Work in Progress: Carson Daly

Summary

Work in Progress with Sophia Bush

Episode: Carson Daly
Release Date: October 3, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode of Work in Progress features a candid, heartfelt conversation between Sophia Bush and Carson Daly—veteran broadcaster, TRL icon, The Voice host, and passionate mental health advocate. They reflect on their shared roots in early 2000s pop culture, dive deep into Carson's life journey (from his childhood losses to broadcasting highs and mental health struggles), and talk about the ongoing work of destigmatizing mental health. Carson shares moving stories of resilience, fatherhood, and his advocacy with Project Healthy Minds.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shared Pop Culture History & Early Careers

(03:00–06:50)

• Sophia recalls her One Tree Hill cast’s first TRL experience:

  “I will never forget what it felt like to go with One Tree Hill to TRL for the first time and look through those windows in Times Square and be like, are all these people here to see us?” (03:11–03:18)

• Carson reflects on the intertwined nature of MTV, TRL, and network shows, recognizing the sense of shared audience:

  “...there was an immediate sort of linkage to the audiences between what we were doing at MTV and then what was happening on the networks... all the boats rise in the harbor.” (06:16–06:34)

2. Childhood, Loss, and Tracing Mental Health

(06:50–10:46)

• Carson discusses losing his father at age 6 and the arrival of a supportive stepdad.
• He’s realized, through reflection and therapy, that his childhood anxieties set the stage for later experiences:

  “I realized that a lot of the sort of... anxiety that I have now... at the end of the day, I think I was asking myself, am I going to be okay? …Because I don’t know what’s going on up here.” (08:45–09:53)

• Sophia notes Carson’s gratitude for both dads and his positive reframing of pain into resilience.

3. Gratitude, Perspective, and Spiritual Practice

(10:46–16:01)

• Carson shares how he uses perspective and gratitude as a means to process life’s hardships—connecting his faith and worldview:

  “...it’s important to zoom out... sure, I can metabolize this, given the compare and contrast. But I think it’s important for me... because especially in like our business, where there’s... not a lot of outside self-analyzation happening.” (11:03–12:57)

• Sophia relates community organizing and service as a form of spiritual practice, echoing Carson’s views.

4. The Value of Community and Service

(13:44–16:01)

• Carson admires people who serve others and shares his aspiration to contribute more directly:

  “The best thing you can do is service. I’m in such admiration of people who are in service to others...It’s better than sitting on the sidelines..." (14:25–15:55)

• They connect these ideals to the upcoming World Mental Health Day events.

5. The Power of Music and Early Broadcasting Days

(16:38–18:44; 22:41–28:14)

• Music was Carson’s guiding light, even when careers were uncertain:

  “I always had this voice that was just like, stay close to the music. Because happiness...was just like, wake up every day and sort of love what you do, and you’re already going to be winning.” (18:17–18:44)

• Reminisces about the diverse music at home, early TRL days, and the authenticity of unscripted, youthful television.

6. Building TRL and the Unfiltered Vibe of ‘90s MTV

(24:40–33:18)

• TRL started as an experimental video countdown. Carson and his young team built it with passion, then watched as it unintentionally became a cultural phenomenon.
• On TRL’s unique energy:

  “It was live as live gets.” (28:38) “I felt like the big brother of the show. Like it was my job...like the quad at lunch at Sammo...where there would be...all sorts of walks of life.” (29:25–30:08)

• Sophia and Carson discuss the freedom and lack of polish in pre-social media pop culture.

7. Mental Health: Struggles, Breakthroughs, and Stigma

(33:18–48:40)

• Carson’s first major panic attack happened in his TRL dressing room—he describes the terror and confusion:

  “I had no idea what was happening...like losing my mind and, you know, this immense moment in time. I can hear the crowd getting ready for TRL...” (34:39–36:15)

• Wasn’t until years later through therapy (CBT) and an official diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Panic Disorder that he realized he wasn’t “broken”:

  “When I went and first sat down with the doctor...I filled out like a questionnaire...he’s like, ‘Yeah, you have GAD’...He said it so mildly, and I was like, wait, what’s GAD? Like, this is a thing?...Now all those nights of feeling broken, it’s like, oh, what’s GAD? That’s the thing.” (45:24–46:10)

• He talks openly about how “the brain can play tricks on your body. That’s a thing.” (46:33)
• Carson notes the dangerous shrinking effect of untreated anxiety and the importance of refusing to let it “shrink his life.” (48:17)

8. Fatherhood, Communication, & Modeling Resilience

(48:40–52:38)

• Carson talks candidly with his four kids (ages 5–16) about mental fitness, therapy, and being proactive:

  “I’m a big communicator...every time they’re with me, much to my wife’s chagrin...’Here’s another teachable moment!’” (49:24–50:19)

• He urges his children to “open your wings...Travel’s the best educator. Meet people, Love people, Talk to people.” (50:50–51:21)
• Stresses the importance of balance as a value—“it’s that fulcrum, like, that’s where the love is.” (51:36)

9. Project Healthy Minds & World Mental Health Day

(52:41–56:39)

• Carson’s story became public on the Today show; he then chose to dedicate himself to advocacy.
• Describes Project Healthy Minds as a millennial-driven nonprofit aiming to improve mental health care access—dreaming of creating “an Expedia for mental health.”
• The World Mental Health Day festival and gala blends storytelling, performances, and accessible resources:

  “This is the third year of our World Mental Health Day...all really cool stuff...I host the gala at night...and it’s just been really, like, rewarding to do the work in this space and to share my story.” (53:03–56:25)

• Acknowledges suicide as a fast-rising public health crisis needing urgent attention.

10. Reframing Mental Health & The Need for a Cultural Shift

(60:43–62:19)

• Sophia and Carson agree that culture celebrates physical fitness but ignores (or even stigmatizes) mental fitness.
• Both advocate for mental health as a top attribute in relationships, leadership, and community-building.

11. Representation, Stigma, and Vulnerability

(62:19–66:53)

• Carson critiques how emotional vulnerability—especially in leaders (e.g., NFL quarterbacks)—is wrongly seen as weakness:

  “To me, that’s a leadership skill...That he emoted and that he was honest and he was vulnerable and that he is currently dealing with his mental health. These are the people that you want to be around.” (63:04–63:21)

• Stigma remains worse in Black, brown, and rural communities; Carson and Sophia stress more needs to be done for equitable access.

12. Hosting, Empathy, and “Spotting” Anxiety

(64:42–67:15)

• Carson describes the “dual citizenship” of being both host and mental health sufferer, making him empathetic to young artists experiencing anxiety on The Voice.
• Offers contestants practical tools—breathing, breaks, encouragement:

  “I think I’m hyper aware of...other people's feelings in general. And it’s really a great thing...to sense that somebody else might be struggling and...offer them a couple of tools or...just put an arm around them.” (66:03–66:53)

13. Current “Work in Progress” and Daily Practice

(68:05–70:30)

• Carson names balance—physical, spiritual, mental—as his ongoing project:

  “My work in progress is...finding balance...this holy trinity of physical, spiritual, mental...How am I making sure that they’re all being taken care of?” (68:05–69:00)

• Shares his prayer for improvement in family, faith, and service.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Carson, on TRL's cultural moment:

  “If you build it, they will come sort of method...it all...we built it because we loved it. One day I was a kid with a sign, ‘Hey, I skipped school, I’m from Jersey,’ the next day, ‘I’m from Connecticut, I’m from L.A.’...it was like, you know, Eminem and then hip hop sort of exploded in New York around that time.” (25:01–28:14)

• Carson, describing his first panic attack:

