Steppin' Out Radio

Greg Williams is the millennial filmmaker who directed and produced a feature film about recovery entitled The Anonymous People. Greg's first drink was at age 12. He and friends scored some gin from their parents' liquor cabinet. Consistent sobriety wouldn't come for many years following a near-fatal car accident. He was able to go away to college with the help of finding on-campus recovery fellowships. Now, as a filmmaker, he has endeavored to pull back the curtain on the faceless suffering and daily accomplishment of people in recovery from addictions.

Jim's relationship with food has always been painful. In grade school, he slept-walked to the refrigerator and ate. He remembers his mother finding lunch meat hidden in his pants pockets. He was an obese child whose life was focused on eating. His appearance caused him shyness, and because he had no friends, he would eat more. As an adult, he can now look back and see how his entire family would use food as their drug.

Reality TV fans know Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino @ItsTheSituation from his antics on the MTV hit series Jersey Shore. The weekly program detailed the lives on young adults enjoying their partying lifestyle. Both the series and the participants were often criticized for their behavior on-and off-screen; behavior that often revolved around drinking and irresponsibility. Sorrentino would eventually find himself addicted to prescription painkillers.

Iconic rock and blues musician Gregg Allman has enjoyed a decades-long career both as a solo performer and as a key member of the storied Allman Brothers Band. But his hard-rocking times were filled with hard drugs and multiple battles with attempts at rehabilitation and recovery. He tells the story of his life in his memoir, "My Cross To Bear."

Prizefighter Gerry Cooney returns to Steppin' Out Radio to discuss his new book. Gentleman Gerry: A Contender in the Ring chronicles the career of a boxing legend, the challenges and triumphs of a trauma survivor, and an alcoholic's journey to sustained recovery. It provides a detailed account of how the former contender went from an abused childhood to becoming a two-time Golden Gloves champion. More than just a biography, this book explores the challenges of surviving difficult moments and overcoming obstacles such as alcohol addiction. The authors also provide historical perspectives of the era and behind-the-scenes insight into the world of professional boxing.

Known by millions for her starring role on the classic television sitcom I Dream of Jeannie, actress Barbara Eden's life is detailed in her book "Jeannie Out Of The Bottle." Eden discusses her introduction into the world of show business, and her professional success. But she also discusses the devastation she experienced when her son died as a result of a drug overdose.

Barbara returns to tell the rest of her story of being a sex and love addict. Much as alcoholic parents introduce their kids to drinking, her own mother introduced her to the world of illicit sex; as a young teen she became her mother's confidant about her own extramarital affairs. She learned her mother had an infatuation with sex and was encouraged as a young teen to have sex herself. Barbara soon began to think that if she wouldn't be having sex, she would not "be cool."

Dominic and Valerie met in recovery and to this day go to a 12-step meeting every morning. Dominic's family affairs all were accompanied by alcohol. Parties and christenings alike all featured drinking, and so he started drinking at these events. By his teens he was also working as a bookie, seeking what he thought was a glamorous life full of fast times, fast money and fast women. Even his time in the military couldn't stop his addictions. Valerie already had three months sobriety when Dominic met her at an AA meeting. She says her life was totally controlled by alcohol but didn't realize that she was unique in her relationship with alcohol; she thought everybody drank the way she did. She recalls a drunken incident when young nieces and nephews discovered her late at night crawling to the bathroom, too intoxicated to walk.

Billy served his nation by fighting the war in Iraq. But his use of crack-cocaine caused him to be discharged other-than-honorably by the military. Such a dis-commendation can make life very hard for an ex-military member. Often it prevents them from being hired for good jobs. But Billy's use of drugs didn't end with losing his military status.

David remembers arriving in Vietnam in 1967 to the words, "Welcome to Charlie Company." War is Hell, and David endured one horrific experience after another. Upon returning home, he coped by abusing alcohol and drugs. But his life after war seemed just as horrific as it was back in Nam: He lost two wives, his family and a career all to his drugging and drinking. He'd rather smoke crack in his basement than hold a job.