
The Small Bow Podcast
85 episodes — Page 1 of 2
How do I stay in the moment when my phone is addictive?
Latex, Throwing Bacon and Bad Corpse Makeup with Anna Holmes
God Can’t Help You Until You Get Out of the Way
Opening the Doors on a Real Recovery Meeting
If You’re Searching For Heaven, Go Home | Swamp Dogg on the Afterlife
Megan Koester Is A Great Writer. Why Isn’t She Writing?
Richard Rushfield Has Power in Hollywood. Just Don’t Tell Him That.
We Fear Connection More Than Loss: Audience Q&A with Peaceful John
To Write a Book about Family, Mary H. K. Choi Had to First Look at Her Own
Death, Sex and Recovery: A Conversation with Anna Sale
Ryan O'Connell on the Strange Sensation of Finally Being Seen
Langhorne Slim Wanted to Flee. Then He Became a Father.
Dopey Dave on Ego, Success and Why "More" is the Hardest Drug to Quit
Mitchell Jackson on Crisis PR, Billionaire Clients and Cancel Culture
Blair Socci on Returning to Standup After the Loss of her Brother
Michael Strassner Made a Movie About the Night That Almost Killed Him
When you make a dog your “higher power,” what happens when they die?
Why Alex Winter Quit Hollywood for 10 Years
The Mushrooms Told Me to Stop Drinking

How to be addicted to people with Elizabeth Gilbert
When Elizabeth Gilbert wrote Eat Pray Love, she described her disordered relationship history using the language of addiction. It wasn’t until years later that she realized that for her, addiction wasn’t only a metaphor. In her new memoir All the Way to the River, Gilbert chronicles the chaos and degradation of her own sex and love addiction and how she finally got clean. The book is messy, and so is Liz. No easy answers here. We talk about the strangeness of entering recovery rooms as the author of a book that “changed peoples’ lives” and how the spiritual technology of recovery has changed hers. Plus, creative ambition and sobriety, delighting in your anger and geeking out about two way prayer. 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

Jerry O'Connell on the Fears and Feelings We Push Down
EMy friend Jerry O’Connell says he’s a simple guy. I wholeheartedly disagree. I was frankly surprised that he agreed to come on the show and discuss his recovery, a topic he has never spoken about publicly before, but I’m glad he was willing to get "serious" with me. We also discuss how he’s processing (or not processing) the shock of losing Stand By Me director Rob Reiner, a man who “changed his whole life.” Plus, why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and recovery go together, my ongoing feud with Sha Na Na drummer Screamin’ Scott Simon and Jerry’s trick for when he finds himself jealous of Wes Bentley, again. 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

Petty Resentments and Righteous Anger: A Conversation with Cord Jefferson
EWhen I found out my old colleague Cord Jefferson was writing a TV show about our time together at Gawker, I got pissed. I think I called him an "a**face." I don't feel resentful toward Cord anymore, but I wanted to have him on the show to talk about why that got under my skin. Plus, I wanted to hear how his recent success winning the Oscar for writing American Fiction had impacted his creative life. Together, we inventory our petty resentments and discuss how anger can be both a motivating force and a distracting nuisance. This one's for anyone who ever held a grudge. 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

Amanda de Cadenet on Facing "Dire" Loneliness and Loving Alcoholics
EAmanda de Cadenet lost control at an early age. As a teenager, she was on TV, married to a rockstar and all over the tabloids, but she had a deep loneliness that she couldn’t face. When she entered recovery, she stepped behind the camera for the first time and discovered the power of her own gaze. Now, as the host of “The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet,” she creates space for some of the world’s best-known people to reveal themselves in surprising ways. Join us for our own conversation about fame, despair and why her recovery is still the most important thing in her 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

Joe Buck on How to Look Into the Camera When You're Deeply Insecure
EPeople love to dunk on Joe Buck. They think one of the most accomplished play-by-play guys in the history of sports is robotic, elitist or boring. What you may not realize is that the worst things you've yelled at Joe Buck, he's definitely thought about himself. Together, we talk about the strangeness of being on camera and Joe's relationship with vanity, nepotism and never feeling like "enough." Plus, if you were waiting for us to do a hair plug episode, the wait is over. 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

Why Does Jenn Sterger Still Talk To Me?