  “It felt like uncontrollably...all these things were happening. And I’ve experienced what we know now to be derealization and this incredible sense of fight or flight...at the time...you experience panic disorder...for most of us, you go to the hospital...ultimately the doctor comes...‘You’re fine.’” (34:39–36:15)

• Sophia, on mental health in relationships:

  “The top of the pyramid of the kind of person I want to be around, the kind of person I want to work with, the kind of person I want to be in a relationship with, is someone who takes care of their mental health. Not someone who pretends it’s not a thing they need to pay attention to.” (62:11–62:15)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Sophia’s TRL Memories: 03:11–03:18
• Carson on Childhood Anxiety: 08:00–09:53
• Music as Lifeblood: 16:51–18:44
• Building TRL’s Legacy: 25:01–28:14
• First Panic Attack Story: 34:39–36:15
• Receiving a Diagnosis: 45:24–46:10
• On Not Letting Anxiety Shrink Life: 48:17–48:40
• Fatherhood & Teachable Moments: 49:24–51:21
• Project Healthy Minds Mission: 53:03–56:25
• Carson’s Daily Intentions: 68:05–70:30

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Closing Reflections

The episode is a testament to the power of storytelling, vulnerability, and service—reminding listeners that even those who seem “successful” can struggle, and that community, advocacy, and open dialogue save lives. Carson Daly’s journey from nervous kid, to TRL host, to outspoken mental health advocate is both reassuring and galvanizing.

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Resources Mentioned:

• Project Healthy Minds: Tech-forward non-profit expanding access to mental health care
• World Mental Health Day (Gala & Festival, NYC)

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Final Words (Carson):

“Don’t buy the Instagram bullshit. Not everybody’s that happy in that picture. Life doesn’t look like that...listening to people is so important.” (71:38–71:53)

(End of Content Summary)

Transcript

[Carson Daly]

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[Sophia]

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[Carson Daly]

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[Sophia]

Hey, everyone, it's Sophia. Welcome to Work in Progress. Welcome back to Work in Progress, friends. This week we have a guest that I admire so much who I also have some major blast from the past overlap energy with and a future upcoming project with too. Today we are joined by Carson Daly. You know him as a defining voice in American media for more than three decades now. Where I first encountered him was on MTV's Total Request Live. I will never forget what it felt like to go with One Tree Hill to TRL for the first time and look through those windows in Times Square and be like, are all these people here to see us? What? He went on to be the late night host of Last Call with Carson Daly, and today he is the longtime host and producer of the Emmy winning hit series. But beyond all of his incredible media success, Carson is compassionate. He has such an easy rapport with artists and guests and people he meets out in the street. Because he is such an open human being and a kind man, he's chosen to offer his platform to really bold and honest conversations about mental health. First, sharing his experience with generalized anxiety disorder and severe panic attacks, and emerging as a leading advocate for destigmatizing mental illness, which, by the way, we should call mental health care mental fitness. Perhaps that commitment of his is reflected in his work with Project Healthy Minds, where he serves on the board of directors. And he hosts the nonprofit's annual World Mental Health Day gala, which is a landmark event that blends storytelling, performance and philanthropy to access care. And this year, I will be joining Carson and other advocates that he has gathered for World mental health day 2025. And I can't wait. Beyond his incredible, incredibly impressive public and philanthropic career, he and his wife are raising four children and he grounds himself in major dadhood and makes sure that he talks to his kids about their mental fitness and healthcare too. I can't wait to Dive in with Carson Daly. Hey, how are you?

[Carson Daly]

Good. How are you?

[Sophia]

Oh, I'm good. It's so nice to see you. I just love that we get to do this today, you know, ahead of your big event. And also the fact that we're talking about the future and we share such a particular blast from the past. Young career history together. Like, for me, coming out of college a year early and starting work on One Tree Hill, I don't think it hit me that the show was this kind of major deal until we came to trl.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

And I remember looking through the windows and being like, are all these people here for us?

[Carson Daly]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Sophia]

And it was so surreal. So you. You and the. And the whole early part of your career also have such a special place in my heart for my own.

[Carson Daly]

Oh, that. That's. That's so special to hear. Thank you. It's really cool. And it's. And it's mutual, you know, watching, you know, Hillary and, you know, and just, you know, even just the success of those show at that time, I don't know, there was an immediate sort of linkage to the audiences between what we were doing at MTV and then what was happening on the networks in the same demographics and to see the same, you know, we were all sort of playing to a similar audience, and we felt very like, all the boats rise in the harbor. And so that. That was a special time for everybody, I think, you know.

[Sophia]

Yeah. Yeah, it was really cool. Well, it's. It's interesting to think about the past because I don't share that kind of history with everyone who comes on the show, but I do like to ask people about their young life, and I'm especially curious about this for you because of the work you're doing in the mental health space and because of the leadership that you've, you know, you've chosen to kind of take on for audiences. I think it's like, it's just such a cool thing for a human to do when you've. When you've got so much on your plate already. But I. I always wonder if folks I sit across from, like, yourself, you know, who are doing amazing things in the world, if they got to go back and hang out with their young selves, you know, like, if you got to walk onto whatever playground you frequented when you were 9 or 10 years old and hang out with Kid Carson.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

Do you feel like you would see things in that child that really show you a through line to the man you are today?

[Carson Daly]

You know, I. I do now. It's a great question. And it's, and it's recently I've been doing a lot more reflecting, even going back to my childhood, which of course is a very strong therapeutic thing to do. But, yeah, you know, my, my quick answer when I think of myself, if I could, you know, go into that playground at nine, is I. I know now how I was feeling then. You know, I lost my dad when I was 6 and was too young, I think, for it to resonate. And my mom quickly, pretty quickly remarried my stepdad. So I had another man in my life by the time I was 10 who ended up being just this incredible influence. I always say that God blessed me with two wonderful fathers. But as I have discovered my own sort of mental health history later in life, like Monday Morning Quarterback, looking back on everything, I realized that a lot of the sort of looking for, like, where did this, like, nervous. This anxiety that I have now, I've been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder.

[Sophia]

Yeah.

[Carson Daly]

And I, and I, and I find myself trying to trace it, like, well, where is it? Because I lost my dad. Is it nature? Is it nurture? And of course, we know now it's kind of a combination of all those things. And so I've discovered a lot about my childhood only sort of recently, which is interesting, but I was always a really nervous kid. And to answer the question, I would go to that kid on the playground and give him a big hug and tell him, it's going to be okay. You're going to be okay. You're going to. You're going to develop an incredibly beautiful sense of faith with God. You're going to. You're going to have a beautiful family one day. You're going to experience lots of love. You're going to go through heartache, but you're going to have, you know, the assets and tools to eventually get on the other side of it. It's going to be okay. Because I found myself when I was young really kind of asking that question, like, and even through my young, even through, like, my time at mtv, there was so much anxiety that I didn't. Hadn't dealt with yet that at the end of the day, I think I was asking myself, am I going to be okay? I'm not sure I am because I don't know what's going on up here.

[Sophia]

Yeah, gosh, that's, that's really powerful. You know, the, the healing that comes with learning and understanding how, to your point, this sort of combo platter shapes you as a person. I think there's such a relief when you start to understand why you feel a certain way or. Or what your diagnosis is. Yeah, it's really amazing. You know, so many of the things you said I want to dive into, but I'm so touched by the way you just talked about your dad and your stepdad. Because a kid losing his father at five is such a profound tragedy.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

And with the way I hear you talking is an acknowledgment of that, but also so much gratitude for what came after.

[Carson Daly]

Absolutely, yeah.

