The Small Bow Podcast
The Small Bow Podcast is a show about expanding the definition of recovery, hosted by A.J. Daulerio. It features conversations with writers, entertainers, and people in recovery about struggles with love, sex, money, loneliness, shame, grief, drugs, alcohol, ego, identity, fame, and more. The podcast is part of the Small Bow, a newsletter and recovery community started in 2018 chronicling Daulerio's path to sobriety after a public legal ordeal.
Episodes
How To Talk About Death With Famous People | David Marchese
Please Note: This video discusses heavy themes, including suicide and mental health struggles. If you are experiencing distress, please utilize the free, confidential resources below.
United States & Canada: Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
International: Find free, immediate support lines specific to your country at https://findahelpline.com
David Marchese talked to S
“The Ground Hurts” | Hard Lessons with Comedian Nick Thune
From a rehab that burned down to a fall from a second story window, Nick Thune has escaped death many times. He’s found a way to tell his story that makes space for the terror he felt in the depths of addiction and the compassion he now feels for the person he used to be. Nick spins a good yarn, and there’s a lot of those in this episode— featuring broken limbs, petting babies, gang leaders, and m
I Was an Oddball Who Wanted to Be Loved | Rainn Wilson
Rainn Wilson is best-known for his role as Dwight Schrute on The Office and his Soul Boom Podcast. He’s a serious, thoughtful guy who had the strange experience of becoming an international celebrity almost overnight. We talk about how the experience of sudden fame dovetailed with his addiction and how AA and a return to his Bahai faith have helped him to find his footing again. Plus, we discuss h
Jim James on Relinquishing Control and Making Peace with Death
Please Note: This episode discusses heavy themes, including suicide and mental health struggles. If you are experiencing distress, please utilize the free, confidential resources below.
United States & Canada: Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
International: Find free, immediate support lines specific to your country at https://findahelpline.com
If you are in the music
Yassir Lester Doesn’t Want the Phone to Ring
Have you ever jumped when the phone rings? Yassir Lester does it every time. The writer and comedian (Girls, Black Monday, The Carmichael Show) stops by for a conversation about anxiety, success, growing up poor and how to deal with the fear of surprise. Plus, we talk about why quitting drinking made him a better comedian and the fuzzy line between being courageous and being reckless. I could talk
I Spent My Sober Anniversary Avoiding a Video of Perez Hilton | Carey O’Donnell
Carey O’Donnell celebrated 10 years of continuous sobriety on the same day Perez Hilton bloodied himself on TikTok Live. Perfect time to come on this show and talk about anniversaries, celebrities and the gnarlier side of addiction. Carey and I both experienced our darkest moments in New York and this episode is full of those memories: 42 minute train delays, yelling your opinion at book club and
Tough Love Would Have Killed Me | Erin Khar on Parenting in Recovery
This is an episode about parenting and recovery. How do I talk to my kids about my own story? How do I protect them from repeating my mistakes? How do I give them the feeling of safety that I didn’t have when I was young? What do I do if I recognize patterns of behavior in them, that I’ve tried to fix in myself? Erin Khar is a writer and advocate. She’s the author of the memoir Strung Out and the
Tommy Rosen on the Alignment Between Yoga and 12-Step
Sometimes I think I either want to join a cult or start a cult. Tommy Rosen definitely has cult leader charisma, but if you peel back that air of authority, you realize he’s just a guy that’s been seriously kicked around by life and arrived at a place where he wants to help as many people as possible. Tommy is the founder of Recovery 2.0, an organization that hosts Yoga-informed Recovery workshops
How do I stay in the moment when my phone is addictive?
