Dopey: On the Dark Comedy of Drug Addiction

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Summary

This Week on Dopey! Dave opens the show reflecting on hosting the Phoenix House Soiree and presenting Hank Azaria with an award in the same neighborhood where he once bought heroin nearly 30 years earlier. He talks about gratitude, recovery, shame, redemption, and how addiction and recovery both shaped his life. Dave reads listener emails featuring cocaine cravings, crack addiction, federal charges, acid smuggling, trap houses, prostitution, and early recovery. Montana Ruckman sends in another brutally honest “day in the life” letter from prison describing drug hustling, scams, theft, hookups, and the loneliness of active addiction. Dave also reads Spotify and Patreon comments reacting to the Zoe Hansen episode and the backlash to Amanda de Cadenet, with listeners praising Zoe’s warmth, storytelling, and voice.

Then Margaret Cho returns to Dopey for one of the funniest and most honest recovery conversations in recent memory. Margaret talks about approaching 10 years sober, her intervention, rehab, kratom addiction, dry scooping kratom powder, benzo withdrawal, seizures, meth fascination, weed reservations, psychedelic therapy, boofing weed lube, and the strange fantasy of someday growing opium poppies in a psychedelic garden. Dave and Margaret bond over romanticizing drugs, relapse fears, and the dangerous line between humor and real addiction. They discuss ketamine therapy, Bill Wilson taking LSD, Hamilton Morris, the Nick Reiner tragedy, death in recovery culture, and why addicts “walk with death.” The conversation also drifts into Snoop Dogg blunt culture, bong rituals, Errowid drug hacks, and the weird creativity and mythology surrounding addiction.

ALL THAT AND MUCH MUCH MORE ON ABRAND NEW EPISODE OF THAT GOOD OLD DOPEY SHOW!

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Episode Summary

Dave opens this week’s Dopey Greatest Hits by explaining the Patreon poll that lets listeners choose classic replay episodes. After Jason Ricci lost a last-minute battle to Dr. Gabor Maté the previous week, this week’s theme becomes “kids of famous people,” featuring guests like Jack Osbourne, Mackenzie Phillips, Dwayne Betts, and ultimately the winner: Gilbert Trejo, son of actor Danny Trejo. Dave reads Spotify and Patreon comments reacting to the Jason Ricci replay, including discussions about bipolar disorder, darkness, spirituality, demonology, and the Amanda de Cadenet backlash episode. Tommy from Long Island then calls in with a crack-smoking Dopey story involving a lost $20 bag hidden underneath the center console of a late-90s Toyota Corolla. Dave also reads a brutally honest listener email criticizing the early days of Dopey for chewing into microphones, interruptions, phone ringing, and lack of structure — which Dave both defends and reflects on emotionally.

The episode then shifts into a deep and emotional conversation with filmmaker and recovering heroin addict Gilbert Trejo. Gilbert talks about growing up in Venice Beach as Danny Trejo’s son, being raised around AA meetings, childhood exposure to recovery culture, fighting, punk rock, skating, and eventually spiraling into heroin addiction. He shares horrifying overdose stories, including trying to revive his best friend while covered in blood, discusses his film From A Son, and reflects on the strange mixture of toughness, secrecy, masculinity, fear, and identity that shaped his addiction. Gilbert and Dave connect deeply over losing close friends to overdose, the mythology of junkie friendships, and the challenge of telling drug stories honestly without glorifying them. The conversation also covers heroin romance, Panic in Needle Park, Venice gang culture, punk shows, crack smoking, addiction genetics, hiding drug use from family, and the relief of eventually becoming comfortable in his own skin. It’s one of the rawest and most thoughtful Dopey conversations about addiction, masculinity, survival, and recovery. 

ALL THAT AND MORE ON THIS NEW OLD EPISODE!