[Sophia]

Do you. Do you find that with that loss and other things in your life that the gratitude. Practice figuring out what the silver lining is, even of the worst outcome.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

Enables you to kind of metabolize those things in a different way.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah, for sure. And I think it's really about, for me, it's about having perspective. And it could be on something that's, you know, sad, like losing, you know, something very gnarly, like losing a parent and the impact that that has on a young child. Or it could be something almost menial in your day. And a lot of my stuff is sort of faith based in a weird way because I just feel like it's important to zoom out. And so I'm always like this, well, things could be worse. I mean, like, what's. I'm not the only one that lost a parent. You know, I'm not the only one that lost this job. I'm not the only one. People. There's so much suffering going on in the world. I mean, people's dispositions as our fellow humans. There's so much pain and strife out there that sure, I can metabolize this, given the compare and contrast. But I think it's important for me to do that because especially in like our business where there's, you know, not a lot of outside self analyzation happening. I've always benefited from just being like, wow, man, I'm so lucky. Like. But I had success late in life too. You know, I was broke in my 20s. I valid parked. I had multiple jobs. You know, I didn't have money for my parents. I was like a rock and roll alternative DJ living in all over California. And then I got to MTV and like, so I kind of had this, this cavalier, carefree attitude. Was like, I don't. This is all. This is just all gravy to me. You know, I've. I've been, I've been 23 and, you know, lived on $17,000 a year and found happiness with friends and family and life. So as My life has gone on, and I've been really lucky to do a lot of cool stuff. I've tried to not lose sight of what's really important in life. And I do think, going back to that, dealing with anything, tragedy or otherwise, it really helps to just keep in mind the reality of what so many people are going through, not just here in this country, but sort of all over the world. It's pretty easy to find gratitude, if you can. If you can expand like that.

[Sophia]

Totally. I. You know, it's really interesting you talk about it as a spiritual practice, because I think there's. There's the obvious tie to whatever spirituality a person identifies with. I've had some people ask me why I'm. I'm so passionate about service work. And to me, I. I really have learned that community organizing is also a spiritual practice for me.

[Carson Daly]

Sure.

[Sophia]

Like, I. I have my traditional version of it. And then I've come to learn that, like, the way I understand, you know, gratitude for being on this earth, the way I keep things in perspective, like you said, when I zoom out, is to remember that, like, being on this planet as a human is literally a community activity.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

And we live better in community regardless. Like you said, regardless of sort of where you fall on any. Any, you know, fiscal, geographical, whatever. Healthy community can really be the lifeblood.

[Carson Daly]

Of a person, for sure.

[Sophia]

And so it's. It's really cool to hear you talk about the way you always try to remember yourself in community, like, almost in comparison. And I don't mean the, you know, the comparison is the thief of joy comparison. I mean, like, just remembering to consider other people, remembering to be grateful for everything happening in your life, the good and the bad. That's. That's really special.

[Carson Daly]

But I think I really like what you're saying, and I'm envious of it. And it's something I've thought about recently, doing more of. You know, it's one thing to just have the thought of, like, well, yeah, my life's not so bad. So many people have it worse, and then kind of move on with your day. It's really a much richer, deeper next step to do the hard work and to get into community and to. I think the. The best thing you can do is service. I'm in such admiration of people who are in service to others in any form. As simple as just taking time out of your day to help somebody. To the Catholic pope that was washing the feet the minute he became pope of the poor or in any denomination, there's so Many examples of acts of service, and we see it all over the place. Simple volunteering. And that's stuff that I. I really want to do more of because it makes me feel so good. It gives me a real sense of like. Like to your point, about the. Not just giving back because it's a catchphrase, but like, I'm now really participating in my important role in this community, on this planet. And. And again, to scale, it can be whatever somebody can offer, like whatever you can do. No one's judging that, but I admire that. It's better than sitting on the sidelines, and that's not to despair somebody who isn't in a volunteer program. But I know that I would sleep better at night and feel better about myself to be a part of that wheel that is in service to others.

[Sophia]

Yeah, well. But I think even knowing that I'll see you soon at World Mental Health Day, it's like, what an amazing way to take what you've both been given and earned and offer it out. You know, you just said, like, your 20s were tough. And I. I think sometimes, you know, people in these public life positions, you're not, you know, you're not public until you're doing decently well, so nobody really knows your struggle. And it's like even. Even for you to talk fondly about, you know, bopping around, trying to be a dj, figure it all out.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

I mean, what a. What a wild journey. Were you just. Were you that passionate about music? Did it feel like a calling? Like when it was so hard? What kind of kept you on it?

[Carson Daly]

The music?

[Sophia]

Yeah, okay, the music.

[Carson Daly]

I just had it like it was just the life blood of my soul, always has been. I actually think it's tied to sort of the. The sort of visceral nature that I experienced. Like when I have a panic attack. I've always talked about having panic disorder and sort of the physiological things that occur when you're having a panic attack and that those are things that you can talk about and learn about and deal with. There's tools for that, and they're all. They're all there. But there's another side of that. I mean, I think I was hardwired this way and a lot of that side that. The visceral reactions, the heartbeat, the level of cortisol and excitement as it raises quickly, almost as fight or flight. There's a beautiful sort of superpower side to that that I experience, that I love. And I remember that at a very young age, and it was. And music was what Drew, that music like literally like moved me. Any, lots of different types of music too. And so as I got older, I was like, oh man, like, I just want to be around music. And I didn't really play it, but I loved it so much. I love the way it made me feel. I love the way it, you know, that I could play it and other people would react being a dj. And so, yeah, I thought as I was trying to drop out of college and trying to figure out my parents were like, well, if you're not in college, you're on your own. It's like, okay, and I've got roommates and I'm negotiating, you know, rent and these, all these things that young people do and debt.

[Sophia]

Yeah.

[Carson Daly]

I always had this voice that was just like, stay close to the music. Like, just stay close to the music. Because happiness, happiness. I didn't, I wasn't brought up thinking like, oh you gotta like go get a job and get like a big fat salary and like get a house and you know, be wealthy and like that. Those are the stepping stones to the totality of happiness in life. I never subscribed to that. I was never taught that in my mind. It was just like, stay close to the music, man. Like wake up every day and sort of love what you do and you're already going to be winning.

[Sophia]

Yeah. And now a word from our sponsors who make this show possible.

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[Carson Daly]

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[Commercial Announcer]

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[Carson Daly]

Hey, Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now I don't know if you've heard, but Mint's Premium Wireless is $15 a month. But I'd like to offer one other perk. We have no stores. That means no small talk crazy weather we're having. No, it's not. It's just weather. It is an introvert's dream. Give it a [e-mail] switch upfront.

[Sophia]

Came in a $45 for a 3.

[Commercial Announcer]

Month plan, $15 per month equivalent required.

[Sophia]

New customer offer first 3 months only.

[Carson Daly]

Then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra.

[Amy Brown]

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[Sophia]

Do you remember the first record you bought?

[Carson Daly]

I remember I had a. I don't remember the record I bought. So. I have a sister. I'm 51 now. I have a sister three years older, Quinn. And we're very close. Closer now, now than we were in Santa Monica in California, where we grew up. In high school. We were a little different. But she had albums, and I remember her. She had Rick Springfield, Working Class Dog. She had a Talking Heads album that I used to listen to. She had London Calling by the Clash, which became a big, big album for me. And then I had some tapes. I was really into Michael Jackson and Ida. It was weird. Like, my mom is from North Carolina. She's from the south, and she was an actress. And so I don't know what her background was. She's an army brat, but her musical taste was sort of all over the place. And then it became Army. It was like James Taylor to James Brown. Like, we had a lot of soul and funk, but then a lot of singer, songwriters, 70s, Fleetwood Mac and all that kind of stuff. And I just. Eagles. I mean, I grew up with all of that and obviously great stuff and stuff that I still love today. But, yeah, there's a lot of music played in my house and. Yeah, just great memories of it.