EI never expected that Jenn Sterger would become such a big part of my recovery. Jenn is a comedian and former sports commentator and in 2010, I ruined her life. Since then, Jenn and I have rebuilt our friendship (with the help of a dog) and I’m grateful to her for coming on the show. We talk about public shame, forgiveness and how hard it is to let go of what other people think. New episodes release every Wednesday.
The Small Bow Podcast | New Season Trailer
trailerThe Small Bow Podcast with A.J. Daulerio is re-launching on March 4, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday. The Small Bow is a show about expanding the definition of recovery, where A.J. talks to writers, entertainers, recovering addicts, recovering jerks, and even the occasional normal person about how they made it through hard things and got better because of it. Episodes explore addiction and sobriety beyond stereotypes, identity shifts and ego, burnout and grief, car crashes and life detours, and the messy, funny, uncomfortable realities of being human.
S3 Ep 24The Wind Blows High w/ Trey Anastasio
In this very special episode, Phish's Trey Anastasio talks to us about how his 2006 drug arrest and the court-ordered treatment he received afterward became the catalyst for his second act as both a musician and a human, and also inspired him to open a revolutionary treatment center in Ludlow, Vermont called Divided Sky. Show Notes: The story of Divided Sky Live access to Beacon Jams on November 28, 29, and 30 Trey Anastasio band New Yorker story on Phish The Small Bow
S3 Ep 23The Persistence of Time w/Sari Botton
Oldster Magazine’s Sari Botton talks to us about what she’s learned from her readership, and some of the anxiety she feels about turning 60. Show Notes: Oldster! Sober Oldster! The Small Bow
S3 Ep 22If It's Not Going Perfectly, Keep Trying w/Joe Schrank
Social worker/Interventionist/advocate returns to The Small Bow to talk about Recovery Month, which happens every September, but is still being widely ignored. This is our annual attempt to develop a more effective marketing plan to increase interest in Recovery Month. Show Notes: Why Does No One Care About Recovery Month? Unknown Costs by Wilson Sims Champions of the World The Small Bow Newsletter!
S3 Ep 21Also Hit By a Truck w/Molly Johnsen
After a car accident left her with catastrophic injuries, writer/teacher/poet Molly Johnsen had to physically and mentally recover. Through EMDR and poetry, she found a way out. Show Notes: Everything Alive by Molly Johnsen Hit By a Truck Essay How to Survive The Small Bow Newsletter!
S3 Ep 20Hit By a Truck (Classic) w/Emma Carmichael
After a car accident left her with catastrophic injuries, writer/editor Emma Carmichael had to physically and mentally recover, but mainly she had to learn how to become more durable for when bad things happen in her life. Here's how she did it. Show Notes: Everything Alive by Molly Johnsen Hit By a Truck Essay How to Survive The Small Bow Newsletter!
S3 Ep 19Let's Let the Healing Begin w/ Sean Clements
Actor/Writer/Podcaster Sean Clements tells us about his early recovery -- from an uncomfortable amends to his former employer, at a dry cleaners, to odd jobs in Connecticut, to UCB improv classes, Minnie Driver's seal of approval, to becoming a sought-after comedy writer, to elite podcaster. SHOW NOTES: Hollywood Handbook Sean Clements IMDB home page Minnie Driver IMDB home page The Dink Gillian Jacobs, Our Close Friend PLEASE HELP SUPPORT THE SMALL BOW!: GIVE US FIVE STARS ***** ON APPLE * Sign up for the newsletter on Substack
S3 Ep 18Go On, Giddyup w/ Luke Pelletier
Musician and artist Luke Pelletier comes on TSB and tells us about his incredible manic episode when he attempted to prove his love to his girlfriend by spray painting their names on the Hollywood Sign. We hear about his new album that's come out of that experience and the medication and the friends and the art that is keeping him safe and healthy. This one is wild! Show Notes: Musician and artist Luke Pelletier comes on TSB and tells us about his incredible manic episode when he attempted to prove his love to his girlfriend by spray painting their names on the Hollywood Sign. We hear about his new album that's come out of that experience and the medication and the friends and the art that is keeping him safe and healthy. This one is wild! Show Notes: Luke Pelletier Art Instagram post about his breakdown Soggy Anvil Records Luke's work on Linktree The Small Bow Newsletter! Help Support TSB!
