The Zac Clark Show

Stephanie Wittels Wachs is the CEO and cofounder of Lemonada Media, host of the award-winning podcast Last Day, and author of Last Day: How to Stop Losing Our Loved Ones to the Opioid Crisis. But none of this work would exist without her younger brother, Harris Wittels. Harris – the beloved writer, producer and comedian known for Parks and Recreation and Master of None – died of an opioid overdose in 2015 at just 30 years old. Before his death, Stephanie watched someone she loved cycle through addiction, treatment and relapse while her family struggled to understand what they were supposed to do. In this deeply personal conversation, Stephanie tells Zac about the call when Harris first revealed his OxyContin addiction, the mistakes she believes her family made with the information they had at the time, and the moment she finally understood that her brother wasn't choosing to hurt them – he was sick. More than a decade later, Stephanie has devoted much of her life to understanding the questions she couldn't answer then. She and Zac talk about opioid addiction, relapse, medication-assisted treatment, 12-step recovery, harm reduction, Narcan, boundaries, grief, guilt, and why there may not be one path to recovery. At its heart, this is a conversation about something millions of families struggle with: how do you help someone you love when you can't make them get sober? Stephanie’s new book – Last Day: How to Stop Losing Our Loved Ones to the Opioid Crisis – is available now: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Last-Day/Stephanie-Wittels-Wachs/9781668093184 Connect with Stephanie: https://www.instagram.com/wittelstephanie/ Listen to Last Day: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/last-day/id1468896686 More about Lemonada: https://lemonadamedia.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when the race probably should be canceled — but nobody stops running? Zac breaks down one of the wildest races of his life: the Paramus Race Faster Half Marathon, where torrential rain turned the course into knee-and waist-deep water, rushing currents, slippery trails and even a detour into traffic. Despite it all, Zac and hundreds of other runners kept going. After footage from the race went viral, Zac reflects on why he never considered stopping, the strange tunnel vision that takes over when you're chasing a finish line, and the unexpected sense of community that came from getting through something difficult together. This is the story of the craziest half marathon Zac has ever run — and why he'd probably keep running until someone physically pulled him off the course. Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At 20, David Millar's life revolved around getting high. His cocaine use had progressed to crack, drug-induced psychosis and a point where he says he was completely okay with dying. Seven years later, David is sober, in medical school and running ultramarathons. In this episode, David tells Zac how addiction took him out of college, why the treatment he experienced in early recovery ultimately helped inspire his path into medicine, and how getting sober allowed him to discover an academic ability he never believed he had. He also opens up about growing up with an alcoholic father, getting sober at 20, rebuilding his life through structured sober living, and later watching the roles reverse when his father arrived at the ER where David was working in severe alcohol withdrawal. David and Zac also talk about running, discipline, spirituality, the complicated relationship between addiction and mental health, and David's mission to show young people that sobriety isn't the end of your life – it can be the beginning of one you never imagined. Follow David Millar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/david.millar.mindset/ Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the New York Knicks championship parade, a man became unresponsive high above a crowd of thousands. Phones came out. Simone Kelly ran toward him. Simone is a 24-year-old volunteer EMT and neuroscience student at Drew University who hopes to become a physician specializing in emergency psychiatry and addiction. At the parade, she climbed onto the structure, recognized the signs of a suspected opioid overdose, called for Narcan, administered it, and helped save his life. The moment quickly went viral. Simone joins Zac to tell the story behind the rescue and talk Narcan, overdose, harm reduction, addiction stigma, service, and why treating people who are struggling with dignity can save lives. More Information about NARCAN:  https://narcan.com/en/ Follow Simone Kelly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simmykelly/ Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian, former Saturday Night Live writer, and author Rosebud Baker joins Zac for an honest conversation about addiction, grief, motherhood, divorce, and what long-term recovery actually looks like. Rosebud reflects on losing her seven-year-old sister, getting sober at 22, writing her memoir Fully Baked: A Messy Memoir, working at SNL while raising a newborn, and navigating divorce -- and how recovery isn't about becoming someone new, but about getting to the truth of who you already are. One of the most powerful moments comes when she explains why losing her sister and giving birth to her daughter felt strangely similar -- both shattered the life she thought she knew and forced her to see how fragile, and precious, all of it is. This is a conversation about what happens after the drinking stops: emotional suppression, family patterns, burnout, and the deeper work of staying present for your whole life without escaping yourself. Learn more about Rosebud Baker’s memoir here:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668016222?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Follow Rosebud Baker:: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosebudbaker/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rosebudbakerstandup Connect with Zac: https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark https://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553 https://twitter.com/zacwclark If you or anyone you know is struggling, please do not hesitate to contact Release Recovery: (914) 588-6564 releaserecovery.com @releaserecovery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices