The Adam Carolla Show: Classic #567 - "Big Bad Drew"

Date: November 11, 2025
Host: Adam Carolla
Guest: Dr. Drew Pinsky
Theme: Relationships with oppositional personalities, family dynamics, and listener advice

Main Theme & Purpose

This classic episode centers around Adam and Dr. Drew’s recurring conversation about oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), especially its presence in their personal relationships. With a signature blend of humor and insight, they dig into Adam’s history with oppositional personalities—namely family and friends like Ray—and reflect on the futility and frustration that comes with trying to change such people. The episode also features call-ins dealing with personal tragedy and medical advice, including an affecting conversation with a listener from Tokyo about losing her brother to a heart defect. Comic banter, pop culture riffs, and signature "Big Bad Drew" humor run through the advice and self-reflection.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Adam’s World (01:57 – 15:03)

• Dr. Drew observes Adam's recurring relationships with ODD personalities (specifically friends like Ray):

  • (02:09) Dr. Drew: “There must be some fittedness with you and people with that kind of personality... whether you like knocking your head against the wall. That somehow is some weirdly gratifying.”
  • Adam admits that frustration can feel weirdly good, and that such personalities are more common than people think.
  • Adam shares how, unlike most friends who avoid engaging, he actively tries to “change” or help these people.
    • (03:26) Adam: "People that know Ray just think he’s an asshole... I want to change it. I would. Mostly because I care about them."

• Drew explains ODD’s trajectory:

  • In kids, it’s overt; in adults, it morphs into narcissism or even criminal behavior.
  • (02:52) Dr. Drew: "You see it mostly in kids and adolescents. That's when it's overt. Later it looks like narcissism. That's all.”

• Adam’s efforts to help Ray and the futility involved:

  • Adam details how he tried to get Ray to take an improv class, genuinely believing Ray would see it as an opportunity, only for Ray to reject it out of principle.
    • (05:16-05:31) Dr. Drew (laughing): “You fell for it.”
    • Adam: “Shut up... I really had no clue that that was going to be rejected.”

• Wider reflection: Why do people with ODD never double back, apologize, or admit regret when acting against their own interests for the sake of defiance?

2. Adam's Family Dynamics & the Leasing-A-Car Story (05:48 – 15:03)

• Adam and Drew dissect Adam’s relationship with his father, highlighting an incident where Adam leased his father a luxury car, only to find his dad stubbornly driving a lesser vehicle (and never asking for another car again after Adam stopped providing).

  • (08:03) Dr. Drew: "He probably literally feels like a victory. Think about that. If that's not a syndrome, I don't know what is."
  • Adam: "It's never come up again."
  • This behavior is labeled as “the center of the ODD hurricane”—hurting oneself to deny someone else authority.

• Adam reflects on how his mother exhibits even worse oppositional traits than his dad.

  • (05:48) Adam: “My mom is worse than my dad. My dad’s a lot of almost all bad things, but not that.”

• The duo debates whether there’s a “healthy” version of resisting dependence, or if it’s merely a self-defeating syndrome.

  • (10:16 – 10:36) Dr. Drew: “There's a healthy version of what I'm saying, which is, you know, I shouldn't be so dependent on my son... I want to be my own man here. I don't want to be indebted to him.”

• Adam on his evolving approach to ODD people: he no longer wrestles with them or provides them things, simply cuts them off when needed.

  • (09:49) Adam: “I cut that old fuck right off... I'm not wrestling with it and I don't talk to him about it.”

3. Listener Call: Sibling Loss Due to Heart Defect (15:19 – 21:15)

• Caller Courtney (from Tokyo) shares her brother’s sudden death from an undiagnosed heart defect.

  • (15:39) Dr. Drew compassionately explains congenital heart defects, ventricle/atrial septal defects, and why such conditions may go undetected.
  • Explores the role of smoking, which can exacerbate pressure in the heart and increase risks.
    • (17:54) Dr. Drew: “It does, because it changes that pressure gradient. So, the lungs can have an accelerated pressure on that side of the heart...”

