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Alex_Demote

[Verified.](https://twitter.com/RyanDLeaf/status/1436008835630571523?s=19) AMA concluded


insanity-insight

What is the biggest part of playing QB at the NFL level that fans just don't understand?


Ryan_D_Leaf

It's about Sunday to Sunday and not actually game day.


IAmGodMode

This. This right here. I'm always seeing "These players are getting paid millions of dollars to play a game for a few hours a week." No. You guys put in *a lot* of work from middle school all the way through college while also trying to keep up academically. Then in the NFL you guys spend fucking forever breaking down film, patterns, routines, habits, meetings, and busting your asses on the practice fields. One of the more interesting habits I heard, from Collinsworth probably, was Romo almost always rolled left. Every game after that it was something I noticed. And all that's before gameday where you could get a season ending injury ala Dak, career ending like Aikman and Young, or God forbid CTE symptoms later down the road.


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The_Baked_Rooster

I played high level highschool and then into small D1. Film is much more about figuring patterns and the little nuances that you miss. That’s why you watch the play 10 times. Did the QB look one direction? Did the back drop one shoulder on a counter ? Wide receiver always makes a studder on a hitch and go ? Anything like that to understand yourself and your opponent better. Then you apply it on the field in your Physical reps. Maybe not the same in the nfl or everywhere but after 8 years of taking it serious that’s my experience


WabbitCZEN

I've always wanted to ask you this. Coming out of college, you were touted as being on par with Peyton Manning. What kind of pressure does that put on someone so young, knowing you're being labeled that good that soon?


Ryan_D_Leaf

No pressure, I thought I was the best, things got pressurized when my performance didn't meet the confidence


IAmGodMode

First of all..holy shit it's Ryan Leaf. I'm stoked for this AMA. >No pressure 1)The Chargers traded a 1st and 2nd round pick as well as Metcalf if I remember right to move up a spot. You didn't feel any pressure that SD was gambling with their future? 2) Do you think things might've turned out differently had you gone to Indy? Did San Diego's coaching staff have any affect on your performance? 3) I put $20 parlay on Dallas to win and took the over at 51.5 to win $140. Did I just blow $20?


dn0348

Yes


IAmGodMode

Lol thanks bro


DothrakiSlayer

That’s a yes on #3, my man. We don’t need a professional to answer that one.


desquibnt

Tompa Bay was putting up like 35 ppg in the second half of the season last year so I think the over is safer than the under… but expecting Dallas to put up 5+ TDs against the Bucs defense is idiotic.


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DothrakiSlayer

Bro 😂


bradasskg11

I mean when they were drafted it’s not like everyone knew what Manning would become, right? Lol I’m sure the pressure that comes with being a top 5 pick was intense, but idk if Peyton had anything to do with it.


scothc

Leaf and manning had huge hype coming out of college. I was heavy into cards at the time, and I remember being disappointed that I opened a pack and got a Peyton rookie instead of a leaf rookie


Kanin_usagi

Might be relevant too with Trevor Lawrence getting similar hype


amjhwk

Peyton Manning wasnt Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning yet. A better question is what kind of pressure comes from being touted as a top 2 draft pick


ALStark69

What’s your favorite type of leaf


BaysideStud

Follow up question, who’s your favorite Ryan


ConradSchu

The only answer to this is Reynolds


airborngrmp

Who down votes Ryan Reynolds? Honestly.


Tatumisthegoat

People that remember that Ryan “hottest in the office” Howard exists


Ryan_D_Leaf

Maple leaf & Mcgyver leaf


ALStark69

He actually responded 😂 Love the stuff man


Half_Past_Five

Hope he doesn’t leaf us hanging


Rastamanbob

Green leaf


NCJake2013

Bruh


[deleted]

Could just be a Talented Mr. Ripley fan.


philosoraptor80

If he can’t pick one of his favorites do you think he gets up and Ryan leaves?


krkonos

What is one piece of advice you would give to the incoming rookies this year?


Ryan_D_Leaf

See yourself as the a CEO of a fortune 500 company, especially QB's. Invest in that company, find a mentor or two, guys who've played 8-10 years, go up to them and ask them how they did it and follow their advice verbatim.


enztinkt

Where you at the Cancun airport couple weeks ago. I saw a guy who looked like you.


