RR 210: Sober Comedy with Patrick HolbertRR 210: Sober Comedy with Patrick Holbert
The SHAIR Recovery Podcast
Stand-up comedian and sober coach Patrick Holbert talks about ten years without alcohol, from painful consequences and perfectionism to building a comedy career in recovery. The conversation touches on meetings, spirituality, relationships, awkward sober dating and the courage to pursue creative dreams imperfectly.
1:09:49•19 Feb 2019
Sober Laughter and Real Life with Comedian Patrick Holbert
Episode Overview
- Keep things simple: show up one day at a time, have faith, and stay willing, especially when meetings or routine start to slip.
- Perfectionism and secrecy can quietly rebuild addiction; talking honestly in therapy, meetings and relationships helps break that pattern.
- Connection with the right people and a strong circle of influence is crucial so you are not isolated with your own head and urges.
- You don’t need to feel ready or perfect to pursue a creative or personal dream; start small and accept doing it imperfectly at first.
- When torn between options, honour your first commitment and "be where your feet are" instead of chasing every other possibility.
“Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. So if you have fear about not being perfect at whatever the thing is, just go try.”
Curious about how others shape their sobriety journey? This conversation with stand-up comedian and sober coach Patrick Holbert offers a funny, honest look at life on and off stage without alcohol. Patrick, ten years alcohol-free at the time of recording, talks openly about growing up with tension at home, using booze to feel cooler and more confident, and how perfectionism and secrecy fed his addiction.
He describes hitting bottom in painful detail, including a disastrous trip to Italy where his drinking turned him into "a monster" he barely recognised, and how that finally pushed him toward therapy and then meetings. You’ll hear how he rebuilt his life as a working comic in New York City, doing around 400 open mics in his first year back on stage, often in bars, while staying sober.
He explains the difference between Patrick the entertainer and Patrick the man at home, and how recovery tools help him handle bombing on stage, comparing himself to others, and the grind of a freelance, late-night lifestyle. Patrick is candid about ongoing challenges too: compulsive phone use, stress-eating ice cream after bad shows, and issues with sex and porn that he works on in therapy and couples therapy.
He shares how regular meetings, prayer, meditation and writing gratitude help him stay spiritually grounded, and why connection with the right people is vital: "It's better to give a resentment than to get a resentment" and say what you need. One of his strongest messages is about fear and creativity: "Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly" and you don’t have to be perfect to start.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re too old, too damaged or too scared to chase a sober dream, this chat might be the nudge you need. What small step could you take today towards the life you actually want?
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