[Sophia]

Oh, it's so fun. Yeah, you're taking me back. It's like my. All the Motown I listened to with my mom. My dad was a big Eagles fan. I remember driving around LA with certain songs.

[Carson Daly]

Me, too.

[Sophia]

You know, like the Temptations blaring or Hotel California in the summer. It's so cool. It's really. It's really amazing how music can take you back in a way. And that era, you know, when you helmed trl, even when our show came out, like, the music was such a big deal and the new video would drop or we'd get a crazy sync. I mean, my God, I remember we got. We got off of her very first album ever. We got an Adele song on our show.

[Carson Daly]

Oh, my gosh.

[Sophia]

We all were like, who is she, this person? Oh, my God.

[Carson Daly]

Right? Yeah.

[Sophia]

And it just, I don't know, it was such a cool era. When do you feel like you realized TRL was really a cultural phenomenon? Like, did you know from the minute you booked it it was a career breakthrough, or was it more when you saw what the show was becoming that you went, oh, holy shit. I think I'm gonna be really part of music history now?

[Carson Daly]

Yeah, it was really more the latter. I mean, when I got to mtv, you know, they had just bought that big studio in Times Square. It's funny, when I got there, I was the radio. I was the nighttime dis jockey at a station in Los Angeles called the world famous kroc, which was like, you know, the country's most influential alternative rock station. And it was for. For a young dj, that was like the dream job. And so I had that job when I was like 23. I worked 6 to 10 at night in my hometown. And that was like, you could have killed me right then and there, you know, like, I was my habit to this day. One of my greatest jobs of all time. Love krock. But when I got to mtv, they were going through. There was an article in the LA Times, I think the year I got there, 97 or 8, and they were like, what happened to The M&MTV? They were really. There wasn't enough. They were starting to do a lot of scripted stuff and, and, and the network was changing. And so we bought this Today show, like ironically enough, space and time square. And I got there and they, they brought in DJs from with musical backgrounds prior to my term. A lot of the VJs that I grew up watching were really people that would go to LA and try and parlay whatever cable success they could get to into, you know, acting. And so they kept like, losing the turnaround was not good for a lot of the VJs. So the management decided they would go to like radio and find like more ambassadors of music, more people that were. And so they found me at kroc and like, you know, you seem to know all these bands. You want to come and just do basically music on television. We have this new studio and I said, absolutely. And I went. And so it was like this playground of like, here we have New York City as this incredible backdrop. We have this new studio that they want to do a live premiere, you know, one or two hour show. Their flagship show out of, you know, like a Today show or like a Sports Center. Like, this is going to be at the epicenter of the network. VMAs fashion be allowed. All the programming is going to sort of run through this show. It'll be a place for music videos. And so me and, like, two other people just kind of sat down and really formatted total requests live, which at the end of the day, was just this video countdown show. But it would be the hub for all of these things that would come through 1515 Broadway. So to answer your question, like, it all. Ha. We built it because we loved it. And we were all so young at mtv. I mean, the executive producer of the Voice, the singing show that I host now on NBC, Audrey Morrissey, like, she and I go back to mtv. There's so many directors and people working in our business that, like, were young and, like, were given all this responsibility and money. Not personally, but, like, to build out these shows, you know, and to, like, go to Cancun for spring break. And we were all, like, in our 20s producing cable television. It was pretty wild. So just through doing that, like, if you build it, they will come sort of method. Yeah. One day I was a kid with a sign, hey, I skipped school. I'm from Jersey. The next day I was like, I'm from Connecticut. I'm from la. And then it's just like, across the street, I'm from Puerto Rico. And it was like, you know, Eminem and then hip hop sort of exploded in New York around that time. So a lot of things were happening. And trl, that little show, just sort of found itself at the epicenter of it.

[Sophia]

Yeah. It also was exciting, I mean, to watch and then wildly to be on eventually with you guys, because it felt really spontaneous.

[Carson Daly]

It was not like.

[Sophia]

Not like, created spontaneity, you know, not like you see on reality shows where they're like, well, you're all gonna go to dinner and get in a fight about this. But you see what you say, you know, like, it felt genuinely unpredictable.

[Carson Daly]

It was. It was because we didn't know what we were doing. It was just like, live. It was live as live gets.

[Sophia]

And live. Everyone was super unfiltered. To your point. Everyone was young, and I respect the. And I miss a little bit that lack of polish. Like, social media has made everyone so anxious. Looking good, saying the right thing, not saying the wrong thing. Everybody's, like, a little weird.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

Now.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

And you guys.

[Carson Daly]

Oh, they're scared.

[Sophia]

Right. It felt fun at the time. Were you a little nervous about it or. Because people weren't so used to clickbait backlash, Whatever fills in the blank. Did you also feel a little freer?

[Carson Daly]

It's all we knew at the time. I mean, you know, granted, culturally things are quite different, but it was also had a very well natured, you know, thing about it. This is diversity at its finest. I mean, this is what it's like really reserved for. And I always took as sort of host of the show, really more about hosting that space in the real world when multiple genres in these worlds were coming together. You know, hip hop fans and, you know, little teeny bopper, you know, Mandy Moore, 11 year old girl. You know, I felt like the big brother of the show. Like it was my job. It felt like the quad at lunch at Sammo where I went to high school, where there would be like, you know, all sorts of walks of life, you know.

[Sophia]

Totally.

[Carson Daly]

And I'd be like, hey, come here, man. Have you met this guy? Like, I was always that guy, like almost like DJing. Like I would play, you know, Public Enemy and then I would always use like a Beastie Boys record to bridge me to get back into rock because it was, you know, like fusion. Like, I feel like that's kind of who I am at my core, just as a person, you know, on or off camera.

[Sophia]

Yeah.

[Carson Daly]

So it's kind of the perfect job for me. And I took it sort of serious to make sure that inside that space of trl, yeah, things did get a little dangerous. Like, we thought it would be a good idea to have Mark Wahlberg and Eminem, when they first met, like, have an exchange, you know, like the late night show did when one guest was leaving, another guest was coming because, you know, Mark was a, was a white rapper and who was a very successful actor. And here's em promoting 8 mile and they definitely have something in common. Could there be a good TV moment there? And. No, there wasn't. There was a very volatile, like, memorable moment that was, you know, pretty much a train crash.

[Sophia]

Whoopsie.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah. But like, it's unlike today to your point about social media. It's okay. It was okay.

[Sophia]

When you talk about bridging genres, bridging groups of guests and like how you looked at it almost like the quad, you know, you think about that classic scene from Clueless where Cher's telling Ty, like who all the cliques are.

[Carson Daly]

Yes.

[Sophia]

But instead of saying like, these people don't associate with each other, you were like, everybody.

[Carson Daly]

Yes, yes.

[Sophia]

Meet hang. I've read, you know, you've called yourself the babysitter for the latchkey kids of America. And that's actually exactly how it. It felt like you were the cool senior Everyone could trust in high school. And also, you, like, took care of us all if our parents were at home when we were watching.

[Carson Daly]

There was a little bit of that. Like, I, and I didn't, Yeah, I never wanted to. Like, I, I, it's weird now because I sort of, I've said before, I think I got caught up in the vapor trail of the success of the show and, and the Backstreet Boys and Kid Rock and like, whoever else. Brittany. That was never my intention. You know, like, I executive produced that show. I was in meetings, like, changing the graphics and, like, trying to figure out how to, like, Disney was stealing our numbers. Like, I was, my brain was somewhere else. I had been, like, you know, in the music department at kroc, trying to break, like, crazy alt rock bands. So it was, it was important to me that, like, people got along and felt safe and had a good time, because that's just who I am. So, you know, American Bandstand was a show for my mom, for the boomer generation. It was the first time they could come home from school and see their peers on television. Like, you couldn't see other teenagers and like, oh, are they wearing, like, oh, bell bottoms? Like, oh, look at how they're dancing. Look at how we see it now, TikTok. Like, everybody sees too much, probably. But that was a special time. And I think trl, my era there captured a little bit of that. And I, I, I get that from when I see people to this day that are just like, oh, I grew up with you, or like, you were like, my babysitter or whatever. And I'm like, I take that like that very pridefully. Like, I'm honored of that. And, and I'm glad that that, that quad was, was a communal, inclusive place where we had fun and, and are all better for it.

