Episode #839
Date July 10, 2017
Run Time 1:04:34
Christine Gentry, Richard Cardillo and Dan Wilbur share stories about teaching tough kids, oral sex in Peru and a high school romance cut short by illness.
Song: RISK! Theme by Wormburner and John Sondericker
Song: Rojo by Bobby Hutcherson
Live Story: Fire Alarms by Christine Gentry
Live Story: Transferrable Skills by Richard Cardillo
Song: Classic (feat. Powers) by The Knocks
Live Story: Psychosomatic by Dan Wilbur
Song: Cruel to be Kind by Nick Lowe
Song: RISK! Theme by Wormburner and John Sondericker
Song: Rojo by Bobby Hutcherson
Live Story: Fire Alarms by Christine Gentry
Live Story: Transferrable Skills by Richard Cardillo
Song: Classic (feat. Powers) by The Knocks
Live Story: Psychosomatic by Dan Wilbur
Song: Cruel to be Kind by Nick Lowe
The episode is not even over yet but Christine’s story just ended and I wanted to say thanks. It was such an important story to hear as a baby teacher who struggles with the balance between classroom management, getting those kids (teenagers!) to learn, and also making sure that they are OK. And with that nod to like, OK, I am a white teacher in a school of predominantly students of colour; how do I connect with them and get them to learn while acknowledging power structures and recognising that I am not that stupid ‘white teacher lady saviour’ UGH. And not just handing out DTs like candy. Anyway, it gave me the feels; I will be listening again.
Thank you, Micah. ❤
Probably one of the best storytelling experiences I’ve had. I was filled with trepidation to share my story. Now I’m a firm believer in what Kevin says at the end of each podcast: “Today’s the day. Take a risk!”.
Here’s to transferable skills!
Well gosh. Now I just want to search the woods behind my friends’ Fairview Park home for a maple leaf rubber ball!
If you find it, let me know.
It’s pretty rare that I come across a Risk! story that genuinely makes me angry. At the storyteller. I love this podcast and the people telling their stories are often brave, heartbreaking, hilarious, and/or eye-opening. Dan Wilbur’s story this week was really infuriating. As someone who works to help those with eating disorders, I can say that what Dan did was not only in poor taste, but was devastating to this poor girl and her entire family. Anorexia is a mental illness that has the highest mortality rate of any other mental illness. It’s not a joke and it’s not funny and it’s not something to use as a weapon against the person suffering from it. This girl lied because that’s what you do when you have mental illness. It’s what alcoholics and drug addicts do to hide their problems from those around them. The fact that he felt it was his responsibility to punish this girl for something she had little to no control over is abhorrent. These treatments for eating disorders are not something to be taken lightly and can be debilitatingly expensive for families whose insurance won’t cover it. To the tune of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It was deeply unsettling to hear an entire crowd laughing at what was one of the most traumatizing times in this family’s lives and I’m really disappointed that Dan’s story was glorified this way.
Tara, thank you for your comment. I felt the same way, and was waiting for the storyteller to come around and talk about how ashamed he was of his immature and hurtful treatment of his ex-girlfriend. I have listened to pretty much every Risk show and almost never have I felt a story was in bad taste, but this one truly showed a very immature and unempathetic person who did not seem to have learned much at all since the experience and was only able to focus on what he got out of it (i.e. writing skills); the fact that the crowd found it funny is pretty disturbing as well.
About Dan’s story: I was in an intensive treatment center due to my severe case of anorexia nervosa. 19 at the time. 3 months at the treatment center. While terrifying, I look back with a sense of humor. I have to. I’m 36 now and I’m suffering with my ED every damn day. I cannot have children, and I have to work at not driving away my husband with my body obsession. Having said that—I cut Dan some slack. I was more upset at the girlfriend. Having had friends, love-ones, roommates die of cancer, I thought her using the C word was worse. True, he was flippant, but in the scheme of things, I have to let my ED paranoia–as written or spoken by others go.
Now, Rachel’s story–I’ve taught for ten years as a high school teacher. Her story was just what I needed to hear as we start another year of school shortly. Such a great story.
Hope to be at the SLC show–love it, Kevin. Thank you for all you do.