S3 Ep 16Fear of a 'Stack Planet w/Delia Cai
Do you like inside baseball? Editor Delia Cai joins TSB to discuss the state of independent media and if a career crisis is even a thing anymore. We get into my own anxiety about The Small Bow's expansion plans. Plus -- a Swamp Dogg giveaway! Show Notes: Deez Links New York Magazine story about Atlantic hiring spree. Puck article about Substack Substack Did Not See That Coming The Small Bow Newsletter! (On Substack for the time being.) Help Support TSB!
S3 Ep 16How to Build Your Body Without Losing Your Mind w/ Casey Johnston
Writer/author Casey Johsnton returns to the pod to discuss her new book, "A Physical Education." We talk about lifting heavy things, when you know you're hot, counting calories, bad body image, insecurity, walking into a gym for the first time, Jessica Simpson, and so much more. Show Notes: * A Physical Education * "She's a Beast" newsletter * Previous interview with Casey on Really Good Shares * The Small Bow Newsletter! * Help Support TSB!
Days of Our Second Lives w/ Amanda Hess
New York Times writer and author of "Second Life" Amanda Hess talks to us about motherhood, writing a book, quitting drinking while writing a book, benzos, anxiety, and how to be a steady-seeming parent in the chaotic digital nightmare-verse. Show Notes: * "Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age" * "Sinead O'Connor Remembers Things Differently" * "Amanda Hess: NYT Archive" * The Small Bow Newsletter! * Help Support TSB!
S3 Ep 13Our National Anthem w/ Amanda Petrusich
New Yorker writer Amanda Petrusich talks to us about all the complicated and gnarly feelings she's working through since the sudden death of her husband in August 2022. Show Notes: * "The Sad Dads of The National" * "The Enduring Genius of Metallica" * "Nick Cave on The Fragility of Life" * "After Forty Years, Phish Isn't Seeking Resolution" * "The National" (TSB Essay)
S3 Ep 12How to Survive a Nightmare w/Joe Lynskey
Last New Year's Eve, Joe Lynskey was headed home from lunch and stepped onto an empty platform at 18th Street and 1st Avenue when he was violently pushed from behind and inches from being hit by a moving subway car. He survived. And his 12 years of recovery from drugs and alcohol are helping him move forward. Show Notes: "He Was Pushed In Front of a Subway Car. How did He Survive?" "NYC Subway Survivor Meets FDNY Who Saved Him" The Small Bow Newsletter! Help Support TSB!
S3 Ep 11Mind Reels in America w/Freddie deBoer
Writer/Novelist Freddie deBoer tells us his experience with bipolar disorder and the six times he entered (or was placed) into a facility. Show Notes: * "Why I Won't Write a Mental Illness Memoir" * Pre-order Freddie's novel "The Mind Reels" * Here's Your Kanye West Cliff Notes The Small Bow Newsletter! Help Support TSB!
S3 Ep 10You Did It, Man! w/Cord Jefferson
American Fiction Writer/Director Cord Jefferson returns to the pod to discuss winning at the Oscars, losing the Golden Globes, and how he plans to fill the hole in his soul. Show Notes: American Fiction Stunting Growth w/ Cord Jefferson The Small Bow Newsletter! Help Support TSB!