This week, Kathryn Jezer-Morton joins the show to talk about emotional sobriety and the internet. Kathryn writes about digital culture and parenting for many publications, including her fantastic biweekly column for The Cut called “Brooding.” Her new book on social media is called The Story of Your Life. Emotional sobriety is this term that gets used to describe how we manage and regulate difficul
Latex, Throwing Bacon and Bad Corpse Makeup with Anna Holmes
Anna Holmes could walk into any newsroom and immediately run the show. She created and ran Jezebel while I was at Gawker and her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New Yorker and The New York Times, where she formerly wrote the weekly “Work Friend” column for the Sunday Business Section. But as we discuss in this interview, she still struggles with feelings of inadequacy. In this conversati
God Can’t Help You Until You Get Out of the Way
Queen Conny is 96 years old and not afraid to die. She gets angry, she holds onto grudges and she has no tolerance for liars. She’s also got 18 virtual reality boyfriends and killer style. She’s been sober for 48 years and while she hasn’t always loved AA, she credits it with changing her relationship with God. This is NOT a conversation about aging gracefully. It’s a conversation about getting ol
Opening the Doors on a Real Recovery Meeting
This week on The Small Bow Podcast, you’re invited to join us for a Small Bow Meeting. A Small Bow Meeting is not a 12-step meeting, but we rip off most of their format. It is not necessary for participants to identify as an alcoholic or addict. This meeting is open to people who suffer from issues related to mental illness, drugs, love, sex, food, debt, codependency, inadequacy, or anything else
If You’re Searching For Heaven, Go Home | Swamp Dogg on the Afterlife
Swamp Dogg is a country, soul and R&B singer, musician, songwriter and record producer. He has influenced multiple generations of musicians with his defiantly idiosyncratic discography and has been described by Pitchfork as one of “pop’s great cult acts.” He also happens to sing The Small Bow theme song. He stopped by the studio to discuss his long career, his lifelong search for happiness, and hi
Megan Koester Is A Great Writer. Why Isn’t She Writing?
Megan Koester is a writer and stand-up comedian who isn’t writing and won’t promote her stand-up. In my opinion, she should be doing more of both of those things but hey, it’s not up to me. I wanted to have Megan back on the show to talk about self-sabotage and becoming your own worst enemy. Plus, being an atheist in recovery rooms, EMDR and weaponized trauma and how to use craigslist ephemera as
Richard Rushfield Has Power in Hollywood. Just Don’t Tell Him That.
When I want to know what’s going on in Hollywood, I turn to Richard Rushfield. Richard is a columnist for the Ankler, his influential newsletter about the state of the entertainment industry. He is also sober, and decided to stop by our show on his 30th sobriety anniversary. We talk about how sobriety has changed his work ethic and made him more comfortable in his own skin. We also discuss the sta
We Fear Connection More Than Loss: Audience Q&A with Peaceful John
For this episode of The Small Bow Podcast, my friend Peaceful John joins the show to answer some of your questions about recovery. It should be obvious pretty quickly why I call him Peaceful John. We talk about how to set boundaries with aging parents, how to avoid turning your grief into a weapon, how to care less, how to feel more… basically how to deal with your own sh*t. Thanks to everyone who
To Write a Book about Family, Mary H. K. Choi Had to First Look at Her Own
Mary H. K. Choi stops by the show for our annual meeting of the dead dads club and a conversation about her new book Pool House. We discuss the major changes in Mary’s life that informed the writing of this book, including her autism diagnosis and the loss of her dad, and the ways that this round of self-promotion has led to new appreciation for her community. Plus, why 12-step is genius, why 20 y
Death, Sex and Recovery: A Conversation with Anna Sale
Death, Sex and Money is where I go for a jolt of connection to something bigger than myself. Anna Sale hosts that show and is also the author of the book Let’s Talk About Hard Things. On this episode, we talk about the moment Anna realized she didn’t understand death nearly as much as she thought she did. We also get into the origins of Death, Sex and Money and the role that Anna’s visit to recove
Ryan O'Connell on the Strange Sensation of Finally Being Seen
Ryan O’Connell had an uncommon path to fame. After starting as a blogger in New York, he wrote a TV script about his life as a young, gay man with Cerebral Palsy. When the show was picked up by Netflix, the network insisted he star in it as well. Now that Special is in the rearview mirror, Ryan has gone back to his roots as a writer. He has a new book of essays out, called Inspiration Porn, which
Langhorne Slim Wanted to Flee. Then He Became a Father.
