Comedian Jeff Dye Celebrates One Year of Sobriety: ‘My Mind Is Sharper’

Jeff Dye attends the 2018 NBCUniversal Winter Press Tour at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 9, 2018. Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Comedian Jeff Dye is celebrating an important milestone in his sobriety journey.

The 41-year-old stand-up comic, who also co-hosts several podcasts, including “Everybody’s Got A Price” with comedian Josh Nelson and “Wrestling with Freddie” with actor Freddie Prinze Jr., took to Instagram on Wednesday to share that he has officially been sober for one year.

“If you’ve met me or hung out with you might know how much I loved whiskey, how much I made alcohol a part of my identity,” he penned.

“What I liked about alcohol was how it could make us connect. Complete strangers, lovers, old friends, co workers it didn’t matter what the scenario ‘grabbing a drink’ was a great way to connect.”

However, over the past 12 months, Dye said he came to realize that he doesn’t need to consume alcohol in order to forge relationships with others.

“In fact sometimes alcohol is interfering with true connection,” he wrote, listing some of the benefits he has experienced since abstaining from drinking.

“My career is better. My mind is sharper. My relationships [are] stronger. My skin is better, [my] hair is growing again,” he wrote. “I’m saving thousands of dollars alllllll while also CONNECTING to those around me BETTER.”

Getting Sober

Dye’s path to sobriety wasn’t without hurdles. On Oct. 8, 2023, the comedian was arrested in Burbank, California, and charged with suspicion of driving under the influence and fleeing the scene of a traffic collision.

The incident took place near the intersection of Pass Avenue and Alameda Avenue, Sgt. Stephen Turner, a public information officer with the Burbank Police Department, told People at the time.

“Witnesses relayed the driver of a white Tesla collided with a tree and the driver fled on foot,” Turner said. “Based on witness description, the driver was located just a few blocks east of the scene and detained pending [an] investigation.”

He added: “No other vehicles were involved, and nobody was injured.”

Dye discussed the incident during a guest appearance on the “Smoochie Town“ podcast, published in December 2023. He explained that on the morning of the accident, he had woken up after a night of drinking with friends at his house to meet an ex-girlfriend for coffee.

“It wasn’t like I was leaving a bar. I wasn’t like hammered, and I’m not downplaying anything, but once I crashed, I was like ... ‘There’s probably still some alcohol in my system,’ because it’s been, you know, the night before,” he said.

“And then they arrested me at a coffee shop in front of my ex—in front of everyone,” Dye continued. “It was terrible. It was literally the worst day of my life.”

The television personality—who admitted to consuming alcohol regularly for almost 20 years after developing a “pattern” of nightly drinking in 2005—said the accident was ultimately “for the best.”

“My life has been infinitely better since,” he said, indicating that he had been sober for 36 days at the time the podcast episode was recorded. “I feel amazing, man. I’ve never felt better.”

‘Help Is Out There’

Dye also reflected on his car crash in his recent Instagram post, acknowledging that it took being charged with driving under the influence, as well as experiencing the subsequent feelings of shame and embarrassment, in order for him to get where he is at today.

“I wasn’t perfect and I’m still far from perfect but putting down the bottle and getting into a program has got me a lot closer to the man I wanna be,” he wrote on Oct. 23.

Dye encouraged anyone who is currently grappling with alcoholism to seek the necessary support.

“If you are struggling with alcohol or drug addiction know that help is out there,” Dye said. “If you need help don’t waste another second getting it.”

The comedian went on to express his gratitude to those who stuck by his side through that challenging period of his life.

“To everyone who supported me when I was at my lowest I can’t thank you enough,” he wrote. “To those who trashed me, or disappeared or judged me when I hit bottom thank you too. Your lack of empathy and grace showed me who I don’t want to be or be around.”