Celebrity Rehab Cast Includes Alcoholic Rodney King

Rodney King is on the new season of Celebrity Rehab. (VH1 Image)"]

Rodney King, made famous for being the victim of a police beating that was the catalyst for the L.A. riots, is not doing so well these days. King joins Gary Busey, model Amber Smith, Jeff Conaway and Tawny Kitaen who are all hooked on opiate painkillers. While King and former American Idol finalist Nikki McKibbin will face their drug and alcohol dependencies; and Rod Stewart's son Sean Stewart and rocker Steven Adler who are both hooked on street drugs, prescription pills and alcohol.

King will most likely be the most interesting cast member, as he has stayed out of the spotlight and made few public appearances. Since the infamous 1992 4-day L.A. riots, which resulted in the deaths of 55 people, King has been arrested for spousal assault, as well as a high-speed, alcohol-related car chase, which ended when King smashed his SUV into a house. In 2007, King was shot via BB gun in the face, arms, back and torso by thieves who were attempting to steal his bike.

King calls his participation on the show and newfound sobriety "a blessing."