Dopey: On the Dark Comedy of Drug Addiction

Timestamped Notes 0:00 – Intro & Greatest Hits poll results (Mark Maron wins with 34%, Fentanyl J 32%, George Young 24%, Ryan Leone 11%) 1:00 – Dave plugs Patreon, announces Dopey Wood 2026 at Comedy Store (April 12, 2026, lineup: Margaret Cho, Bobby Lee, Darrell Hammond, Zach No Towers, Sam Miller, Jeff Garlin maybe, Annie Lederman maybe, Steve Poltz maybe) 2:30 – Dave’s “God story” / universe miracle: Mark Maron randomly walks by Katz’s right after David Sheff cancels, Dave corners him, gets him for breakfast → first Maron episode 4:00 – Voicemail from Appalachian Austin (crack story in DC): dealer meetup in no-go zone, gets popped by cops, ditches crack in trash, digs it back out, gets busted again, weekend in DC central booking 9:00 – Dave reacts to Austin’s voicemail, loves crack/boofing stories, plugs stickers/socks for submissions 10:00 – Spotify comments on last Greatest Hits (Chuck Negron / Three Dog Night): foot care joke, RIP Chuck, Mama Told Me Not To Come shoutout, question if Chris was high, Natasha Leoni suggestion (Dave: unlikely), Black Mirror reco (Dave too scared) 12:30 – Email from Ryan M (Michigan): 2y8m sober, co-signs Dave’s dental/nitrous advice, patron wants stickers → Dave upgrades him to socks 14:00 – Transition to Mark Maron interview clip (Ludlow Hotel ~2018/2019) 15:00–1:08:00-ish – Full Maron interview highlights: How they met (Dave harassing on Twitter, cornering him on Ludlow, Katz’s breakfast hustle) Jewish/junkie double-whammy hustle, deli nostalgia, Katz’s meat platter bribe Deli deep-dive: turnover, corned beef cuts (lean vs fatty), first-cut confusion, tongue story, schmaltz, kasha varnishkes Maron’s early drug use: alcohol sensitivity, weed relief from over-caring, fear of loss of control Coke in high school/college, fear of heroin, 1988 cocaine psychosis → first rehab Relapse patterns, road gigs temptation, second wife helping get sober for real Heroin attempts (snorting/smoking, vomiting, nodding in Comedy Cellar, driving high with Louis CK & Patrice) WTF origin story (post-divorce, Air America, philosophical “what the fuck” umbrella) Podcasting alone skill, anxiety before interviews, soulful connection style Keith Richards cigarette moment, Paul McCartney medley gripes, favorite interviews feeling week-to-week Recovery miracle message, stay strong / toodles for Chris close ~1:08:30 – Dave post-interview reflections: annoying Maron pre-recording, wearing Katz’s apron to/from interview, back to waiting tables after, grateful for credibility boost 1:35:00 – Banjo cover of Dave’s song by Jake (25, West Virginia): new third verse added, “burned out basement listening to the Dopey show” line, raw phone recording

