🎙️ EPISODE 15: Cam Janssen – "Painkillers, Playoffs & Garth Fucking Brooks"

Who this episode is for:

• Anyone who’s ever played hurt, lived high, or faked being fine
• Moms who can smell bullshit before you open your mouth
• Blues fans screaming “LET’S GO!” and flipping off Winnipeg
• Kids who grew up begging to stay on the ice till the Zamboni chased ‘em off
• Those who overdosed in front of their neighbors and somehow kept it moving
• Anyone who’s ever made a mess of their life

Cam Janssen rolls into the studio with a story that’ll punch you right in the soul. What starts off as some rowdy playoff hockey talk turns real fast—like, real real—when Cam dives into the wreckage of his painkiller addiction.

We’re talking overdoses in his driveway while the whole neighborhood watches. We’re talking hiding withdrawal in a pro locker room while pretending to be the funny guy. We’re talking about being a “good” drug user—that dangerous kind who keeps functioning just enough to not get help.

But it ain’t all darkness. There’s a lot of laughs, too—like Garth Brooks accidentally storming the ice during a charity game and nearly getting murdered. And Cam’s dad eating a hot dog thrown by a pissed-off fan, then chucking it back into the crowd like a savage.

There’s locker room stories, childhood fights, recovery truths, and some absolute mayhem from the Blues’ playoff run. Oh, and we get deep into what it means to actually show up—for your teammates, for your city, and for yourself.

And major love to the St. Louis Blues Warriors—a team of badass disabled veterans taking names and scoring goals. Cam drops stories about getting hacked up by those guys and loving every second of it. If you're in STL, support them or just go watch ’em throw down:
👉 www.stlblueswarriorhockey.com

If you’ve ever been addicted, ever been broken, or ever been almost famous while absolutely falling apart inside—this one’s for you.

🕒 TIMESTAMPS:

• 00:00 – Intro & sponsor shoutouts
• 01:08 – Show theme music kicks in
• 01:22 – Cam joins the chaos
• 01:28 – Jersey number talk and mid-convo nonsense
• 01:43 – “Always on hot bitches”—Cam lets loose early
• 02:10 – Law & Order, Dell Guy, and guest rankings
• 03:17 – From podcasting to radio to color commentary
• 04:11 – Garth Brooks walks on the ice mid-play (yes, really)
• 06:36 – Scoring 4 goals instead of throwing fists
• 07:59 – Blues beatdown of the Jets: full breakdown
• 10:29 – “You can’t get traded to Winnipeg”
• 12:47 – Blues defense is buzzing
• 14:02 – Bonuses, the cap, and nerding out on contract math
• 16:19 – Packed barns, playoff energy, and money flying
• 18:30 – Montreal chaos and goaltenders getting trucked
• 20:25 – Goalies are psychos, period.
• 22:43 – Why the Jets’ “park the bus” defense collapsed
• 24:07 – Cam’s dad, a flying hot dog, and Granite City glory
• 27:04 – Why respecting refs lets you get away with murder
• 28:33 – Driving 14 hours to get kicked out in 10 seconds
• 30:13 – Hockey isn’t a sport—it’s a fraternity
• 31:02 – Cam shouts out the Blues Warriors (and gets hacked by a vet)
• 33:03 – Blues alumni locker room = country club for ex-brawlers
• 35:16 – Dwight Schofield, hurricane hero
• 37:57 – The stuff moms carry that dads can’t
• 39:29 – Cam’s full descent into painkillers: how it started
• 42:06 – The yellow Percs. 190 of ‘em. Alone in Jersey.
• 47:12 – Collapse #1: Cam overdoses in his driveway
• 54:45 – Collapse #2: “That was it.”
• 56:25 – “I thought I could beat this on my own”
• 58:05 – Being the functioning addict is the most dangerous kind
• 1:00:02 – Suboxone: the lifesaver that nearly killed his fire
• 1:01:46 – Libido’s gone, energy’s gone, but at least he’s clean
• 1:02:51 – Tapering off, staying off, and keeping the chaos at bay
• 1:04:10 – Why opioids no longer have a grip—but other vices still try
• 1:05:22 – Laughs, love, real talk, and a few final body blows
• 1:06:45 – Fade to black

Sponsored by:
Illinois Recovery Center – www.illinoisrecoverycenter.com
Bertarelli Cutlery – www.bertarellico.com