• Drew probes further, suspecting perhaps a hypercoagulable state or undiagnosed cancer could be at play given the many clots found post-mortem.

  • (19:55) Dr. Drew: "The number one and two reasons for that would be A, cancer and then B, medication."

• The call closes with mutual condolences and discussion about Courtney’s life as an English teacher in Tokyo.

4. Listener Call: Drew’s Ongoing Shoulder Woes (22:43 – 32:42)

• Caller Greg (a chiropractor) checks in about Dr. Drew’s persistent shoulder pain.

  • Both host and guest riff on age, injuries, and self-care avoidance.
  • Drew admits he’s neglected full physical therapy due to time constraints, suspects weightlifting and wide incline presses as culprits.
    • (24:52) Dr. Drew: “I gave up on all the rolling thing because it didn’t do that much except made it hurt.”

• Greg shares practical advice: active release, Graston techniques, and working on both subscapularis and bicep for dynamic stability.

  • (28:12) Greg: "If you don't do anything about it, it will [get worse], but... you need to see somebody that does active release techniques or graston or both."

• Comic Interlude: Adam launches into an extended riff, parodying "Big Bad John" as "Big Bad Drew," complete with impromptu lyrics and inside-jokes about Drew’s size and heroics.

  • (25:18 – 32:06): Adam (singing): “He stood 6 foot 4 and 285 and everyone knows this tough man alive, Big Drew, Big Drew, kind of broad at the shoulder narrow at the hip...”
  • Dr. Drew groans playfully throughout: “My shoulder’s bugging me just thinking about it.” (32:17)

• Medical Note: Greg stresses the importance of not ignoring rotator cuff or impingement injuries, advocating for proper muscle maintenance to avoid chronic problems.

  • (29:29 – 29:44) Greg: “You have to address the soft tissue component because dynamic stability... is controlled by muscles. You gotta take care of the muscles and you'll take care of the shoulder.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Adam on futility with ODD people:

  • (03:33) “We don't even try. Like, forget that. We know it's not worth it... I'd like it to change. I would. But mostly because I care about them.”

• Dr. Drew on self-defeating stubbornness:

  • (08:03) “He probably literally feels like a victory. Think about that. If that's not a syndrome, I don't know what is... He's not resentful... He's not sulking about it.”

• Adam’s comedic riff, channeling "Big Bad John":

  • (25:18 – 26:32) “Big Drew, kind of broad at the shoulder, narrow at the hip and everyone knows you don’t give no lip to Big Drew...”

• On why oppositional people never circle back to apologize:

  • (09:01) Adam: “How come my phone doesn’t ring at 10:30 at night? And I go, hello? And I go, hey, listen... It was stupid. I get it...”

• Dr. Drew describing the ODD mindset:

  • (08:52) “It’s like holding a gun at you and then shooting me. ‘Ha! See, I told you.’”

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Oppositional personalities and Adam’s relationship history: 01:57 – 15:03
• Family car-leasing anecdote and ODD implications: 06:36 – 15:03
• Listener call about brother’s heart defect and loss: 15:19 – 21:15
• Drew's shoulder struggles & "Big Bad Drew" musical banter: 22:43 – 32:42
• Serious advice on shoulder injuries and PT: 28:12 – 29:44

Overall Tone & Takeaway

With a blend of introspection, banter, rants, and signature comedic flair, Adam and Drew unravel the weird ways stubbornness and ODD show up in life—both their own and that of listeners. They showcase real empathy in responding to a caller’s loss, underline the importance (and difficulty) of self-care, and ultimately provide listeners with a raw, relatable, and entertaining look at the quirks of human behavior.

“It’s a syndrome because you’re willing to hurt yourself... That’s what it is.”
– Adam Carolla (10:45)

For fans: This episode is classic Carolla/Drew—unvarnished, wise, and truly funny.