Love, love, love how you discuss alcoholism and alcoholics as plot devices. A terrible show in the ‘90s, Sisters, opened with the alcoholic sister smashing up the youngest sister’s wedding. I think I remember a shotgun being involved. An ‘80s show, Hill Street Blues, did a beautiful job. The lead character, a police captain, was quietly in recovery. He advised one of his detectives to go to AA without even mentioning he was a member. The hard-core detective nearly breaks down, in amazement, relief, and possibly hope, when he sees his captain at the meeting, holding his coffee cup like any other recovering alcoholic. ❤️🩹
Leo McGarry and Aaron Sorkin were key guides on my own recovery journey. At the first AA meeting I ever went to the speaker told the same story that Leo told Josh about jumping into a hole with a friend because he'd been in one before, and I took that as a sign I was in the right place. Watching the WW as a grateful, recovering alcoholic adds another deeply rich layer to that show. Thanks for this great post, Katie!
Oh boy, you hit a nerve when you quoted the line, "get away from me" about the response when someone relapses. I was in the 3rd year of my recovery from "more" when a friend relapsed. She was upset when I pulled away from her. Granted, my boundaries were still shaky, and my confrontation skills were lacking so I had trouble explaining how I felt. My main reason for pulling away: I was afraid she'd pull me back out! Her and I would have been great running partners. I suffered some guilt about my reaction. Within a year she was dead. I just celebrated 17 years... one day at a time...
That's so tragic; I'm sorry for your loss. It can be really tricky trying to figure out boundaries, self-preservation, and support. But I'm sure you know as well as anyone that one can only do so much. And congratulations on 17 years!
I will offer a message defense for that MENSA line, tho.
Trying to address that addiction does not correlate to intelligence is tough, in my opinion, when talking to the uninformed. I think the stigma is strong enough that in getting the point across, grabbing (even goofy) extremes makes a good sound bite for TV. It is also useful in trying to reach those people who agree it doesn't matter but have smart/dumb demarcation firmly established in their minds.
I agree in that I understand it’s an effort to combat long held stereotypes about addiction. And if I heard it when it first aired 20+ years ago, I probably wouldn’t have thought much about it. Now, though, it just comes across as the kind of reductiveness we should try to avoid
I am an extreme West Wing apologist (I know, I know, there's so much wrong with it, and yetttt) and this is one of my favorite episodes in the show. I also really love the fact that--although I don't have any idea how accurate this is to real life--Leo is given a space to start go to AA meetings again by the Vice President who is a grasping asshole who reads as a lot more Republican than Democrat these days but who nevertheless knows that the White House chief of staff can't really go to a regular AA meetings for all sorts of reasons and so offers him space at his "card game" AA meeting.
Have you ever covered 28 Days? It was, oddly, one of my favorite movies as a tween and teen, I think because I recognized aspects of myself in it even then (the parts of me that would go on to struggle with a years long eating disorder), but I've always wondered how much of it is feel-good vs. good depiction (...Alan Tudyk's performance in it though is one of my favorite things in the world lol).
I think we are all kind of WW apologists? because there is so much wrong with it, but, as you say, and yettt.
"Private" AA meetings are definitely a thing! It happens all the time in LA with big-name actors, and I'm sure the same is true with politicians. AA says any three people with a desire to stop drinking can create a meeting. There are also niche AA groups for people in certain professions (for example, I know of a meeting exclusively for lawyers called "The Other Bar"). I feel like a covert AA meeting in the White House is probably something that's happened at one time or another (though doubtfully now lol).
I love it SO MUCH TOO omg I'm so glad to hear this. I have actually read those posts so clearly my brain is just a sieve and forgot. It's so incredible. I hope you write a whole post on it at some point <3.
“Card game” meetings do exist, but I’ve also been in meetings with a Cabinet member, a representative, famous actors performing at the Kennedy Center, and local TV journalists. All there for the same reason.
Love, love, love how you discuss alcoholism and alcoholics as plot devices. A terrible show in the ‘90s, Sisters, opened with the alcoholic sister smashing up the youngest sister’s wedding. I think I remember a shotgun being involved. An ‘80s show, Hill Street Blues, did a beautiful job. The lead character, a police captain, was quietly in recovery. He advised one of his detectives to go to AA without even mentioning he was a member. The hard-core detective nearly breaks down, in amazement, relief, and possibly hope, when he sees his captain at the meeting, holding his coffee cup like any other recovering alcoholic. ❤️🩹
Thank you! I’ve never seen Hill Street Blues. Will have to check it out.
