Cat Greenleaf has always had a gift for making people talk. It’s what made Talk Stoop iconic—celebrities plopped on her Brooklyn steps, sudsy coffee in hand, opening up in ways they never planned to. She’s a four-time Emmy-winning interviewer for a reason. But on this episode of The Sober Curator Podcast, Cat reveals that sobriety has flipped that gift back on her—and this time, she’s the one doing the talking.
It’s the kind of episode that reminds you: sobriety isn’t neat, filtered, or curated to perfection. It’s messy. It’s wise. It’s ridiculous. It’s real. And in Cat’s case… it occasionally involves peeing your pants during a back-to-back guest booking with Tom Arnold and Art Alexakis.
The Moment Sobriety Got Real
Cat describes the early years of her sobriety as a kind of self-imposed exile. “I was a lone wolf,” she admits. “Until I started Soberness, I wasn’t part of any recovery groups. I was just out here in Coney Island trying to do it alone.”
It’s a familiar story to many of us who white-knuckled our way through early recovery, assuming we were the one person who didn’t need community. But Cat quickly discovered the truth: a lone wolf becomes a loco wolf. Isolation is the express lane back to crazytown.
What changed everything was connection. Interviewing celebrities about sobriety created a common language—an instant shorthand that made her feel less alone. “We’re picking up mid-conversation,” she says. “There’s no preamble, no explaining who we used to be. We just get each other.”
When Life Hands You Tom Arnold and Art Alexakis…
If you listen to the episode for one reason, let it be Cat’s now-infamous back-to-back booking mishap.
Picture it: Cat mid-interview with Tom Arnold, bladder on the brink, when Everclear frontman Art Alexakis logs into the Zoom waiting room ten minutes early. Before she can excuse herself, Tom insists she bring him in. Suddenly she’s hosting a one-woman Sober Jaws symposium—with two men out-trauma-bonding each other while she sits frozen in agony.
She held it.
She tried.
She lost.
She peed.
And in one of the best sober punchlines ever delivered, she announces: “I have to buy a new office chair.”
It’s not just hilarious. It’s profoundly relatable. Sobriety doesn’t turn you into a graceful goddess of emotional regulation. Sometimes it just hands you a pee story and says: Use it for the plot.
The Good, The Bad, and the Bedazzled
The conversation swerves—as all good sober chats do—from parental trauma to crafting while high to why nobody warned women that sneezing after 40 becomes a full-contact sport.
And then there’s her long friendship with Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman), including:
- birthday calls every hour on her birthday
- a collection of “beautiful, elaborate Christmas cards”
- which she didn’t know included hidden dicks until her husband pointed them out
Cat doesn’t just tell stories—she reveals humanity. Her humor lands because it’s grounded in grief, growth, and a sober awareness of the world’s ridiculousness.
What Recovery Actually Looks Like Now
Cat’s toolkit is simple and refreshingly unpretentious:
- Ocean singing. Her favorite audience.
- Coffee—by the stein.
- Work. Not hustle culture—creative service.
- Boundaries. Occasionally enforced with a bag of dog poop thrown (gently-ish) toward a guy who refused to pick up after his dogs.
Her life now isn’t perfect or highly optimized. It’s not a Pinterest board of sober aesthetic. It’s something better: aligned.
What Cat Teaches Us Without Saying It
The gold in this episode isn’t the humor—though there’s plenty. It’s the clarity that comes from a woman who’s lived many lives and finally decided to live the one she wants.
Cat Greenleaf is reinventing herself again, but this time she’s not doing it for a network, a brand, or a ratings sheet. She’s doing it with her sober mind, her full heart, and a microphone pointed inward.
Sobriety, she reminds us, is not about being good.
It’s about being here.
Being awake.
Being in your body—even when it betrays you during a celebrity interview.
And maybe that’s the real sober stoop: a place where we show up exactly as we are, laugh at the messy parts, and tell the truth anyway.
- Cat Greenleaf — SoberNess Podcast Website www.soberness.com
- Cat on Instagram @sobernesspodcast
Getting sober is one thing—but staying sober? That’s where the real adventure begins.
This show is for you if you’ve ever wondered:
– Where can I find inspiring sober podcasts, apps, and creators?
– How do I give back or stay plugged into the sober community
– What are the best sober-friendly drinks and travel tips?
– Where do I find the good NA drinks that don’t taste like regret?
The Sober Curator is your go-to for sober pop culture, booze-free travel, apps, creators, and community.
We’re not here to help you get sober.
We’re here to help you live sober—and love it.
