How Theo Von Found the Inspiration to Get Sober
The comedian learned to “listen for the similarities, not the differences.”
Theo Von’s career began as a reality star on MTV’s Road Rules in 2000. In the two decades since, he’s used sharp wit and hilarious jokes to propel him to fame as a stand-up comedian and podcaster.
Von is also proudly sober — his addiction and sobriety are frequent topics in his comedy. As a recovering alcoholic myself, I’ve always loved the way that Von’s jokes tackle addiction. He intertwines ridiculous anecdotes with truly poignant and moving insights, and makes the entire process look effortless.
Even though his jokes are outrageous and over-the-top, at the core he comes across as down-to-earth and relatable. Whenever I listen to him talk about his struggle with addiction, I see my own story reflected back.
Recently, I watched a segment on his podcast, This Past Weekend, in which he gave a far more serious than usual take on his addiction. He began by describing his childhood, and how low self-esteem eventually lead to addiction.
Like many struggling addicts, Von was unhappy in life long before he turned to substance abuse. He grew up embarrassed of his poor family and aging father. At first it drove him to seek attention through…
