Knockin‘ Doorz Down

Listen to and Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen for more Celebrity, everyday folks, and expert conversations at https://www.KDDPodcast.com © 2021 by KDD Media Company. All rights reserved. 

When Sonny Mayo was growing up, he had tendencies of manic depression often. He started using drugs and felt like this released him from the anxieties and problems he had in his life. This led him on the path of addiction, and he heavily relied on it; mentally and physically.

Sonny got into treatment at the age of 16 after abusing Dexedrine with a friend of his. He wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink, and pushed everyone that cared about him away. One of his lowest lows around this time was smoking meth in an airplane bathroom during an international flight.

One night he came home to his mother high on acid, claiming he had a message for her and that she should treat him like the messiah. The next day, he was in rehab. He hated it at first & didn't feel like he belonged there. But after a while, it started to connect with him and he finally committed to getting better.

In 2009, Sonny went to recording school in Los Angeles and got his certification for Pro Tools, and has been recording many artists and friends in the Los Angeles area. Since 2014, Sonny has been on the board of directors for Rock To Recovery, which helps to bring music to people in various stages of drug & alcohol recovery, people suffering from PTSD, and other mental health issues. They write songs with the patients, and work a lot with veteran organizations, and have written over 21,000 songs so far.

Check them out at www.rocktorecovery.com

This is Sonny Mayo in his own words on Knockin' Doorz Down

https://www.instagram.com/sonny_mayo/ 

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media https://linktr.ee/knockindoorzdown

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For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race for Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

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Jason and Mikey sit down with Brianne Davis & Mark Gantt. Brianne and Mark have had quite the experience in Hollywood. From the highs of writing and starring in your own TV series to the lows of sex addiction & heavy drug use, they have seen it all. Mark started using drugs and drinking heavily in his teenage years, trying to escape the stresses of home. He stopped using drugs at 19, and reluctantly went into rehab and was able to stick it out. Brianne's addiction didn't come until her teenage years, when she learned how to manipulate everyone in her life, as she put it "snort & drink" people instead of drugs. She would get a thrill from lying and deceiving family members as well as her personal relationships. She wanted to use her body and appearance to her advantage, so this is what led her to Hollywood.

Brianne met Mark at a time when one of them was in recovery, and the other had yet to confront their disease. However, Mark had yet to come to terms with the way he was using money as a coping mechanism and started attending Debtors Anonymous. The symbiotic relationship soon formed between them to heal together in a healthy way, while trying to remove the stigma associated with sex and love addiction. It was tough to rewire her emotional process, but eventually, she overcame it. Mark has been sober for over 30 years now. Brianne has been free of her addiction for over 10 years now, and now they both hope to inspire others to come forward.

Brianne has shifted her focus from acting to writing & podcasting. She recently wrote the book "Secret Life of a Hollywood Sex & Love Addict" in 2020, and quickly made the Amazon Best Seller's List. Lately, Mark has been focused on writing as well, including two upcoming Audible Original True Crime books, and currently writing & pitching two separate tv-series with Brianne.

Brianne & Mark also launched the "Secret Life" Podcast in September of 2020, and haven't looked back. They are discussing all kinds of taboo & personal topics that people struggle with in their everyday love lives. They are trying to break down the stigma with sex and love addiction, in hopes that more people will come forward and seek treatment as well as create open dialogues for people with trauma and addiction backgrounds.

This is Mark & Brianne in their own words, on Knockin Doorz Down.

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media https://linktr.ee/knockindoorzdown

To join the commercial-free Youtube Channel of all interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUSJ5ooBFqso8lfFiiIM-5g/join 

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off! https://51fiftyltm.com/

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race for Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on Mark and Brianne Secret Life Podcast: https://secretlifepodcast.com 

For Mark Gantt

Website: https://markgantt.com 

For Brianne Davis https://instagram.com/thebriannedavis

Website: https://secretlifenovel.com

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race for Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/ 

© 2021 by KDD Media Company. All rights reserved.

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Growing up in Maryland, Tim Lodgen started skateboarding with the local up & coming pros like Brandon Novak & Bucky Lasek. He started drinking often in high school, and eventually, it went down the road of alcoholism & drug use. When Tim joined the marines, it really made the drinking worse. Tim thought he had it under control, he would drink while holding down a job, and this justified it in his mind.

He was trained in MMA, karate & other martial arts. He never made it pro, but he was a local accomplished athlete that still had the respect of his peers at this time. His drinking started to take over his life though, and Tim noticed a difference. His friend Brandon Novak went over to his house one night and tried to convince him to get help and get into rehab, but Tim wasn't ready.

A couple of nights later, he went to the local liquor store after drinking, crashed into something, and made it home. His wife was upset and concerned, but let it slide.