[Sophia]

Totally. And then I think that, you know, there's so many incredible aspects to it. Right. The fact that you were, as you said, executive producing the show, really introducing generations of young people to great music, really giving artists a platform. I mean, there was nothing else like it. And I think sometimes when everything looks so great, people don't know how hard it is. They don't know about the hours, they don't know about the pressure. And, and as you've opened up about your mental health journey, you, you've actually talked about how your first panic attack was in your TRL dressing room.

[Carson Daly]

Yes. Yeah.

[Sophia]

And, you know, we've touched on some milestones, like the loss of your dad when you were five, and this, you Know, struggling to make it in music journey that you had. And then TRL happens, and everything looks great. Like, you're by all means crushing it for anybody looking at you. And then you experience this major scary thing where, you know, your. Your body doesn't feel like your own. Looking back on that, do you think those things are tied together? Do you. Do you feel like you really understand what triggered it? Like, how did you. How did you process it then? And how do you feel about it now? I guess is. Is my.

[Carson Daly]

I had no idea what was happening. Yeah, I had no idea. I really had no idea what it was. A physiological feeling of, like, losing my mind and, you know, this immense moment in time. I can hear the crowd getting ready for trl. Like, very specific stuff. I remember there was an old commercial with, like, a woman in a bathtub. And, like, I don't know if you remember this or you might be too young, but she's in a bathtub, and, like, the kids are a bubble bath, and, like, the kids are crying and the delivery guys and the kettle's like, all these, like, stimuli things are happening, and she starts spinning, and it's like, calgon, take me away. She's, you know, it's like a pro lotion or something. And I always thought about that commercial because in my first panic attack, that's what it felt like. It felt like uncontrollably. In my mind, all these things were happening. And I've experienced what we know now to be derealization and this incredible sense of fight or flight. Now, this is all years before I've gone to therapy and sort of learned that the model of anxiety is an actual, real thing. So at the time you experience panic disorder or panic attack, for most of us, you go to the hospital and you do the ekg, you have everything. And then ultimately the doctor comes to the room and goes, you're fine. And in my case, my doctor, Dr. Green, who's still a buddy of mine, he got me out of the table, in the gown, off. He's like, come sit in my office. And he's like, how's your life? Like, everything okay? Like, you might be burning at both ends of him, too. Like, what's going on? And that was the beginning of sort of understanding that I need to make some lifestyle changes. I have a whole lot to learn, and I have a lot to discover about myself. And then that's really where your journey is.

[Sophia]

Yeah.

[Carson Daly]

From the moment you experience, let's say, in my case, that panic attack at trl, that was My first big red flag, mental health symptoms. From the time you have somebody has a symptom of a mental health issue to when they actually go and get help, the time that elapses in this country is 12 years. I mean, 12 years, Sophia, that's. That's crazy. Like, if, you know, if you fell on the playground or fell at work and, you know, hurt your aunt, how. How quickly would you be at urgent care to see if you have a broken. You'd be there within the hour, you know, like.

[Sophia]

Yeah.

[Carson Daly]

So we don't look at mental health the same way we look at physical health these days. And that's a big part of our push to help break that stigma, to normalize it. Because I was somebody who lived for over a decade with this feeling like I was broken. Like, there was my brain. I thought. Like, I really thought I had problems. And then on top of that, I'm of the age where we didn't talk about mental health when I was growing up. And my only frame of reference was. Was One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, the movie. Like, like straitjackets and lobotomies and, like, taking pills that make you, like, you know, numb. Like, there was a real black and white thing. Like, if I was. Like, if I. If this is happening, I'm feeling these ways I'm feeling. I have no idea what it is and something's really wrong and I don't even know how to articulate it to somebody. I'm a communicative person. I could have gone to my mom, but I didn't even know how to explain it at the time.

[Sophia]

Right.

[Carson Daly]

That's why sharing these stories has really become such an empower, a powerful tool. Because it wasn't until I read story that Kevin Love, the basketball player, wrote about having a panic attack during an NBA game. I was like, oh, my God, that's exactly what happened to me during a tr. Like a high profile, high stress event. Same thing. And he articulated it so well. And I was like, yeah, me too. Like, that was me too. And I feel like, you know, the more I've told my stories, that that's the response I get, especially in the last, you know, however long it's been, almost 10 years now. Like in the airport, it's like Fight Club. Like, I've been on TV every day since 1997 in some capacity, doing something stupid with videos or whatever. You know, my job, like, so dumb, lucky to do it. Like, whatever it is on. In the middle of the night on a late night show, introducing you to a band, whatever it is, but more people now. It's like fight Club. I I in the airport. So I'm in LAX or jfk, everywhere I am. It was like, hey man, thanks for talking about that mental health. Like, the mental health thing is the thing. And it really makes me realize how many people are suffering in silence. And I don't want them to, I want them to see, like, oh, if you can see that loser on TV that you've seen for 20 years on TV that you thought had a perfect life, if you can learn, like, realize that, like, it's a struggle for him still every day and like, he's got things to work through and they're no different than working out in this gym. You know, your body, it takes work. And if someone else can, if I become that, like, hey, if that loser can do it, I can do it. But then that's why, like, having conversations like this is so it almost goes back to what you were saying about service and community. Like, it feels like I'm so happy to answer anybody's questions that they might have for me about dealing with mental health in service to them. I don't know if it'll be useful information, but I'm so willing to share. Even at the risk of somebody thinking, you know, I'm an or crazy or whatever label they want to give me, I don't really care.

[Sophia]

And now a word from our sponsors.

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[Carson Daly]

At Walgreens. We know flu season can feel a little chaotic, so we're going to give.

[Sophia]

You our flu info in a meditation, keeping you calm. Just like a certified Walgreens pharmacist. Will do if you're little needle nervous.

[Commercial Announcer]

So walk in or schedule an appointment.

[Sophia]

And Walgreens will handle the rest.

[Carson Daly]

That's the human kind of help. Walgreens vaccines subject to availability, state, age.

[Commercial Announcer]

And health related restrictions may apply.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Spooky season is quickly approaching, so time to stock up on all your favorite treats now through October 7th. You can get early savings on your Halloween candy favorites when you shop in store and online. Save on items like Hershey's, Reese's Pumpkins, Snickers Miniatures, Tootsie Rolls, Raw Sugar, Milk Chocolate, Caramel, Jack O Lanterns, Brock's Candy Corn Charms, Mini Pops and more. Offer ends October 7th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Amy Brown]

This is Amy Brown from Feeling Things with Amy and Kat. We've been made to believe that saying yes is a good thing, but I've realized there's a big difference between doing it intentionally and doing it unintentionally. Isopure Protein helps you focus on more of what matters, like feeling your best every day with great tasting nutrition. That's high protein and also low carb. If you need that. Isopure fits seamlessly into your lifestyle and that's why I've added it to my daily routine. I use Isopure Unflavored protein in recipes like pasta sauce and guacamole during the week. With 25 grams of ultra filtered protein and 0 carbs plus 20 vitamins and minerals, you can boost nearly any recipe without changing the taste of your favorite foods. I've already restocked four times because I add the Isopure Unflavored to everything. You can try the Isopure vanilla to blend 25 grams of protein into your smoothies or your oatmeal. Or check out Isopure Clear protein water with 15 grams of protein which supports hydration with electrolytes and a light berry flavor. Enjoy more of what matters [e-mail] and get 20% off your order when you use code MINDS20 at checkout.

