John Mulaney's stay in rehab, Pete Davidson and the importance of connection

Happy Saturday! It's Hannah Yasharoff, wellness and celebrity culture reporter at Paste BN. 

If you're looking for something to watch this weekend, I wrote about John Mulaney's new Netflix special, "Baby J." 

The comedian made headlines back in 2020 after checking into rehab for drug addiction. He's back on stage, and opening up about his "star-studded intervention," his stay in rehab and his recovery. 

One story that stuck out to me while watching was his anecdote about how "SNL" alum Pete Davidson called him a few hours after Mulaney arrived at rehab. It made me think about how important it is to connect with people who care about you while going through difficult life moments. I talked to addiction experts, who elaborated on how trustworthy and supportive relationships can be a meaningful tool in recovery.

So can being able to hear stories from others' who experienced similar struggles. 

"Whether you know John Mulaney or not, when famous people come out and talk about their substance use disorder recovery journey, it helps," Holly Sawyer, director of the Masters in Addictions Counseling program at Drexel University, told me. "Everything around substance use disorder is still stigmatized. … The more (those in the public eye) come forward and are honest about their journey, it helps because there are so many people who can't just come out to their families about their substance use disorder." 

You can read the full story here, and check out more stories from our Wellness team this week below.