Show
Dark Side of Comedy
``Family Matters`` is a wholesome sitcom of the 90s, but the success of the show led to issues for many cast members who still deal with trauma and addiction.
Episodes
9 indexedArtie Lange enjoys mainstream success as a comedian, but his addiction to heroin, coupled with childhood traumas, threatens to thwart his ambition and life.
Brett ButlerBrett Butler had money, success and respect; how the fiercely original stand-up and sitcom star gained everything only to lose it all.
Chris FarleyStruggling with addiction and a low self-image, Chris Farley's friends at ``Saturday Night Live`` conspired to help save him.
Family Matters``Family Matters`` is a wholesome sitcom of the 90s, but the success of the show led to issues for many cast members who still deal with trauma and addiction.
Gilda RadnerGilda Radner was ``SNL``'s first female star; but her pioneering success was plagued by trauma, eating disorders, heartbreak and cancer, all of which she turned into comedy material.
Maria BamfordHow Maria Bamford channels her mental illness into comedy, and encourages others to do the same.
Richard PryorRichard Pryor confronts America with brutal honesty, but while he fights for a voice on stage, he is losing his own battle to drugs and family trauma.
Robin WilliamsRobin Williams' suicide shocked the world; while he was a successful comedian, he struggled privately with crushing health and psychological issues.
Tracy MorganTracy Morgan survived drug-dealing, hyper-competitive ``SNL,`` and substance abuse, but a brutal car accident and two-week coma made him finally confront his childhood demons.