Living in Fantasy: Addiction, Money & Reality – Kelly Ebsary

Actor and comedian Kelly Ebsary joins Forrest to talk addiction, drinking, mental health, family systems, and the role fantasy plays in keeping destructive patterns alive. They get into growing up around alcohol, surviving trauma, compulsive behaviors around money and spending, and the slow process of learning boundaries, accountability, and self-trust. It's raw, funny, and deeply honest — packed with real stories about alcohol, denial, fantasy thinking, grief, financial chaos, creativity, and what it takes to build a grounded life without numbing out. 🎧 If you've ever escaped into fantasy, struggled with money or relationships, or felt stuck replaying the same patterns — this episode hits close to home and still makes you laugh. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on addiction, recovery, mental health, and comedy. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Meeting Kelly Ebsary 01:08 – "Here's Everything Wrong With Me" 03:30 – Comedy Camp Out & Desert Life 05:55 – Getting Sick After 9/11 08:20 – Leaving Los Angeles to Heal 10:11 – Growing Up Around Alcohol 12:50 – Isolation, Community & Loss 15:40 – Addiction and Money Problems 18:10 – Property Taxes & Losing the Family Home 21:16 – Why Credit Cards Don't Feel Real 24:20 – Gambling, Cash & Fantasy Thinking 27:34 – You Can't Make Someone Change 31:10 – Spending vs Saving Psychology 33:58 – Fantasy as the Core Addiction 37:03 – A Small Moment That Meant Everything 40:38 – No Choice Inside Addiction 43:51 – One Word for Recovery 46:00 – Worst Advice & Final Message