Close Menu
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • ❤️ CONTENT
    • CONTRIBUTOR DIRECTORY
    • DEAR READERS✏️
    • MEET THE SOBER CURATOR
    • 📰 PRESS 📺
    • THE SOBEES 🐝
    • CONTACT 📧
  • HAPPY EVERY HOUR
    • NA BEERS AND CIDERS 🍺
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC WINES 🍾
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS 🍸
    • READY TO DRINK 🥤
    • BEHIND THE BAR 🍋‍🟩
    • NA TASTING EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
    • BREAK FREE
    • CODEPENDENCY
    • MASTERING MENTAL FITNESS 🧠💪🏼
    • MENTAL HEALTH 🧠
    • RELATIONSHIPS 🤟🏽
    • SOBER NOT SUBTLE
    • SOBER POETRY 🖋️
    • SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD! 🗣️
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • WELLNESS AS A WAY OF LIFE
  • LIFESTYLE
    • #ADDTOCART 🛍️
    • ASK MRS. (W)RIGHT ⁉️
    • COMING OUT SOBER 🏳️‍🌈
    • 🏆 CONTENT
    • ✂️CURATED CRAFTS🎨
    • FASHION 👠
    • SHOP 🛒
    • SOBER SPOTLIGHT 🔦
    • SOBER CONTENT CREATION 💻
    • SOBER UNBUZZED FEED
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • #QUITLIT 📚
    • MOVIE REVIEWS 🍿
    • MUSIC 🎶
    • POPCULTURE
    • RECOVERY PODCASTLAND 🎙️
    • SOBER CURATOR PODCAST 🎧
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER SPORTS
    • TV SHOW REVIEWS 📺
  • TRAVEL & EVENTS
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER RETREATS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBRIETY IN THE CITY
      • SOBER IN MINNEAPOLIS
      • SOBER IN NYC
      • SOBER IN SEATTLE
    • WHAT A TRIP! 🧳
  • SPIRITUAL GANGSTER
    • THE CARD DIVO 🔮
    • CLASSY PROBLEMS
    • SOBERCAST
    • SOBERSCOPES
    • SOBRIETY IN FLOW 🧘🏻‍♀️
    • THIRSTY FOR WONDER
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • STOICISM
  • RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • ALCOHOL & SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESOURCE GUIDE
    • BREAK FREE FOUNDATION
    • FAMILY RESOURCES
    • GLOSSARY OF ADDICTION AND RECOVERY TERMS
    • LGBTQ+ RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • RECOVERY STORIES
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • ❤️ CONTENT
    • CONTRIBUTOR DIRECTORY
    • DEAR READERS✏️
    • MEET THE SOBER CURATOR
    • 📰 PRESS 📺
    • THE SOBEES 🐝
    • CONTACT 📧
  • HAPPY EVERY HOUR
    • NA BEERS AND CIDERS 🍺
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC WINES 🍾
    • NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS 🍸
    • READY TO DRINK 🥤
    • BEHIND THE BAR 🍋‍🟩
    • NA TASTING EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
  • HEALTH & WELLNESS
    • BREAK FREE
    • CODEPENDENCY
    • MASTERING MENTAL FITNESS 🧠💪🏼
    • MENTAL HEALTH 🧠
    • RELATIONSHIPS 🤟🏽
    • SOBER NOT SUBTLE
    • SOBER POETRY 🖋️
    • SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD! 🗣️
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • WELLNESS AS A WAY OF LIFE
  • LIFESTYLE
    • #ADDTOCART 🛍️
    • ASK MRS. (W)RIGHT ⁉️
    • COMING OUT SOBER 🏳️‍🌈
    • 🏆 CONTENT
    • ✂️CURATED CRAFTS🎨
    • FASHION 👠
    • SHOP 🛒
    • SOBER SPOTLIGHT 🔦
    • SOBER CONTENT CREATION 💻
    • SOBER UNBUZZED FEED
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • #QUITLIT 📚
    • MOVIE REVIEWS 🍿
    • MUSIC 🎶
    • POPCULTURE
    • RECOVERY PODCASTLAND 🎙️
    • SOBER CURATOR PODCAST 🎧
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER SPORTS
    • TV SHOW REVIEWS 📺
  • TRAVEL & EVENTS
    • SOBER EVENTS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBER RETREATS CALENDAR 🗓️
    • SOBRIETY IN THE CITY
      • SOBER IN MINNEAPOLIS
      • SOBER IN NYC
      • SOBER IN SEATTLE
    • WHAT A TRIP! 🧳
  • SPIRITUAL GANGSTER
    • THE CARD DIVO 🔮
    • CLASSY PROBLEMS
    • SOBERCAST
    • SOBERSCOPES
    • SOBRIETY IN FLOW 🧘🏻‍♀️
    • THIRSTY FOR WONDER
    • SPIRITUAL SUBSTANCE 🧬
    • STOICISM
  • RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • ALCOHOL & SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RESOURCE GUIDE
    • BREAK FREE FOUNDATION
    • FAMILY RESOURCES
    • GLOSSARY OF ADDICTION AND RECOVERY TERMS
    • LGBTQ+ RECOVERY RESOURCES
    • RECOVERY STORIES
The Sober CuratorThe Sober Curator
Home - Sober Housewives & Reality TV: Why Sobriety Isn’t a Bummer | The Sober Curator Podcast
SOBER CURATOR PODCAST