The next morning, he woke up & realized the whole side of his truck was smashed, and he had no memory of what happened. The next day he went out drinking again and smashed into another car, this time damaging the front of his truck. This was the last straw for his wife, who kicked him out of their house at this point. He was homeless, sleeping in his car drinking whiskey when Brandon Novak called him. They had arranged for him to get on a plane & into the Banyan Treatment Center, and this started his road to recovery.

Now, Tim is in the best place he's ever been in life. He's taking his medication and is able to process & deal with his emotions in a much better way. He's been staying sober with the help of his daughters and his wife, who want to help him as possible to stay on the path he's been on. After 9 months of sobriety, his oldest daughter is finally talking to him again. He takes everything one day at a time and hopes to share his story here in hopes of changing a life out there that may have been going down the same road as he was.

This is Tim Lodgen in his own words, on Knockin' Doorz Down.

For more on Tim go to https://www.instagram.com/Tlodgen/ 

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media https://linktr.ee/knockindoorzdown 

For 51FIFTY LTM use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off! https://51fiftyltm.com/

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race for Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/ 

Listen to and Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen for more Celebrity, everyday folks, and expert conversations at https://www.KDDPodcast.com © 2021 by KDD Media Company. All rights reserved. #TimLodgen #BrandonNovak #SoberPosse

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Holly grew up playing golf at a very early age. Holly's dad was an Optometrist and Holly's mother was a pro golfer. She was tough on Holly, and she feels that she never got to actually enjoy the sports she played. She dedicated herself early on and became an All-State athlete in high school. From there, she competed in NCAA tournaments and graduated from Michigan State. On a whim, she signed up for weekend classes in communications while training for golf. This is where it all turned around for Holly & who she thought she wanted to be in life.

At 22 years old, 5 days after competing at the highest level NCAA golf tournament in the country, Holly was scheduled to have breast implants. She feels that because she was a child & teenage athlete, she was robbed of her youth & womanly development. She was always expected to perform on a professional level, with little time for her own personal needs. She was always considered "one of the guys" or a tomboy when playing sports as a college athlete. After she proved to herself that she could do what she set out to do, she wanted to explore herself as a woman, and herself as a model & journalism figure.

Her focus turned to television. She had to get a start somewhere, so she started out doing local hard-hitting news in Rhode Island. Eventually, she got a job with the Golf Channel, of course doing commentary on Golf, a sport she loves, grew up with, and has a vast amount of knowledge and experience with. She had to deal with a male-dominated workforce & gender pay gaps, as well as prove herself to the producers to host her own show. It was tough, but she was able to earn the respect of her peers and finally have the creative freedom to do her thing.

Now, Holly is focused on her new relationship & life with ex-boxer Oscar De La Hoya. Even though she resents her mother for being so hard on her at a young age, and resents the game of golf as well because of that, she also realizes that same discipline is how she's able to live comfortable & have the things she needs at this stage in her life. She wouldn't have met Oscar or had the relationships & experiences she had if she didn't start out with golf. This is something many child athletes & actors feel when their parents basically force them into a skill or profession. She's learned from it, capitalized on it & let it form her into the strong, independent woman she is today.

This is Holly Saunders in her own words, on Knockin' Doorz Down.

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media https://linktr.ee/knockindoorzdown

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off! https://51fiftyltm.com/

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race for Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on the Recovery in the Middle Ages podcast www.MiddleAgesrecovery.com 

Listen to and Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen for more Celebrity, everyday folks, and expert conversations at https://www.KDDPodcast.com  © 2021 by KDD Media Company. All rights reserved. 

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We catch up with Skinny Vinny Imperiati and hear about his new relationship & how it is for him now that he's sober. He details how he maintains his mental health, sobriety, and workload in a productive way. He's had some moments where he thought he might relapse but worked through them with a great support system. Now, Vinny is focused on his health & mental well-being.

Since we last checked in with Vinny, a lot has changed. When we first talked to him in February of this year, he was living in Connecticut. After staying in a sober-living house for over 3 years, He had a crazy idea to buy a ranch and have his own space. He was able to stay sober, find work & stay in treatment. He did it for a while, but it just didn't work out in the long term. Now he's living in LA and focusing on his podcasting, film & content work.

Recently, Vinny started his own podcast production company. He's helping out a lot of his friends in the skating community to start their own podcasts. He also has some filming projects in the works, including the upcoming "Zackass" style, show that he tells some of the first details about. He hopes he can be a beacon for positivity and change with his friends and community and hopes to help anyone he can in the coming new year.

This is Skinny Vinny in his own words, on Knockin' Doorz Down.

