How a Podcast Became a Lifeline for Addicts | Soberness Podcast with David Manheim
In this heartfelt and hilarious episode of Soberness, David Manheim, creator of the Dopey podcast, shares how a show that began as a collection of funny addiction stories turned into a powerful recovery community. David opens up about the impact of humor and vulnerability in breaking down stigma, the lessons he’s learned from personal loss, and how storytelling can save lives. This conversation offers insight, hope, and plenty of raw honesty for anyone on the path to sobriety.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
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Community is the Heart of Recovery: David explains how the Dopey podcast evolved from sharing funny addiction stories into a supportive community that offers connection, hope, and healing for people navigating sobriety.
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The Power of Vulnerability and Humor: By blending raw honesty with humor, David shows how sharing personal struggles and failures can break down stigma and inspire others to embrace their own recovery journeys.
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Loss as a Catalyst for Growth: The tragic death of Dopey co-host Chris illuminated the deep realities of addiction, reinforcing the importance of authenticity, support networks, and continual self-reflection in staying sober.
ABOUT THE SOBERNESS PODCAST
Soberness is a new podcast from Cat Greenleaf, creator and host of Talk Stoop.
Cat brings her legendary interviewing style and ten years of sobriety to wild conversations with celebrities and notable people who have been on their own sober journeys, either out loud in public or quietly at home.
Soberness is not a somber show about sobriety.
It’s about the one-of-a-kind stories that define the lives of people we all know, sharing the aching humor and the meaning that comes with a life in recovery.
And it’s about how that life redefines the work and the art of the actors, musicians and thinkers around us.
Soberness is built upon the primary belief that there’s no one definition for sobriety and no one way to get sober …and there are a million stories that can lead the way for anyone who’s trying to make it happen.
WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE: https://youtu.be/ct8D-3Lb2MM
LISTEN TO THE FULL AUDIO PODCASTS HERE: https://open.spotify.com/show/6CT7iEJi0PIzaVHxEBVZVi
ABOUT CAT GREENLEAF
Cat Greenleaf is a veteran TV personality and host, best known for her long-running series, Talk Stoop, where she interviewed and entertained actors, musicians, politicians, and other notable folks on the stoop of her Brooklyn brownstone. When she’s not TV-ing, she’s working on her non-profit the Restorative Housing Organization which provides employment for formerly incarcerated folks and affordable waterfront housing. She also leads AA meetings for inmates at Bedford Hills Women’s Maximum Security Prison, and for formerly incarcerated men and women in East New York. She lives in Brooklyn’s Coney Island with her husband, two sons and three dogs.
TIMECODES:
00:00 Introduction
00:42 The origins of Dopey podcast
03:56 From addiction stories to recovery focus
05:20 The veterinarian story and early podcast struggles
06:09 Why recovery became central after losing friends
10:27 Managing focus with ADHD and podcasting
12:07 Memories with Chris and their creative partnership
14:16 How personal loss shaped the show
17:20 Stories of persistence, tragedy, and growth
19:58 Lessons learned from community and resilience
Keywords: David Manheim, Dopey podcast, addiction recovery, recovery community, sobriety stories, humor in recovery, addiction and storytelling, personal loss and recovery, overcoming addiction, podcasting about sobriety, addiction humor, recovery journey, sober living, mental health and sobriety, using comedy to heal, addiction and vulnerability, building a recovery network, lessons from loss, sober storytelling, addiction and friendship, staying sober through connection.
