7 Years 138 days - Purgatory7 Years 138 days - Purgatory
I'm Quitting Alcohol
Comedian David Boyle talks about returning to "open mic hell" seven years into sobriety, seeing it as purgatory for past drinking and missed chances. He shares the harsh realities of rebuilding his comedy career, cutting his material down, and fighting for attention while holding on to a stubborn sense of purpose.
9:40•30 Sept 2026
Seven Years Sober and Back in Open Mic Purgatory
Episode Overview
- Boyle frames his return to open mic comedy as a kind of punishment for past drinking, bad attitudes and lack of work ethic.
- He breaks sets back down to five minutes, cutting all fluff to survive in distracted rooms where almost no one is listening.
- Different types of gigs demand different approaches, from bar open mics with no attention to paying crowds and his own audience.
- He believes that if new material works in harsh open mic conditions, it will become "bulletproof" for better stages.
- Despite frustration, he accepts this "purgatory" period as part of a larger plan and keeps grinding while staying sober.
“This is my time back in purgatory… you're gonna have to earn every single fucking thing all over again because no one gives a fuck.”
Get ready to be moved by a real-life account of trying to claw back a comedy career while staying sober. This short, daily show follows Australian comedian David Boyle as he talks through yet another round of "open mic hell" and what he calls his time in "purgatory". In this episode, Boyle is seven years and 138 days alcohol-free, yet he still feels like he's paying for past choices.
He jokes that "this is my last punishment" and frames the grind of low-level gigs as repayment for "bad attitudes, drinking, lack of work ethic, lack of motivation" and years of not capitalising on earlier momentum. You'll hear him break down the brutal hierarchy of comedy: from dead rooms full of bored comics on their phones, to paying crowds, and eventually to performing for his own audience.
The style is raw and sweary, more like a mate venting after a gig than a polished self-help chat. Boyle talks through the reality of rebuilding: five-minute sets, cutting out the fluff, adjusting pacing for American rooms, and fighting for attention when no one "gives a fuck". Yet there's a sense of stubborn hope buried in the rant – he believes that if new material survives these conditions, "they're gonna be so fucking bulletproof".
For anyone wrestling with the long, boring part of recovery – the stretch where life still feels hard and no rewards seem guaranteed – this episode shows how staying sober doesn't magically fix career regrets or missed chances. It does, however, give him the clarity to keep grinding, remember the chaotic early days in Melbourne with fondness, and accept that "God has a plan for you and you have to accept the plan".
If you’re looking for honest sobriety talk mixed with dark humour and the reality of starting over, this might be exactly what you need today.
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