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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

Benton McClintock built an online following by being loud, outrageous, funny – and often completely f****d up. Behind the characters and viral videos, though, his relationship with drugs and alcohol was getting harder to control. In his early 20s, Benton was waiting tables in New York City while trying to build a career online. Drinking became part of the job, drugs were readily available, and eventually he says he couldn't go to work without drinking. At the same time, the wild persona he created while using was beginning to attract an audience. Then, at 27, Benton met the man who would eventually become his husband. When he learned that he was sober, something clicked. Benton decided he wasn't going to drink anymore – and he hasn't since. Benton joins Zac to talk about growing up with depression and a chaotic family life, using alcohol and drugs to quiet his mind, getting sober without a traditional rock-bottom moment, and the fear that sobriety would make him less funny and creative. He also opens up about finding his own path in recovery, his complicated relationship with AA, marriage, acting, social media, and realizing that getting sober doesn't necessarily mean you're finished confronting addictive behavior. Two years into sobriety, Benton says plainly that his life today wouldn't exist without it. Connect with Benton https://www.instagram.com/bentonmcclintock/ https://www.tiktok.com/@bentonmcclintock 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

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

Tony and Grammy-nominated performer Lena Hall joins Zac for an honest conversation about addiction, sobriety and the side of success people rarely see. A Broadway veteran who won a Tony for Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Lena has built a career spanning theater, music, film and television, including her current role on Apple TV’s Your Friends & Neighbors. Lena opens up about how wanting to fit in eventually became a cycle of drinking and using to the point of blackout – even as her career was reaching new heights. She shares how debilitating panic and anxiety finally led her to question her relationship with substances, and how curiosity helped carry her into sobriety. Now 10 years sober, Lena reflects on childhood pain, AA and Al-Anon, mental health, her experience with ayahuasca and the complicated question of what “sober” actually means – along with creativity, Broadway and why she continues to share her recovery publicly. Connect with Lena https://www.instagram.com/lenarockerhall/ https://www.instagram.com/labiahead_band/ Watch Lena on Your Friends & Neighbors https://tv.apple.com/us/episode/this-is-what-happens/umc.cmc.36i6dji213wclhgotvqb214b8?showId=umc.cmc.74o37kzay0yuuub8iumddjsg&action=playSmartEpisode 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

Fifteen years ago, I had no hope, no purpose, and no idea what my life could become. Today, I get to look back on 15 years of sobriety -- and everything recovery has given me. In this solo episode, I talk about what it was like, the moment everything changed, why I still believe my story is my greatest asset, and why I’ll never stop sharing it. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: you are worthy of change. And you have to keep going. 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

Tyler Jackowski has built an audience of millions by making people laugh, but his path to becoming a full-time content creator was anything but planned. Before social media, Tyler was a teacher – an experience that continues to shape his life and his mission to give back to educators. In this episode, Tyler sits down with Zac for a funny and open conversation about going from the classroom to becoming a successful creator, while navigating the anxiety and imposter syndrome that came along with it. Tyler opens up about the period when he would leave social situations smiling and joking with everyone, only to go home and cry alone; the panic attack that sent his heart rate to 210 BPM; and how therapy, medication and learning to prioritize his own mental health changed his life. They also talk about Tyler’s years as a teacher, what social media gets wrong, his relationship with success, and his work giving back to educators through America’s Heroes. A conversation about what can exist behind the version of ourselves everyone else sees — even when millions of people are watching. Follow Tyler Jackowski Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylerjackowskiofficial/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fishin4clout More about Tyler’s company – America’s Heroes Contest: https://www.instagram.com/americasheroescontests/ https://americasheroescontest.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

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

After more than a decade on Bravo's hit reality show, Southern Charm, Shep Rose opens up about the moment he realized something had to change. Shep shares the phone call from Andy Cohen that became a wake-up call, the blackouts that scared him, and the ayahuasca journey in Costa Rica that forced him to confront his relationship with alcohol, attention, and the endless pursuit of more. This isn't a recovery story in the traditional sense. Shep doesn't identify as an alcoholic, and he's honest about still figuring it out -- the gray area, the setbacks, and the ongoing work of trying to live with more intention. That's what makes this conversation so compelling. Together, Shep and Zac talk openly about fame, aging, excess, the loneliness that can exist behind a public persona, and what it actually takes to change. Whether you know Shep from Southern Charm or you've never seen an episode, this is a conversation about the cost of always saying yes -- and what happens when the life you've always celebrated becomes the very thing you need to question. Shep's new book, Nothing in Moderation, explores many of these same themes – an honest, funny, and unflinching look at excess, fame, and figuring out what actually matters.  Link to Shep Rose’s book -- Nothing In Moderation: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZQ9GQL7?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Follow Shep Rose: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/relationshep/?hl=en 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

Neva Coleman looked like she was thriving. She was a bright college student at Tulane, surrounded by friends, succeeding academically, and living what many would consider the "normal" college experience. But behind the scenes, alcohol had become far more than a way to have fun. In this conversation, Neva shares how grief after losing her father on 9/11, perfectionism, anxiety, and an escalating relationship with alcohol led to blackouts, withdrawals, a call to the suicide hotline, and years of believing she simply needed more willpower. Zac and Neva discuss why so many young women don't recognize themselves in the stereotype of alcoholism, the shame that keeps people silent, and how recovery gave her a completely new way to live. Recovery is changing. A new generation is making sobriety more visible, more honest, and more hopeful than ever before. Neva is one of the voices leading that shift – not by pretending to be perfect, but by showing that a full, joyful, connected life is possible without alcohol.  This is a great conversation that explores grief, identity, alcoholism, and the hope that recovery offers – no matter how old you are.  Follow Neva Coleman: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neva__coleman/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@neva__coleman 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

Hunter Montgomery has been sober for nearly 20 years – but his story didn't begin with heroin. It began with a football injury, a prescription for painkillers, and the belief that he'd finally found something that made him feel comfortable in his own skin. In this honest conversation, Hunter joins Zac Clark to unpack the hidden beginning of addiction, why so many people suffer in silence, and what finally broke the cycle. They explore the misconceptions surrounding recovery, the danger of trying to "do it your own way," the role of surrender, faith, service, and why long-term recovery isn't about simply avoiding drugs or alcohol – it's about building a life worth staying sober for. Hunter also opens up about surviving an overdose, navigating relapse, living with Tourette syndrome in the public eye, finding recovery at a young age, co-parenting after divorce, becoming a father again, and why he now uses his platform and career to help others ask for help before it's too late. Whether you're in recovery, love someone who is, or simply want to better understand how addiction really takes hold, this is a conversation about hope, identity, and the possibility of lasting change. If this episode resonates with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.  Follow Hunger Montgomery: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hmontgomery/ 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