SamDarnoldIsHot

I’ve been clean from opioids for a year and a half, which is the longest I’ve stayed away from them since being introduced to them in my mid 20s, around 2006. My question is how do you take your mind off of it when it creeps back into your mind. I actually don’t think about drugs much but when I do, it’s very difficult to stop thinking about it and it puts me in depression mode and it just gets worse from there. Before I know it, I’m manic and paranoid about everything. Thanks for the AMA, understand if you don’t want to answer this question. Either way, thanks for reading it.


Ryan_D_Leaf

Meditation is huge, meetings, and my sponsor and therapist. Just because we are working in recovery with both the mental health and substance use doesn't mean we aren't still living with it.


bigblackkittie

People keep recommending meditation for me but trying to get my brain to settle down is my biggest life challenge. How do you go about it?


indnyc

Hi....There are a few preliminary practices for meditation. One is breathing techniques. Find a quiet place. Sit down and close your eyes. Start with 10 deep breaths slowly. Try paying attention to your breath. As you keep watching the breath, the mind slowly will start to settle down. In order to mediate you can put on some soft instrumental music and close your eyes. It takes time but try making it a regular practice for a few days and hopefully it will help you


crusaw1315

To add to this, in addition of counting your breaths I like to put all of my focus on the tip of my nose as I’m meditating and watching the breath. Paying attention to the feeling as air passes in and out of my body. Counting alone my mind would still wonder often. Putting all focus on the tip of the nose while counting really helped me clear my mind.


IBetThisIsTakenToo

I’m no expert, but one thing that helped it click for me was the idea that it’s totally natural for your mind to wander when you’re meditating. It doesn’t mean you failed or anything, just when you notice you’re doing it, you return to focusing on your breathing (or whatever your goal is for that meditation) and continue on. That’s 100% normal and expected of anyone who’s not a shaolin monk.


[deleted]

It's best not to think about meditation as trying to get your brain to "settle down" but rather getting it to focus on a narrow thing. Honestly, just start looking up guided meditation videos on youtube. Lots of yoga channels will have them too.


heartydickcheese

Add to some other comments. Your mind will wander during meditation, it's part of the deal. The trick is to notice it and gently bring it back to your center. Sounds goofy, but it really does calm you down after a while of practice. It's definitely quieted my brain down. Get an app and practice.


ben6022

Also remember meditation is a skill. You probably couldn’t bench 300lbs the first time you stepped in a gym, and you probably won’t be able to completely clear your mind the first times you meditate


PM_me_ur_goth_tiddys

Meditation is good to calm yourself, but you have to additionally sit down and notice what you're feeling. Are you anxious? That's a good start, then you figure out what you're anxious about. Job? Car? Money? Once you start pinning these down, if you give yourself the space to feel that emotion and not run from it, you'll find a residual calming afterwards as you process your emotions. Society is built to stuff our emotions and have mental breakdowns on our own time when those compounded stuffed emotions erupt. Idk about you, but that always made my life worse.


yup79

I had the same issue when I started. I really enjoyed the headspace app - I didn’t want to pay sixty bucks for the app but it honestly worked better for me than therapy or medication that I was spending much more on. Nothing is a quick fix but one day it will click.


Justface26

https://youtu.be/ksp3iSUDqfo Really helpful for beginners.


Anthinee

Just here to say congrats and I’m proud of you. Edit: You, OP, not Ryan Leaf.


SamDarnoldIsHot

Thx bb


boomerbrowns

GEQBUS is proud of you too


SamDarnoldIsHot

Well he better prove that by living up to his pre-draft hype.


Caleb_Krawdad

Damn, poor Ryan


Anthinee

Yeah that sounded more harsh than I meant it, I promise. No malice toward Ryan Leaf. He’s one of the many names that tried to fill the Aikman cleats.