Turns out Langhorne Slim and I have a lot in common. We both grew up in the Philly suburbs, we spent formative creative years in New York and we became dads in our forties. We’re also both in recovery. Langhorne’s got a new album out called The Dreaming Kind and he stopped by the studio to chat before playing a show at the Troubadour in LA. In this episode, we talk about the ways we’ve both strugg
Dopey Dave on Ego, Success and Why "More" is the Hardest Drug to Quit
Dave Manheim (host of the Dopey Podcast) comes back on the show to drop some Dopey wisdom. We talk about ego, ambition, control issues, slowing down and how to be of service, self-servingly. Plus, what I learned from losing my wallet and why Dave hates the movie Inside Out.
New episodes release every Wednesday.
➡️ Subscribe to The Small Bow Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallBow?s
Mitchell Jackson on Crisis PR, Billionaire Clients and Cancel Culture
As the publicist for some of the most controversial people in media, including Candace Owens, Clavicular and Adam Friedland, Mitchell Jackson runs toward chaos. I wanted to have him on the show to talk about his own sobriety and how he balances a professional life that’s full of drama with a private life that’s “drama-free.” We talk about Mitchell’s definition of cancellation, his dream clients (M
Blair Socci on Returning to Standup After the Loss of her Brother
How do you begin to laugh again after experiencing unimaginable grief? Comedian Blair Socci has been trying to answer this question since the sudden death of her brother, but the answer isn’t obvious. I wanted to have her on the show to hear how she’s doing and learn what her recent experience has taught her about vulnerability and healing. Blair’s loss is still fresh and this is a pretty raw conv
Michael Strassner Made a Movie About the Night That Almost Killed Him
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 bird
When you make a dog your “higher power,” what happens when they die?
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 wi
Why Alex Winter Quit Hollywood for 10 Years
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 busine
The Mushrooms Told Me to Stop Drinking
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
How to be addicted to people with Elizabeth Gilbert
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
Jerry O'Connell on the Fears and Feelings We Push Down
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 w
Petty Resentments and Righteous Anger: A Conversation with Cord Jefferson
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 lif
Amanda de Cadenet on Facing "Dire" Loneliness and Loving Alcoholics
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 worl
Joe Buck on How to Look Into the Camera When You're Deeply Insecure
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."
Why Does Jenn Sterger Still Talk To Me?
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 re
The Small Bow Podcast | New Season Trailer
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 addict
The Wind Blows High w/ Trey Anastasio
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
The Persistence of Time w/Sari Botton
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
If It's Not Going Perfectly, Keep Trying w/Joe Schrank
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
Also Hit By a Truck w/Molly Johnsen
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!
Hit By a Truck (Classic) w/Emma Carmichael
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!
Let's Let the Healing Begin w/ Sean Clements
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
Go On, Giddyup w/ Luke Pelletier
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
Fear of a 'Stack Planet w/Delia Cai
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
How to Build Your Body Without Losing Your Mind w/ Casey Johnston
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
Days of Our Second Lives w/ Amanda Hess
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
Our National Anthem w/ Amanda Petrusich
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" * "The National" (TSB Essay)
How to Survive a Nightmare w/Joe Lynskey
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?"
"N
Mind Reels in America w/Freddie deBoer
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!
You Did It, Man! w/Cord Jefferson
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!
The Last Decent Man on Earth
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"
There Are Murderers Here
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
The Weight Loss
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
Defective Character Limits
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
Joy as an Act of Defiance
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
Joan As Human Woman
Joan Wasser, AKA Joan As Policewoman walks us through her 20 years of sobriety, how her creativity has evolved, what defects remain, and the path of processing grief.
Show Notes:
Buy Joan’s Music and Merch
Sober Oldster Interview
All Meat Rots
Peaceful John returns to the pod just in time for the new year and we discuss how vanity and ego never go away, personal needs, and are friendships you develop inside recovery rooms real friendships? Plus, the usual sonorous laughter and deep-ass breaths found in all Peaceful John episodes.
Notes:
TSB Newsletter
You Are F*cking Amazing!