This week on The Sober Curator, Alysse sits down with rising pop powerhouse Ella Collier—singer, songwriter, producer, and sober Gen Z glitter bomb of honesty. From Atlanta rap influences to emotional sobriety, heartbreak breakthroughs, and the pop-star fantasy she both lives and parodies, Ella shares how sobriety amplifies—not restricts—her creativity. They talk anxiety, artistry, community, Muppet Recovery memes (yes, really), bedazzling disasters, and the real-life glow-up that happens when you ditch alcohol and reclaim your energy.
This episode is hilarious, heartfelt, hyperpop-coded, and filled with quotable moments that prove—once again—sobriety is the start of a way better party.
Takeaways:
Emotional sobriety changed Ella’s creative process. She channels heartbreak, internal tension, and joy directly into her lyrics and content with radical honesty.
Sobriety = glow-up. Better skin, more money, more libido, more energy. Ella calls it “the ultimate anti-aging hack.”
Pop-star fantasy meets real life. Ella loves the glam—but also pulls back the curtain on crying between takes, breakups, and imperfect reality.
Connection is part of the work. She hosts Zoom sessions with fans for each new release to build authentic community.
Creativity thrives in sobriety. Both Alysse and Ella bond over being ”painfully self-aware,” driven, and joyfully obsessive about their creative platforms.
Recovery memes are culture. Muppet Recovery = required viewing. Ella immediately writes it down.
Key Timestamps:
00:00:24 — Ella opens up about anxiety, “addiction to problems,” and survival-mode energy from childhood
00:01:53 — Alysse introduces Ella’s music career: Love Island, NBA2K, X Games, and Spotify’s SALT playlist
00:10–00:20 — Sobriety, self-expression & Ella’s relationship to emotional growth
00:29:00 — Social awkwardness in sobriety + finding community anywhere you go
00:38:00 — Bedazzled books, Barbie mishaps & the joy of crafting sober art
00:41:00 — Pop-star fantasy vs. real life: humor, heartbreak & honesty online
00:49:00 — Ella’s single-release strategy & the “I Don’t Do Drugs” moment
Resources & Links:
Ella Collier Music — https://ellacolliermusic.com
Instagram: @ellacollier
Spotify: Ella Collier
TikTok: @ellacollier
Muppet Recovery article: https://thesobercurator.com/nostalgia-memes-and-sobriety-how-muppet-recovery-on-instagram-became-a-beloved-gem/
–Alcohol + Substance Use Disorder Guide
–Recovery Nonprofit Resource Guide
–LBGTQ+ Recovery Resource Guide
Connect with Us:
-Website: www.thesobercurator.com
-Facebook: @The Sober Curator
-Instagram: @thesobercurator
-X: @thesobercurator
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Send Feedback:
If you have a story, feedback, or just want to connect, email us at thesobercurator@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you!
About:
Sobriety isn’t the end of the party—it’s just the start of a better one. Hosted by Alysse Bryson, media powerhouse and sobriety’s ultimate hype woman, and joined by Sober Curator contributors, The Sober Curator Podcast* delivers bold convos, pop culture deep dives, and zero-proof living that doesn’t suck. Whether you're sober, sober-curious, or just looking for good vibes without the hangover, we’ve got you covered. Subscribe now—because getting sober matters, staying sober matters more.
*The Sober Curator Podcast is a space for open and honest conversations about sobriety, recovery, and alcohol-free living. While we celebrate all paths to a sober lifestyle, some topics discussed may be sensitive or triggering for certain listeners. This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. If you’re in recovery or exploring sobriety, please take care while listening and seek support from trusted professionals as needed.
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RECOVERY PODCASTLAND – SOBERNESS CAT GREENLEAF: Soberness—the podcast—is where celebrity raconteurs spill what broke them, what saved them, and what still f**ks with them today.
SOBER IN NYC: A Night to Remember: The Soberness Story Hour LIVE at The Algonquin – NYC
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.
WALK YOUR TALK 💫 Because the best thing you can wear is clarity, confidence, and a killer sense of style.
WALK YOUR TALK is The Sober Curator’s style destination for those redefining what it means to live vibrantly alcohol-free. From runway-ready ensembles to effortless everyday glam, we celebrate confidence, clarity, and the joy of dressing boldly without the pre-funk or party drinks.
More than a fashion column, Walk Your Talk highlights curated finds from our #ADDTOCART section, spotlights sober-owned small businesses, and showcases unique merch that makes your alcohol-free journey unapologetically chic. We proudly partner with the Break Free Foundation, bringing sobriety’s brilliance to the runway during New York Fashion Week and beyond.
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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.