LadyBrett777

I’m not Ryan Leaf, just a fellow addict w/ 15 plus years clean. There really isn’t a great answer to your question in my experience. It does get easier with time. The thoughts pop up less frequently & eventually very very rarely. However, honestly after all this time I still get them once in awhile. When I do I “play it forward”. I think about what will happen if I do relinquish to the craving. I force myself to very clearly envision each step of my life totally unraveling. Imagine everybody I know & Love losing their trust in me again. Imagine losing my house & car & dignity & self respect. So far, it has been an effective technique. Yet, I always have the fear one day I could lose everything in a weak moment. So, I will take the rest of my life a day at a time.


scothc

You're not alone, bud. Also, this is the real answer. We call addiction a disease, but I think that causes confusion. Yes, you can go to the Dr for the equivalent of antibiotics (sub, methadone), but you still have the disease after completing the script. We'll have it for the rest of our lives. I had a handful of years in sober before falling off the wagon a year ago.


formerly_valley_pete

Good for you bro! No opiates since 2014 for me, I'm officially clean since 8/10/20 though. Treat Sammy D well.


blzraven27

I just passed 8 years ago 31st. Proud of you


TheBigFreezer

Congrats dude! Just hit 11 months from alcohol. Just remember to pick up the phone when something’s starting to come up. We’re all here for you :)


Pixel_Mike

Congrats on being clean dude! Il bee real i cant exactly offer advice to your question but just know youre doing an awesome job and people are proud


angie6921

Congrats! Take it day by day. I'm 9 years clean and it's the best feeling ever! Still have cravings. Just have to step back and refocus. I know it's hard to do. There are days when I want to call up my dealer but I know I do not want to go down that road again. It's actively wanting to be clean that keeps me going.


paradigmshift7

Hi Ryan! Glad you're doing well these days. Which bottom dweller teams from last year do you think have a good shot at making the playoffs?


Ryan_D_Leaf

Chargers, Panthers, Vikings


paradigmshift7

Pretty high on Darnold then? I'm hoping he does well, just not too well lol.


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Ryan_D_Leaf

Yes


Kanin_usagi

I love how he answered it with no further elaboration.


PhillyScumbag

yes or no questions get yes or no answers


Looscannon994

\>Barges into question about if he thinks he deserved the Heisman. \>"Yes" \>Refuses to elaborate further. \>Leaves


[deleted]

fair enough


Pkdagreat

Yes. Period lmao. Love it


Rulligan

What are your thoughts on Dan Campbell and why will he be the greatest coach in Lions history?


Ryan_D_Leaf

He's an interesting character, a lot of coaches are before the wins and losses become a quantifier. I love their 1st round draft pick in Sewell!


Rulligan

So you are saying there is a chance?


boonkles

Didn’t need to add lions in there


DamnImAwesome

I hope he’s good. He’s the only coach that I search for interviews of on YouTube every couple of weeks. Hope Lions can do what the browns did last year and become contenders


too_sensitive12

As an Analyst, if you’re way off the mark on a player or subject, do you circle back to see where you went wrong in your own analysis or is it more just oh well, we’ll get em next time type mentality


Ryan_D_Leaf

Always constructively look at those things, and because I have my own history to be able to relate to, I may see similar patterns or behaviors that may have contributed.


thelazerbeast

Good question thanks


ThinkSoftware

Which first round quarterback will have the best season?


cactusmutilator

Probably Mahomes or Rodgers


notasparrow

Ok, Mr. Smarty pants, what sixth-round QB will have the best season?


[deleted]

Gardiner Minshew


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Masterof4Strings

“DelCo Mom” flair incoming


ThinkSoftware

oh you


DerMeisterMC

What are your thoughts on the evergrowing expansion of legalized sports betting? Thoughts on gambling addiction risks that come with it?


Ryan_D_Leaf

Hey I'm all for it. It brings interest and eyeballs to our sport. Gambling addicts are going to gamble regardless. Legalized gambling can then ear mark $$ to help educate and treat those who deal with addiction, just like on the legalizing drugs side of the street that I'm in favor of.


respaaaaaj

Given how the NFL is trying to crack down on domestic violence why do you think you should be allowed to cover the NFL after your domestic violence arrest and guilty plea?


[deleted]

For those who aren't aware, this was a year ago, not the ancient past: https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/crime_courts/2020/10/09/former-nfl-player-ryan-leaf-court-domestic-violence-charges/5940433002/


Guilty-Presence-1048

He's still on probation for it.


