Michael Strassner makes sure to watch the first scene of his film The Baltimorons at every screening, because he knows that if the events of that scene went differently, he wouldn't be around to watch them. He and I sit down for a frank and funny conversation about depression, getting sober by the skin of your teeth and finding unexpected laughter in recovery rooms. Plus, learning to love the birds at 4am. Please note: This episode contains descriptions of self-harm. If you don’t want to hear th...
May 06, 2026•47 min
My friend Jeremy Luke did something you’re not supposed to do— two months after getting sober, he got a dog. That dog became his “No. 1 Sidekick” and suddenly Jeremy was a “dog guy,” trading in his bar friends for dog friends. When his dog Boogie died, Jeremy didn’t want to be sober anymore. In this conversation, we talk through the particular grief of losing an animal, especially one that has witnessed a major transformation in your life. If a dog has been part of your recovery, then this episo...
Apr 29, 2026•48 min
Every week, Alex Winter and I have a standing date at the House of Pies in LA. I like what he has to say about creativity, fame, sobriety— you know, all the stuff I’m interested in. Alex was on Broadway as a kid and then blew up when he starred in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. In this conversation, we talk about how child stardom messes with your sense of self and why he had to quit the business to figure out who he was. Since that time, he’s become a prolific documentary and narrative f...
Apr 22, 2026•1 hr
Chris Witaske has "golden retriever" energy and he knows it, but there’s a bullied kid under that fun-loving guy. You probably know Chris as Pete on The Bear, or from those Progressive commercials. We talk about how he grew up drinking cheap beer in cornfields and dreaming of Animal House, only to crash out after a life-altering trip at a Phish concert. We reflect on the rockstars who made it out alive (Trey Anastasio) and those who didn’t (Chris Farley) and the role psychedelics have played in ...
Apr 15, 2026•1 hr 2 min
When Elizabeth Gilbert wrote Eat Pray Love, she described her disordered relationship history using the language of addiction. It wasn’t until years later that she realized that for her, addiction wasn’t only a metaphor. In her new memoir All the Way to the River, Gilbert chronicles the chaos and degradation of her own sex and love addiction and how she finally got clean. The book is messy, and so is Liz. No easy answers here. We talk about the strangeness of entering recovery rooms as the autho...
Apr 08, 2026•1 hr 1 min
My friend Jerry O’Connell says he’s a simple guy. I wholeheartedly disagree. I was frankly surprised that he agreed to come on the show and discuss his recovery, a topic he has never spoken about publicly before, but I’m glad he was willing to get "serious" with me. We also discuss how he’s processing (or not processing) the shock of losing Stand By Me director Rob Reiner, a man who “changed his whole life.” Plus, why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and recovery go together, my ongoing feud with Sha Na Na d...
Apr 01, 2026•1 hr 7 min
When I found out my old colleague Cord Jefferson was writing a TV show about our time together at Gawker, I got pissed. I think I called him an "a**face." I don't feel resentful toward Cord anymore, but I wanted to have him on the show to talk about why that got under my skin. Plus, I wanted to hear how his recent success winning the Oscar for writing American Fiction had impacted his creative life. Together, we inventory our petty resentments and discuss how anger can be both a motivating force...
Mar 25, 2026•1 hr 14 min
Amanda de Cadenet lost control at an early age. As a teenager, she was on TV, married to a rockstar and all over the tabloids, but she had a deep loneliness that she couldn’t face. When she entered recovery, she stepped behind the camera for the first time and discovered the power of her own gaze. Now, as the host of “The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet,” she creates space for some of the world’s best-known people to reveal themselves in surprising ways. Join us for our own conversation abou...
Mar 18, 2026•1 hr
People love to dunk on Joe Buck. They think one of the most accomplished play-by-play guys in the history of sports is robotic, elitist or boring. What you may not realize is that the worst things you've yelled at Joe Buck, he's definitely thought about himself. Together, we talk about the strangeness of being on camera and Joe's relationship with vanity, nepotism and never feeling like "enough." Plus, if you were waiting for us to do a hair plug episode, the wait is over. New episodes release e...
