Forget happy hour—this week it’s headline o’clock, and sobriety is stealing the spotlight. Here’s what’s making waves in sober pop culture:
Drew Barrymore’s Sober Squad
Daytime TV queen Drew Barrymore is using her platform to amplify stories of sober celebrities. With guests like Demi Lovato and Rob Lowe, her show is quickly becoming the Sober Oprah couch—where clarity is mandatory and vulnerability is celebrated. This visibility helps normalize sober living in mainstream media and gives fans real, relatable role models.
Armchair Expert’s 33 Sober Guests
On the podcast front, Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert has featured 33 sober guests, including Jason Bateman and 50 Cent. It’s proof that being sober and successful in Hollywood is not only possible—it’s inspiring. The show is helping reshape what it means to be part of the sober community in pop culture.
The Sober Revolution: Genes, Gen Z, and Pop Culture
While science says genetics can predispose people to alcohol use, Gen Z is choosing kombucha, therapy, and TikTok over hangovers. This generational shift is redefining what social life looks like in America. From pop culture to biology, the sober revolution is happening faster than you can say “mocktail.”
Do’Mo: Brain Fuel in a Can
Move over energy drinks—Do’Mo is a sober lifestyle brand that promises brain fuel without the jitters. Think of it as Red Bull with a mindfulness practice. For sober curious and sober living advocates, beverages like Do’Mo are expanding the options for what to drink when you’re not drinking.
Sober Pride Parties Hard
Who needs vodka shots when you’ve got glitter, music, and sober pride? From blurry photos to sweaty dance floors, sober parties are proving you can have the same energy without the hangover. It’s the same drama, less puke—and a major win for the sober community.
Fake Sponsor of the Week:
Pairs great with Bitterness Breath Mints—guaranteed to last longer than the grudge. Warning: May cause jaw clenching and silent treatment. Side effects include late-night Facebook stalking.
Sober Sip Spotlight: Gary Oldman at 28 Years Sober
Gary Oldman—67 years old, 28 years sober, and still commanding every room. From Shakespearean blackout nights to legendary Hollywood roles, he proves sobriety is the ultimate anti-aging serum.
Sober Events to Check Out
- Sober Songs: The Musical (NYC, all September) – Broadway energy, minus the spilled wine.
- Wisconsin Voices for Recovery Rally (Sept 6) – Cheese, bratwursts, and chants louder than Packers fans.
- Recovery Days at the Mariners (Sept 14) – Baseball without the beer goggles.
- Rally Caps for Recovery Month at the Twins (Sept 16) – More rally caps than your grandma’s basement.
- Antigua 12 Sober Travel Retreat (Oct 25–Nov 1) – Sun, sand, and sober fun.
Check The Sober Curator’s Sober Events and Sober Retreats Calendars for even more coast-to-coast buzz-free adventures.
Getting sober is one thing—but staying sober? That’s where the real adventure begins. The Sober Curator Podcast, hosted by Alysse Bryson and featuring the many voices of Sober Curator Contributors, proves that ditching booze doesn’t mean ditching fun, pop culture, or your social life.
Each episode serves up bold conversations, celeb interviews, zero-proof cocktail inspiration, and pop culture deep dives—all with laughs, honesty, and zero preachy vibes. Whether you’re sober or sober-curious, you’ll find insider tips, real-life stories, and endless reasons to love the alcohol-free life. Pull up a seat—this party’s just getting started!
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
Every October, half the internet finds out what it’s like to be the one holding a club soda at a party. Some of us have been doing Sober October for years, and the drinks have gotten a lot better since the O’Doul’s days.
This week, Alysse and Tamar sit down with the two people who know exactly what to pour: Kim Parsley and Justin Lamb, who hold down The Sober Curator’s Happy Every Hour section. Kim covers NA spirits and cocktails. Justin is roughly 150 NA beer reviews in and still can’t find a non-alcoholic single malt scotch.
In this episode:
– Sober October, Dry January, and “the always forgotten Dry July”: eye roll, gateway drug, or marketing?
– Justin’s fall NA beer list from 2024 still pops off, and some of the breweries on it are gone
– Why celebrity NA beer brands might not want sober customers (and why there should be room at the table)
– The “drink as prescribed” rule for trying NA spirits for the first time
– Kim builds Justin an NA Negroni and Alysse a pink Barbie Cosmo on the spot
– The one drink each of us is pouring for the rest of fall, plus what we’re eating with it
CHAPTERS
00:00 Club soda at the party
02:01 The Sober Curator Mixtape
04:16 Sober October: eye roll or gateway drug?
09:44 From craft beer to NA beer
13:36 Kim’s piano bar and Tanqueray 0.0
17:55 The 2024 fall beer list, two years later
20:22 “The War on Alcohol” and the SNL sketch
23:37 “They don’t want recovered addicts”
25:23 TOMONOTOMO: drink as prescribed
29:30 What drink are you?
30:57 Which NA spirits can you sip neat?
33:41 “I drink Diet Coke”
37:48 One drink for the rest of fall
TSC Articles mentioned in this episode:
– Justin’s Top 10 Non-Alcoholic Beers for Fall
– Kim’s TOMONOTOMO Tobalá review
– SNL’s “Non-Non Alcoholic Beer” sketch, pro or con
– “It’s Always Sunny,” NA Beer and the Joke That Didn’t Land for Me
– The Sober Curator Mixtape (Sober Snail Mail)
– Backstage with The Sober Curator
Getting sober matters. Staying sober matters more.
SEASON 2 MERCH: https://shopthesobercurator.com/
SC RESOURCES:
– Alcohol + Substance Use Disorder Guide
– Recovery Nonprofit Resource Guide
– LGBTQ+ Recovery 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 →
Welcome to HAPPY EVERY HOUR, your go-to hub for all things NA (non-alcoholic). We review alcohol-free beers, ciders, wines, spirits, RTDs (ready-to-drink), and share NA cocktail recipes that taste just as good—if not better—than the boozy originals. Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just taking a break, this is where great taste meets zero proof.
TRIGGER WARNING: People in early sobriety may want to proceed with caution. Always read labels. Please hydrate responsibly … #becausedrunkneverlooksgood.
🛍️ Submit a Product for Review NA beverages, sober-friendly tools, alcohol-free brands, and products built for the way our audience actually lives. Submit your product →
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.