S3 Ep 9The Last Decent Man on Earth
Joey McIntyre from New Kids on the Block tells us all the ways he's kept himself in check throughout his career and dazzles us with his grace and humility. If you like this kinda stuff, maybe you want to sign up to our newsletter. Show Notes: BUY JOE'S NEW ALBUM "FREEDOM"
S3 Ep 8There Are Murderers Here
Journalist and mental health counselor Jayson Blair tells us all about how his plagiarism scandal at The New York Times gave him the opportunity to get the help he needed – and to help others. Show Notes: CORRECTING THE RECORD KATIE COURIC INTERVIEW WITH JAYSON GOOSE CREEK CONSULTING: JAYSON’S LIFE COACHING
S3 Ep 7The Weight Loss
Writer and director Cory Reeder shares about his life-long quest for inner peace from a family tragedy that haunted him for more than 30 years. Trigger warning: some graphic content. Show Notes: Cory Reeder
S3 Ep 6Defective Character Limits
NYT’s writer and author Kate Conger lets us know how she’s holding up since her once humble beat covering a billionaire troll who builds rockets and purchased Twitter has become much more intense, important, and crazy since he’s become a very active member of the Trump administration. Show Notes: Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter Kate’s recent NYT’s stories
S3 Ep 5Joy as an Act of Defiance
Writer Heather Havrilesky comes on to discuss her creative process and how doing super-vulnerable activities like her Zoom singing lessons helps her grow as a person. Sometimes, our greatest joys come from the process, not the results. As the world continues to fail us, we need more joy; we need more process. Show Notes: Ask Polly Columns: “Passion Requires Slow Cultivation” “Reckoning With This Vicious World” Death, Sex, and Money: “The Transcendent Power of Low-Stakes Art”
S3 Ep 4Joan As Human Woman
Joan Wasser, AKA Joan As Policewoman walks us through her 20 years of sobriety, how her creativity has evolved, what defects remain, and the path of processing grief. Show Notes: Buy Joan’s Music and Merch Sober Oldster Interview
S3 Ep 3All Meat Rots
Peaceful John returns to the pod just in time for the new year and we discuss how vanity and ego never go away, personal needs, and are friendships you develop inside recovery rooms real friendships? Plus, the usual sonorous laughter and deep-ass breaths found in all Peaceful John episodes. Notes: TSB Newsletter
S3 Ep 2You Are F*cking Amazing!
This is a super Dopey episode of The Small Bow, where we speak with Dave Manheim about whether heroin addicts celebrate Dry January, our future ambitious plans for our respective projects, Dave’s book idea, and more. Show notes: Dopey Podcast TSB Newsletter Gabby Bernstein
S3 Ep 1It’s Okay If You’re Not Ready
We revisit an old Small Bow essay about my first New Year’s Eve sober—all the feelings of self-pity and loneliness almost drove me to a very bizarre and off-putting relapse. Sobriety didn’t give me the peace of mind and the results I wanted right away. I beat myself up about it, but you don’t have to. Show notes: The Small Bow’s Newsletter Search Engine episode featuring A.J. Daulerio about Dry January [Swamp Dogg]
S2 Ep 14The Fleeting Joys of Parenthood with George Bilgere
I talk to my version of Taylor Swift, Cleveland poet George Bilgere, whose writing and distinctive voice have influenced my post-sobriety writing (and parenting) more than anyone else. It's a time when a lot of new things come and go, and I want to figure out how to be okay with that. Show notes: Poetrytown.com Georgebilgere.com TSB story featuring George’s work. Writer’s Almanac Poems “Cheap Motels of My Youth” featured on Rattle In this episode: 00:38 Hello and Welcome 05:47 The interview begins 10:32 How to be light and dark, Tony Hoagland 18:50 "I forgot to say goodbye" 26:29 Thinking about death and other endings, Billy Collins 32:32 Children: Believe the hype! Grieving ahead of time 34:35 Sources of Inspiration, Bilgere as aberration, Diaper moments 40:45 How much should we micro-grieve? 52:06 Is this Home? 58:01 Preparing for the world