For more on Skinny Vinny

https://www.instagram.com/skinnyvinny/ 

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media https://linktr.ee/knockindoorzdown

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off! https://51fiftyltm.com/

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race for Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on the Recovery in the Middle Ages podcast www.MiddleAgesrecovery.com 

Listen to and Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen for more Celebrity, everyday folks, and expert conversations at https://www.KDDPodcast.com  © 2021 by KDD Media Company. All rights reserved. 

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At an early age, Cesar got swept up in the gang lifestyle.  In his neighborhood, senior gang members would show him respect and were always a part of his upbringing in East Los Angeles.  He would see prostitution, shootings, and drug activity all the time, so he never saw it as a problem.   He wanted to be a member of his local gang but was too young at this time.  He started hanging out with gang members and ditching school and eventually would ditch high school altogether.

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media https://linktr.ee/knockindoorzdown 

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off! https://51fiftyltm.com/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race for Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on the Recovery in the Middle Ages podcast www.MiddleAgesrecovery.com 

Listen to and Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen for more Celebrity, everyday folks, and expert conversations at https://www.KDDPodcast.com  © 2021 by KDD Media Company. All rights reserved. 

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Listen to and Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen for more Celebrity, everyday folks, and expert conversations at https://www.KDDPodcast.com © 2021 by KDD Media Company. All rights reserved.

Ken Seeley had a great childhood. His dad was a fireman, his mom stayed at home with the family, and didn't have any traumatic experiences growing up that led to his drug use. He did experience bullying throughout junior high and early high school. This turned out to be the catalyst for the drug use that was to come in his teenage years.

Ken started getting into alcohol at first at the age of 13 and then was introduced to marijuana... he started despising his parents for not letting him do drugs the way he wanted to. At 18 he signed up for the Air Force to "have his freedom" as he put it, to get away from his parents. While he was stationed in Italy, he started doing drugs heavily. The military sent him to AA and had him honorably discharged.

Eventually, his drug of choice became meth. He was doing it every day for 3 to 4 years. Ironically, he was working doing medical billing for a treatment center and was fired from his job due to his erratic behavior. They offered him help at the time but he didn't want to take it. He started avoiding his family, because of his deteriorating health. Financially, he was in ruins. This all quickly spiraled out of control, and Ken found himself at the lowest point in his life. He also developed a sexual addiction, that consumed his personal life. He was suicidal, so he purchased a gun to kill himself, but never went through with it. Eventually, he became celibate for a number of months, until he finally trusted himself to find healthy relationships.

Ken finally became sober on July 14th, 1989. From that point on, he has devoted his life and energy to helping others out of addiction and into active recovery. He got a new network of friends that supported him throughout his recovery. He founded "Intervention 911" which is a service specializing in interventions for families looking for the right kind of treatment center for their addiction. Eventually, Ken was asked to be a part of the A&E TV series "Intervention" in 2005, where he served as one of the main three "Interventionists" on the series.

In 2009, he published his first book - 'Face It & Fix It: A Three-Step Plan To Break Free From Denial And Discover The Life You Deserve'. Since then, he has been a regular contributor on CNN, FOX & CBS on the topic of addiction. We also delve deep into the current disturbing trend of Fentanyl abuse in kids and Americans in general. Ken truly believes a big wave of opioid addiction is coming and maybe one of the biggest crises we've ever had to deal with as a country. It's time we educate ourselves and get ready for what's to come.

This is Ken Seeley in his own words, on Knockin' Doorz Down.

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media https://linktr.ee/knockindoorzdown 

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off! https://51fiftyltm.com/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race for Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on the Recovery in the Middle Ages podcast www.MiddleAgesrecovery.com 

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Chuck was born in Santa Monica & raised by a single mother. Growing up, school kids would pick on him, take his lunch money and bully him. His mom was a believer in non-violence and would tell him at first to not fight back. Eventually, she told him that he couldn't start a fight, but he could finish it if someone was picking on him. He hated people picking on others, so it gave him a lot of reasons to get in fights growing up defending his friends. He was taught if you work hard, you can be better than your opponents, and gave him the confidence to continue his desire to learn martial arts.

His dad left when he was only 3 years old, and Chuck wouldn't see him again until he was 28 years old. During high school, he started to focus on his fighting in a more professional way. His mom taught him the basics in Koei Kan Karate which laid the foundation for his MMA career. In college, he went to Cal Poly for Wrestling & Football, but eventually shifted to kickboxing. He would ditch class or shift his schedule around just to go to karate class every day. He eventually started fighting with the UFC in 1998, and by 2001, he was the #1 prospect for the Heavyweight World Champion. Liddell's moniker 'The Iceman' was coined by his trainer, John Hackleman, of Liddell's calm and relaxed temperament before fights.

