Dopey: On the Dark Comedy of Drug Addiction

Multiple Christmas / holiday messages from Dopey Nation Listener milestones (100 days sober) Gratitude for Dopey Zoom marathon meetings Dave reads Spotify comments and emails Emphasis on unity, togetherness, and recovery during the holidays Tragedy & Reflection Dave addresses the deaths of Rob and Michelle Reiner Discusses shock, confusion, grief, and the arrest of Nick Reiner Acknowledges the emotional toll of covering tragedy connected to the show Encourages doubling down on recovery and connection Alec Baldwin Interview (Core Segment) Grew up on Long Island; limited money delayed early drug use First cocaine use in a bathroom in NYC after landing TV work Drinking culture on soap operas and in NYC bars Studio 54 work as a waiter (after its peak) Move to LA leads to heavy cocaine use and drinking Driving intoxicated becomes a major fear Overdoses in an Oregon hotel room (tachycardia, hospitalization) Gets sober in February 1985 Finds AA through acting class intervention AA becomes full social life; cuts off drinking friends Spirituality didn’t get him sober — it kept him sober Talks openly about depression, despair, and suicidal thoughts Family, wife, and children become anchors Discusses divorce, family court, and systemic injustice Talks about New Mexico case, legal stress, and health decline Emphasizes “just don’t drink today” mindset Quick “this or that” game at the end Post-Interview Content More holiday messages from guests and listeners Dave’s dad, Alan Manheim, calls in Long discussion about Nick Reiner, resurfaced clips, and online backlash Dave shares hurt over being labeled exploitative, antisemitic attacks Dad defends Dopey and its positive impact Discussion of irony: Dopey finally gets massive attention through tragedy Rolling Stone potentially asking Dave to write about the situation Reflections on parenting addicts and supporting family members Closing message: reach out, stay connected, ask for help Ending

Dopey 1 & 2 Replay - Figuring out the show. Retelling our relationship Chris tells a story 19 MCDOUBLES with Cheese! Chris's 4th Rehab Chris out on jail Leaving treatment Dave Seizing

Emergency response to Nick Reiner case and public reaction Addiction + psychosis + violence (especially stimulants) Failure of psychiatric safety nets and crisis response systems Parents, shame, and pressing charges against addicted children Why families often have no place left to turn Celebrity kids, identity, resentment, and survival Historical examples of addiction-related family violence The evolution of addiction motivations (pleasure vs. numbness) Millennials, despair, and modern drug culture Bob Forrest’s work with police, psych hospitals, and PET teams Music as connection: punk, Dylan, Clapton, Layla, Keith Morris Depression, suicidal ideation, and staying alive for your kids Christmas memories in addiction vs. recovery Narcan, harm reduction, and moral hypocrisy Defending Dopey against scapegoating and bad-faith criticism

Opening Dave welcomes Erin Carr; jokes about her elite equestrian past and chaotic scheduling. They reflect on how close they’ve become despite not knowing each other long. Erin’s Election Erin won a seat on a NYC Education Council. Work is “more than expected,” with conflict but also progress. She approaches policy case-by-case and avoids personalizing disagreements. Generational Talk Gen X nostalgia: grateful they came of age before social media. Appreciation for 90s/2000s music era and early internet. Dopey Press + Nick Reiner Case Erin learns Dave is suddenly “the Nick Reiner expert” in the news. Dave describes doing ABC News without deep prep. Social backlash: people saying his compilation episode was “too soon.” The Daily Dopey Strategy Dave explains putting out an episode every day. Monday replays, Tuesday Patreon/teasers, Wednesday “dose,” Thursday archive, Friday main show. Ethics of the Nick Reiner Compilation Erin’s critique: title framed it as “The Nick Reiner Tragedy,” centering the alleged perpetrator rather than the victims. Dave explains intention: to compile all Nick content because press and fans were asking. Discussion of ethics, stigma, addiction vs violence narratives. They settle on retitling it “The Reiner Family Tragedy.” Media + Stigma Erin: important to avoid framing mental illness or addiction as inherent violence. Dave: acknowledges the emotional weight, his personal connection, and desire not to exploit the moment. Reiner Family Horror Erin describes the magnitude of the tragedy: daughter finding parents, multiple family losses. Conversation about denial, shock, and the devastation for surviving family. Closing Dave ends with a quick Patreon pitch due to time constraints (Susan’s Nutcracker show).

Nick’s background / family Son of Rob Reiner, grandson of Carl Reiner; grew up in a talented, high-pressure family. Felt like the “one who made everyone unhappy” compared to high-achieving siblings. Early drug path & relapse setup Wanted coke → reconnected with old dealer → introduced to heroin. Escalated into weeks-long run on heroin/coke. Admits he wanted to return to weed/pills lifestyle eventually. Cocaine heart attack / Chris at hospital Had a cocaine-induced heart attack on a plane while on Suboxone. Wakes up in Boston hospital with Chris unexpectedly at bedside. Chris visits him multiple times through detox. Treatment shuffle → Maine sober living Detox in Boston → halfway house → another program → eventually Maine sober living. Miserable, bored, angry; talks to Dave throughout. Planned to “play it straight” long enough to go home and use again. Return to weed/Adderall Smokes weed & takes Adderall; sees weed as a “preventative measure” to avoid harder drugs. Says weed gives him “nothing” but it’s part of his lifestyle. The “Cherry Red” story At 14–15, stole $200 from parents to hire a sex worker from Craigslist. Lasted seconds. Called her back for round two. Ate a strong edible beforehand. Meth/coke guest-house destruction Spun out on uppers for days. Punched out TV, lamp, everything in the guest house. Parents forced him to leave → beginning of spiral. Listener Email: rehab sexual exploitation Man with sexual insecurities manipulated into sexual relationship by case manager. Filmed, given Suboxone, videos accidentally saved to treatment center network → exposed. Spiraled into fraud, oxymorphone binge. Eventually recovered; shares about secrecy, shame, and relationships in recovery. Dave + Chris reflections Dave admits weed made him selfish/unreliable back then. Chris calls himself a chronic people-pleaser; tries to push Nick toward recovery. Both express concern about Nick repeating old patterns. Chris’s death Dave processes shock, anger, and surreal timing (clean years vs losing two friends in weeks). Mentions outpouring of Dopey Nation love. Announces the holiday “Chrismis” and the release of a Chris lost episode. Closing Nick refuses to say “stay strong” or “toodles” until pressured. Dave signs off with grief and appreciation for the Dopey Nation.