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Episode Summary

This week on the Wednesday Dose! Dave opens the Wednesday Dose of Dopey talking about Patreon backlash over Selby’s heavy breathing during the Tuesday Patreon show, his hatred for the newest season of Euphoria, Lena Dunham’s audiobook, Knicks obsession, and getting ready to emcee the Phoenix House gala honoring Hank Azaria. He then reads an email from a Scottish listener who got sober from alcohol after discovering Dopey through This American Life, but later spiraled into opioids, heroin, and benzos before finally trying to get clean again after hearing DJ’s episode.

Then Dave dives into a massive pile of brutal Spotify and Patreon comments reacting to the Amanda de Cadenet episode, with listeners calling her “insufferable,” “guarded,” “pretentious,” and “the worst guest ever,” while others defend her and praise Dave for surviving the awkward interview.

The episode shifts into a long and funny conversation with comedian Zach Noe Towers. Zach talks about growing up gay in Missouri, discovering weed through theater kids, using alcohol and drugs to quiet fear and insecurity, moving to Los Angeles, rich gay party culture, ecstasy at Indiana University, Coachella mushroom disasters, being trapped in the trunk of a drug dealer’s car, and eventually getting sober after years of chaotic partying and emotional bottoming out. Dave and Zach also talk comedy, AA, twink culture, Midwestern niceness, gay identity, stand-up anxiety, and planning the Dopeywood Comedy Store show.

PLUS MORE! on the brand new Wednesday Dose of Dopey!

 

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📝 Summary

 

This episode of Dopey blends recovery updates, dark humor, and one of the most bizarre drug stories ever told on the show. Selby celebrates 101 days sober and reflects on a powerful in-person group inventory, while Cormac opens up about hitting a wall in long-term recovery and rebooting his physical and spiritual health through meetings and a new fitness routine.

 

The episode takes a surreal turn when Cormac recounts a detailed and unsettling story from his past experimenting with research chemicals, including dissociatives and unconventional methods of use. The conversation explores the psychology of dissociation, addiction, and the illusion of control that comes with “safer” drug use.

 

Dave shares updates on the Dopey Fitness Challenge, struggles with sugar, and reads listener feedback, including praise, criticism, and ongoing debate about fan-favorite guest “Heart Attack Doug.”

PLUS A SMIDGE MORE ON THE NEW DOPEY TUESDAY TEASE - listen to more on patreon!

 

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Episode Summary

Total Replay #25! Dave opens Monday’s Dopey Total Replay by revisiting Dopey Episode 25 from April 2016, titled Cocaine Overdose, Prince. Before the replay, he talks about plans for the Dopey Recovery Film Festival in Manhattan, Patreon perks, the Tuesday Reddit Roundup with Selby and Cormac, and addresses listener reactions to a previous sex-and-love addiction email. He then reads a powerful email from Willow about long-term recovery through Sex Addicts Anonymous and finding sobriety after years of relapse.

Next comes a wild voicemail from Bailey in Chicago involving the world’s worst drug dealer, accidental crack purchases, a drunken camping trip, bachelor party chaos, abortion scam drama, crack smoking in a tent, and jumping out of a moving truck.

Dave then reads Spotify and Patreon comments before launching the classic replay.

In the 2016 episode, Dave and Chris react to Prince’s death, speculate about addiction, and Chris repeatedly confuses Prince with Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury. They spiral into nonsense about Annie Lennox, Blondie, dancing, and music ignorance. Then Chris tells the main event: a brutal cocaine overdose story involving shooting a huge amount of coke in a bathroom, collapsing violently, a neighbor breaking the door down, and Chris still worrying about hiding the remaining cocaine instead of dying.

The episode ends with more chaotic drug stories, sleepwalking on ketamine, early Dopey banter, and one of the first appearances of Chris saying “toodles.” Dave returns afterward reflecting on Chris, the strange beauty of these old recordings, and invites listeners to stay involved with Dopey Nation.

On a Brand New 10 Year old episode of ye good olden dopey sho.

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