The Small Bow Podcast

thesmallbow.com
  • 4.9 (141)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to the Small Bow Podcast. I’m your host, A.J. Daulerio. This is a show about expanding the definition of recovery, where we talk to writers, entertainers, recovering addicts, recovering jerks, and even the occasional normal person — about their struggles with love, sex, money, loneliness, shame, grief, drugs, alcohol, ego, identity, fame, and other fun things. Whatever is bringing you down, you might find something here that you didn’t know you needed. In addition to this podcast, the Small Bow is also a newsletter and recovery community that I started in 2018 to chronicle my own path toward sobriety and sanity following multiple rehab stints and a very public ordeal in which I was a co-defendant in Gawker's groundbreaking legal trial against professional wrestler Hulk Hogan for publishing a portion of his sex tape. A Florida jury voted in favor of Hogan and awarded him $115 million, which bankrupted the company and torched my former life. But out of the ashes of that ordeal grew the Small Bow. If you like what we do, consider subscribing to our newsletter and joining our community. We publish essays, interviews and other musings on recovery, and have online recovery support meetings seven days a week. Sign up for the Small Bow newsletter & community at: http://www.thesmallbow.com IG: @smallbowmedia

  1. Ryan O'Connell on the Strange Sensation of Finally Being Seen

    3d ago

    Ryan O'Connell on the Strange Sensation of Finally Being Seen

    Ryan O’Connell had an uncommon path to fame. After starting as a blogger in New York, he wrote a TV script about his life as a young, gay man with Cerebral Palsy. When the show was picked up by Netflix, the network insisted he star in it as well. Now that Special is in the rearview mirror, Ryan has gone back to his roots as a writer. He has a new book of essays out, called Inspiration Porn, which describes his life in Hollywood and the ways he has processed sudden and unexpected celebrity. Oh, and there’s a lot of sex in the book too. In this episode, we talk about intimacy, disability, addiction and the ways that Ryan and I have both felt ambivalent about the promise of “being seen.” Plus, we discuss Ryan’s sobriety, his impressive career confidence and the finer points of Herbie: Fully Loaded. 00:00:00 Ryan O’ Connell and a healthy dollop of delusion 00:04:09 Transitioning from writer to actor 00:08:18 Physical challenges of acting with disability 00:12:27 Getting sober without a traditional program 00:16:36 Professional confidence versus personal anxiety 00:20:45 Memories of the New York blog era 00:24:54 Comparing different forms of addiction 00:29:03 Working through intimacy in therapy 00:33:12 Tying self worth to productivity 00:37:21 Being strategic in the early blog career 00:41:30 Defining the voice of Thought Catalog 00:45:39 The struggle of promoting a personal memoir #RyanOConnell #InspirationPorn #Sobriety #DisabilityRepresentation #NetflixSpecial #AddictionRecovery #HollywoodIndustry #GayMecca #MentalHealth Topics: Writing the book Inspiration Porn Starring in the Netflix show Special Acting with cerebral palsy Visiting Provincetown as a gay mecca Overcoming Percocet and alcohol Sobriety outside of recovery programs Working in the NYC blog era Becoming a Hollywood showrunner Learning about intimacy in sobriety Tying self-worth to productivity New episodes release every Wednesday. ➡️ Subscribe to The Small Bow Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallBow?sub_confirmation=1 ➡️ Join The Small Bow Community: https://www.thesmallbow.com/ ➡️ Get the latest on The Small Bow: https://linktr.ee/THESMALLBOW ➡️ Download The Small Bow Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-small-bow-podcast/id1576208098

    54 min
  2. Langhorne Slim Wanted to Flee. Then He Became a Father.

    Jun 3

    Langhorne Slim Wanted to Flee. Then He Became a Father.