Mar 11, 2026•1 hr 4 min
I never expected that Jenn Sterger would become such a big part of my recovery. Jenn is a comedian and former sports commentator and in 2010, I ruined her life. Since then, Jenn and I have rebuilt our friendship (with the help of a dog) and I’m grateful to her for coming on the show. We talk about public shame, forgiveness and how hard it is to let go of what other people think. New episodes release every Wednesday.
Mar 04, 2026•1 hr 16 min
The Small Bow Podcast with A.J. Daulerio is re-launching on March 4, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday. The Small Bow is a show about expanding the definition of recovery, where A.J. talks to writers, entertainers, recovering addicts, recovering jerks, and even the occasional normal person about how they made it through hard things and got better because of it. Episodes explore addiction and sobriety beyond stereotypes, identity shifts and ego, burnout and grief, car crashes and life de...
Feb 25, 2026•4 min
In this very special episode, Phish's Trey Anastasio talks to us about how his 2006 drug arrest and the court-ordered treatment he received afterward became the catalyst for his second act as both a musician and a human, and also inspired him to open a revolutionary treatment center in Ludlow, Vermont called Divided Sky. Show Notes: The story of Divided Sky Live access to Beacon Jams on November 28, 29, and 30 Trey Anastasio band New Yorker story on Phish The Small Bow...
Nov 20, 2025•1 hr 36 min•Season 3Ep. 24
Oldster Magazine’s Sari Botton talks to us about what she’s learned from her readership, and some of the anxiety she feels about turning 60. Show Notes: Oldster! Sober Oldster! The Small Bow
Oct 10, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 23
Social worker/Interventionist/advocate returns to The Small Bow to talk about Recovery Month, which happens every September, but is still being widely ignored. This is our annual attempt to develop a more effective marketing plan to increase interest in Recovery Month. Show Notes: Why Does No One Care About Recovery Month? Unknown Costs by Wilson Sims Champions of the World The Small Bow Newsletter!...
Sep 26, 2025•58 min•Season 3Ep. 22
After a car accident left her with catastrophic injuries, writer/teacher/poet Molly Johnsen had to physically and mentally recover. Through EMDR and poetry, she found a way out. Show Notes: Everything Alive by Molly Johnsen Hit By a Truck Essay How to Survive The Small Bow Newsletter!...
Sep 11, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 21
After a car accident left her with catastrophic injuries, writer/editor Emma Carmichael had to physically and mentally recover, but mainly she had to learn how to become more durable for when bad things happen in her life. Here's how she did it. Show Notes: Everything Alive by Molly Johnsen Hit By a Truck Essay How to Survive The Small Bow Newsletter!...
Aug 29, 2025•28 min•Season 3Ep. 20
Actor/Writer/Podcaster Sean Clements tells us about his early recovery -- from an uncomfortable amends to his former employer, at a dry cleaners, to odd jobs in Connecticut, to UCB improv classes, Minnie Driver's seal of approval, to becoming a sought-after comedy writer, to elite podcaster. SHOW NOTES: Hollywood Handbook Sean Clements IMDB home page Minnie Driver IMDB home page The Dink Gillian Jacobs, Our Close Friend PLEASE HELP SUPPORT THE SMALL BOW!: GIVE US FIVE STARS ***** ON APPLE * Sign...
Aug 08, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Season 3Ep. 19
Musician and artist Luke Pelletier comes on TSB and tells us about his incredible manic episode when he attempted to prove his love to his girlfriend by spray painting their names on the Hollywood Sign. We hear about his new album that's come out of that experience and the medication and the friends and the art that is keeping him safe and healthy. This one is wild! Show Notes: Musician and artist Luke Pelletier comes on TSB and tells us about his incredible manic episode when he attempted to pr...
Jul 18, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Season 3Ep. 18
Do you like inside baseball? Editor Delia Cai joins TSB to discuss the state of independent media and if a career crisis is even a thing anymore. We get into my own anxiety about The Small Bow's expansion plans. Plus -- a Swamp Dogg giveaway! Show Notes: Deez Links New York Magazine story about Atlantic hiring spree. Puck article about Substack Substack Did Not See That Coming The Small Bow Newsletter! (On Substack for the time being.) Help Support TSB!...