Timestamped Notes 00:00 – Dopey theme song intro (Rocker T) + Dave welcomes the “hippie” Wednesday Dose crowd 02:22 – Episode preview: Yellow Balloon groups origin story, Benji Rosenzweig & Jen Dawson guests, Patreon plug, Spotify comment begging 04:49 – Reading & reacting to last week’s Spotify comments (Gypsy2080, Laura Ann DePiro, Hannah Valasek, Kyle Radewski, Christian Perez, PearlWorld, Allison Hernandez, Melanie, Steve guy, etc.) 07:11 – Dave’s personal update: no after-dinner eating/sugar last night, back to 13k steps, Pop-Tart tangent (s’mores toasted > raw) 09:29 – Negative email about 5-day-a-week Dopey being “overkill” → Dave defends the format for the “every man” listener 11:54 – Sally’s voicemail: wild DIY punk show night in NH woods → Xanax rail, Manischewitz car chaos, blacking out, dad drops laundry on passed-out Sally 16:39 – Interview with Benji Rosenzweig begins 16:53 – Benji’s first Yellow Balloon encounter (Phish 2003/2004 tours, Georgie’s arm-around welcome at Coney Island) 20:07 – Benji’s early resistance to recovery, Jewish/Orthodox upbringing, mother’s death & loss of faith in prayer 21:51 – Jam-band origin story (Dave Matthews → Phish/Dead/Moe/Disco Biscuits), elitism around who “counts” as a jam band 26:38 – Benji’s addiction bottom: daily drinking/drug use, oxy, misery, suicidal ideation without the courage to act 29:38 – Mother’s cancer/death, father’s addiction, watershed atheism moment 34:01 – Heavy touring years (50–60+ Phish shows 2003–2004), plentiful drugs, friends moving on while Benji floundered 38:12 – Wharf Rats origin (mid-80s Dead scene, Don Bryant yellow balloon story, newsletter → official group) 40:27 – Why “Wharf Rats” name (Grateful Dead song, rejected “Black Peter”) & closing meetings with Black Peter lyrics 42:50 – Fellowship (Phish) starts ~1997, “dude” Serenity Prayer, no steps/sponsors/books 44:56 – Primary purpose: traction in slippery environment, one-year abstinence to host, table + set-break meeting mechanics 51:59 – Shift from drug-seeking to friend-seeking at shows, opposite of addiction = connection/community 59:05 – Caution: Yellow Balloon is “meeting before the meeting,” not a full program 01:05:55 – Transition to Jen Dawson interview 01:08:17 – Jen’s story: heroin years, sober 2014/2015, waited 5 years to return to shows, first table 2019 via Birmingham Freaks → Fellowship 01:13:00 – Power of online groups → instant welcome at in-person table, never alone if you reach out 01:17:40 – First table experience (Alpharetta Fish show with Caroline Cooley, rain, Groove Safe tent, learning the ropes) 01:20:05 – Transformations seen (newcomers joining groups, Fellowship Zoom life-changes) 01:24:44 – Jen’s recovery mutt style (AA origin, NA conferences, Dharma, daily Fellowship Zoom) 01:29:10 – Misconceptions: no strict affiliation, desire to stay sober at shows = only requirement 01:35:35 – Set-break meetings = quick gratitude shares, balloon toss to share, big meet-and-greet energy 01:38:02 – Dicks shows magic: sober raging behind soundboard, yellow stickers = instant family 01:47:15 – Wrap-up, Dave teases full Jen episode soon, welcomes new hippie listeners

Timestamp Notes (Chapters / Approximate Time Stamps) These are estimated from the transcript's timecodes and flow—total runtime seems ~27-30 minutes based on the provided clips. 0:00 – Intro rap/song snippet + welcome to Dopey Tuesday 1:11 – Dopey chant & full intro with guest Stephen Raymond Brown (name debate: Steve, Doug, Ray Brown) 1:53 – Heart Attack Doug voicemail drama & rivalry (he's jealous of Ray on the show) 3:29 – More Doug voicemails (Texas Dave, second chances, fentanyl deaths/Trump takes) 5:00 – Billy Joel "Just the Way You Are" reference & accepting friends despite flaws 6:19 – Mean Doug voicemails played (fat jokes, numbers down without him) 7:19 – Politics in recovery/meetings (Trump bumper stickers story, not letting it divide) 9:00-ish – Political disagreements with friends (extreme views on rounding up Republicans) 11:02 – Family life rants (yelling at kids, broken hazard button in car, anxiety moments) 13:27 – Morning chaos story (Nora not answering phone, screaming for breakfast) 15:48 – Super Bowl/Bad Bunny halftime show critique (cinematic vs. stadium show, Latin market push) 18:03 – Outrage culture, Spanish lyrics, generational differences (Linda's mom vs. kids knowing lyrics) 20:23 – Listener comments read (Up Yours on Patreon/tough times, WS MFP = Widespread Motherfucking Panic?) 22:12 – Acoustic song performance ("Bad Desire" style lyrics about money, desires, shadows) 26:01 – Song wrap-up & closing thoughts ("It's all I've ever had") 26:38 – Outtro tease for Patreon full episode (drugs/addiction/dumb shit deep dive)

