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The Addicted Mind Podcast

295: Finding Sobriety and Laughter: Patrick Holbert's Journey from Addiction to Stand-Up Comedy

The Addicted Mind Podcast

Duane Osterlind, LMFT

Health & Fitness, Medicine, Mental Health

4.8621 Ratings

🗓️ 12 August 2024

⏱️ 41 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Imagine finding your true calling amidst the chaos of addiction recovery. That’s exactly what happened to Patrick Holbert, a former TV producer who took a leap of faith and became a stand-up comedian. In this episode, Patrick shares his incredible journey of overcoming addiction and how joining a 12-step program and the Artist's Way workshop led him to pursue his passion for comedy. We explore how his acclaimed show "Punchline Drunk" uses humor and personal storytelling to educate college students about alcohol abuse, and how fatherhood has added a new emotional layer to his performances.


Patrick opens up about the complexities of filling the void left by addiction with work and external validation, and the burnout that often follows. He candidly discusses the pivotal moment of joining an Artist's Way group, which helped him dive deeper into self-discovery and community support, ultimately highlighting the need for holistic recovery. We also touch on the courage it takes to seek meaningful change and the setbacks that can occur when old habits resurface, emphasizing the importance of addressing inner needs for true fulfillment in sobriety.


In this episode, you will hear:

  • Patrick Holbert's transition from a TV producer to a stand-up comedian during his addiction recovery journey.
  • The impact of joining a 12-step program and the Artist's Way workshop on Patrick's path to sobriety and comedy.
  • The creation and success of "Punchline Drunk," a show that educates college students about alcohol abuse through humor.
  • The challenges of filling the void left by addiction with work and the resulting burnout.
  • Insights into the supportive yet challenging environment of the New York City comedy scene.
  • The development and significance of Patrick's comedy special "Qualification," filmed at a recovery convention.

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Supporting Resources:

NovusMindfulLife.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9W_bKp4qEw

www.youtube.com/patmiscellaneous

Instagram: @theholbertreport 


Episode Credits

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

All right, everyone, welcome to another episode of the Addicted Mind podcast.

0:09.0

My name is Dwayne Austerland, and I'm your host.

0:13.7

And today, our guest is Patrick Holbert.

0:16.3

He is a former TV producer turned stand-up comedian who has appeared on Sirius XM, True TV, the Travel

0:23.7

Channel, and was host of the internationally syndicated TV show The Movie Law for two years.

0:30.0

The New York Times called him the charming MC of the children's variety show.

0:35.0

He helmed for multiple tours.

0:37.0

He is an accomplished director,

0:38.7

camera operator, and video editor. Patrick has produced several comedy specials and documentaries

0:44.1

for national touring headlining comedians in the last few years, and he is releasing his

0:49.6

own debut special coming up. So today, Patrick's going to talk about his own story of recovery

0:55.2

and how he incorporated his recovery journey and his sobriety journey into his comedy acts

1:04.0

and how getting on stage and being a comedian really came together in his recovery journey. It's a great story. Patrick just

1:14.3

shares his story openly and honestly. I think you're going to get a lot out of it. And don't forget,

1:19.7

if you're getting a lot out of the Addicted Mind podcast, please rate us in iTunes or leave a

1:25.5

review that would be awesome in whatever podcast app you're using

1:28.8

right now.

1:29.7

I really appreciate it.

1:31.3

And to all the people out there who have done that, thank you so much for taking the time

1:36.0

to help the Addicted Mind podcast get found.

1:39.2

And you can join our Facebook group.

1:41.1

Just go to Facebook, type in the Addicted Mind podcast and click join. All right, everyone, let's start this episode.

...

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