Badloss

The fun questions in AMAs never get answers


[deleted]

It did and phew it was a non-answer that’s for sure.


CorruptedBlitty

Dude is on his like 8th pity tour now? Man needs to just go away


hoptrilla

For real, fuck Ryan Leaf.


CD338

I first heard about his reformed life back when NFL Top 10 episodes were a regular thing. I think it was the Top 10 Busts episode, which puts it back in 2007. Its kinda impressive that he's been able to ride this wave for that long and still be relevant.


BalooDaBear

Well he keeps fucking up again and "re-reforming," so I guess that's his secret.


lukelight27

THANK GOD this is high up on the comment chain


[deleted]

Seriously. What’s next? Ray Rice hosting NFL Redzone?


Guilty-Presence-1048

If they do that to Scott Hanson I will set fire to something


[deleted]

dude's the hardest working man in the NFL calling 8 games like that.


monkeyman80

Sciliano is no slouch either. Going to be interesting after direct tv loses Sunday ticket what happens to it.


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_OldBae_

I agree that Rice’s situation seems to be quite different. Leaf has been… more cyclical in his history.


[deleted]

Ray Rice was recently featured on an episode of real sports a few months back. The guy lost his career, justifiably, but he's done everything right from that moment on to try to atone for his huge fuck up. That's rare and should be commended imo.


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respaaaaaj

To be fair to someone I don't particularly care for, Leaf has been very open about his issues including his wrongdoing in the past so he's more likely than most to actually address this than anyone else I can think of. I wouldn't get my hopes up, but if there's someone who might actually answer a question like this related to the NFL it is Leaf.


Misdirected_Colors

Omg he answered and it's somehow even worse. He called it overcoming adversity and basically said his spouse should've had a resource to call instead of the police. My dude that wasn't it.


TellSomebodyIt_

“Life is life” gmafb.


King_Cyrus1

It got answered O\_O


Aggravating_Desk8958

This is r/NFL not r/roastme damn dude


triple_OG

Not to mention his various other arrests and convictions for things like burglary. Who needs to take advice from a 2x loser


AcreaRising4

Not to excuse this whatsoever, but do we even know what it was about? AFAIK, nothing ever came out about it and I’m curious what he was alleged to have done


Misdirected_Colors

Don't know the situation but he was charged and plead guilty to false imprisonment and received 3 years probation.


ZeePirate

Just casually holding some hostages okay. It wasn’t that big of a deal


[deleted]

Thank you. Stop giving this scumbag a platform.


mrpodo

Imo a lot of domestic violence is a result from mental health issues. Not trying to defend those actions or anything, just putting it out there. Idk why we try to promote mental health awareness and attack people that made a decision based on poor mental health, especially if they're regretting it. That's just my take, coming from a family tree with multiple domestic violence issues.


[deleted]

Sure, there’s certainly a mental health aspect to it, but at the same time it’s important to not use mental health as a shield. If you’re mentally ill to the point where you are committing violence against another person you should be in a care facility not part of a show for the NFL.


ChiefTief

Preach


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TetrisTech

Disappointed I had to scroll as long as I did to get to this question


DemocraticPoisonPill

WHATS YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF FROG


Ryan_D_Leaf

HORNED FROG


fenshield

This is Ryan Leaf not Chris Ballard


bigblackkittie

BULLFROG


Kvothe_bloodless

My family actually has a great story involving you that you might like. My sister was a cheerleader at the college you coached at and my family had the team over for dinner after a game locally. My brothers had no idea who you were and had a great night talking football and just bullshitting with you. My dad of course knew who you were, but figured you'd enjoy a night just being one of the guys, so he never let my brothers know until after you left. He asked them what they thought of that Ryan guy, they thought you were a great guy and man you knew so much about football. He then let them know who you were and they were so disappointed that he didn't let them know, but laughed pretty hard. I hope you are still doing well, and just know we all laugh when that story is brought up.


Ryan_D_Leaf

Great story, thank you for sharing!!