Eventually, when he was at the peak of his fame, on TV and PPV events nationwide, his paternal father tried to reach out to him. But at this point, Chuck had no interest in starting a relationship with a father who chose to not be present in a child's life. He heard from his mom that he was an abusive guy, and probably a good thing that he wasn't involved very much in his life. In 2010, Chuck retired from fighting, and instead focused on the business side of the UFC. Now as a father himself, he wants to focus on being there for his daughter and being involved in her life as much as possible.

He's learned to separate his marital issues from his kids, to keep the drama away from them. With fatherhood now, his focus is to be a more involved, present father than he had growing up. He loves taking his children to school, watching their games and events, and being a part of their daily lives.

Also, hear some stories from his early fighting days, how he got into kickboxing, behind-the-scenes UFC stuff, and random questions with Chuck! This is Chuck Lidell in his own words, on Knockin' Doorz Down.

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media https://linktr.ee/knockindoorzdown 

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off! https://51fiftyltm.com/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race for Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on the Recovery in the Middle Ages podcast www.MiddleAgesrecovery.com 

For Mad Moose BBQ, make sure you check out their award-winning bbq sauces and rubs at www.madmoosebbq.com

Listen to and Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen for more Celebrity, everyday folks, and expert conversations at https://www.KDDPodcast.com © 2021 by KDD Media Company. All rights reserved.

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Kat Von D was born in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.   Her family moved to LA when she was 4 years old.  She started playing piano at the age of 5, and was inspired by her grandmother to pursue music.  No one in her family drank or did drugs, a very religious family upbringing for her as a kid.

When Kat was 13, she discovered punk rock music, and that culture spoke to her.  She always felt like an outcast, and this music made her feel like a part of something.  She shaved her head, started tattooing her friends, and this really scared her parents.  At the age of 15, her parents put her in the Provo Canyon boarding school.  This was the same boarding school that Paris Hilton went to, and suffered abuse.  Kat also suffered abuse herself.   After leaving the school, she started drinking to deal with the trauma she had just gone through.

Eventually she found herself on the TLC TV series “Miami Ink” for 2 seasons.  She eventually left the show and opened her own tattoo shop, and starred in the series “LA Ink”, where she stayed for four seasons.  Kat’s drinking and partying started to get heavy around this time, and it started to take its toll on her.  She decided to get sober in 2007, during the first season of LA Ink.  She started the process, which was tough at first, but 14 years later, she has stuck with it and is still sober to this day.

In 2016, she met her husband Rafael Reyes (AKA Leafar Seyer) who is the main artist in the cholo-goth band Prayers.  She was there for a music video appearance, but they really hit it off personally.  The ended up getting married in 2018, and gave birth to their son later that year.  She’s written 2 books, “High Voltage Tattoo” and “The Tattoo Chronicles”.  She’s also started her own vegan makeup company, with 20% of the proceeds going to Project Chimps, an organization dedicated to providing care for retired research chimpanzees.   Kat is vegan herself, and wanted to make sure her make-up was cruelty free for animals. 

Now, she’s focusing on her family, finding the balance of doing her own projects, as well as family life.  She also shares insights as to why she decided to move to a small town in Indiana.  She’s also finally pursuing her music endeavors with a new album out “Love Made Me Do It”.

This is Kat Von D in her own words, on Knockin' Doorz Down.

For more on the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast and to follow us on social media https://linktr.ee/knockindoorzdown 

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off! https://51fiftyltm.com/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race for Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/

For more on the Recovery in the Middle Ages podcast www.MiddleAgesrecovery.com 

For Mad Moose BBQ, make sure you check out their award-winning bbq sauces and rubs at www.madmoosebbq.com

Listen to and Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen for more Celebrity, everyday folks, and expert conversations at https://www.KDDPodcast.com © 2021 by KDD Media Company. All rights reserved.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to and Subscribe to the Knockin' Doorz Down podcast for more Celebrities, everyday folks, and expert conversations and to follow us on social media https://www.KDDPodcast.com © 2021 by KDD Media Company. All rights reserved. 

She came out as bisexual at the age of 16.  Her neighborhood was a gay-friendly neighborhood and was always raised around that, so coming out wasn't that hard for her to do.  After coming out, she had to deal with all kinds of sick people that would proposition her sexually.  Rivkah identifies as a woman, but now also as non-binary, using "she" and "they" when meeting people, but realizes that it's a personal choice for everyone.   When we apologize to someone for not getting the correct pronoun, we turn it around into something about us.  Instead, let yourself be corrected and learn from the experience each time.   

For Carlos Vieira's autobiography Knockin' Doorz Down https://www.kddmediacompany.com/

For 51FIFTY use the discount code KDD20 for 20% off! https://51fiftyltm.com/

For more information on the Carlos Vieira Foundation and the Race 2B Drug-Free, Race to End the Stigma and Race for Autism programs visit: https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.org/ 

For more on the Recovery in the Middle Ages podcast www.MiddleAgesrecovery.com 

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