John Lehr: Person of the Week

July 21, 2026 – John Lehr is the star/creator/writer for “10 Items or Less” (TBS), “JailBait” (Sony/Crackle) and “Quickdraw” (Hulu). He created/produced pilots for Fox (“Team McPhearson”), TBS (“John Lehr’s Movie Club”) and Comedy Central (“Let it Ride”). Script/development deals include “Retreat” (NBC), “The Loop” (HBO), Troubadour (MTV), “Life on Mars” (Sony/BBC), “King of Beers” (EUE), “Tommy Chong’s Pipe Dreams” (TBS).

Lehr is one of the original Geico Cavemen from the wildly successful commercial campaign. He appeared in dozens of spots, including the first commercial as a caveman boom operator, the caveman in therapy with Talia Shire, the tennis spot with Billy Jean King, Superbowl spots with Phil Simms and many more.

John’s daughter is very impressed that he did an episode of Friends. 

https://johnlehr.com/

Q. If you are in recovery, what was your drug(s) of choice and when is your sobriety date?

A. Alcohol was my core drug, but I was a garbage pail drug user. Anything from huffing to heroin, as long as it took me out of me. Sober date 4/3/96.

Q. Is there anything special in your sobriety toolkit that helps keep you sober?                 

A. This isn’t anything you haven’t heard before but my sponsees save my butt every single day. 

Q. Do you think addiction is an illness, disease, a choice, or a wicked twist of fate?         

A. The good news for me is that I don’t have to know. If I had to guess illness and disease (combined with some sort of genetic component) seem right. It’s as much of a choice as someone choosing to be gay so I would probably toss that one. I love not knowing what a twist of fate is.

Q. Where are you from and where do you reside now?            

A. I grew up in Overland Park, Kansas. My extended family is from a small town outside Wichita called El Dorado. I went to college in Chicago and stayed there a few years after graduation before heading to LA for 30+ years! I’m 60.

Q. What is one word you would use to describe yourself?

A. Mostly-comfortable-in-my-own-skin 🙂

Q. Describe how you came to your “rock bottom” point.

A. April 3, 1996, I was arrested in Ventura, CA where you come on vacation and leave on probation. I was driving out of my mind on LSD and alcohol of course. We had a bunch of drugs in the car and were arrested on 2 misdemeanors and 2 felonies. It wasn’t my first run in with the law and my lawyer advised I get into a 12 step program to clean up for my trial. Somehow it worked.

Q. If you ever retire, would you prefer to live by the ocean, lake, river, mountaintop, desert, or penthouse?           

A. I love me a mountain river as long as you have bug juice.

Q. How do you measure success?  

A. A friend told me I have lived an interesting life which warmed my heart. I’ve been lucky enough to do what I love for a living, but the big measure is that I am actually able to be of service to other people (without hidden agendas, etc.) Which is the true medicine.

Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?                 

A. People on speaker phone in a public area. Also, Teslas, with the stickers excusing their purchase.

Q. If you had an extra million dollars, which charity would you donate it to?

A. I love the Association of Recover in Higher Education. I think they’re doing some great stuff.

Q. Who has been the biggest influence throughout your life?

A. My sponsor, Bruce.

Q. If you could give advice to your younger self what would it be?

A. It’s not going to turn out the way you think it is, which is the best thing ever.

Q. Who made you feel seen growing up?     

A. My mom was a bad ass. She was a hard core socialist activist in Kansas during the ’70s and ’80s.  I have a photo of her smiling sweetly holding my baby brother, marching with the Black Panthers.

Q. Which living person do you most admire?               

A. I’m going to go with my son and daughter. I would love to take credit for how amazing they are. It’s way beyond anything I could have done.

Q. What major event or realization shaped who you are?

A. I was in the shower a while back having a fictitious argument with a boss who fired me 10 years ago. I’m naked (as one is in a shower) arguing with someone who was not there. And then suddenly I kind of popped out of that and observed the absurdity of the situation and laughed. Once I laughed, the insanity disappeared instantly.

Q. What sound or sounds do you most remember from your childhood?             

A. Rush 2112.

Q. What do you love most about living sober?

A. The ability to authentically connect with another human being and honestly interested in their well-being. Also, no hangovers is nice.

Q. Which part of your treatment and recovery do you feel was the most interesting or unexpected?         

A. I got sober on my first try which is so rare. The further away I get from that point the less I think I had anything to do with it. I know so many people who did the same things I did and weren’t finished. I will say two things about that though. First, I believe the time you get before you go out counts. I know we start counting days from zero but that time before you go out does not disappear. It means something. Second, in my experience, the vast majority of people who get sober take a few runs before it sticks and we need those people as sponsors. The majority of newcomers will relate to them much better than outliers like me.

Q. What’s your concept of a Higher Power?

A. I love seeking and not finding, and the peace that comes from falling into the abyss of not knowing.

Q. What is your Astrological sign?

A. Sagittarius.

Q. Who is your favorite celebrity in recovery?

A. lol

Q. What book(s) have you read more than once?

A. The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse.

Q. What books are you reading now?

A. I am nerding-out and reading the Dune series … and loving it.

Q. If you were giving a dinner party for your 3 favorite authors, living or dead, who would they be? (You can choose a 4th if you think one might be too drunk or stoned to attend.)

A. As long as they’re alcoholics, I’m good. 🙂 Alcoholics are my favorite people — they’re sensitive, great story tellers and unpredictable.

Q. Which film have you watched the most?

A. Life of Brian.

Q. Who is your favorite film director?

A. Kubrick is amazing.

Q. Are you binge watching any TV series?

A. I just watched FX’s Alien: Earth, and loved it.

Q. What is your favorite App?

A. Compass.

Q. Who is your favorite performer, living or dead?    

A. Peter Sellers.

Q. Who are your heroes in real life?               

A. I think my kids (and their generation) are going to save us all. They’re amazing.

Q. What is your favorite city?

A. NYC.

Q. What is your favorite cuisine?    

A. Arthur Bryant’s BBQ.

Q. What are five things you always carry with you (not including cell phone, keys, wallet, or lipstick)?      

A. Chapstick.

Q. What is your most treasured possession?                

A. He’s not really my possession, but my doggie is the best.

Q. What do you value most in a friendship?

A. Trust.

Q. What do you consider your greatest achievement?               

A. Keeping my kids alive.

Q. What is your favorite compliment to receive, and why?

A. “Thanks for listening.” When I hear that, I know my self-obsession is in the back seat.

Q. What is your biggest fear?

A. Everything (I’m an alcoholic).

Q. Where do you go when you’re seeking solitude?

A. Nature has my number — especially trees. I live across the street from Griffith Park which is incredible.

Q. What is the greatest risk you’ve ever taken?

A. Doing standup is intense!

Q. Which living person do you most despise?

A. DJT

Q. What is something you’ve learned about yourself in the last six months?      

A. I’m scared of birds.

Q. What is something you are currently curious about?

A. AI, chips in our heads and robots.

Q. What do you love most about yourself? 

A. I think I didn’t screw my kids up!

Q. What is your greatest extravagance?

A. My Red Wing boots.

Q. When did you realize you were a grown-up?

A. Umm … has that happened yet?

Q. How important are your pets to you?

A. Dogs are the best things in the world. Also, I want to get a cat.

Q. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

A. “Cool beans!” Just kidding. I hate to say it, but probably “f**k.” But it is so flexible!