Jul 09, 2025•56 min•Season 3Ep. 16
Writer/author Casey Johsnton returns to the pod to discuss her new book, "A Physical Education." We talk about lifting heavy things, when you know you're hot, counting calories, bad body image, insecurity, walking into a gym for the first time, Jessica Simpson, and so much more. Show Notes: * A Physical Education * " She's a Beast" newsletter * Previous interview with Casey on Really Good Shares * The Small Bow Newsletter! * Help Support TSB!...
Jun 20, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Season 3Ep. 16
New York Times writer and author of "Second Life" Amanda Hess talks to us about motherhood, writing a book, quitting drinking while writing a book, benzos, anxiety, and how to be a steady-seeming parent in the chaotic digital nightmare-verse. Show Notes: * " Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age" * "Sinead O'Connor Remembers Things Differently" * " Amanda Hess: NYT Archive" * The Small Bow Newsletter! * Help Support TSB!...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 5 min
New Yorker writer Amanda Petrusich talks to us about all the complicated and gnarly feelings she's working through since the sudden death of her husband in August 2022. Show Notes: * " The Sad Dads of The National" * "The Enduring Genius of Metallica" * "Nick Cave on The Fragility of Life" * "After Forty Years, Phish Isn't Seeking Resolution" * "Th e National" (TSB Essay)...
May 23, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Last New Year's Eve, Joe Lynskey was headed home from lunch and stepped onto an empty platform at 18th Street and 1st Avenue when he was violently pushed from behind and inches from being hit by a moving subway car. He survived. And his 12 years of recovery from drugs and alcohol are helping him move forward. Show Notes: "He Was Pushed In Front of a Subway Car . How did He Survive?" "NYC Subway Survivor Meets FDNY Who Saved Him" The Small Bow Newsletter! Help Support TSB!...
May 09, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Writer/Novelist Freddie deBoer tells us his experience with bipolar disorder and the six times he entered (or was placed) into a facility. Show Notes: * " Why I Won't Write a Mental Illness Memoir" * Pre-order Freddie's novel "The Mind Reels" * Here's Your Kanye West Cliff Notes The Small Bow Newsletter! Help Support TSB!...
Apr 24, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 11
American Fiction Writer/Director Cord Jefferson returns to the pod to discuss winning at the Oscars, losing the Golden Globes, and how he plans to fill the hole in his soul. Show Notes: American Fiction Stunting Growth w/ Cord Jefferson The Small Bow Newsletter! Help Support TSB!...
Apr 11, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Joey McIntyre from New Kids on the Block tells us all the ways he's kept himself in check throughout his career and dazzles us with his grace and humility. If you like this kinda stuff, maybe you want to sign up to our newsletter . Show Notes: BUY JOE'S NEW ALBUM "FREEDOM "
Mar 28, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Journalist and mental health counselor Jayson Blair tells us all about how his plagiarism scandal at The New York Times gave him the opportunity to get the help he needed – and to help others. Show Notes: CORRECTING THE RECORD KATIE COURIC INTERVIEW WITH JAYSON GOOSE CREEK CONSULTING: JAYSON’S LIFE COACHING...
Mar 14, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Writer and director Cory Reeder shares about his life-long quest for inner peace from a family tragedy that haunted him for more than 30 years. Trigger warning: some graphic content. Show Notes: Cory Reeder
Feb 28, 2025•49 min•Season 3Ep. 7
NYT’s writer and author Kate Conger lets us know how she’s holding up since her once humble beat covering a billionaire troll who builds rockets and purchased Twitter has become much more intense, important, and crazy since he’s become a very active member of the Trump administration. Show Notes: Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter Kate’s recent NYT’s stories...
Feb 14, 2025•50 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Writer Heather Havrilesky comes on to discuss her creative process and how doing super-vulnerable activities like her Zoom singing lessons helps her grow as a person. Sometimes, our greatest joys come from the process, not the results. As the world continues to fail us, we need more joy; we need more process. Show Notes: Ask Polly Columns: “Passion Requires Slow Cultivation” “Reckoning With This Vicious World” Death, Sex, and Money: “The Transcendent Power of Low-Stakes Art”...
Feb 07, 2025•48 min•Season 3Ep. 5
