview for Next Week's Episode of "Intervention" 1/9/08

INTERVENTION: BEN / JOSH

This first segment of INTERVENTION: BEN is about a 25-year-old man who experienced a childhood rife with domestic violence, homelessness and isolation. As a young child, Ben found comfort in books about history, science and politics and was later tested and found to have an I.Q. of 170. Sadly, Ben never got to reap the benefits of his brilliance, as he found a new way to find comfort when he was in high school – a drug called DXM, which is an ingredient found in over-the-counter cough medications.

A typical day now finds Ben shoplifting, panhandling, and mindlessly roaming the streets going wherever his “trips” might take him. He is nearing the end of a fast downward spiral. His mother’s greatest fears are manifesting before her eyes, and having an intervention for her son is her last great hope to save his life. Interventionist: Jeff VanVoderen.

The next segment of INTERVENTION: JOSH is about a talented 22-year-old singer and the owner of his own karaoke business who is happiest when he's performing on stage. Off-stage, however, it’s a different story. Josh is addicted to food and weighs 550 pounds. From a young age, Josh found relief from his stressful home-life by binge eating. By age 10, he weighed 200 pounds and began high school at 300 pounds.

Now physically unable to work, Josh spends his days in a downward spiral of comfort eating and self-hatred that is taking him further and further from his dream of a career as a performer. But Josh is not the only member of his family who is addicted to food. At 317 pounds Josh’s father Rex has destroyed his health through overeating. Now diabetic and forced to retire after having six strokes, Rex watches helplessly as Josh follows in his footsteps toward an early death. Josh’s mother and two brothers hope that an intervention will be a wake-up call for the whole family to choose health. Interventionist: Ken Seeley.

PREMIERE: January 14 at 9pm/1am ET and PT LENGTH: 1 hour PRODUCED BY: GRB Entertainment for A&E Television Networks

Source: A&E Press Release