[Carson Daly]

High Key Listen to High Key, a new weekly podcast. You better listen. That's literally the definition of being an Aries moon. Just one little spicy off comment, that's all it takes. Everyone loves me at the cancer and then the Aries comes out and they say who the is that? No you're gonna come for me being an Aries and you have a sag moon. Get out of here.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Here.

[Carson Daly]

But I'm a Capricorn Rising. So that honestly balances it out and makes me more likable. Okay, that is your Capricorn talking. Listen to High key on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sophia]

We exist in a world where anything you say, someone's going to criticize you for, but you keep going because of the people, like the folks who've come up to you at airports. You. You keep talking because you don't want people to feel alone. And it's like, whether it's mental health, whether it's a relationship struggle, you know, obviously it happens to men as well, but I think, especially for women, the importance of speaking up about, you know, harassment or assault, it. It changes the shame other people feel.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

Because suddenly they don't feel alone.

[Carson Daly]

Great point.

[Sophia]

And, you know, you said that when this first started, you thought that you were broken. To. To learn that you aren't changes everything. When. When did you. When did you get different language for that? Like, what did you learn about mental health or anxiety or panic disorder? Or maybe. Maybe all of it that helped you understand that it's a. An experience, a condition beyond your control, that it's not your fault, that nothing's, quote, wrong with you. Like, when did you start to get that?

[Carson Daly]

Probably the best day of my life, getting. Getting that. That affirmation and information. And that was when I was diagnosed. God, I wish his name will come to me. But the first doctor I saw was in la. He was a former. Former director of psychology at ucla and has a. Has like an og. Really smart guy. And in learning about him later, has lots of great early connections to cognitive behavioral therapy. And as I sort of research where I needed to go to speak to talk about all this cbt, to me personally, it's all personal stuff. You know, some people.

[Sophia]

Yeah.

[Carson Daly]

So this is just what worked for me. I kind of wanted to cap it. I was like, let's. Let me go talk to somebody for 12 weeks and like, let's see how this goes. And so when I went and first sat down with the doctor and. And I think I filled out like, a questionnaire and. And then I was just like, okay, yeah, no, you have gad, so let's come in and we'll talk about that. And then. Looks like you have some panic disorder. He said, it's so mildly. And I was like, wait, what's gad? Like, this is a thing like. Like, it's like, I have no. Oh, like, it just came back. Your blood, your labs came back. And you have. Okay. Yeah. You tested positive for Covid, and you've got. Oh, you've got some pneumonia. Like, it was like that sort of language to me. Like, now all those nights of feeling broken, it's like, oh, what's. What's gad? That's the thing. Like.

[Sophia]

Yeah.

[Carson Daly]

Like, being like, it's. And then through the process of learning about the model of anxiety, going back in history and learning about animals and learning about fight or flight and learning about all of these things, you learned that, and I learned that, which I never knew. And it was. I wish I had that. It is possible for your brain to play tricks on your body. That's a thing. That's a thing.

[Sophia]

Yes.

[Carson Daly]

Your brain can tell your body there's an imminent threat to you.

[Sophia]

Yep.

[Carson Daly]

In the same exact way you. And you will experience that physically in the same way as if it really was. If there was a bear right here, and I'm hiking in Malibu, and, like, there's a bear, that same physical reaction, it's as real. So that was a big language breakthrough therapeutic moment for me, not only learning about anxiety, but also realizing that when I started to feel these physical reactions, I could get to the place where I knew, like, oh, that's not true. It's not true.

[Sophia]

Yeah.

[Carson Daly]

And that's a really big discovery, the. That you're like, wow, the brain's pretty freaking powerful.

[Sophia]

Wow.

[Carson Daly]

And. And then I loved it. And then I sort of. You know, at least I love all my therapy. And it didn't. Like, it wasn't a quick fix all I didn't. I still had to fight through. You know, I've talked about, like, when I wake up every day, even now, I feel like I have a cookie sheet filled with water, and I have to, like, walk gently to not slosh the water over. That's kind of my GAD baseline. And then as, like, more information comes in my day, and, oh, you got to this, and you're going to host this, and you got to fly here. And I start to get a little, like, am I going to be okay? And it starts to get a little more wobbly. And now when the water starts to slosh over the cookie sheet, that's kind of the panic setting in. And that's totally. That model for me for years, could have led me to sort of agoraphobia. I mean, I was headed in a direction, because what we do is we shut up. Our worlds get smaller. You know, I would have panic attacks. I had one in Aspen, Colorado. I was like, that's a trigger. I better not go to altitude. Not going to altitude. Oh, I had to go in this restaurant. Not going there. Long car ride. So I can't, I'm going to be stuck. I won't be able to get out. I can't do that. I start canceling plans to shrink your life, it starts to shrink your life. And I swore this is happening simultaneously with, you know, making a commitment to therapy and really learning about this and trying to help myself and develop tools. I made a promise to myself that I would not let this thing shrink my life. And. Yeah, and I'm so glad I made that commitment. Yeah.

[Sophia]

Do you, do you feel extra passionate about that? I mean, obviously you deserve not to have your life shrunken just for you.

[Carson Daly]

Sure.

[Sophia]

But you were talking earlier about your family and you know, to have a big family, to be a dad to four kids, I would imagine there's also kind of a like a mission fatherhood where you say, I've got to make sure I don't model fear of my own mind for my children.

[Carson Daly]

Totally.

[Sophia]

I've got to make sure I model healthy communication, having a toolkit, going to therapy, like things that will raise healthy people who maybe won't have to deal with as much as our generation has, you know, like, how, how do you think that, do you talk to them about anxiety?

[Carson Daly]

Absolutely. I talked to them about my, yeah, my 16 year old for the last three years has, has come to the, our Project Healthy Minds big gala that we do in New York City. I mean, I Talk, I have three girls. I have girls 5, 11 and 13. I'm a big communicator. I mean, I, I, every time they're with me, much to my wife's chagrin of rolling her eyes because it's like, oh God, here's another like teachable moment. You know, I'm like, your mom graduated from Wisconsin. She's smart, she's got the degree. I dropped out of college. You guys, you come to her for homework and you come to me for the university of life. I'll teach you how to. So, you know, I taught my 13 year old girl, she was going to like a Sabrina Carpenter concert. I'm like, you know, you got to do, when you get out of the garden, you got to go get a hot cup of coffee. You don't have to drink it, but just hold on to it because that can be a weapon if you see somebody sketchy and there's a problem. Oh, that's really smart, dad. How do you know that I'M like, university of life. You know, they don't teach you that in college.

[Sophia]

You're like, we used to be in these streets.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah, exactly. Used to be in this. And so, yeah, like, any moment that I can make it a teachable moment, and I do. I'm so lucky that New York, which is just like my favorite city, is my backdrop for that, because there's so much diversity and there's so much to point to and so much culture and so much about, you know, that I try and teach my kids about life. And, like, so, again, like, I. I find myself saying, you know, don't be like me. You know, I have a. I. I probably am not as worldly traveled as I might have been, because I'm a bit of a homebody, because I still don't like it. Makes me nervous, you know, But I don't want them to be like that. So I'm like, open your wings. Fly. Go see experience. Travel's the best educator. Meet people, Love people, Talk to people. There's nothing better than that. And I think I talk about it more passionately because I didn't really have anybody talking to me like that, because, again, it's generational. My dad was like, get a job, you loser. Like, oh, yeah. Like, yeah, you're gonna go to, like, you know. You know, the reading festival and watch a bunch of bands. Like, do you know how much that plane ticket is there? Where are you gonna stay? How are you gonna eat? Like, I can hear my dad in my head. And like, you know, I try and be more encouraging to my kids of, like, yeah, man, go do it. But also get a. Get a goddamn. Get a job. I say that, too.

