FROM THE DESK OF THE FOUNDER
Hi friend,
The internet loves a comeback story. Mugshot, redemption arc, roll credits.
Robert Downey Jr. got the full treatment: three arrests, state prison, fired from Ally McBeal, then sober since July 2003.
But the comeback isn’t the impressive part. The 23 years after it are.
I’m 20 years in, and I can tell you the middle never makes the highlight reel. Nobody throws a parade for year 14. It’s a lot of ordinary Tuesdays where you make the same choice again.
That’s the part of his story we went after this week. Not the fall. The staying.
Also inside: Lily Allen is touring without a drink in her hand. I tell the story of how my sobriety ended up with a URL (short version: I couldn’t find the unpublish button). And there’s a soda review for anyone whose fridge is 40% sparkling water.
Doctor Doom arrives Dec. 18. Plenty of time for a rewatch.
Stay loud. Now let's get into it.
— Alysse Bryson (*AB That’s Me 💋) / Seattle, WA 🌃 05.01.2006
SOBER POP CULTURE
Is Robert Downey Jr. Sober? Yes, Since July 2003
Three arrests. State prison. Written off Ally McBeal. Then a bad Burger King meal in 2003, drugs into the Pacific Ocean, and 23 years without a drink or a drug since. Robert Downey Jr. is the most famous person in long-term recovery, and he just won an Oscar and signed on to play Doctor Doom. We got into all of it, including what he actually credits for staying sober this long and the one line from his Oscar speech that stopped the room.
MENTAL HEALTH
Should You Share Your Sobriety Online or Keep It Sacred?
My sobriety went public by accident. Well, kind of.
In August 2020, I hit publish on a sober lifestyle website before I was ready, couldn’t figure out how to unpublish it, and suddenly my sobriety had a URL.
So I’m not neutral here. I run a sober media company. My sobriety date is basically in my bio. But I’ve also spent 20 years learning which parts of my recovery belong to the internet and which parts belong only to me, and I think that line matters more than any milestone post ever will.
TRAVEL
NAWA Sober Retreats: 28 Days, Four People and One Island Where the Ocean Does the Heavy Lifting
I don't cover rehabs. NAWA isn't one. Four people, 28 days and a remote Indonesian island built for people who already did the hard part and still need a reset.
HAPPY EVERY HOUR
Portal Cultured Soda Review: A Refreshing Sip That’s Not Too Sweet, Not Too Tart, Just Right
Portal Cultured Soda brings playful packaging and balanced flavors to the beverage aisle. We sampled All the Berries and Mango Cream Soda to see how these lighter, less-sweet drinks stack up.
ALSO THIS WEEK ON TSC 📰
There’s No Place Like Home: Finding Yourself in Sobriety Read more here→
Lily Allen Is Seven Years Sober and Finally Touring Without a Drink in Her Hand Read more here→
24 Ways to Cultivate Gratitude Read more here→
Sober Holiday Gift Guide by The Sober Curator (2025) Read more here→
See you Wednesday!
