Risky Storytelling | Kevin Allison

Kevin Allison, creator of the RISK! podcast, recounts a high school prank at an all-boys Jesuit school in 1986. After a crush teased him by repeatedly spitting on him, Kevin later mailed him a sealed container of feces labeled “enjoy the cookies.” In retelling the story, Kevin considers how the prank mixes humiliation and a possible form of intimacy, situated within his experience of growing up gay under Catholic doctrine. For Kevin, telling such stories has become an opportunity for self-reflection. Beyond this, Kevin argues that sharing what is usually considered “unmentionable” can create a distinct form of connection: moments of vulnerability tend to draw listeners in rather than push them away. Thus, the points of greatest risk are often where an audience leans in most.Chapters:[00:00] The Mailing Feces Prank[12:49] Why the "Unmentionable" Matters[14:20] Coming Out Under Catholicism[18:09] Starting RISK![23:02] Teaching Storytelling[35:41] Revisiting Old Stories[42:22] Audience Backlash[47:36] What are "Safe Spaces"[56:09] How Memory Alters a Story[01:03:29] Closing RemarksFind the RISK! podcast here: https://www.risk-show.com/Subscribe on Substack: https://braininavat.substack.com/