The Hilarious World of Depression

Latest Episodes:

Angelina Spicer Wants to Say Things Out Loud About Postpartum Depression Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

There's a lot of information being thrown at parents when a baby is on the way: how to make a birth plan, what kind of car seat to get, what shots the baby will need, and on and on. Comedian and actor Angelina Spicer thinks a frank discussion of postpartum depression doesn't get included in there nearly as much as it should. She recalls what happened when her driven and determined approach to her career ran head-first into a depression she never expected.

You can pre-order John's book at bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook. Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: hilariousworld.org/donate

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Miz Cracker Looks in the Mirror Oct 28, 2019

Show notes

Max Heller’s life was falling apart. He was drinking heavily, using every kind of pill he could get his hands on, and isolating from society. He was swimming in New York’s East River, walking through subway tunnels, and hooking up with whomever he could find. Then he met Bob the Drag Queen who, after weeks of cajoling, gave Max a complete drag makeover. Thus was born Miz Cracker, a confident and healthier self who looked beautiful in the mirror and who would rise to fame on RuPaul’s Drag Race. We hear about her struggles with depression and her struggles with keeping up on her self-care. This episode contains loads of laughs and passing references to Brecht and Sartre.

You can pre-order John's book at bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook. Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: hilariousworld.org/donate

Check out our sponsors this week:

DoorDash - Download the app and use promo code WORLD

Native - nativedeodorant.com with code WORLD

Calm - calm.com/WORLD

Stitch Fix - stitchfix.com/hilarious

Quip Oral Care - getquip.com/HILARIOUS

Bark Box - barkbox.com/WORLD

Charlene deGuzman Has Unsexy Stories About Sex Oct 21, 2019

Show notes

Actor and writer Charlene deGuzman grew up thinking that women should be like the centerfolds her father had plastered all over the garage: alluring to men and ready for sex. As an adult, this led to a sex and love addiction where the line between sex and love got blurry. Eventually, she hit bottom amid a failed relationship, a disastrous reaction to that failed relationship, substance use, and suicidal thoughts. She got help and, this is a bit unusual, made a critically-acclaimed movie about her recovery experiences.

Learn more about Charlene, including where to watch "Unloveable," at charstarlene.com.

You can pre-order John's book at bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook. Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: hilariousworld.org/donate

Check out our sponsors this week:

DoorDash - Download the app and use promo code WORLD

Native - nativedeodorant.com with code WORLD

Calm - calm.com/WORLD

Stitch Fix - stitchfix.com/hilarious

Quip Oral Care - getquip.com/HILARIOUS

Bark Box - barkbox.com/WORLD

Anil Dash Loves Social Media and Wants It To Change Oct 14, 2019

Show notes

Can platforms like Facebook or Twitter or Instagram help with depression? They do offer a quick way to connect with other humans, after all. But then again, do they? Are you talking to a human or are you just alone and typing? Tech thinker and Glitch CEO Anil Dash has been addressing the benefits and problems of social media for twenty years, since before even MySpace and Friendster. He also has a history of depression, which made it hard to run his own business at times, a business he had started when he was seventeen years old.

Check out Anil’s podcast, Function with Anil Dash.

You can pre-order John's book at bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook.

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod

Support our show today: hilariousworld.org/donate

Ryan Bingham Finds a Home and Settles Down Oct 07, 2019

Show notes

It took a long time for singer/songwriter Ryan Bingham to get to some stability in his life. Growing up, his parents had problems with drugs and alcohol, creating a lifestyle that kept the family constantly on the move or on the run all over the Southwest. Speaking of instability, his main outlet during childhood was riding bulls on the rodeo circuit. As he grew up, he tried to leave his past behind to be a traveling musician. When Ryan's parents died, he finally had to confront all that had happened. All the while, he was writing songs about all of it.

You can pre-order John's book at bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook.

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod

Support our show today: hilariousworld.org/donate

Heather B. Armstrong Nearly Dies Ten Times and It Works Out Great Sep 30, 2019

Show notes

Author and blogger Heather B. Armstrong (dooce.com) was in, by far, the deepest depression she had ever experienced and nothing was working to lift it. That’s when her psychiatrist told her about a study using powerful doses of the anesthetic Propofol. Heather had ten appointments where she was placed in a brief medically-induced coma. The idea is similar to electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) but without the electricity and, hopefully, without side effects like memory loss. She shares the story of what led her to try the treatment and how it went.

You can pre-order John's book at bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook.

Mara Wilson Had Great Opportunities and Difficult Challenges Sep 23, 2019

Show notes

While it was easy for audiences to enjoy Mara Wilson as a perky child performer in movies like Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire, the young actress had mental health issues that weren’t enjoyable at all. Mara had been dealing with severe anxiety for as long as she could remember. Her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer just before Matilda started shooting and Mara developed symptoms of OCD. Then came depression, and eventually body dysmorphia, too. Mara Wilson is 32 years old now and has relegated acting to the sidelines. She has a good grip on how her mind works and feels great about her new focus as a writer, but she knows that managing her conditions will be a lifelong job.

You can pre-order John's book at bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook.

Support our show today at hilariousworld.org/donate.

Whitney Cummings Puts It Together and Stops Falling Apart Sep 16, 2019

Show notes

Whitney Cummings has had a lot of success in Hollywood as a comedian, actress, writer and director, and now she's finally having success in figuring herself out. She's been making connections between the addiction and mental illnesses in her house growing up, the eating disorders she developed, the depression that has persisted, and the codependency that emerged. Turns out when you are able to take a good hard look at things, you can get a pretty good view.

You can pre-order John's book at bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook.

Support our show today at hilariousworld.org/donate.

Pete Holmes Looks for Meaning and Membership Sep 09, 2019

Show notes

You might know Pete Holmes from his many standup specials, his talk show, or Crashing, the HBO series he created and starred in. You might not know the long and varied spiritual path he's traveled in his life. Pete was an incredibly devout Christian, living by the Bible and obsessed with avoiding eternal damnation. Following traumatic life events, he arrived first at atheism and finally at a consciousness-based worldview influenced by thinkers like Ram Dass and Joseph Campbell. Sticking around for all parts of that journey: a love of comedy and some rather aggressive anxiety and depression.

You can pre-order John's book at bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook.

Support our show today at hilariousworld.org/donate.

Jenny Lawson and Books That Get Depression Right Aug 12, 2019

Show notes

We asked our listeners for books they've read that give an accurate depiction of the reality of depression. Happily, we got enough great suggestions to weigh down a shopping cart at the bookstore or leave a library card smoldering. A name that came up a lot was author Jenny Lawson, who happens to be a friend of the show. On this episode, we talk with Jenny and get audio suggestions from a lot of THWoD-balls. Be sure to visit hilariousworld.org for a complete list of titles.