Raised by a Baptist preacher who frequently got run out of town and raped by his older sister starting when he was 4, “Tom” has had a lot to work through. A great episode about working through trauma especially in families that can’t or choose not to communicate. Though a serious episode for sure, there is more humor than the title suggests. Not a downer.
The 22 year-old writer and actress (Hey Ash, Whatcha’ Playin?) and VO artist (Tiny Tina of Borderlands 2) opens up about the recent accidental overdose death of her boyfriend, the truths and myths about addiction, loving an addict, and her guilt about wishing she could have done things differently, plus the struggle to put her life back together. They also talk about the danger of invalidating children’s feelings and the shame of obsessive or intrusive thoughts.
The actress (Hung, True Blood, Date Night, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Reno 911) and solo theatre artist (Bust) opens up about being an adopted child growing up in a family uncomfortable with emotion, her food and weight issues and the manipulative, alcoholic 23 year-old who wouldn’t leave her alone when she was 16. She also talks about a lie that snowballed out of control and why she had trouble stopping it.
The writer (Huffington Post), stand-up comedian (Late Late Show w/ Craig Ferguson), podcaster (My Picker is Broken) and longtime friend opens up about everything. From his abusive mother, his 5x married father, his summer of daily acid trips, his odd wet dream about his aunt and much, much more. Do highly disciplined people have more trouble accepting their partners flaws? Update: Todd is no longer doing the My Picker is Broken podcast.