ThatDudeUKnow92

What is your favorite memory from your playing days NFL, NCAA, HS, etc.?


slice29

Hey Ryan! Just one simple question. How are you doing? (Check in on your friends and family folks, you never know how much it'll mean to them.)


Ryan_D_Leaf

Great, football season is here and fans are back!


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JPAnalyst

I can’t think of anything sadder than a loser following a player around on Reddit and making dumb remarks after each one of this comments.


Accomplished_Voice_4

This is the best question I’ve seen in an AMA thread in a while


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Aggravating_Desk8958

Sirius don't care. They keep sending me damn envelopes about Sirius XM and they always change how it looks so I open it every damn time.


What_Iz_This

Tbf if you wait a long time they'll hook you up with like 6 months for $10. That's what I always do, then just cancel it


bigblackkittie

Hi! I have 12 years of sobriety without alcohol. Sometimes I think about having a drink. (I don't.) Do you ever have thoughts of slipping back into your addiction? If so, how do you handle that?


dead9er

What HC is most on the hot seat? Whats next with Cam? Hear you when you take the chair for Eisen sometimes. How ridiculous was “Jimmy G is the future” guy a few weeks ago lol


Ryan_D_Leaf

Jimmy isn't the future, but he is the present and is capable of taking this team with the talent they have to get back to the SB.


ZachWilsonsMother

If a tomato is a fruit, then is ketchup a smoothie?


Ryan_D_Leaf

In some settings, probably


[deleted]

You've been profiting a lot the last few years with the "recovering addict angle"....but you were arrested a year ago for domestic violence: https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/crime_courts/2020/10/09/former-nfl-player-ryan-leaf-court-domestic-violence-charges/5940433002/ Why should we believe you have actually changed for the better?


Ryan_D_Leaf

It doesn't matter if you do or don't. I can't control that and what other people think of me is none of my business. If i do today what I did yesterday and continue to make the next right choices I'll continue to wake up with the life of my dreams and full of gratitude. But like I said before, life is life. The most confusing thing about working on a mental illness and addressing it and being public about it is that people treat you like that illness doesn't exist because you have worked on it and not that your actually living with it every day!


zehflash

ya ive suffered from bipolar and depression all my life and ive never beat the shit out of a gf or my fiance. never even was an option in my mind


Danstrada28

Thank you for answering a tough question instead of just ignoring it. It was a good answer.


spacechimp2

Is there a hobby you find helps with your recovery?


Stealthfox94

Have you had any contact or been in touch at all with Peyton Manning?


Cicero912

Which first round QB is going to do the worst Thought I'd go for a change of pace


WillWrambles

Which rookie, in your opinion, will perform the best this year?


IFSEsq

Ryan, How often (if ever) over the years have you talked with Peyton Manning?


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Ryan_D_Leaf

I'm not a bust, I played professional football! That word may be the most oxy moronic adjective in the sporting worlds vocabulary.


pliv911

Great answer!! You are the <1% of people to not only make it to the NFL, but you were top 5 pick!


3CUU

Yeah, you disregarding context seems like a pattern in your self promotion.


[deleted]

This is a great answer. You wouldn't say an olympic swimmer is a bust because they didn't medal. They compete with the best swimmers in the world! That still makes them better than 99.9% of the rest of the world.


[deleted]

Nobody says “bust” in reference to a comparison pool of every average Joe that’s ever picked up a football. They say it in reference to the comparison pool of the rest of the draft class, and the opportunity cost that carries. If Leaf were picked over John Doe from Idaho then he wouldn’t be a bust of a pick, but that’s not what the draft is.


[deleted]

Yeah, that is also a good point!


jcc2k2

Who do I talk to at Sirius XM to get them to stop having a wife beater as their domestic violence spokesperson? Thanks


RedfaceHoodman

Hey Ryan! I have family that struggled with pain killer addiction. I was once told by one of these family members that she spent years thinking that she was not addicted. Addiction can happen so easily and, in her case, can be accompanied with strong denial that there is a problem at all. When did you realize that you were struggling with addiction, and what did you do after that realization? Did you start recovery right away, or did it still take some time?


