Detoxicity: By Men, About Men, For Everyone

DetoxPod50 :Jacob Slichter

Jacob Slichter is best known as the drummer for the  band Semisonic (most famous for the international smash "Closing Time". He is also the author of the book So You Want to Be a Rock & Roll Star, an honest account of the time in his life when Semisonic went from upstarts to Grammy-nominated radio mainstays. Currently, Jacob is a writing professor at Sarah Lawrence college and he is wrapping up his second book.
 
As you'll find out over the course of our conversation, Jake is completely honest and transparent about everything, whether we're discussing his ongoing battle with impostor syndrome or why he feels like Generation Z gets a bad rap. We also discuss the motivation behind his interest in African-American studies (this was back in the '80s, y'all!) and we have a conversation about religion and spirituality, which is something that sustains him but I remain skeptical about. 
 
Semisonic released an EP called You're Not Alone in 2020, and you can purchase or stream it wherever you find music. You can also find Jake on Twitter at portablephiloso and jacobslichter on Instagram. 
 
 

DetoxPod 49: Ned Donovan

Ned Donovan is an actor, entrepreneur and creative multi-hyphenate (surprise) (originally from Maine and now (well, in non-COVID times) making his home in New York City. He currently is a cast member of the D&D-related podcast Encounter Party, runs a website for theater professionals called Audition Cat, and is also developing a podcast based around eulogies. 
 
Ned also has a pretty interesting past, having spent time as a professional stunt coordinator (!!). We get into that during our discussion, but we also talk about growing up with an addict parent, what he learned (or didn't learn) being brought up in lily-white Maine,  learning to understand and then use his privilege for good, and finding personal and professional catharsis after a series of personal tragedies left him reeling.

DetoxPod 48 : Troy Ramey

Troy Ramey made it to the top 12 of the televised singing competition The Voice. However, Troy is a lot more than a contestant on one season on a reality show. In our interview, we talk about how the passing of his father drew him closer to music being more than a hobby. We also talk about the plusses and minuses of being your own boss, and how much of a struggle that has been in the last year of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is all framed around Troy's ongoing experiences with depression and anxiety, which is discussed in depth.
 

DetoxPod 47 : Joel Frieders

A previous guest described himself as a connector, and I consider myself someone who values the connections that can randomly come as you walk through the world. My connection to this episode's guest, Joel Frieders, comes from my friend Jonny Boucher, who I interviewed a few episodes ago. Like Jonny, Joel is connected to the charity Hope for the Day and is a tireless advocate for mental health. Like many of our other guests, Joel is a multi-hyphenate. He's a "recovering musician". He used to be a beekeeper. He runs a pharmacy. He's an alderman! Yes, folks, I've got my first actual elected official on Detoxicity.
 
Over the course of our conversation, which will almost definitely be continued at some point, Joel and I talk about a variety of things, including but not limited to the topics I've mentioned previously. You'll hear about everything from how social media taught him to be a more honest version of himself to the very quick and very frank birds and the bees talk he gave his teenage son. On a more serious note, you'll hear about what led him to mental health work. 
 
 

DetoxPod 46: Varghese Chacko

My guest for this episode is Varghese Chacko, who is a partner in the organization NYC Nightlife United, whose aim is to provide relief to BIPOC-led venues in the New York City area during the COVID-19 crisis. In our interview, Varghese and I discuss his Indian-American heritage and what diversity means to him. We also discuss how he's staying afloat during stay-at-home orders, his recent recommitment to sobriety and exercise in light of turning forty, and the love and value he has for his homies.

DetoxPod45: Cornell Verdeja-Woodson

My guest for this episode is Cornell Verdeja-Woodson. Cornell is the director of diversity, equity and inclusion for the meditation app Headspace. He is also the founder of Brave Trainings, a company that provides a starting point for corporations and organizations to discuss diversity and equity through authentic dialogue and intentional action. Diversity and equity form the bedrock of our discussion; in light of summer 2020's national reckoning with race relations it has become a hot topic for corporations. Cornell discusses how he came to be involved with this work and what it means to him, especially as an intersectional minority. We also talk about Cornell's upbringing in Camden New Jersey, the value of practicing gratitude, acknowledging mentors, and being a newlywed.

DetoxPod Episode 44: Kenny Roby

Singer/songwriter Kenny Roby has spent upwards of three decades as a working musician. His most recent album, The Reservoir, was released in August of 2020. In this episode, Kenny talks to me (Mike) about the many side hustles he's had to undertake as a professional musician and why being a musician (as an actual job) is highly undervalued. He talks marriage, divorce and raising two young men; the things he's learned as a dad and the things his sons have learned through him. He also talks about various forms of personal upheaval, giving oneself grace, and dealing with addiction and suicidal ideation. 

DetoxPod43: Joe Kwaczala

Joe Kwaczala is a comedian and actor from the Pittsburgh area, currently based in Los Angeles. He also hosts the podcast Who Cares About The Rock Hall? and in 2019, was given his own half-hour Comedy Central stand-up special. Joe and I connected on a noisy New York City evening to talk about staying creative (and busy) during a pandemic. We also laugh about the difficulty of pronouncing Joe's last name, discuss stage fright, bond over our mutual love for Crowded House, and on a more serious note, talk about how Joe's current relationship has improved his communication skills.