First Date with Lauren Compton

Episode: Jason Ellis Has Turned His Life Around
Date: August 19, 2025
Host: Lauren Compton
Guest: Jason Ellis
Studio: YMH Studios

Episode Overview

In this candid, high-energy episode, Lauren Compton welcomes back Jason Ellis, comedian, podcast host, former pro skater, and fighter, for a “second date.” Known for his unfiltered approach to life and humor, Jason opens up about profound personal transformation—covering everything from sobriety, relationships, trauma, and healing, to his passions for comedy, horses, and skateboarding. The episode is a journey through Jason’s past recklessness to his present contentment, loaded with laughs, honest revelations, and life lessons.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Life Updates and Relationship Changes

Jason celebrates newfound happiness, monogamy, and genuine stability.

• Six Months with New Girlfriend (05:00):

  • Jason’s girlfriend “slid into his DMs” after a show; both are sober, which Jason identifies as essential for his relationships.
  • “I've done everything so bad. And I've tried everything...I know that I cannot go out with you if you're not sober and kind of in the program.” (02:50)

• Moved in together:

  • “She moved in. I ain't playing no games...I know. It's in my soul.” (05:05)

• On Calm and Balanced Love:

  • “I've never dated anybody ever in my life that calmed me. She doesn't freak out about stuff...It's just a presence. There's no real alarms going off ever...All my life I've had, like, violence and aggression and tempers and drama and trauma...And now it's just like, do you want to eat?...Did you know this fell apart? We'll fix it.” (04:16)

2. Sobriety, Growth, and Letting Go of Old Instincts

Jason dives deep into addiction, self-reflection, and giving up destructive habits.

• Addictions of All Kinds:
  • “Everyone has all kinds of addictions...If you run. I'm not interested in...I'm not mad at you. I'm just not interested in hanging out with you.” (03:17)
  • Now, his “addictions” are fitness, comedy, and horses:
    “My horse, that's really...I'm in a...I'm in two relationships...That's all I do is hang out with my horse. I talk to him all day. He talks to me.” (03:37)
• On Past Reckless Sexuality:
  • “I was addicted to bone. I wanted to come on everybody all the time...Now I just keep it real because I don't need anybody anymore. I need one person.” (09:49)
• Rejecting Old Patterns:
  • No longer attracted to “tattoo girls, gay guys, trans people, hoes, etc.” (11:18)
  • “Now I just like, make love, which makes me gayer than I've ever been in my entire life.” (12:21)

3. Healing Through Horses, Friendship, and Routine

The life-changing power of equestrian therapy and real friendships.

• Whitney Cummings' Horse (05:29):
  • After a breakup (that cost him access to a previous horse), comedian Whitney Cummings let him become close with her horse, which deeply changed his life.
  • “I lost a friend recently...So I just started going there every day, and she was like, you can sleep there if you want.” (06:08)
• Personal Growth:
  • “Horses have taught me how to treat people. Like if you suck, I know you suck before you talk. If you're trying to get something from me, I know it before you say it.” (06:52)

4. Childhood Trauma, Abuse, and Breaking the Cycle

Jason recounts disturbing memories of early drug exposure and abuse, linking them to his life struggles—and recovery.

• Early Drug Use and Boundary Issues:

  • “My parents did a lot of drugs, so it was always around me...A lot of people slept with me...As a teenager...there's like a bunch of women that slept with me when I was really young.” (32:23)

• Harrowing Camp Story:

  • At a “rebirth” camp:
    • “So everybody picks a partner and there's only one guy left. And he's like 80...You're gonna cradle your partner...I have an 80 year old man in my arms and I'm swaying him back and forth in the water...then he cradles me.” (33:05)
    • Ends up being sexually abused by a naturopath “counselor.” (34:03)
  • His mother’s reaction:
    • “That's it. I'll never see her again. That's the end of it. Never brought up again.” (37:28)

• Reflection and Emotional Breakthrough:

  • “I was cool...And now that I've worked on myself...I told it… and it choked me...That happened. That's a thing.” (37:49)
  • “This is the first time I've been me my whole life. What I like, what I'm into, the people I hang out with now, that's what I am. And I've never been that.” (38:33)

5. Comedy, Skateboarding Revival & Career

Jason returns to his roots, finding pride and stability in comedy and skateboarding.

• Pro Skating Comeback:

  • “I'm a pro skater. Again, legit...My pro model's coming out soon...They need content. I need three videos a week. I skate all the time.” (18:00)
  • “I'm 53. It's very difficult. Everything I do is terrifying.” (18:19)
  • Jokes about Tony Hawk:
    • “He's old. He's not that good...Tony Hawk is one of the worst skateboarders I've ever seen. He's so good.” (19:07, 20:20)

• Teaching and Helping Others:

  • Trains veterans in boxing, gives skate lessons, and focuses on supporting others in recovery:
    • “I just try to help people with what I have to offer, and it's fighting, skateboarding and, like, sobriety and stuff like that. Like, I know what not to do.” (22:47)

6. Mental Health Advice and Transformation

Jason gives direct, hard-won advice for fans and listeners.

