The Tchotchke Showdown brought to you by The Sober Curator | Alysse Bryson vs. Travis Sackett

Welcome to the sassiest, sparkliest, and most hilarious showdown in sobriety! On this episode of The Sober Curator, host Tamar Routly (aka T. Bouge) throws down the first ever Tchotchke Showdown, where recovery meets sober pop culture and thrifted treasures take center stage.

Contestants:

Alysse Bryson – Sober Curator in Chief, queen of the thrift store, and master of all things bedazzled.
Travis Sackett – Author of "My Life with Karma," advocate, and collector of weird and wonderful finds.

Judges Panel:

Amy Liz Harrison (she/her) – Brings warmth, sparkle, and generous scores.
Megan Swan – Our kind Canadian judge, reasonable with a dash of nostalgia.
Alexandra Nyman (she/her) – The brutally honest New Yorker, always ready with a witty critique.

Timestamps:
[00:00] - How the Tchotchke Showdown work & meet the contestants
[00:59] - Meet the judges: Amy Liz Harrison, Megan Swan, Alexandra Nyman
[02:55] - Game rules & scoring revealed
[04:17] - Travis presents: Drunkard on a light pole
[08:48] - Alysse presents: DIY Bedazzled Big Book
[13:39] - Travis presents: David Beckham Sports Card
[19:16] - Alysse presents: Motorcycle tchotchke
[24:20] - Travis presents: Dog Karma; redemption & recovery
[30:07] - Alysse presents: Working Woman Barbie & Luke Perry (90210)
[37:04] - Sudden Death! Tiebreaker round: Travis’ iPod vs. Alysse’s E.T. Doll
[41:08] - Judges pick the winner!
[44:46] - How you can sign up for the next Tchotchke Showdown


What goes down:

Each contestant presents three of their wildest, weirdest, or most meaningful tchotchkes (aka knick-knacks).

They share funny, touching, and outrageous stories behind each item—bonus points for pop culture flair and sobriety relevance!

Judges score in five categories: WTF Factor, Storytelling, Sobriety Relevance, Pop Culture Bonus, and Presentation & Flair.

The game is close! Look out for...

Travis’s “drunkard on a light pole” figurine as a sobriety warning ⚡️

Alysse’s DIY bedazzled AA Big Book glitterbomb

Soccer legend David Beckham…and a fateful Father’s Day sports card

Motorcycle memories, sober rides, and romantic misadventures

A plush ET doll, a vintage iPod, and Barbie…with a secret working-woman twist

Fierce, funny exchanges, and totally unscripted LOLs from the streets of New York

Why watch/listen?

If you love sober pop culture, recovery, and thrift store finds, this is your jam.

Hear why these tchotchkes aren’t just kitsch—they’re powerful symbols of progress and reminders of joy on the sober journey.

The Queen of Tchotchkes will be crowned—but can you beat her?

👑 Think you’ve got a better stash? Want to join a future showdown? Slide into our DMs or email [email protected]!

Stay tuned, keep it real, keep it fun, and keep it sober—because at The Sober Curator, getting sober matters, but staying sober (with flair!) is the real flex.

Connect with Us!

Web: thesobercurator.com

Instagram: @thesobercurator

Podcast Guest: Travis Sackett
Sober Judges: Amy Liz Harrison, Megan Swan, Alexandra Nyman
Host: Tamar Routly
Queen of the Tchotchke: Alysse Bryson

#SoberCurator #TchotchkeShowdown #Sobriety #PopCulture #RecoveryCommunity #Podcast #SobrietyHumor



Subscribe for More Insights: If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to give it a thumbs up, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an update! We release new weekly episodes with inspirational stories and transformative insights about recovery and sobriety.

Leave a Review: Your feedback matters! Please leave a review and let us know what you think of the show.

About the Podcast: The Sober Curator Podcast is your go-to source for inspirational stories and expert insights on recovery and sobriety. Join us weekly as we bring you compelling interviews, relatable journeys, and genuine support to help you along your sober path.

——————————
Produced by: Alysse Bryson and Dan T. Rogers
Edited by: Tamar Medford
Art Department: Alysse Bryson
Writing/Research: Alysse Bryson, Alexandra Nyman, and Libby Sundgren
————————————
For more TSC
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0CKf5y0...
Twitter: https://x.com/thesobercurator
Instagram:   / thesobercurator  
Facebook:   / thesobercurator  
Newsletter: https://thesobercuratornewsletter.com/
Merch: https://shopthesobercurator.com/
TikTok:   / thesobercurator  
————————————
#TheSoberCurator #SoberCuratorPodcast
————————————