It was way ahead of its time in terms of character development.
Leo McGarry and Aaron Sorkin were key guides on my own recovery journey. At the first AA meeting I ever went to the speaker told the same story that Leo told Josh about jumping into a hole with a friend because he'd been in one before, and I took that as a sign I was in the right place. Watching the WW as a grateful, recovering alcoholic adds another deeply rich layer to that show. Thanks for this great post, Katie!
Also I like the Korean subtitles!
Oh boy, you hit a nerve when you quoted the line, "get away from me" about the response when someone relapses. I was in the 3rd year of my recovery from "more" when a friend relapsed. She was upset when I pulled away from her. Granted, my boundaries were still shaky, and my confrontation skills were lacking so I had trouble explaining how I felt. My main reason for pulling away: I was afraid she'd pull me back out! Her and I would have been great running partners. I suffered some guilt about my reaction. Within a year she was dead. I just celebrated 17 years... one day at a time...
That's so tragic; I'm sorry for your loss. It can be really tricky trying to figure out boundaries, self-preservation, and support. But I'm sure you know as well as anyone that one can only do so much. And congratulations on 17 years!
Only awesome again, Katie.
I will offer a message defense for that MENSA line, tho.
Trying to address that addiction does not correlate to intelligence is tough, in my opinion, when talking to the uninformed. I think the stigma is strong enough that in getting the point across, grabbing (even goofy) extremes makes a good sound bite for TV. It is also useful in trying to reach those people who agree it doesn't matter but have smart/dumb demarcation firmly established in their minds.
I agree in that I understand it’s an effort to combat long held stereotypes about addiction. And if I heard it when it first aired 20+ years ago, I probably wouldn’t have thought much about it. Now, though, it just comes across as the kind of reductiveness we should try to avoid
Good point; we can do better.
Definitive West Wing season ranking that nobody asked for: 2, 3, 4, 7, 1, 6, 5
I am an extreme West Wing apologist (I know, I know, there's so much wrong with it, and yetttt) and this is one of my favorite episodes in the show. I also really love the fact that--although I don't have any idea how accurate this is to real life--Leo is given a space to start go to AA meetings again by the Vice President who is a grasping asshole who reads as a lot more Republican than Democrat these days but who nevertheless knows that the White House chief of staff can't really go to a regular AA meetings for all sorts of reasons and so offers him space at his "card game" AA meeting.
Have you ever covered 28 Days? It was, oddly, one of my favorite movies as a tween and teen, I think because I recognized aspects of myself in it even then (the parts of me that would go on to struggle with a years long eating disorder), but I've always wondered how much of it is feel-good vs. good depiction (...Alan Tudyk's performance in it though is one of my favorite things in the world lol).
Ilana. ILANA. I love 28 Days *so much.* I've seen it an embarrassing number of times. Steve Buscemi! Alan Tudyk! Delights! I've referenced it a few times in the newsletter (https://askasoberlady.substack.com/p/is-relapse-always-a-part-of-recovery, https://askasoberlady.substack.com/p/recommendations-close-to-my-formerly), but never done a post specifically on it (though I'm sure it's only a matter of time).
I think we are all kind of WW apologists? because there is so much wrong with it, but, as you say, and yettt.
"Private" AA meetings are definitely a thing! It happens all the time in LA with big-name actors, and I'm sure the same is true with politicians. AA says any three people with a desire to stop drinking can create a meeting. There are also niche AA groups for people in certain professions (for example, I know of a meeting exclusively for lawyers called "The Other Bar"). I feel like a covert AA meeting in the White House is probably something that's happened at one time or another (though doubtfully now lol).
I love it SO MUCH TOO omg I'm so glad to hear this. I have actually read those posts so clearly my brain is just a sieve and forgot. It's so incredible. I hope you write a whole post on it at some point <3.
i mean, they are only briefly mentioned and also my brain is swiss cheese, so no worries. but yes, there will definitely be a full post about it soon!
“Card game” meetings do exist, but I’ve also been in meetings with a Cabinet member, a representative, famous actors performing at the Kennedy Center, and local TV journalists. All there for the same reason.