• On Getting Out of the Dark:
  • “Oh, to not give up. You know, because that's the thing. Like, we break. You know, it gets so heavy that we just give up, and then we use stuff to run from the problem, and then we wake up the next day and it starts all over again. So to me, the advice is to not run.” (24:13)
  • Explains metaphor of "being dropped into a dark cave":
    • “You start to imagine there’s things out there that don't exist. And that's what it's like being…where you're running from your past...” (24:39)
  • “You gotta sit with it and, like, really understand why...and you have to work on it every day. You don't go, I'm fixed. Let's go out...Every morning I wake up, I pray, I do a grateful list...My main thing is, I wake up in the morning, I'm like, what can I do to help somebody today?” (25:49)

7. Intimacy & Redefining Masculinity

Sexuality gets a reality check; deeper connections replace wild escapades.

• Fewer Sexual “Tricks,” More Connection:
  • “My sex life is like, I just want to get barreled and hang out in the barrel and then get shot out the end. That's it, man. I ain't trying to do a bunch of tricks on the lip...I'm like, just ride the wave. Just have fun riding the wave.” (30:18, 30:47)
  • “Calm down. Stop trying to do 360s on people's pussies.” [Laughter] (31:15)
• Direct but Honest Take:
  • “I used to tell everybody everything...But, like, what my girlfriend and I do in the bedroom...I'm not what I was.” (29:45)

8. Redemption and Service

Owning the pain he caused, Jason is driven to “give back” and support others.

• Amends and Self-Knowledge:
  • “I'm a good guy, and I know it when I look in the mirror...I'm a better father. I'm a way better boyfriend...I've apologized to everybody that I've hurt. They've all forgiven me. And now it's, like, up to me to, like, keep going at what I'm doing and, like, trying to give back.” (38:51–39:23)
  • “Just work. And I'm like, no, just you do it. You know, it's like going to the gym. Like, I want to go to the gym. I'm tired. Go. And that's it. That's the end of it. You just go. You just do it.” (39:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Relationship Change & Calm:
  • “All my life, I've always struggled…now it's just like, do you want to eat?...Like, did you know this fell apart? We'll fix it, you know? And it's like, oh, yeah, we could. We could. Okay.” (04:16)
• On Old Sexual Compulsions:
  • “I was addicted to bone. I wanted to come on everybody all the time…Now I just keep it real because I don't need anybody anymore. I need one person. I don't even jerk off anymore.” (09:49)
• On Healing:
  • “This is the first time I've been me my whole life…What I like, what I'm into, the people I hang out with now, that's what I am. And I've never been that.” (38:33)
• On Advice for Getting Out of the Hole:
  • "Don't give up...The advice is to not run. You gotta sit with it and face it and analyze it...It's every day. Every morning I wake up, I pray. I do a grateful list." (24:13–25:49)
• On Acceptance:
  • "I'm a good guy, and I know it when I look in the mirror." (38:51)
• On Gentler Sex Life:
  • “Calm down. Stop trying to do 360s on people's pussies.” (31:15)

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Theme | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:30 | Jason’s second date with Lauren; quick catch-up, immediate banter about childbirth, body, and wild stories | | 02:40 | On sobriety and relationships—why it’s a deal-breaker for Jason
| 03:37 | New priorities: fitness, comedy, a horse, and a girlfriend
| 05:00 | How his girlfriend calms him and why this relationship works
| 06:00 | The healing impact of caring for Whitney Cummings’ horse
| 09:49 | Letting go of sexual compulsion; clarity on new boundaries
| 12:21 | On abandoning old sexual identities and habits, and finding joy in monogamy and simplicity
| 18:00 | Skateboarding comeback; playful shade at Tony Hawk
| 22:47 | Helping others: training veterans, teaching skateboarding, focusing on mental health
| 24:13 | His advice for getting out of a dark place—don’t run, face it head-on
| 33:05 | Harrowing story about teenage sexual abuse at a “rebirth” camp
| 38:33 | Realizing he’s “finally” himself and happy for possibly the first time ever
| 39:15 | Making amends, accepting responsibility, helping others
| 41:11 | Lauren congratulates Jason, remarks on his transformation
| 42:00 | Where to find Jason online, his new podcast “Ellis 2.0”

Tone and Style

Unedited, raw, deeply honest, but laced with constant humor and self-deprecation. Jason’s storytelling is relentless and graphic, but his self-awareness and commitment to positivity punctuate the darkness with hope. Lauren matches his energy, challenges him with follow-up questions, and reacts with genuine empathy and fun.

For New Listeners

This episode is a wild ride through trauma, redemption, and real personal evolution, told in Jason’s unfiltered, hilarious, sometimes crude, but ultimately inspiring style. You’ll hear frank discussions of abuse, addiction, recovery, and the journey toward real happiness through self-examination, rejection of toxic patterns, and building honest relationships—with both people and horses.

Find Jason:

• Instagram: @oolfmay
• TikTok: @JasonEllis103
• Tour/clothing line: thejasonellis.com
• Podcasts: “The Jason Ellis Show,” “Ellis 2.0”
• Patreon: patreon.com/alicemate