    Turns out Langhorne Slim and I have a lot in common. We both grew up in the Philly suburbs, we spent formative creative years in New York and we became dads in our forties. We’re also both in recovery. Langhorne’s got a new album out called The Dreaming Kind and he stopped by the studio to chat before playing a show at the Troubadour in LA. In this episode, we talk about the ways we’ve both struggled with the idea of “home.” Plus, forgiving the teachers who failed you, building creative community and the hard spiritual work of being a parent when you’re busy re-parenting yourself. 00:00:00 Intro and the Expansiveness of Love 00:03:15 Licensing Music to Walmart and Supporting a Family 00:05:35 Growing Up as an Outsider in Langhorne Pennsylvania 00:12:13 The Failure of the Public School System for Creators 00:16:13 Expectations and the Reality of the Music Industry 00:19:52 Falling Back Into Addiction and the Benzo Era 00:23:23 Losing Connection to the Divine on Skid Row 00:25:07 The Road Trip and Frightened Look That Led to Rehab 00:26:32 Detox and Treatment at Cumberland Heights 00:30:52 Why I am Grateful for My Relapse 00:33:39 Fatherhood and the Adventure of Being Still 00:49:21 Working with Greta Van Fleet on a New Record Topics: Struggles with the public school system Licensing music to commercials to support family Overcoming drug addiction and the benzo era Seeking treatment at Cumberland Heights The spiritual experience of becoming a father Collaborating with Greta Van Fleet in Nashville New episodes release every Wednesday. ➡️ Subscribe to The Small Bow Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallBow?sub_confirmation=1 ➡️ Join The Small Bow Community: https://www.thesmallbow.com/ ➡️ Get the latest on The Small Bow: https://linktr.ee/THESMALLBOW ➡️ Download The Small Bow Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-small-bow-podcast/id1576208098

    58 min
  3. Dopey Dave on Ego, Success and Why "More" is the Hardest Drug to Quit

    May 27

    Dopey Dave on Ego, Success and Why "More" is the Hardest Drug to Quit

    Dave Manheim (host of the Dopey Podcast) comes back on the show to drop some Dopey wisdom. We talk about ego, ambition, control issues, slowing down and how to be of service, self-servingly. Plus, what I learned from losing my wallet and why Dave hates the movie Inside Out. New episodes release every Wednesday. ➡️ Subscribe to The Small Bow Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallBow?sub_confirmation=1 ➡️ Join The Small Bow Community: https://www.thesmallbow.com/ ➡️ Get the latest on The Small Bow: https://linktr.ee/THESMALLBOW ➡️ Download The Small Bow Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-small-bow-podcast/id1576208098 Topics: Control issues and the Gordon Ramsay burden. The paradox of self-serving service. Jamie Lee Curtis on the humility trap. Why Inside Out robbed Internal Family Systems. Embracing pettiness as a connective force. The addictive search for more and the 60m goal. The wallet miracle: a metric for recovery. Why gratitude lists are fake but gratitude works. Friendship based on being worse than each other. The bumbler identity and harmony of internal parts. Scaling a creative business while managing fear

    46 min

  4. May 20

    Mitchell Jackson on Crisis PR, Billionaire Clients and Cancel Culture

    As the publicist for some of the most controversial people in media, including Candace Owens, Clavicular and Adam Friedland, Mitchell Jackson runs toward chaos. I wanted to have him on the show to talk about his own sobriety and how he balances a professional life that’s full of drama with a private life that’s “drama-free.” We talk about Mitchell’s definition of cancellation, his dream clients (Madonna) and the wealthy clients he’s happily turned down. Plus, the best time of year to admit wrongdoing, playing the hand you're dealt and how to capitalize on the worst day of your life. New episodes release every Wednesday. ➡️ Subscribe to The Small Bow Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallBow?sub_confirmation=1 ➡️ Join The Small Bow Community: https://www.thesmallbow.com/ ➡️ Get the latest on The Small Bow: https://linktr.ee/THESMALLBOW ➡️ Download The Small Bow Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-small-bow-podcast/id1576208098

    59 min
  5. Blair Socci on Returning to Standup After the Loss of her Brother

    May 13

    Blair Socci on Returning to Standup After the Loss of her Brother

    How do you begin to laugh again after experiencing unimaginable grief? Comedian Blair Socci has been trying to answer this question since the sudden death of her brother, but the answer isn’t obvious. I wanted to have her on the show to hear how she’s doing and learn what her recent experience has taught her about vulnerability and healing. Blair’s loss is still fresh and this is a pretty raw conversation— so I brought sour candy to help us get through it. New episodes release every Wednesday. ➡️ Subscribe to The Small Bow Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallBow?sub_confirmation=1 ➡️ Join The Small Bow Community: https://www.thesmallbow.com/ ➡️ Get the latest on The Small Bow: https://linktr.ee/THESMALLBOW ➡️ Download The Small Bow Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-small-bow-podcast/id1576208098 For more Blair, listen to her podcast Spaced Out with Blair Socci or catch her on tour: all dates at https://blairsocci.com