Sober Housewives & Reality TV: Why Sobriety Isn’t a Bummer | The Sober Curator Podcast

Alexandra NymanBy Alexandra NymanMay 14, 20254 Mins Read
Sober Housewives & Reality TV: Why Sobriety Isn’t a Bummer | The Sober Curator Podcast
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email
Sober Housewives & Reality TV: Why Sobriety Isn’t a Bummer | The Sober Curator Podcast
This image was created by a little imagination, some killer AI prompts, and ChatGPT.

If you’re a pop culture aficionado with a penchant for a solid mocktail, you probably caught wind of the Bravo bombshell on Page Six—producers aren’t exactly fans when one of their Real Housewives decides to live alcohol-free. The most recent episode of the Sober Curator Podcast, “The Real Sober Housewives Part 2,” dove headfirst into this controversy with the wisdom, humor, and spunk that only this powerhouse panel could deliver.

Right off the bat, Anne Marie Cribbin (who literally wrote the viral open letter to Andy Cohen) cuts to the chase: our culture—and particularly “reality” TV—hasn’t made space for evolving relationships with alcohol. “Changing a relationship with alcohol can just be because it doesn’t serve you anymore,” she says. The stigma? It’s outdated, misinformed, and dramatically underestimates just how juicy sober stories can be.

So why aren’t we seeing more Housewives dry up their wine glasses alongside their handbags and Botox appointments? As the Sober Curator squad points out, it’s not because sobriety isn’t interesting. Rather, producers cling to a tired formula: “drama equals drinks.” But take it from Amy Liz Harrison, an eight-kid survivor (that makes her basically a reality star), who reminds us: “Sober people can have lots and lots and lots of drama over the Splenda or the Styrofoam cup or the coffee brand. #IYKYK There’s all kinds of drama to be had without drinking, for sure.”

Sober Isn’t a Bummer (It’s the Plot Line We Deserve!)

The outdated notion that sobriety kills ratings? It’s a cop-out. As Alexandra Nyman passionately points out, shows like Terrace House prove you don’t need tequila shots to make compelling television. Personal evolution—especially the messy, vulnerable kind that comes with putting down the bottle—makes for riveting storylines.

Imagine if instead of focusing on who slurred what at the last dinner party, Bravo showcased Housewives journaling through heartbreak, working with therapists, or launching NA beverage lines (shoutout to Margaret Josephs’ Soirée). As Megan Swan points out, “Why not have that character do something else cool that no one else is doing? Create that dichotomy—this person never wakes up with hangovers, has all this renewed energy.” That’s aspirational. That’s new.

Evolving Characters, Evolving Audiences

Reality TV isn’t static—neither are its viewers. The hosts and guests note that, like the ever-changing faces and purses of the Housewives, the audience is ready for stories that reflect real life. “There’s beauty in our evolution,” says Anne Marie. Sobriety and self-work are anything but boring when they’re presented honestly.

Plus, let’s be real: audiences are fragmented, and Gen Z is “drinking” up zero-proof content on TikTok and YouTube rather than network TV. The demand is there—Bravo just needs to catch up. As Alysse Bryson admits, “At a certain point it no longer feels good to me… the cattiness and the mean girl stuff, I’m just completely over that.”

The Sobriety Taglines We Deserve

Can reality TV get sober and still be glam? You bet. The podcast panel’s imaginary opening lines say it all:

  • “I may not drink, but honey, I still serve.”
  • “Alcohol isn’t all that I’m free of.”
  • “I may be on husband number four, but I don’t need booze anymore.”
Sober Real Housewives One Liners Alysse Bryson The Sober Curator copy
40 Real Housewives-Inspired Taglines for the Sober and Fabulous
Let’s Raise Our Mocktails

The Sober Curator panel isn’t anti-reality TV—they’re super-fans desperate to see stories evolve as much as the fashion, faces, and friendships. The ultimate takeaway? “Getting sober matters. Staying sober matters more.” And that deserves the spotlight, not the sidelines.