Timestamp Notes (Approximate, Based on Transcript Flow) 00:00 – 01:15: Dave's intro rant on drugs/addiction, no-judgment zone, shoutouts to reckless users and those in recovery. "Stay strong Dopey Nation" repeats. 01:15 – 03:40: Welcome to Total Dopey Replay (Mondays replay full old episodes). Episode 11 title read, backstory on starting Dopey with Chris in 2015, Chris's death in 2018, time flying. Patreon plug (stickers, Zooms, tiers from $5–$20, extra shows). 03:40 – 06:07: Reading Spotify comments (AMA suggestion, crazy DUI voicemail, interviewing growth, merch questions, MSSP shoutout). 06:07 – 13:06: Long emotional email from Donna (Billy Strings fan intro to Dopey, her own loss of brother-in-law Chris to heroin OD in 2013, finding him decayed, intuition/denial, marriage ending). Dave's compassionate response. 13:06 – 20:11: Tease Patreon notes on Ep 11, YouTube/social plug, Rachel's voicemail (benzo MRI panic turning blissful/rave-like, loving drugs more than fear, post-high matzo ball soup). 20:11 – 21:24: Dave reflects on being a "dick" to Chris in old eps, old comment about N-word (from NWA reference), intro to replay. 21:24 – ~45:00 (replay core banter): Dave/Chris intro, AA vs NA debate (bougie AA vs. cracked-out NA stereotypes), funny meeting stories (vodka-drinking guy, mooch at breakfast, schizophrenic "did it on my own" guy), Damn Daniel viral tangent, Chris's daily routine (late wake-up, therapy at cafe, gym, jail friend call). ~45:00 – 59:00 (Chris's main story): Relapse setup (sober living, hooking up with Ashley in dugout/baseball field), dad-funded Westin hotel stay, vodka + relapse, dare to punch nose → bleeding/trashing room, pool drinking, security/police confrontation, job loss at same hotel, paying damages, alcohol-fueled idiocy. 59:00 – end of replay: Podcast growth talk (1,100+ downloads), merch dreams, Instagram start (early blocks/followers), email/story invites, sign-off. ~01:03:50 – 01:06:02: Dave post-replay (Patreon notes tease, comedy show plug with Bobby Lee/Margaret Cho, math on $5 tier value), music outro ("I Wanna Be Good So Bad"). Total runtime ~1 hour+ (typical for replays with intro/outro).

Timestamped Notes / Chapter Markers 00:00 – 00:55 Opening parody song / "I love heroin" bit 00:55 – 02:03 Dave singing / intro riff + "It's time for Dopey" 02:03 – 04:02 Sponsor read: Oro Recovery (Bob Forrest's program) 04:02 – 06:31 Dave introduces episode, talks about old band "Alty Scrub Hustle" recording in 1999, snorting dope in studio bathroom, life falling apart then 06:31 – 18:14 Massive Spotify comments section (Jed Payne episode reactions) – Dave reads dozens, Jed replies to many 18:14 – 20:34 Sponsor reads: Mountainside + BetterHelp (Valentine's/relationship pressure theme) 20:34 – 25:20 Voicemail from "The Gypsy" – MRSA infection from muscling dope, shooting up through PICC line in hospital, kicked out 25:20 – 30:05 Sponsor read: Orchard on the Brazos (Dan & Brandy's place) 30:05 – 32:28 Email from listener in Michigan – moved from CA → MI, plane smuggling, Flint crack/heroin runs, now on subs with family 32:28 – end of interview (≈2:09:00) Main interview – Amanda Crossley 32:28 – 37:14 Intro, Dr. Phil appearance, writing the letter at 23 37:14 – 41:50 Growing up in South Jersey, resenting sisters' drug use, first Roxy 30 at 18 41:50 – 48:48 Pharmacy tech job → stealing pills (secret trash-tissue method) 48:48 – 58:18 Getting caught, first shot of heroin same day in Camden 58:18 – 1:11:41 Shooting heroin ritual, sisters relapsing together in Florida 1:11:41 – 1:26:08 House robberies (Cherry Hill), getaway driver role, first arrest 1:26:08 – 1:39:50 Sugar daddy website phase, working at "Hairitage's", stealing there too 1:39:50 – 1:51:18 Dr. Phil call comes right after arrest, filming while high, meeting Brandon Novak at Roosevelt Hotel 1:51:18 – 2:04:25 Filming the show high, seeing parents' pain, immediate limo to treatment 2:04:25 – 2:09:11 Treatment, show airing at 60 days, sisters' journeys, current life (married 11+ years, two kids) 2:09:11 – 2:13:55 Wrap-up, plugs, SafeSpot number, customstickers.com code DOPEY20 2:13:55 – 2:23:xx Closing music from old band (Girl of Mine + other tracks)