This is a super Dopey episode of The Small Bow, where we speak with Dave Manheim about whether heroin addicts celebrate Dry January, our future ambitious plans for our respective projects, Dave’s book idea, and more.
Show notes:
Dopey Podcast
TSB Newsletter
Gabby Bernstein
It’s Okay If You’re Not Ready
We revisit an old Small Bow essay about my first New Year’s Eve sober—all the feelings of self-pity and loneliness almost drove me to a very bizarre and off-putting relapse. Sobriety didn’t give me the peace of mind and the results I wanted right away. I beat myself up about it, but you don’t have to.
Show notes:
The Small Bow’s Newsletter
Search Engine episode featuring A.J. Daulerio about Dry
The Fleeting Joys of Parenthood with George Bilgere
I talk to my version of Taylor Swift, Cleveland poet George Bilgere, whose writing and distinctive voice have influenced my post-sobriety writing (and parenting) more than anyone else. It's a time when a lot of new things come and go, and I want to figure out how to be okay with that.
Show notes:
Poetrytown.com
Georgebilgere.com
TSB story featuring George’s work.
Writer’s Almanac Poems
“Cheap Mo
Notes from the American Schoolyard with John Devore
Today we talk about how a lack of personal safety as little boys taught us how to be drunk, angry, impotent men. It’s about bullying and Bukowski and desperation and an inability to show love for ourselves and accept love from others. Usual shit.
Show notes:
John's book Theatre Kids: A True Tale of Off-Off Broadway.
Swamp Dogg's record.
In this episode:
01:24 - Keep on trying
06:06 - Curtains u
The State of the State of the State
We pause to introduce a new segment, and talk shop about some big plans in the works for the new year. The Small Bow universe is growing in exciting ways, with help from some new friends. Also, a little Q&A about how things are going so far in Season 2, what's next for the podcast, and some industry gossip.
Want to help guide things? Take two minutes to tell us what else you’d like to see from Th
How to Tame Your Monster with Claire Dederer
The acclaimed and wonderful author of Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma helps us sift through the ugliness of monstrous behavior and the guilty feelings associated with being a fan of the art made by vile people. Is it okay to still watch those movies and listen to those songs? Claire Dederer tells A.J. what to do, plus a lot of great advice on writing memoir, and navigating the world of publishing.
Link
This is Supposed to Be a Children’s Story with Kerry Madden-Lunsford
Today we talk with writer Kerry Madden-Lunsford about how Al-Anon has helped her deal with the pain of having a child who’s treatment-resistant and now living on the streets of Los Angeles.
Find more stories and conversations at thesmallbow.com.
Kerry’s book Werewolf Hamlet
Kerry’s Substack
"Easy Crier" by Al Oldender
Listen to Swamp Dogg’s new album "Blackgrass" wherever you get music, or buy a
Why Does No One Care About Recovery Month? with Joe Schrank
For the past five years, TSB’s in-house social worker, Joe Schrank, has tried to get someone other than us (and Andy Cohen) to acknowledge Recovery Month every September. Alcoholism and mental health issues affect one in ten Americans. So why does no one want to talk about it?
Find more like this at thesmallbow.com. And Listen to Swamp Dogg’s new album "Blackgrass" wherever you get music, or buy a
Take this Pod and Shove It
We talk to each other about the state of the podcast, and whether A.J.'s workaholic tendencies torpedoed the chance for a second season with iHeartRadio.
Also — we need more voice memos from you about your own workaholic/ambition problems. Hit ajd@thesmallbow.com subject WORKAHOLIC, or 323-917-3846.
Swamp Dogg’s latest record here.
Some Kind of Ambition Monster with Jennifer Romolini
We talk with writer Jennifer Romolini about Philly shit, her book "Ambition Monster," her relapse into workaholism while promoting the book, and how to be satisfied with a “B minus” work day.
Also: We’re calling on the Small Bow Family Orchestra: Do you think you might be a workaholic? What moments come to mind? Send a voice memo along to ajd@thesmallbow.com, SUBJECT: WORKAHOLIC. Or you can leave
Main Character Defects with Josh Radnor
Josh Radnor joins TSB pod to discuss the spiritual life he acquired while navigating the pitfalls of becoming internationally famous for his role as Ted Mosby on “How I Met Your Mother.” We also discuss the problem with gurus, the perks of solitude, free desserts, and “Brats”.