[Sophia]

Yeah, well, you have to kind of do both.

[Carson Daly]

Like you said, it's really that balance is so important. Right? I mean. Yeah, Balance to me is just like. I don't have many rooms for much room left for tattoos, but it's always been one I wanted to get was balance, because it keeps coming back to me in so many ways. But it's such a beautiful thing to find that in. In whatever duality you might be talking about, that harmonious point is usually in the middle, right? It's. We're missing it now culturally, politically. But that Delta, that. There's that sweet spot in the middle that. That where we find balance, and we've gotten to the. Or the fulcrum, if you think of, you know, two kids on a teeter totter, and we're just teeter tottering so much now. Now. But it's that Fulcrum, like, that's where the love is. And I don't know. That's a good place to be.

[Sophia]

Yeah, it's beautiful. Also, I just, I love the word choice because fulcrum's such a good one. And I'm like, see, look at us college dropouts still on top of it. Yeah, you're darn right nailing the SAT terms. Okay.

[Carson Daly]

That's right. What was that on the sat? I wouldn't know because I didn't take it. I don't know.

[Sophia]

I feel like it probably would have been, you know, you mentioned that you involve the kids in Project Healthy Minds. And we were talking about how we're going to see each other soon at World Mental Health Day. Can you tell our friends at home about the project, how you got involved? You know, what are the goals of the festival? Like, give us a little bit of info.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah, totally. So, you know, when I made a conscious, there was a moment on the Today show where I sort of was outed with my story about my anxiety and they did a piece on me, which is weird when you, you are, you know, work for a news organization and you usually report on entertainment stories and news stories, you don't ever really want to be the subject. But in this case, I was. I'm like the Al Bundy of the Today show. Like anything with mental health or bad backs, I have a back surgery. Like any, like, dad problem, like, dad bod. Can't lose the weight in the middle, probably. That's my. That's like, that's my sweet. That's my jam on the Today show. I cover that. Right. And so mental health became right around the pandemic. I had made a conscious decision that I wanted to really get some skin in the game. And so I met this guy, Phil Shermer, who went to Michigan and was a go getter. Worked. He was like the youngest intern for the economic council in the White House in the Obama administration. He had, like, worked at blackrock for seven years. And I meet this guy and he's just like, got his together and. And he was with Logic, who's a rapper and a buddy of mine. And Logic did a song, 1, 800, which was the national suicide hotline. And he did it on the VMAs. And we found out that the. When he did that song, that the national call center experienced a 50 spike in calls. Not like a week later on the heels of Logic doing that song. But during the VMAs, 50%, people were calling, like, there was and so, so Phil and Logic were partnering on this new nonprofit that was going to be around breaking the stigma of mental health. A millennial driven non profit. New York. It was a startup. Their goals were simple. They were like, why isn't there an expedia for mental health? Why isn't there a door dash? Why is it so hard to find access to care? This should be a tech thing. We have to build an algorithm that like this just be like an app, like you know, if you need to go talk to somebody and it should be really smart and culturally relevant and all the things. And so I was like, you guys are speaking, you know, music to my ears and I end up getting involved and I'm like whatever you want. So it was nice to put all my philanthropic give back eggs in one place. And the people at Project Healthy Minds are great. And so this is the third year of our World Mental Health Health Day and festival and gala. And it's just this, you know, 24, 48 hours of all really cool stuff and breakout sessions and meetings and you know, stuff that you can read about. And then I host the gala at night and you know, we give awards away and it's just been really like rewarding to do the work in this space and to share my story. You know, it's the suicide part of this has been something that's really reared its ugly head to me personally in the last, last, I don't know, year and a half because if you look at the spectrum of mental health issues and it really is that there's a lot out there. But yeah, to learn and to see how many people are dying by suicide and what little we know about it. And in my research and working with the national suicide Foundations, that's a, that's, that really I feel like requires some attention now. It's, it's just really scary and.

[Sophia]

And.

[Carson Daly]

So yeah, like we, we kind of dive into all of it and, and now have this great app at PHM that people can go and, and, and get access to help. There's still a lot of work to do. It's like it's a moment but we need this to be like, you know, a big movement.

[Sophia]

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[Carson Daly]

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[Carson Daly]

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[Sophia]

To your point. You know, stigma has to change.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

It's so weird to me that we live in a culture that's so obsessed with physical fitness, but we don't.

[Carson Daly]

I agree.

[Sophia]

We don't respect mental fitness.

[Carson Daly]

I agree.

[Sophia]

And in a way, we denigrate it. I. I actually learned, you know, on, on my own journey and looking through modalities and trying to build out my, my mental fitness toolkit. I landed on, you know, the right therapist for me who happens to be a CBT expert. And so there's CBT and dbt and I'm like, I'm a research nerd.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

You know, I finally understand that all the things that made me super weird as a kid and that made me really attracted to community service service even because it's about other people, it lets me do something, but it can be about everyone else.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

You know, I like, I understand now that that's my like, cute little neuro spicy brain being like, oh, I want to read the white paper. Like, I want to read the American Medical Journal report on. And like, not everybody wants to do that, but I do.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah. You know.

[Sophia]

Yeah, you do that. And it's like for me, you know, learning about not only my stuff, but how it fits into the Larger ecosystem of mental health, what goes on with people, how they're treated, or not only do we need to change the access, we need to change the way we think about these things. For me, I actually think the top of the pyramid of the kind of person I want to be around, the kind of person I want to work with, the kind of person I want to be in a relationship with, is someone who takes care of their mental health.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

Not someone who pretends it's not a thing they need to pay attention to.

[Carson Daly]

I agree.

[Sophia]

You know, and that feels like it needs a cultural shift.

[Carson Daly]

I agree. And I think that reminds me of Dak Prescott, who has been very vocal about losing his brother to suicide the quarterback for the Cowboys. And I remember when that all happened, there was a sports reporter or two that treated it like a ding. Like, because he was showing so much emotion and they were making point. If you're gonna. How gonna be America's quarterback and show this, you know, and be so, you know, like he was crying in an interview about this. This tremendous, tremendous loss that he had have. And I remember just thinking, like, this is everything that's wrong, not just in sport, but in the world. If I were Jerry Jones or if I was the owner of a national football league and my quarterback, my sort of what we deem now is this gladiator on Sunday who's impenetrable, to me, that's a leadership skill.

[Sophia]

Me, too.

[Carson Daly]

That he emoted and that he was honest and he was vulnerable and that he is currently dealing with his mental health. These are the people that you want to be around. That's who you actually want to lead your team. Not the guy who puts on the straight face and does what we've been doing for hundreds of years and just, you know, pushing it down deep inside and, you know, and just ignore it.

[Sophia]

And then winds up beating someone or doing something insane, it's going to transfer somewhere.

[Carson Daly]

So, yeah, that's a part of the work that we're doing as far as breaking the stigma is just. Yeah, those really. And that's really where the work needs to still. To still go. I mean, it also bothers me in, you know, black and brown communities and rural communities. I mean, first of all, the stigma is even greater for a lot of those folks, and their access to care is harder than others. It's like, I don't know. As much as we want to feel like we're making some progress, there's still a lot of work to be done in a lot of areas where people really, really need it.