    49 min
  6. Michael Strassner Made a Movie About the Night That Almost Killed Him

    May 6

    Michael Strassner Made a Movie About the Night That Almost Killed Him

    Michael Strassner makes sure to watch the first scene of his film The Baltimorons at every screening, because he knows that if the events of that scene went differently, he wouldn't be around to watch them. He and I sit down for a frank and funny conversation about depression, getting sober by the skin of your teeth and finding unexpected laughter in recovery rooms. Plus, learning to love the birds at 4am. Please note: This episode contains descriptions of self-harm. If you don’t want to hear that right now, this might be one to skip. New episodes release every Wednesday. ➡️ Subscribe to The Small Bow Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallBow?sub_confirmation=1 ➡️ Join The Small Bow Community: https://www.thesmallbow.com/ ➡️ Get the latest on The Small Bow: https://linktr.ee/THESMALLBOW ➡️ Download The Small Bow Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-small-bow-podcast/id1576208098

    47 min
  7. When you make a dog your “higher power,” what happens when they die?

    Apr 29

    When you make a dog your “higher power,” what happens when they die?

    My friend Jeremy Luke did something you’re not supposed to do— two months after getting sober, he got a dog. That dog became his “No. 1 Sidekick” and suddenly Jeremy was a “dog guy,” trading in his bar friends for dog friends. When his dog Boogie died, Jeremy didn’t want to be sober anymore. In this conversation, we talk through the particular grief of losing an animal, especially one that has witnessed a major transformation in your life. If a dog has been part of your recovery, then this episode is for you. New episodes release every Wednesday. ➡️ Subscribe to The Small Bow Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallBow?sub_confirmation=1 ➡️ Join The Small Bow Community: https://www.thesmallbow.com/ ➡️ Get the latest on The Small Bow: https://linktr.ee/THESMALLBOW ➡️ Download The Small Bow Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-small-bow-podcast/id1576208098

    48 min
  8. Why Alex Winter Quit Hollywood for 10 Years

    Apr 22

    Why Alex Winter Quit Hollywood for 10 Years

    Every week, Alex Winter and I have a standing date at the House of Pies in LA. I like what he has to say about creativity, fame, sobriety— you know, all the stuff I’m interested in. Alex was on Broadway as a kid and then blew up when he starred in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. In this conversation, we talk about how child stardom messes with your sense of self and why he had to quit the business to figure out who he was. Since that time, he’s become a prolific documentary and narrative film director and earlier this year, he returned to Broadway, starring with his old friend Keanu Reeves in Waiting for Godot. We discuss the rigors of stage acting, his definition of joy and where political activism fits into his recovery. Alex is no guru, but he’s a smart dude. Grab a slice of pie, why don't ya? New episodes release every Wednesday. ➡️ Subscribe to The Small Bow Podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallBow?sub_confirmation=1 ➡️ Join The Small Bow Community: https://www.thesmallbow.com/ ➡️ Get the latest on The Small Bow: https://linktr.ee/THESMALLBOW ➡️ Download The Small Bow Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-small-bow-podcast/id1576208098

    1 hr
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
141 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Small Bow Podcast. I’m your host, A.J. Daulerio. This is a show about expanding the definition of recovery, where we talk to writers, entertainers, recovering addicts, recovering jerks, and even the occasional normal person — about their struggles with love, sex, money, loneliness, shame, grief, drugs, alcohol, ego, identity, fame, and other fun things. Whatever is bringing you down, you might find something here that you didn’t know you needed. In addition to this podcast, the Small Bow is also a newsletter and recovery community that I started in 2018 to chronicle my own path toward sobriety and sanity following multiple rehab stints and a very public ordeal in which I was a co-defendant in Gawker's groundbreaking legal trial against professional wrestler Hulk Hogan for publishing a portion of his sex tape. A Florida jury voted in favor of Hogan and awarded him $115 million, which bankrupted the company and torched my former life. But out of the ashes of that ordeal grew the Small Bow. If you like what we do, consider subscribing to our newsletter and joining our community. We publish essays, interviews and other musings on recovery, and have online recovery support meetings seven days a week. Sign up for the Small Bow newsletter & community at: http://www.thesmallbow.com IG: @smallbowmedia

Information

  • Creator
    thesmallbow.com
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    75
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    2024 The Small Bow © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from The Small Bow
  • Show Website
    The Small Bow Podcast

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