Euphoria Sucks! The Gayest Dopey in Awhile, Trapped in a Drug Dealer’s Trunk: Zach Noe Towers, Twink Death, Ecstacy, Hate Mail, MDMA, CokeEuphoria Sucks! The Gayest Dopey in Awhile, Trapped in a Drug Dealer’s Trunk: Zach Noe Towers, Twink Death, Ecstacy, Hate Mail, MDMA, Coke
Dopey: On the Dark Comedy of Drug Addiction
00:00 - 03:15 Dopey intro, Patreon plugs, Selby’s heavy breathing controversy 03:15 - 05:05 Dave trashes the new season of Euphoria 05:05 - 06:20 Lena Dunham audiobook + Phoenix House gala + Knicks talk 06:20 - 10:05 Scottish listener email about alcoholism, heroin, recovery, and DJ’s episode inspiring sobriety 10:05 - 31:55 Massive Spotify and Patreon reaction to Amanda de Cadenet episode 31:55 - 34:40 Introduction to Zach Noe Towers + Dopeywood Comedy Store planning 34:40 - 39:15 Dave talks bombing difficult interviews + Amanda de Cadenet awkwardness 39:15 - 44:10 Dopeywood structure discussion + comedy hosting anxiety 44:10 - 47:20 Growing up in Missouri + musical theater + discovering weed 47:20 - 51:30 Coming out, anxiety, drugs quieting fear, moving to LA 51:30 - 54:25 Rich gay party culture, coke piles, being a “party favor” 54:25 - 58:15 Alcohol becoming medicine + emotional hangovers 58:15 - 01:01:20 Ecstasy at Indiana University + rain + Obama pills 01:01:20 - 01:04:30 Twink culture explained + college drug experiences 01:04:30 - 01:08:20 LA party life, alcohol, coke, hookups, and shame 01:08:20 - 01:11:35 Realizing addiction + failed attempts to moderate 01:11:35 - 01:14:55 Coachella mushroom nightmare + Beyoncé saves Zach’s life 01:14:55 - 01:18:10 Falling for unavailable men + emotional bottom 01:18:10 - End Acid trip disaster, TSA while tripping, early sobriety, recovery and comedy talk SEO Keywords Dopey podcast, Zach Noe Towers, Amanda de Cadenet, addiction recovery podcast, gay recovery stories, comedian recovery story, ecstasy stories, Coachella mushroom trip, sobriety podcast, alcoholism recovery, heroin addiction, LA party scene, twink culture, stand up comedy recovery, Dopeywood Comedy Store, Midwest addiction story, emotional hangovers, recovery humor podcast, Dopey Nation, Dave Manheim
1:55:59•6 May 2026
From Trunk of a Dealer’s Car to Ten Years Sober: Zach Noe Towers on Drugs, Sex and Stand-Up
Episode Overview
- Substances often start as a way to soothe anxiety and shame, especially around sexuality, but quickly shift from "magic" to miserable dependence.
- Attempts at controlled drinking or using – weekend-only, only if offered, certain drugs but not others – tend to collapse for people with addictive patterns.
- Emotional pain, like unrequited love or always being the 'other person', can be as strong a catalyst for change as classic legal or financial consequences.
- Kind, non-pushy friends in recovery can open the door to meetings and support simply by offering lifts, work and a place to talk.
- Regular meetings and spiritual tools are described as a "gym" for the mind and spirit, giving sobriety the best chance to last and allowing careers and creativity to grow.
“"The most dangerous thing in your life makes you feel safe."”
What remarkable journeys have people faced head-on against addiction? This chaotic, funny and surprisingly tender episode of Dopey brings together drugs, dark humour and queer culture, with stand-up comic Zach Noe Towers sharing how a life built on ecstasy, coke and hook-up apps eventually led him to sobriety. Dave kicks off with his trademark ranting – this time about the latest season of *Euphoria*, Lena Dunham’s audiobook, Knicks basketball and a very loud-breathing Patreon regular.
A powerful email from a Scottish listener then shifts the tone, describing years of alcoholism, escalating opioid use and the desperate early days of withdrawal, all heavily influenced by past Dopey guest DJ’s story and the urge to get clean “for him”. Zach’s segment is where things really open up. He talks about being a closeted, anxious theatre kid in Missouri, finding weed and booze at 14, and the instant relief they brought: the moment his shoulders finally dropped.
From there it’s gay bars, LA party houses with “literal piles of coke”, Barack Obama-shaped ecstasy at Coachella, awful mushroom trips, mystery sassafras, and even coming round in the boot of a dealer’s car, realising he might just be collateral for an unpaid drugs tab.
Underneath the jokes about twink death, Grindr, Blowrs and Sniffies, Zach is clear: his using went from “magic to medicine to misery”, and by 30 he was waking up dehydrated and sticky in strangers’ flats, ashamed and stuck. A kind sober friend brought him to his first recovery meeting, and ten years on he’s still going daily, building a life with stand-up, writing and genuine connection instead of chemicals and chaos.
If you’ve ever wondered whether sobriety can coexist with a filthy sense of humour and a very human craving for fun, this one might make you rethink what recovery can look like. Where do you recognise your own story in Zach’s mix of laughter, fear and finally letting go?
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