Dopey: On the Dark Comedy of Drug Addiction

📝 Episode Notes:

Dave's up at 5:30 AM with no sleep aids but hopelessly hooked on s’mores

Father's Day gift: a $40 crackhead s’mores hot plate from his daughter

Microwave s’mores vs. monstrosity s’mores — full breakdown

Massive processed sugar binge: Rice Krispie s’mores, Yaso bar, and Linden’s cookies

Full Dopey morning: prayer, meditation, AA, garbage duty, and Susan’s lunch rescue

A teaser for the Damon Baker episode (photographer + filmmaker)

Sweating at Katz’s and plotting the return of the Dopey Fitness Challenge

Bobby Lee Reddit drama: deleted thread accusing Dave of racism

Selby explains how Reddit mods can still see deleted posts

Solstice hippie parade recap from Selby’s island in the Pacific Northwest

Backyard lawn mowing pride and skin-smoothing conspiracies

Full Dopey intro song performance to close it out

“Stay strong, Dopey Nation, and fucking toodles for Chris.”

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NOTES:

Listener emails: brutal black tar vein damage stories (toes, dick, and yes, arteries) plus a chilling NJ dope shack bust and snowstorm cigarette hike

Dad’s odd updates on protests, bad golf, AI school drama, and swampy lakes

Behind-the-scenes Dopey studio chaos, show length fights, and hyped DopeyCon 10-year party plans with Sam Miller confirmed

Bobby Lee jumps in: stealing beers from his dad, shooting meth at 12, and that unforgettable speedball masturbation session in a medical book aisle

Childhood trauma under a strict Korean roof, bullying, and how drugs became his escape hatch

First rehab at 16, early sobriety struggles, and the surreal calm he found in AA meetings and art museums

Finding comedy through AA shares and improv; the jump to MADtv and flopping hard

The infamous Vicodin withdrawal meltdown — shitting his pants on set and all the chaos that came with it

Deep dive into porn addiction, how it fucked his relationships, and the brutal relapse after losing his dad

Spiritual battles — wrestling with God’s will vs self-will, plus tales of bizarre AA characters like oxygen tank old guys in Oklahoma

Closing with a no-holds-barred “This or That” game: meth vs heroin, jerking off rules, and the legendary beef chip story

Bobby’s raw reflections on relapse, fame, and carving out peace in a messy, fucked-up life

My dad comes on to update the nation and to kind of ruin a classic episode

Bobby Lee relapse
Bobby Lee sobriety
MADtv Bobby Lee
Bobby Lee Vicodin withdrawal
Bobby Lee meth addiction
Bobby Lee porn addiction
Bobby Lee Korean family trauma
Bobby Lee shitting pants story
Dopey Podcast Bobby Lee
Bobby Lee AA stories
Bobby Lee comedy origin
Bobby Lee improv
Bobby Lee “This or That” game
Dopey Podcast raw recovery
Bobby Lee funny addiction stories
David Manheim Bobby Lee interview
DopeyCon 10 year
Bobby Lee relapse recovery
AA weirdos Oklahoma
Bobby Lee beef chip story

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🧾 Show Notes:

Doug’s back! In the Subaru, in the parking lot.

Dave’s depressed because his dehumidifier sucks.

Reddit trolls say the teaser and YouTube are trash.

Dave reads feedback, gets defensive, then promotes Patreon.

Harley Flanagan story: punk rock prodigy, molested, violent, stabbing at CBGBs, Rikers, Cro-Mags beef.

Dave fantasizes about reuniting Harley and John Joseph on Dopey.

Doug critiques AA meetings, newcomers double/triple dipping.

Dave freaks out about not getting full share time.

Pete gives “God morning” texts to everyone except Dave.

Dave volunteers to bring cake but refuses to serve it.

Ice cream talk: Ninja Creamy, protein sorbet, and Ghirardelli brookies.

Email shoutouts: Esteban the weed-brained Sinatra singer, Kitty Cat Collins, and Lou on Fentanyl Jay.

Final thoughts: you can't get someone sober unless they want it, and Dave didn't take sleep aids for one night.

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Dopeywood!

Note about Todd

A  voicemail from a listener in Mexico: “¿Qué pasó David?”

Email about a guy sober off weed and a listener who relapsed on shrooms and weed.

Dave reflects on the cyclical pain of relapse in the Dopey Nation.

Jessie G Segment

“I formed like a make-believe relationship with him [Chris].”

Jessie first listened to Dopey while working hotel jobs in 2018.

“Early recovery sucks no matter which way you cut it.”

“I was doing kratom and still eating acid in sober living.”

She felt totally alone — “My roommates were gone, I was just in my house.”

“I had to threaten suicide one night to get help.”

“I think I would make a fine crackhead.”

“I was just in my room with my foils.”

“I was on probation… and doing really well… but using at the same time.”

“I ended up getting arrested in Scranton.”

“The methadone detox was the easiest of my life.”

“I got a new number and was like, perfect.”

“I was living a double life — one part spiritual, one part crazy.”

“I was like, just give me a fucking bag.”

Describes traveling while using: “I could see in my mind’s eye the hotel we were in.”

“COVID made it easy to disappear.”

“Kensington was a wake-up call.”

“I want a real life.”

Todd Curry Tribute with DK

“He was just a spark, man… I love Todd a lot and I miss him.”

“He personified fun. If fun was a person, it was Todd on drugs.”

“Do you think I beat a dead horse with Todd? I just can’t stop honoring him.”

Dave introduces the term “Todd Shot” — Dopey Nation’s version of a “God Shot.”

DK agrees to come back next year with stories of getting high with Todd.

Dave invites listeners to submit Todd memories or tributes.

Outro

Reflections on the importance of recovery: “It’s the greatest thing I have in my life.”