So, Bravo (pun very much intended)—it’s time for a fresh plot twist. Let’s show that sobriety isn’t the end of the story; it’s just a better, more real beginning.


🔗TSC Podcast on Apple Podcasts

🔗TSC Podcast on Spotify Podcasts – 👀WATCH THE SHOW! 📺

🔗 TSC Podcast on YouTube – 👀WATCH THE SHOW! 📺

🔗TSC Podcast on Amazon Music

🔗TSC Podcast on iHeart Radio


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.


Dear Andy Cohen The Sober Curator

SOBER POP CULTURE: Dear Andy Cohen: It’s Time to “Bravo, Bravo, Fing Bravo” a New Drinking Narrative by Anne Marie Cribbin 


recovery resources

Recovery is hard 24/7, 365 – Please know that 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. If your life or someone else’s is in imminent danger, please call 911. If you are in crisis and need immediate help, please call: 988.

follow the sober curator on youtube

Subscribe to The Sober Curator on YouTube

alcohol-free alysse bryson bravo pop culture real housewives reality tv sober housewives sober living sober pop culture sobriety the sober curator podcast wellness
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email
Alexandra Nyman
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Alexandra Nyman is a fashion designer, marketing professional, and the founder of the Break Free Foundation. When she is not screaming at the top of her lungs, advocating for change, she can be found taking a million pictures of her cat and playing way too much Animal Crossing.

Related Posts

From Barstools to Boundaries: America’s Therapist Kelley Kitley Gets Real About Sobriety

From Barstools to Boundaries: America’s Social Worker Kelley Kitley Gets Real About Sobriety

October 29, 2025
The Sober Politics of Big Dick Energy

The Sober Politics of Big Dick Energy

October 29, 2025
Celtic Seasons, Sober Reasons: Anne Marie Cribbin on Wonder & Recovery

Celtic Seasons, Sober Reasons: Anne Marie Cribbin on Wonder & Recovery 

October 25, 2025
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Top AF Sober Travel Companies USA Today
Sober City Mobile App
SOBERSCRIBE AND GET ON THE LIST!
7 events found.
  • Week of October 27
  • Previous week
  • Next week
Notice
No events scheduled for October 27, 2025.
7:00 pm
Suzanne Warye w/ Casey McGuire Davidson | Seattle
October 28 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm PDT

Suzanne Warye w/ Casey McGuire Davidson | Seattle

Elliott Bay Books Seattle
$28.00
BigVision Halloween Fright Night
October 28 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

BigVision Halloween Fright Night

BigVision 309 Social Club 309 East 49th Street @ 2nd Ave, New York
$15.00
Notice
No events scheduled for October 29, 2025.
Notice
No events scheduled for October 30, 2025.
7:00 am
Sober October Herbal Mocktail Class
October 31 @ 7:30 am - 9:30 am PDT

Sober October Herbal Mocktail Class

$72.00
6:00 pm
Gay & Sober Presents:  HALLOQUEEN DANCE PARTY | MUSIC BY DJ E.N.
October 31 @ 6:00 pm PDT

Gay & Sober Presents: HALLOQUEEN DANCE PARTY | MUSIC BY DJ E.N.

The Manhattan Mirage 265 W. 37th Street at 8th Avenue , New York City
See website
Soberoke Costume Party at Couve Collective Downtown Vancouver Recovery Cafe
October 31 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

Soberoke Costume Party at Couve Collective Downtown Vancouver Recovery Cafe

1009 West 13th Street Vancouver, WA 98660 1009 West 13th Street, Vancouver
Free
Ongoing
Rediscover Peace & Purpose in Antigua with Sober Travel Retreats
November 1 @ 7:00 am - November 8 @ 1:00 pm PDT

Rediscover Peace & Purpose in Antigua with Sober Travel Retreats

$3445 – $4995
7:00 am
Sober AF Entertainment: Army Black Knights vs. Air Force Falcons @ Falcon Stadium (Air Force Academy – CO)
November 1 @ 7:00 am - 1:00 pm PDT

Sober AF Entertainment: Army Black Knights vs. Air Force Falcons @ Falcon Stadium (Air Force Academy – CO)

Falcon Stadium 4900 Stadium Boulevard, Air Force Academy
See website
All Day
Thailand Yoga, Culture, & Adventure Retreat in Chiang Mai with Bigger Life Adventures
November 2 - November 9

Thailand Yoga, Culture, & Adventure Retreat in Chiang Mai with Bigger Life Adventures

