The Zac Clark Show

Recently, I had Stephanie Wittels Wachs on The Zac Clark Show, and our conversation left me wanting to go back to the beginning of her story. Steph’s brother, Harris, was a brilliant comedian and writer whose life was ultimately taken by addiction. In this episode of Last Day, Steph shares the story of Harris, her family, and the early experiences that shaped how she came to understand addiction and eventually dedicate so much of her life to talking about it. The episode also features conversations with Sarah Silverman and Aziz Ansari, who worked alongside Harris on The Sarah Silverman Program and Master of None, respectively. Both were friends of Harris, and their memories offer a personal glimpse into the man behind the comedy and the impact he had on those who knew him. After hearing Steph today, revisiting this conversation feels especially powerful. It’s a reminder that addiction isn’t just a diagnosis or a statistic. It’s a story about people, families, grief, love, and the search for understanding. If you listened to my recent conversation with Steph, this is the story that came before it. And if you’re meeting Steph for the first time, start here. 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

Running the 2026 NYC Marathon? After completing the race 11 times, Zac shares everything he's learned about making the most of one of the greatest days in New York City. In this solo episode, Zac explores the history of the NYC Marathon and shares his essential tips for race week and race day, covering sleep, nutrition, hydration, transportation, pacing, navigating the course's toughest stretches, and crossing the finish line in Central Park. Whether it's your first marathon or your fifteenth, Zac shares the lessons, mistakes, and unforgettable moments that make the NYC Marathon unlike any other race in the world. Good luck, runners! Support Zac & the Release Recovery Foundation https://fundraisers.nyrr.org/zac-clark-2026 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 a narcotics cop who spent his career fighting the war on drugs discovers his own daughter is battling heroin addiction? In this episode, Zac sits down with former narcotics officer Kevin Simmers and filmmaker Jake Allyn to discuss the true story behind CLEAN HANDS, starring Zach Braff, Esther McGregor, and Abigail Spencer. The film is OUT NOW and available to rent on Amazon, Apple TV, and other digital platforms. Kevin spent years believing arrests and incarceration were the answer to America's drug crisis. But when his daughter Brooke became addicted to heroin, everything he thought he knew was challenged. Brooke died of an overdose in 2015 at just 19 years old. In a raw and emotional conversation, Kevin opens up about the guilt he still carries, the limits of a father's love, and how losing Brooke transformed his understanding of addiction. Zac reflects on his own recovery and offers Kevin a powerful message about forgiveness. Jake shares how their story became CLEAN HANDS and what he learned about addiction's impact on entire families. They also discuss Brooke's House, the recovery treatment facility Kevin and his wife founded in their daughter's honor. A conversation about fatherhood, grief, forgiveness, and turning unimaginable loss into hope for others. CLEAN HANDS available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple TV, and other digital platforms. Watch Clean Hands https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.cea52c72-85c2-4517-992b-637bee3a84c2?ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/clean-hands/umc.cmc.2e28qcbwcgvpzjdftsi13392 Learn More About Brooke’s House https://brookeshouse.org/the-real-story-of-how-brookes-house-rehab-facility-came-to-be/ Connect with director Jake Allyn https://www.instagram.com/jakeallyn85/ 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

Dad Gang founders Bart Szaniewski and Grant Eastey join Zac for a conversation about fatherhood, men's mental health, entrepreneurship and building a community where dads don't have to figure everything out alone. They open up about how becoming a father changed them, navigating miscarriage and infertility, why so many new dads struggle in silence, and what it means to let your kids see you ask for help, make mistakes and keep going. They also tell the unlikely story behind Dad Gang — from three friends making their first 100 hats to building an eight-figure brand, showing up on social media every single day for more than four years, and eventually bringing Gary Vee into the company as a partner. Behind it all, Dad Gang was never supposed to be just another hat company. It's about giving fathers a community, challenging outdated ideas about masculinity and reminding dads that their kids are watching how they live. Connect with Dad Gang Dad Gang (@dadgang.co) Bart Szaniewski (@theszef) Ejay O'Donnell (@ejayodonnell) Grant Eastey (@geastey) Learn More About Dad Gang https://www.dadgang.co/ 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

Dr. Michael McCormick, Chief Medical Officer at Release Recovery and our resident doctor on The Zac Clark Show, returns for an urgent conversation about today’s rapidly changing drug supply. Following the suspected overdose deaths of two students at Ole Miss, Zac and Doc discuss what they’re seeing firsthand in addiction treatment – from kratom and concentrated kratom-derived products to counterfeit pills, nitrous and emerging synthetic opioids – and why experimentation today carries risks it didn’t a generation ago. Importantly, Doc explains why you do not have to have a substance use disorder to overdose, and why someone experimenting for the first time may be especially vulnerable. As a doctor, person in long-term recovery and father with a son in college, Doc also shares how he talks to his own kids about drugs – and why “don’t do drugs” is no longer enough. Zac and Doc close with three practical messages: test your drugs, carry Narcan and have the hard conversation. Thisi is an important conversation for parents and young people alike. Connect with Dr. Michael McCormick https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-a-mccormick-d-o-2131269/ https://www.instagram.com/drmichaelmccormick/ Connect with Zac https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-c-746b96254/ https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclarkhttps://www.strava.com/athletes/55697553https://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