Outro song: “One More” by Rocker T

“Stay strong Dopey Nation and fucking toodles for Chris.”

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Mid-century modern hotel confusion

Jason Cabello returns! Recovery Unplugged + Toxicology podcast

Magic Mind and mushroom mishaps 🌿🍄

Kraboxone™: Kratom + Suboxone fusion 🧪

Dopeywood recap: triumphs, drags, tech fails

Dave’s LA meth story and forgotten tribute to Todd 💔

The Stash Word disaster (and why it’s still fun)

DM from a coke addict trying to detox 💬

A musical finale + shoutout to Scott Wick the rap god 🎶

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Episode Notes!

DOPEYWOOD COMING!

AWESOME EMAILS AND VOICEMAILS!

ABBEY:

Postpartum anxiety and getting prescribed benzos

Her first time using heroin — in sober living

Moving back to Pittsburgh with her dad to get her life together

Building a YouTube following with her daughter Myla

Dealing with fame, trolls, and the dark side of "sober influencer" culture

Why she stopped posting her daughter online

Setting boundaries in co-parenting

The emotional side of recovery, relapse, and internet backlash

Her evolving relationship with recovery, privacy, and motherhood

🦪 Part 2: Ray the Clammer – A Tribute

Growing up on the South Shore, catching clams with his feet

First time freebasing: “My heart exploded. I fell to my knees. It was great.”

Ten years of coke dealing, freebasing, and losing everything

Smoking away all the product, burning bridges, losing his union job

Homeless in NYC, sleeping under Port Authority, working “security” for a pimp named Otis

Suicidal thoughts in the subway tunnels

The moment he didn't jump, and got back on the train to Long Island

Brought home by police as a missing person

Finds NA, relapses, gets honest — and stays sober from 1993 until his death

Devoted to service: rides, hotlines, detox speaking, always showing up

Passed away with 30 years clean — this recording was his goodbye gift to Dopey Nation

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Doug’s back in the kitchen after nearly dying from a TCI (mini-stroke)

Dave compares Doug’s Memorial Day scare to Ray the Clammer’s UTI-induced brain fog

Ray heads to rehab; Dave wants to publish a book of Ray quotes

Doug calls the meeting a “beginner’s asylum”; Dave defends the newcomers

Rule 62, “start your day over,” and other Rayisms get debated

Dave reflects on dirt, struggle, red cardinals, and the poetry of recovery

Bagel store confrontation: Dave rolls his eyes and almost gets whacked

Reddit backlash: Dave reads Dopey Nation critiques of teaser format

Fans on Reddit defend the show and say the $5/month is worth it

Dave tweaks the teaser style and explains his morning social media ritual

Mentions of Dopey Zooms and upcoming Patreon Zoom night

Dave teases birthday content for a future episode

Shoutout to Scott Wic aka The Rap God

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Fentanyl vs. Heroin: "Trash high"—no legs, not the same rush, felt grateful when heroin disappeared

First Shot: A friend made him do it for free—"Misery loves company"—then couldn't stop

OD Stories: OD'd twice in one day—once behind the wheel on FDR, once after snorting Bronx bags, woke up in hospital, ripped tubes out, lied about asthma

Mom's Heart Attack: 4 days after OD, mom has a heart attack from stress

Hustles: Selling weed, flipping Suboxone, scamming friends, "like a credit card"—balances, fronts, juggling

Jam Band Scene: Heavy on acid, ketamine, nitrous, Calvin Klein (coke + K), LSD handling mishap at Camp Bisco led to paranoia for a week

Methadone Clinic Madness: Working in the clinic, finding crack pipes, wild characters, hustles in the waiting room

Recovery Pivot: Got clean after the ferry breakup, went to White Deer Run, cut methadone taper on day 3, Old Testament-level detox, started working the 12 steps, counselor Heath changed his life

Working in Treatment: From the methadone clinic to Ascendant, saw the whole spectrum

Writing: Wrote Slingshot Diaries in Maryland, self-published hundreds of copies, found purpose

Reflection: Raw honesty, doesn’t glorify but doesn’t hide it either—“thank God for grace and mercy”

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👉 Sign up for Patreon at www.patreon.com/dopeypodcast
Get bonus episodes, access to Dopey Zooms, exclusive merch, and support the Dopey mission. It’s cheap, it’s fun, it’s how we keep this sick show going. $5 a month = stickers + bonus shows. $8 = ad-free shows. $10 = video extras. $15 = stickers, socks, Ray Brown’s pubes (kidding… maybe).
Be a Dopey patron, stay strong, and fucking toodles for Chris.

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🎸 Steve Poltz returns! From meth psychosis to music on the mountain

🧠 Touring with Shane MacGowan and snorting meth off his thumbnail

🏨 Destroying hotel rooms across Australia (banned from Quest Apartments!)

💡 20 years in recovery: why Steve stopped going to meetings

🎤 Using music and stage time to carry the message

😡 Dave and Steve debate Bob Weir and John Mayer (spoiler: Dave hates Bobby)

💩 Dorm blackout story: naked in the hallway

💌 Emails from South Africa, 10-year sober milestones, kratom struggles

🏀 Knicks fan rant with Devin, post-loss meltdown

🕍 Jewish guilt, moil trauma, and the power of a Nashville Seder

🎵 Poltz performs “Shine On” live + bonus track at the end

📦 Shoutout to Poppasmurf for shipping Dopey merch

📣 Thanks to Oro Recovery, Mountainside, Recovery Unplugged, Safe Spot, and CustomStickers.com (use code DOPEY20)

🎨 Dopey art shoutouts: Brita, Piz, Edward, James Glennie, Chrissy, and all the Dopey Nation Zoomers

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