$1999
Capetown, South Africa
November 2 - November 9

Capetown, South Africa

$4700
Ongoing
Rediscover Peace & Purpose in Antigua with Sober Travel Retreats
November 1 @ 7:00 am - November 8 @ 1:00 pm PDT

Rediscover Peace & Purpose in Antigua with Sober Travel Retreats

$3445 – $4995

Week of Events

Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Sun 2
November 1 @ 7:00 am - November 8 @ 1:00 pm <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

Rediscover Peace & Purpose in Antigua with Sober Travel Retreats

Rediscover Peace & Purpose in Antigua with Sober Travel Retreats

November 1 @ 7:00 am - November 8 @ 1:00 pm PDT

Rediscover Peace & Purpose in Antigua with Sober Travel Retreats

Rediscover Peace & Purpose in Antigua with Sober Travel Retreats If you’re in recovery—whether newly sober or years into your journey—and ready to reconnect with your purpose, build meaningful connections,

$3445 – $4995
November 1 @ 7:00 am - November 8 @ 1:00 pm <span class='timezone'> PDT </span>

Rediscover Peace & Purpose in Antigua with Sober Travel Retreats

November 2 - November 9

Thailand Yoga, Culture, & Adventure Retreat in Chiang Mai with Bigger Life Adventures

Thailand Yoga, Culture, & Adventure Retreat in Chiang Mai with Bigger Life Adventures

November 2 - November 9

Thailand Yoga, Culture, & Adventure Retreat in Chiang Mai with Bigger Life Adventures

Thailand Yoga, Culture, & Adventure Retreat in Chiang Mai Join us for a rejuvenating week-long yoga retreat near Chiang Mai, Thailand. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the area

$1999
November 2 - November 9

Capetown, South Africa

Capetown, South Africa

November 2 - November 9

Capetown, South Africa

Capetown, South Africa Luxury reset, sightseeing, sobriety and safari in South Africa.

$4700
October 28, 2025 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Suzanne Warye w/ Casey McGuire Davidson | Seattle
October 28 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm PDT

Suzanne Warye w/ Casey McGuire Davidson | Seattle

Suzanne Warye w/ Casey McGuire Davidson Wellness writer Suzanne Warye discusses The Sober Shift: A Modern-Day Guide to Living an Abundant Sober Life, alongside life and sobriety coach Casey McGuire Davidson.

$28.00
October 28, 2025 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
BigVision Halloween Fright Night
October 28 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

BigVision Halloween Fright Night

BigVision Halloween Fright Night Get ready for a spooktacular evening at 309 Social Club! Join us for Halloween Fright Night, a special movie night guaranteed to bring the chills and

$15.00
October 31, 2025 7:30 am - 9:30 am
Sober October Herbal Mocktail Class
October 31 @ 7:30 am - 9:30 am PDT

Sober October Herbal Mocktail Class

Sober October Herbal Mocktail Class Sober October Herbal Mocktail Class

$72.00
October 31, 2025 6:00 pm
Gay & Sober Presents: HALLOQUEEN DANCE PARTY | MUSIC BY DJ E.N.
October 31 @ 6:00 pm PDT

Gay & Sober Presents: HALLOQUEEN DANCE PARTY | MUSIC BY DJ E.N.

Gay & Sober Presents: HALLOQUEEN DANCE PARTY | MUSIC BY DJ E.N. TICKETS:  OCTOBER: $30 DAY OF/AT THE DOOR: $40  ​ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31ST, 2025 Mark your calendars for a night

See website
October 31, 2025 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Soberoke Costume Party at Couve Collective Downtown Vancouver Recovery Cafe
October 31 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT

Soberoke Costume Party at Couve Collective Downtown Vancouver Recovery Cafe

Soberoke Costume Party at Couve Collective Downtown Vancouver Recovery Cafe Get ready to rock your favorite costume and sing your heart out at our Soberoke Costume Party - a night

Free
November 1, 2025 7:00 am - 1:00 pm
Sober AF Entertainment: Army Black Knights vs. Air Force Falcons @ Falcon Stadium (Air Force Academy – CO)
November 1 @ 7:00 am - 1:00 pm PDT

Sober AF Entertainment: Army Black Knights vs. Air Force Falcons @ Falcon Stadium (Air Force Academy – CO)

Sober AF Entertainment: Army Black Knights vs. Air Force Falcons @ Falcon Stadium (Air Force Academy – CO)

See website
View Calendar
The Sober Curator
Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok YouTube Pinterest
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • LINKS DISCLAIMER
  • EDITORIAL GUIDELINES
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • REFUND POLICY
  • DON’T SELL MY INFO
  • DATA SUBJECT REQUEST FORM
  • CONTACT US
© 2025 The Sober Curator - Benefits of a Alcohol Free Lifestyle

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.