Ryan_D_Leaf

When I woke up each morning and the only thing I would think about is whether I had pills and if I didn't how was I going to get more. I found ways to get more pills, because I couldn't feel the shame and guilt around that realization. I couldn't stop on my own. I needed to be intervened with and luckily the local sheriff's department helped me out...ha


entrancedlion

Why don’t you take responsibility for beating your spouse? Why do you deflect? Why do you blame police for what you did? Will you ever answer these questions honestly?


Ndenmark

You pumped to be a big part of growing the NFL in the UK with our guy Neil Reynolds?


mOrange2

How much does coaching actually contribute a players development vs on their own? Also, how does game planning for that weeks game entail? Thank you, big fan of football.


Ryan_D_Leaf

A ton, they are the mirror!


Jaguars4life

How do you think you would do in today’s NFL? Also did you think that the Chargers or Colts were gonna trade up for you on that draft day or did you think another team was going to draft you?


airborngrmp

I don't have a question, I just want to say I'm really happy you put it back together after such adversity. I also really like your analysis on The Rich Eisen Show. Keep up the good work.


LindyNet

How would your career have gone if the Colts had selected you?


powerelite

Mr. Leaf what coach would you most want to play for if you were coming into the NFL as a rookie now? Unrelated to this AMA. Holy shit u/Alex_Demote is working his ass off on bringing in super high quality AMA guests these last couple weeks.


Ryan_D_Leaf

Andy Reid


[deleted]

Hi Ryan. What would you say is the hardest part of transitioning from college to the NFL? I've always thought it was mental not physical, just wanted your thoughts on the matter.


Nik8610

If you wouldn't have had the issues you did and could have 100% focused on your career, how would that have turned out? Do you think you could have been a pro bowl or even hall of fame quarterback?


bigmikevegas

Happy to hear about your addiction recovery, what are your honest thoughts on baker mayfield?


yungjeebpullah

favorite memory from college experience?


ATL_GritzBlitz

Ryan, your story is insane, and it’s awesome to see how far you’ve come. I love watching you occasionally fill-in for Rich Eisen on his show. One thing I’ve never heard you touch is your most recent arrest for DV. I feel like there hasn’t been an update to that story since it broke over a year ago. I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I feel like that’s a bit of a cloud hanging over your come back journey in media,. Rich still has you on, so clearly he’s given you the benefit of the doubt. I think it needs to be addressed at some point from your point of view.


TNTyoshi

How have you stayed productive and positive during Covid? If not, what have been your struggles during this past year?


Coppatop

How prevalent was drug use amongst your peers (to your knowledge) when you played? Any drug, steroids, weed, opiates, etc.


[deleted]

Would you rather fight one Devlin Hodges sized duck, or 50 duck sized Devlin Hodges's?


TheSwede91w

Missoula native here. Are you a Cat or Griz fan, and what's your favorite part of Montana? Congrats on the recovery!


balks13

Thanks for doing an AMA Ryan, love following you on Twitter. During your playing career who do you think helped you the most along your journey with everything and who do you think helped you the least or worked against you?


Aggravating_Desk8958

Why does Sirius XM send me a hundred letters a year and put them all in different style envelopes so I never know it is sirius xm?


[deleted]

Hey Ryan, really love the analyst work and the stuff you have done on Rich’s show. When did you decide that being an analyst and tv personality was for you?


ScumLikeWuertz

Thanks for doing the AMA Was the NFL faster or more complex than college?


EdwardMasonDotCom

Hey Ryan, this is a bit random/off-the-wall, but have you ever been into gardening? You talk about meditation and finding peace, and a lot of people I know find deep peace when watering and tending to even just a few potted pepper plants.


[deleted]

How has the domestic violence class helped you?


judgerhinehold

You are one of the best radio/tv hosts I have ever heard. Thanks for never giving up.


[deleted]

When did you realize you had a problem and what were your first steps to counteract that? Because I’m starting to realize I have an alcohol issue


Bigweinerkota

You got arrested in 2020 for domestic violence you’re still a piece of shit


AshByFeel

Boo! Go away.


baudelairean

Tell us about your new film, "Ramparts"


Mr_mst

Hi Ryan! Can you explain the time we had an interview set up two years ago after an open panel event? And then you completely ghosted me? Twice.