Find Josh's newsletter here. And check out Swamp Dogg's album Black Grass here.
In this episode:
2:43 Josh's relationship
Go Say Hello with Mary HK Choi
Mary HK Choi returns to the pod to discuss her extremely popular NY Mag essay about her adult autism diagnosis. We also discuss social anxiety, self-forgiveness in the aftermath of both our father’s deaths, and Mary’s practice of using a post-it note to remind her to “go say hello” to other people in social situations and not to isolate.
Some of this conversation is an update to Mary's last time
Connection Junkie with Peaceful John
The inimitable Peaceful John returns for our new season for another round of soothing lessons in reparenting ourselves. Today we talk about the difference between deserving and entitlement. Do you know the difference? Neither did we.
Dead Inside with Megan Koester
We reconnect with comedian Megan Koester and learn all about her (new) sobriety and how she’s finally excavating some long-buried family trauma. After multiple EMDR sessions, she’s learning how to grieve. But is she less funny now?
Nothing Will Ever Be Boring Again, with Emily Gould
Emily Gould is a writer from New York Magazine. This Valentine's Day, The Cut published Emily's essay "The Lure of Divorce."
Between the two, Emily was coming to grips with a mental breakdown. We talk about her bipolar diagnosis and the way back into herself and into her marriage. It gets real!
Guess What
We've got some news.
Everything You’ll Ever Need
Our last episode of Season 1, with our guest Swamp Dogg. Swamp’s the musical and spiritual inspiration for RGS. Today we talk about success, friendship, happiness, Johnny Knoxville, and all the highs and lows of his 70-year career. We also have New York Times wonder-journo David Marchese on to add some credibility to our show. Last episode! Let’s get it.
Reply Maw
This episode is about the internet, specifically “Emotional Sobriety and the Internet,” which is something I’ve struggled with for close to 20 years. Should I just log off forever, throw my iPhone into the river, and walk away? We talk with journalist Karen Ho, AKA “The Doomscroll Lady,” about the surreality of her own Twitter fame. Plus, some listeners call in and tell us some of their online beh
Just a Sucker With Low Self-Esteem
Today we talk with Dave Holmes, former MTV VJ and host of Waiting for Impact, about what it’s like to get your dream job but still struggle with all the same real world insecurities. Plus, Dave tells us how he’s managed to stay decent in an industry which doesn’t traditionally reward nice people.
Do you have a toxic internet behavior – trolling, stalking exes, compulsively buying shoelaces? Tell u
Bring the Noise
Today we talk with with meditation teacher James Baraz about the benefits of sitting one hour per day. But how is possible to do that when the world is on fire? Plagues! Insurrections! 90-Day Fiance! But also: being stuck in quarantine with three toddlers jumping around naked and smacking you in the face. Guess what– it doesn’t have to make you crazy.
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Peace and Quiet
COVID, dinos, meditation... A little update.
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It’s Okay If You’re Not Ready
Is this your first New Year’s Eve sober? Amazing! Nice job! But…you may feel lousy, too. This is an episode dedicated to you. Keep going–it gets better. Plus, we have Swamp Dogg doing Auld Lang Syne. Happy New Year!
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Suffer the Adult Children
What does it mean to detach? And how can you do it without cruelty—when parents are dying? Today we interview Mary H.K. Choi about how she’s navigating the People Progams and trying to find a path toward reconciliation with her immigrant parents.
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The Lift Up
What is strength anyway? How do you be new? Today we talk with journalist and strong person Casey Johnston about some of the hang-ups many of us have about entering a gym for the first time. Plus, she gives me advice about one of the most mortifying moments of my life.
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PGS with Peaceful John: Life Is Not a Punishment
Don’t spend this Thanksgiving dwelling on the past. Gratitude is possible – even if you’re haunted. Peaceful John gives a master class on how to trudge through grief with dignity.
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