Dax Shepard Opens Up About Sobriety And Why He Was Banned From Conan O'Brien

The following article contains mentions of addiction.

Dax Shepard has been honest with fans about his journey to sobriety, admitting in September 2020 that he had relapsed during the pandemic lockdown. And in a May 2021 episode of "The Pursuit of Healthiness with Blake Griffin," the actor spoke about the concept of hitting rock bottom. "We do have this notion of a bottom, but (for) most of the recovering addicts I know, there's multiple, multiple bottoms," Shepard told the podcast host.

The star also reflected on the moment in an airport bar when he realized that his career success wouldn't fix his issues with addiction. "I'm now famous. And I recognize I have every single thing I ever wanted," Shepard said to Griffin, via USA Today. "I am at my lowest point emotionally." He added that something "has got to be very broken about that," given that he had "everything I said was going to make me feel good" but still felt "terrible."

"You're kind of justifying your misery because you don't have this thing," the actor continued. "I had the luxury of getting all that and it wasn't. That's actually about the scariest place you can be... I was like, 'Oh, it's just 'cause I don't have anything. If I get this, I won't feel this way.' Well, I got it and I still felt that way. And that's very scary." Shepard also spoke about how addiction affected his personal life and his career. Keep reading to find out more.

Speaking on "The Pursuit of Healthiness with Blake Griffin," Dax Shepard spoke about how alcohol led to the "career wreckage" that was his 2004 Conan O'Brien interview. As the actor told Blake Griffin, he was "blackout drunk" at the time, so when he was woken up by security 20 minutes before the interview, he couldn't remember what he had told O'Brien's team beforehand. "I show up on the show, I don't know what he's talking about," Shepard recalled. "I can tell he's queuing me up for stories I've told, but I don't know any of the stories." 

The actor slurred his words, fell over his chair, and knocked over a coffee table, breaking it. "You're paying for that table," O'Brien quipped at the time. While the pair have since reconciled, Shepard's disastrous appearance led to him being banned from O'Brien's show. "I was banned from that show for some years, until I got sober and I got myself back on it, and now I've been on it a bazillion times," he told Griffin.

Kristen Bell also praised her husband in a May 2021 Self feature, following his pandemic relapse. "He's just good at trying, and that's all you can ask of anyone. No one's perfect," she told the magazine. Shepard's interview with O'Brien wasn't his finest moment, but he's owning up to it and sharing his sobriety journey to help others in similar positions.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).