RISK! Podcast — “Hosts with the Mosts” (December 30, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this dynamic and revealing episode of the RISK! podcast, host Kevin Allison introduces a special collection of stories, each told live on stage by different RISK! team members (except for Kevin himself). The episode shines a spotlight on the vibrant personalities who keep the RISK! machine running, from their comedic mishaps and awkward encounters to empowering moments of growth and personal boundaries. The main theme weaves around “hosting” — not just of events and shows, but of major (sometimes uncomfortable) life experiences, as shared by J.C. Cassis, David Crabb, and Cindy Freeman.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Kevin Allison's Introduction & Context (03:23–05:15)

• Sets the tone for the episode: “Every story on this episode was told by someone on the Risk team other than me hosting a Risk live show.” (03:25, Kevin Allison)
• Notes upcoming Risk! events, with other team members frequently acting as hosts.

2. Story #1 – J.C. Cassis: “Not That Casual” (05:16–12:04)

Background

• JC recounts her coming-of-age in NYC, detailing her unexpectedly sexless adolescence and college life, contrasted with her anticipation for wild post-grad city nights.

Key Story Beats

• New Year’s Eve 2007 at Don Hills club, attending the infamous Rated X party.
• A series of awkward and bizarre encounters on the dance floor:
  • Birdman Hipster Guy: Tall, skinny, striking hair, vacant stare; knocks her to the ground, ruining her dress.
  • Top Hat Guy: Initially “too formal” in his dance moves, JC encourages him to loosen up.
  • Things escalate when he misreads her cue and exposes himself on the dance floor:
    • “He has unzipped his fly and taken out his entire shaft of his penis. And his naked, flaccid dick is just hanging down, flopping around." (10:17, J.C. Cassis)
  • Top Hat Guy is bizarrely apologetic and seems genuinely naïve about social boundaries.

Humor & Reflection

• JC grapples with the absurd leap from “too formal” to “full frontal,” finding the humor in her misadventures.
• Ends by weighing the pros and cons of a sexless youth vs. these wild city stories:
  • “I think there’s pros and cons to both, but I do think that the latter makes for better stories.” (11:51, J.C. Cassis)

Notable Quotes

• “When I said you didn’t have to be so formal, I didn’t mean the next step is take your dick out and rub it on my butt.” (10:41, J.C. Cassis)
• “You said I could be less formal, and now I took my dick out, and now you’re mad. You know what I mean?” (Recap, 00:06 and 11:45, J.C. Cassis)

3. Mid-Episode Banter, Listener Shout-Outs & Transitions (13:28–15:13)

• Kevin Allison highlights the importance of community among listeners, giving shout-outs to various groups (farmers, prisoners).
• Shares notes from listeners supporting the show and encourages support via Patreon/Paypal.

4. Story #2 – David Crabb: “Kitchen Nightmares” (18:57–30:50)

Background

• David, newly relocated to Los Angeles, discusses the initial loneliness and struggle to find “his people.”
• Recounts forming a deep friendship with Delaney and the anxiety of meeting her new boyfriend, Trevor.

Key Story Beats

• A night out after a local devised storytelling show, searching for a late-night spot in Eagle Rock, CA.
• End up at a suspiciously empty Italian restaurant, Capri, unknowingly made famous (or infamous) by Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.
• The evening becomes a cascading series of comic disasters:
  • Wine glasses spill and shatter—multiple times—over Trevor.
  • The waitstaff alternate between quirky, possibly impaired, and hopelessly apologetic.
  • The chef awkwardly delivers water—thumb in each glass, apologizing profusely.
  • Menu features a photo of the owners with Gordon Ramsay, triggering realization of where they are.
• Instead of ruining the budding friendship, the shared ordeal cements their bond; later, they laugh together watching the original episode at home.

Themes & Reflections

• LA’s unique social dynamics and geographic barriers to connection.
• Serendipity and disaster as community-building experiences.
  • “That beautiful restaurant might be gone, but the tastes and the sounds and the smells and the shards of glass and the good friendships remain.” (30:45, David Crabb)

Notable Quotes

• “You’re fucking in it, aren’t you?” (19:10, David Crabb, to new LA residents about the isolation)
• “As he approaches us...he had to grab the water by plunging his thumb into the water and then gripping, like a clip, the rim. And he knew it was awful. So he almost, with tears in his eyes, was like, ‘Here's your water. I'm so sorry.’” (26:45, David Crabb)
• “If you find me later, I’ll totally tell you the name of the restaurant.” (30:49, David Crabb; audience banter reveals it’s Capri)

5. Story #3 – Cindy Freeman: “Fucking Tits” (33:00–43:15)

Background

• Cindy describes the bond with Marty, a financially struggling but supportive fellow actor, and how their relationship was grounded in mutual struggle and artistic hustle.

Key Story Beats

• Marty helps Cindy land an agent and they celebrate modestly, in keeping with their broke-but-resourceful norm.
• