A Classic RISK! episode from our early years that first ran in July of 2013, when Trevor Noah and Robin Gelfenbien shared about scars they've healed from.

🎤Live Story: Vargas by Robin Gelfenbien

In college, Robin is bullied by a whole pack of frat brothers who call her "Vargas," after a character in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. In the end, she gets to confront the leader of the group about it.  

CURRENT keywords: bullying, frat life, hazing, sexism

🎤Live Story: The Best Looking Person in the Family by Trevor Noah

Growing up in South Africa during Apartheid, Trevor watched his mother deal not only with the prejudice they were facing, but with an abusive boyfriend who shot her in the head. 

CURRENT keywords: Best Of Risk, celebrity storyteller, South Africa, apartheid, prejudice, abuse, violence

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Kevin hears C. J. Guy’s “My Secret Career” story from The Secret Room for the first time and gives you his hot takes. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

This is part of our RISK! Reacts series, where we listen to a story told on another show and give our first reactions.

🎙️ Story: My Secret Career by C.J. Guy

CJ reveals his secret career path that started with dropping out of law school without informing his family and becoming a flight attendant. He maintained the lie for eight months until his sister discovered the secret. 

keywords: flight attendant, law school, german, hogans heroes, lie, secret

🌈 Support RISK! & Get Involved

• 🎟 See RISK! live⁠ in NYC (December 11th, 2025)

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A Classic RISK! episode from our early years that first ran in June of 2013, when Ethan Ullman, Katy Frame, Ben Lerman and Rob Lathan share stories about youthful indiscretions. 

🎤Live Story: The Amazing Adventures of Ethan and the Lunch Monkey by Ethan Ullman

In school, Ethan and a friend call a lunch lady who was mean to them "the Lunch Monkey." Called to the principal's office, they invent a comic book series they claim they were referencing, about a superhero by that name. 

CURRENT keywords: sophomoric humor, boys will be boys, in trouble

🎤Live Story: Good Vibrations by Katy Frame

As a kid, Katy plays with things that vibrate around her private parts. She devises a machine of her own out of a mechanical toy set. Her parents shame her for it and it’s not till years later that she learns vibrators are common. 

CURRENT keywords: sexual exploration, vibrators, bird and bees

🎤Live Story: Intense Friendships in the Bus Depot by Ben Lerman

In his teen years, Ben forgets he left a gay porn video in the VHS at home while he’s off at a music festival. He calls his mom to make a convoluted excuse, but it doesn’t fly. 

CURRENT keywords: gay kids, in the closet, secrets and lies

🎤Live Story: Where the World Is by Rob Lathan

In college, Rob is bullied by frat brothers, but finds acceptance when he drinks huge amounts as they dare him to do. One night he drinks himself into a coma, with a blood alcohol level normally considered certain death. 

CURRENT keywords: near death, alcohol poisoning, peer pressure, hazing

🌈 Support RISK! & Get Involved

• 🎟 See RISK! live⁠ in New York (9/25)

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John F. O'Donnell tells Kevin about that time he got kicked out of his favorite comedy club. You can also watch this episode on YouTube.

Check out all of our Conversation Stories!

🎙️Conversation Story: The Rebound by John F. O'Donnell

John starts out in the New York comedy scene, dealing with his bi-polar disorder, plus memorable encounters during his early days as a comedian.

keywords: Bipolar I Disorder, lithium, mental illness, comedy, comedian

🌈 Support RISK! & Get Involved

• 🎟 See RISK! live⁠ in NYC (September 25) or (December 11)

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Tommy Galan and Marc Amigone share stories about helping others by helping themselves.

A part of our series called Self-Help Stories.

🎤Live Story: Just Commit by Tommy Galan

Tommy drinks and drinks. His final days of drinking almost destroy his family life. When a mentor tells him to "just commit" to whatever he feels will work best for him, he gives up the bottle.

🎤Radio Story: Life is a Gift by Marc Amigone

Marc takes a trip to Thailand to study rock climbing, despite his parent's objections. He nearly paralyses himself in a climbing accident. His parents help him heal, but he still feels risks are worth taking.

🌈 Support RISK! & Get Involved

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Valerie Ward and David Patteson share stories about calling for help when the world gets dangerous.

🎤Live Story: Treading Water by Valerie Ward

In her younger days, Valerie got stuck under a dock while swimming in a lake. It brought about mixed feelings about calling for help and how much people might or might not care about her.

keywords: lake, swimming, dock, childhood

🎙️Radio Story: Rescuer by David Patteson

As a kid, David is in danger of drowning till he's rescued by his big brother Mike, who goes on to fill in as surrogate mother to his brothers and sisters once their real mother abandons them.

keywords: swimming, drowning, childhood, family

🌈 Support RISK! & Get Involved

• 🎟 See RISK! live⁠ in NYC September 25 or December 11

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A Classic RISK! episode from our early years that first ran in June of 2013 - Stories from our 2nd visit to Charleston’s Theatre 99!

🎤Live Story: The Storm by Camille Lowman

Camille attends a bachelorette party full of proper Southern suburbanites and watches them descend into drunken shenanigans when the male stripper arrives.

CURRENT keywords: women behaving badly, strippers, bad behavior, oral sex

🎤Live Story: The Wrapper by Nathaniel Bates

Nathaniel is confounded when, as a child, he sees his dad’s penis and realizes that it is much different from his own, causing him lots of secret shame and worry about having a foreskin. 

CURRENT keywords: circumcision, penises, parents, childhood, puberty, school

🎤Live Story: Roadside Assistance by Shon Kennedy

Shon, a Black woman, is in a car accident in the deep South. A white trash redneck comes to her aid (with lots of marijuana to offer as well) and the two of them end up revealing their deepest insecurities to one another.  

CURRENT keywords: Stereotypes, defied expectations, strange friendships, cars, pot

🌈 Support RISK! & Get Involved

• 🎟 See RISK! live⁠ in New York September 25th

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Kevin hears Gregg LeFevre’s “Gregg fell into a crevasse” story from the what was that like podcast for the first time and gives you his hot takes. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

This is part of our RISK! Reacts series, where we listen to a story told on another show and give our first reactions.

🎙️ Story: Gregg fell into a crevasse by Gregg LeFevre

Gregg visits Las Vegas and decides to climb a glacier. Unprepared, he falls into a crevasse but escapes by following an injured deer. Later, he learns it wasn't even a real glacier.

keywords: las vegas, glacier, artist, deer

🌈 Support RISK! & Get Involved

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To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

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• See RISK! Live! Details at risk-show.com/live⁠

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Brad keeps a big secret for far too long a time. Guest hosted by Cyndi Freeman.

🎤Live Story: The Big Secret by Brad Lawrence

(Content note: child sexual abuse, murder, suicide) In a church where guilt is weaponized and silence rewarded, teenage Brad listens to a friend's secret that echoes into adulthood, long past her violent death.

keywords: abortion, church youth group, evangelical guilt, childhood abuse, shame, U2, murder, strangulation

🌈 Support RISK! & Get Involved

• 🎟 See RISK! live⁠ in NYC September 25th or December 11th

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