It started the way a lot of great things do — out of mild annoyance and a stubborn refusal to say no. People kept emailing The Sober Curator, pitching themselves to appear on a podcast that, well, didn’t exist. And after one too many of those emails, Alysse Bryson looked at Tamar Routly and basically said: “I guess we’re doing this.”
Fifty-one episodes later, 23 participating Sober Curator Contributors, Season One is officially done. And this week’s finale is less of a traditional episode and more of a victory lap — with costumes, confessions, and a secret or two that neither host is particularly good at keeping.
The Highlights Reel No One Expected
When you launch something with zero expectations and a lot of enthusiasm, you end up with some pretty incredible moments. The Tchotchke Showdown — where Alysse and author Travis Sackett went head-to-head with their most prized collectibles while a panel of judges scored them — was the kind of chaotic, joyful content that only happens when people stop performing and start playing. Senior Sober Curator Contributor Alex Nyman, apparently, channeled her inner Simon Cowell. Senior Sober Curator Contributor Amy Liz Harrison couldn’t do the math. It was perfect.
Then there were the costumes. Alysse and Tamar dressed up as aliens for a Hot Takes episode. Tamar showed up as the Holiday Armadillo for a Friends-themed Matthew Perry tribute. Senior Sober Curator Contributor Tony Harte ordered a custom hat featuring a guy falling down a toilet for the Trainspotting anniversary episode. This is what happens when your show leans all the way into fun.
“You Actually End Up Doing the Things You’ve Dreamed About”
Alysse Bryson
The most powerful moment in the finale comes when Alysse pulls the thread on something that sounds simple but hits deep. She and Tamar had talked about visiting the Goonies house years before the podcast even existed. This year, they interviewed the owner — who then invited them to watch the movie in the actual house in 2026.
“That’s what happens when you live a sober lifestyle,” Alysse says. “You don’t just talk about doing shit. You actually end up going and doing the things you’ve dreamed about.” It’s not a heavy moment. It’s not recovery-speak. It’s just the truth, delivered with the kind of casual confidence that comes from living it.
Behind the Curtain
One of the things that makes The Sober Curator different is the team. There are currently 38 contributors — writers, creatives, tastemakers — scattered across the US, Canada, the UK, Poland, Spain, and Portugal. They meet monthly on Zoom. They collaborate. They build on each other’s work. And the podcast became a way to let the audience see that energy.
Running a show with that many people in that many time zones is, as Tamar put it, not easy. But it’s the kind of beautiful chaos that makes the content feel alive.
What’s Coming in Season Two
Both hosts teased Season Two plans with the enthusiasm of people who are absolutely going to spoil the surprise before it’s ready. Here’s what they could share: YouTube Lives where listeners can watch recordings in real time. The return of the Tchotchke Showdown in a game show format. More listener involvement. And a mystery Spring launch that Alysse describes as something she’s wanted for a long time and couldn’t find — so she’s building it. Sound familiar?
Season Two is expected to kick off in early April. In the meantime, check out the Sober Curator Rolodex — a free directory for sober business owners — and get on The Sober SIP newsletter.
HUGE HUGE THANKS to our fans and listeners! Because of YOU, we made it in the top 20% of video podcasts on Spotify. Because of YOU, we kept recording, even when we didn’t feel like it sometimes. Because of YOU, there’s going to be a Season Two, that is bigger, wilder, and more interactive.
As Tamar said in the sign-off: getting sober matters. Staying sober matters more. Season One proved it. Season Two is going to turn up the volume.
Top 10 Listened to Episodes of Season One | The Sober Curator
- Is Mel Robbins WRONG About Boundaries in Sobriety?
- The Tchotchke Showdown
- The Surprising Link Between Creativity and Staying Sober (w/ Hannah Sward)
- This Country Singer Got Sober and His Music Got BETTER
- Watching Trainspotting SOBER Changed Everything I Thought About It
- Matthew Perry Documentary – What They Left OUT About Recovery
- What Finding Your People in REALLY Looks Like in Sobriety (w/ Jonathan Gildart)
- Sober Travel with Darci Murray + Cruise with The Sober Curator to Alaska – TSC Podcast
- Inside NYC’s First Sober Members Club How Justin Gurland Built The Maze | Sober Curator Podcast
- Soirée in the City Margaret Josephs & Lexi Barbuto Redefines the Party & Building a Booze-Free Brand
Getting sober matters. Staying sober matters more. That’s the whole premise.
The Sober Curator Podcast brings sober lifestyle, pop culture and recovery to the mic with personality, perspective and a glitter bomb of honesty. Founder and host Alysse Bryson (sober since May 1, 2006, and self-described Kevin Bacon of Recovery) is joined by co-host and show producer Tamar Routly of Podcast Impact Studio, plus a rotating bench of global Sober Curator contributors who pull up a chair as co-hosts.
What we cover, episode to episode:
Happy Every Hour: zero-proof drinks, NA beer, spirits and cocktails, reviewed by people who actually drink them.
Health and Wellness: mental health, physical health and what recovery looks like on a Tuesday.
Lifestyle: dating, parenting, shopping, style and the everyday logistics of alcohol-free living.
Entertainment: quit lit, movies, TV, music, sports and celebrity sobriety, rated with our proprietary Sobees.
Spiritual Gangster: Jesus to astrology, stoicism to the Celtic calendar.
Travel: sober events, sober retreats, Sobriety in the City and global travel without a drink in hand.
We also review other sober podcasts on Recovery Podcastland, dig into sponsored product spotlights, and go deep with contributors on how they got sober and what keeps them there. New episodes drop as video on YouTube and audio everywhere you listen.
