Dopey Podcast Host Recalls Nick Reiner’s Animosity Toward Parents Before Alleged Murders

The creator and host of the “Dopey Podcast,” David Manheim, is commenting on his previous interactions with Nick Reiner, as the screenwriter prepares to face charges for the murders of his father, Rob Reiner, and mother, Michele Singer Reiner.“The last time he called into the show, he talked about using cocaine and violently destroying his parents’ guesthouse,” Manheim shares exclusively with Us Weekly. “However, that behavior doesn't equate to violence against another person. I never would have thought he was capable of murder.”“He seemed to be constantly shifting between various treatment programs, which led to resentment on his part,” Manheim adds, further noting, “I think it’s quite common [for addicts] to feel animosity towards their parents.”Nick, 32, appeared on “Dopey,” a podcast focusing on self-help and comedy related to personal struggles with addiction and substance abuse, in 2018. During that appearance, he disclosed an incident where he demolished Rob and Michele’s guest house while under the influence of “meth.”“I completely wrecked my guest house,” he recalled. “It's not much of a story. I went completely wild on stimulants — I believe it was cocaine and something else — and stayed awake for days. I began punching things in my guest house.”Nick Reiner, Son of Rob Reiner, Exhibited Consistent Animosity Toward Family Prior to Alleged MurdersNick explained that his rage “started with the TV” and then he “moved on to the lamp.”“Everything in the guest house was ruined,” he continued. “I actually punched the television set.”While Nick acknowledged that his outburst was “illogical,” he remembered feeling “enraged” when his parents told him he “had to leave.”Manheim states that the “most difficult aspect” for him to process was “how young [Nick] was when he first came onto the show.”“I believe he was around 23 or 24, and he was so critical of himself, and he was expected to fulfill certain expectations … and when you are an addict at that age, it's very hard to escape it,” he continues.“There is an entire social scene comprising the children of these Hollywood legends. All of the industry’s biggest names had kids, and those kids socialized together. Some ended up becoming drug addicts, while others simply partied. Once you become an addict, you're no longer just partying. You're involved in this absurd, intense pursuit [of drugs],” he tells Us. “Across the board, there's a definite distinction, and once you're seeking treatment repeatedly and consuming substances in the volume that he did, it shifts from being part of that scene to embodying a deeper pattern of drug addiction.”Manheim also recalls his last communication with Nick, during a recent podcast episode where he asked the Being Charlie screenwriter if his famous father might call into the show.“He seemed somewhat annoyed with me. And after that, I never heard from him again. That was in 2018. I've probably sent him between five and 25 texts each year since then,” the podcaster states.Rob, 78, and Michele, 68, were discovered deceased at their residence on Sunday, December 14, exhibiting “visible stab wounds,” according to Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Alan S. Hamilton during a press conference held the following day. Us confirmed on Monday, December 15, that Nick was arrested on suspicion of murder without bail in connection with his parents’ deaths.Nick Reiner Fails to Appear in Court After Arrest on Murder ChargeLos Angeles district attorney Nathan Hochman announced during a press conference on Tuesday, December 16, that Nick will be charged with two counts of first-degree murder. According to Hochman, he faces life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty and will be arraigned once medically cleared.The Reiner family, including Rob and Michele’s other children Jake, 34, and Romy, 28, released a statement regarding the deaths on Sunday.“It is with profound sadness that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner,” a family spokesperson told Variety at the time. “We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we request privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”