[Sophia]

Yeah. But I think that's a really important thing, and I think therapy teaches you that. Right. To be able to hold the duality of things to say. We're doing all this work and this is our goal list, and this year, this is what we're up to, and we haven't done enough in these arenas, and we're going to look at that, too, and I think that's amazing. You know, it strikes me we've talked about your career and family and all the wonderful work you guys are doing with Project Healthy Minds, and then it makes me think about that first panic attack you had and you were mentioning, you know, hosting the Voice.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

Do you think that having been through that in, in. In a voice of your own with trl, does that shift the way you work as a host because, you know, the kind of pressure not only you can feel, but that your contestants are under? Like, does it. Does it shift your relationship with the contestants on the show and how you make sure they're being cared for?

[Carson Daly]

Well, I. Now I know. I know the symptoms and I know panic and anxiety when I see it, especially in young people, because having lived it for so long. So I've interviewed a lot of pop stars, actually, and I. And I've seen it. I've seen it come on, like when they just are sweating all of a sudden. I mean, I can just see it. And so that sort of dual citizenship, if you will, does buy. I'm very aware of it. And now I. And now it's just like, hey, you know, know, I'll go to a commercial break and you know, and just like, you know, take a walk. Like, I know it's going, you know, I like just trying or with the artists on the Voice now, I still have. I still get nervous. I mean, you know, being on in front of millions of people is never an easy thing. It's like, you know, if you get on a plane and you're not a little bit nervous to fly, something's wrong with you. You know, it's like it's not a normal thing.

[Sophia]

No, you never get used to knowing what's on the other side of the camera. To be clear. Like, for anyone listening, you never stop feeling nervous and about it.

[Carson Daly]

And I'm also never sure it's going to come out of my mouth. I speak like very freely in the real world. Like, I swear a lot. I, I'm stream of conscious. I'm a radio dj, so I can edit pretty quick, but. And I love live TV for that it's exciting, and it's a chance to communicate in a different manner. And. And I think you can show a lot more authenticity just by talking without having to, you know, read a teleprompter, whatever. But I do that also. But, yeah, to your point, I. I think I'm hyper aware of. Of the. Of other people's feelings in general. And it's really a great thing to have to be able to sense that somebody else might be struggling and to be able to, you know, offer them a couple of tools or just put an arm around them. Someone who just say, I know what you're going through. Give them a hug. Or, like, say, hey, let's just do some breathing really fast. Like, you know, you can. Like, you can calm your nervous system down pretty quick these days.

[Sophia]

Yeah.

[Carson Daly]

Just by, you know, breathing. I feel a lot of people forget to breathe.

[Sophia]

Yeah. I have to remind myself all the time.

[Carson Daly]

It's wild. It's a wild ride.

[Sophia]

Yeah. On a pure entertainment level, just because I also am really big fan of the Voice. You're kicking off season 28, which sounds nuts and thrilling. Can you give us just, like a little tea on what we can expect?

[Carson Daly]

God, it's so much fun. I can't believe the show's been on as long as it's been on and it's just still doing well. There's so many talented people in the country, and they have these great stories of, you know, wanting to pursue their dreams, and it's never too late, and it's just always inspiring to be around. But, yeah, season 28 is great. We know we have. Snoop Dogg has been such an interesting addition to our show because we're a singing show. But he's just been great. He's been really emotional. I think he's actually brought a lot to the Voice. So I would point to season 28, really, just to watch Snoop Dogg. He really is a wonderful part of the program now.

[Sophia]

I'm glad to hear that. Now for you. And this could be about work or, you know, cause work or your personal life. What do you feel like is your work in progress these days?

[Carson Daly]

My work in progress is, I would say, two things. You know, finding balance. You know, my life is just so. I don't have a nine to five. You know, I just traveled from LA to New York nine straight weeks commuting for a job, and now that has stopped, and so my life will be diff. So it's never the same.

[Sophia]

Yeah.

[Carson Daly]

I wake up, and I don't know if I'm at the Universal Hilton or if I'm in my home on Long Island, I'm tired at odd times because I've lived this bicoastal lifestyle just in the last like three months. But that'll end and I'm not going to complain about it because I can't. And so there's just a lot of internal dialogue that I have about finding that fulcrum, you know, finding balance for myself. Getting, you know, structure is good for me. I need that. I'm excited now that I'll be here for a minute in New York and, and I'll, I'll be able to, you know, I get up at 4 in the morning for the Today show every day, so I got to put my, I read books to my 5 year old and we go to bed at like 8 o' clock. And I'm looking forward to getting back into like a routine is important. You know, I'll be in my health center and I'll, you know, get back to working out and cold plunge and do all my things and meditating. And I love to go to my, my church here and the community there. And so, you know, my work in progress is really just like this, this, this holy trinity of physical, spiritual, mental, you know, balance. Like how are these three things in my life as they orbit around me? How am I making sure that they're all being, you know, taken care of? You know, as part of my prayer when I wake up every day, I always say like, I want to be the best husband I can be today. I want to be just 1% better. I want to be a better father. I want to be a better global citizen. I want to be a better Christian. In my case, I want to be a better co worker. So give, you know, thank you God for this new day. I got 24 hours. Let's just keep it simple. Let's not look too far ahead and let me be the best version of myself for your will. Not, not, not to benefit selfishly for anything. I'm not looking for anything. I, you know, I'm gonna wear this black T shirt again tomorrow. But whatever happens in my day, whatever comes across my desk, my phone, let me be a vessel for good for the world and let the answers that come out of my mouth be beneficial to others. Those are the things that are always like works in progress for me in just 24 hour compartments.

[Sophia]

Yeah, that's beautiful.

[Carson Daly]

That's weird, but yeah.

[Sophia]

No, I think it's wonderful.

[Carson Daly]

It's just true.

[Sophia]

Yeah. I'm so grateful that I'VE gotten to share some really meaningful moments in life with you, and I can't wait for World Mental Health Day.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah.

[Sophia]

See you there. We'll make sure our friends at home listening to this hang have all the resources to follow along, you know, online and on social as well.

[Carson Daly]

Why don't you just be a psychiatrist at this point? Because you're very good at it.

[Sophia]

Thank you.

[Carson Daly]

You could charge a lot for this, you know.

[Sophia]

I know my therapist isn't cheap, but he's worth every penny I pay him.

[Carson Daly]

Yeah, exactly. You know that you could charge that for your guests. So it was a really fun conversation and sweet. I really appreciate it, it. Your willingness to, to, to go there and.

[Sophia]

Yeah.

[Carson Daly]

And offer the platform for people to have these sorts of dialogues are so important. So thank you.

[Sophia]

I appreciate you, too. And, and I, I do really mean it. I think it's so, so incredibly impactful when somebody who's got, like, a great career, they could just keep to themselves and keep to their families. Says, like, let me.

[Carson Daly]

Well, nothing is what it seems.

[Sophia]

This audience for good, you know, so thank you for that.

[Carson Daly]

Don't buy the Instagram bullshit. Not everybody's that happy in that picture. Life doesn't look like that. So don't, don't buy into that. Yeah, there's real conversations to be had out there. And listening to people is so important. So. You're the best. Thank you.

[Sophia]

Thank you, my dear. I'll see you soon.

[Carson Daly]

All right, bye.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons n. Safeway. Spooky season is quickly approaching, so time to stock up on all your favorite treats. Now through October 7th, you can get early savings on your Halloween candy favorites when you shop in store and online. Save on items like Hershey's, Reese's Pumpkins, Snickers miniatures, Tootsie Rolls, raw sugar, milk chocolate, caramel, Jack O Lanterns, Brock's Candy Corn Charms, Mini pops, and more. More offerings October 7th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Carson Daly]

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[Sophia]

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[Sophia]

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[Sophia]

Days October 7th and 8th there's a.

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