Want more? BACKSTAGE with The Sober Curator is our membership community with Media Nights, Studio Nights, Edutainment Nights and The Sober Curator Mixtape, a monthly mini-zine delivered in a cassette case. Details at https://thesobercurator.com/backstage-with-the-sober-curator/
Whether you’re sober curious or decades in, we’ve got you. We’re not here to help you get sober. We’re here to help you live sober and love it.
Rate, review and subscribe. It takes 60 seconds and we will love you forever.
Contact: thesobercurator@gmail.com
Everybody has the same advice for a bad job: just leave. Great. Where are you going? In 2026, most people aren’t choosing between a bad job and a good job. They’re choosing between a bad job and no job.
Work navigation strategist Lynnae Brown (1,000+ days sober) burned out in 2018, couldn’t leave, and figured out how to stay without losing herself. She and our resident sober HR lady, Sarah Alaimo, join Alysse for the episode on the job you have, not the one you want.
In this episode:
- Why “get a new job” is lousy advice right now (and why it works as dating advice)
- Burnout stories: Alysse’s heart surgery at 40, Lynnae’s $149,000 reason to stay
- Navigate, don’t negotiate: why you don’t argue with the map
- The micromanager who wrote every email with her, and how she still left at 5
- Do you even want a promotion? The invisible labor you can quietly put down
- The 7-to-7 experiment, and why acceptance is not agreement
CHAPTERS
00:00 “Just leave.” Great. Where are you going?
01:38 Meet Lynnae Brown and Sarah Alaimo
03:29 Why “get a new job” is lousy advice
06:17 Burnout: heart surgery at 40 and $149K in loans
08:44 Navigate, don’t negotiate
11:40 The boss who wrote every email with her
14:35 Gen Z, boundaries and advocacy vs. results
20:19 The path of least resistance
22:59 Three things to try this week
25:33 Irritant becomes information
32:07 Do you want to be right or happy?
36:03 Where to find Lynnae + BACKSTAGE
Sober Shots:
“You don’t argue with the map.” (Lynnae Brown)
“A paycheck is also structure, insurance, and a reason to put pants on at 8:00 AM.” (Alysse Bryson)
Find Lynnae:
– lynnaebrown.com – LinkedIn – Substack
Mentioned in this episode:
— S2E10 Recovery Friendly Workplace
Getting sober matters. Staying sober matters more.
SEASON 2 MERCH: https://shopthesobercurator.com/
This episode is brought to you by Aura House. Save 10% with code TSC10: https://go.shopmy.us/p-64140200
SC RESOURCES:
– Meet the Contributors – Alcohol + Substance Use Disorder Guide – Recovery Nonprofit Resource Guide – LGBTQ+ Recovery Resource Guide – Family Resource Guide
CONNECT: www.thesobercurator.com | The Sober Sip newsletter: https://www.thesobercuratornewsletter.com/ | @thesobercurator on Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube + Pinterest
Love the show? Rate, review + follow. It takes 60 seconds and helps more people find us. Feedback + guest ideas: thesobercurator@gmail.com
Hosted by Alysse Bryson with co-host + producer Tamar Routly. For informational and entertainment purposes only; not a substitute for professional advice.
Music: TSC S2 theme “Sober Shots” created by Alysse Bryson using Suno AI, under Suno’s commercial license.
RECOVERY PODCASTLAND & NETWORK at The Sober Curator is your audio haven for all things sobriety and recovery. We’re your bee-zy sober podcast enthusiasts, curating the best shows that educate, inspire, and entertain in the alcohol-free space.
Our archives are neatly organized so you can easily explore Recovery Podcastland—featuring our favorite recovery-based podcasts from across the globe—and the TSC Podcast Network, where we share our own original shows on sober lifestyle, pop culture, travel, entertainment, and more.
Whether you’re seeking practical recovery tips, personal stories, or uplifting inspiration, this is your go-to listening guide. 🎧 Submit a Podcast for Review: Recovery Podcastland coverage and reviews. Shows that earn their place in our audience’s queue. Submit your podcast →
Where recovery stories find their voice.
You’ve got ideas. Stories. Opinions. A perspective shaped by lived experience, recovery, and a deep understanding that the world needs more honest conversations. And yet, the podcast is still just an idea sitting in your Notes app.
If that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place.
We are holding space for people who have been dreaming about launching their own podcast but don’t know where to begin or how to do it without burning out, overspending, or losing momentum halfway through episode three. LEARN MORE HERE.
SOBERSCRIBE NOW!
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
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What is The Sober Curator podcast about?
The Sober Curator podcast explores sober pop culture, recovery, creativity, entrepreneurship, and modern alcohol-free living. Hosted by Alysse Bryson and Tamar Routly, the show blends humor, cultural commentary, interviews, and behind-the-scenes storytelling from the broader sober community.
How many episodes are in Season One of The Sober Curator podcast?
Season One of The Sober Curator podcast includes 51 episodes, featuring interviews, themed discussions, cultural commentary, and fan-favorite segments like the Tchotchke Showdown and Hot Takes episodes.
Where can I listen to The Sober Curator podcast?
The Sober Curator podcast is available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon and other major podcast platforms. The show ranked in the top 20% of video podcasts on Spotify during Season One.
When does Season Two of The Sober Curator podcast start?
Season Two of The Sober Curator podcast is expected to launch in early April and will include new interactive formats, YouTube Live recordings, and expanded audience participation.
Is The Sober Curator podcast only for people in recovery?
No. While sobriety and recovery are central themes, The Sober Curator podcast is designed for anyone interested in alcohol-free living, sober pop culture, creativity, and intentional lifestyle choices.
What makes The Sober Curator podcast different from other sobriety podcasts?
The Sober Curator podcast focuses on culture, entertainment, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle rather than traditional recovery formats. It highlights how people live, create, travel, and build businesses while sober, reflecting the evolution of sober pop culture.
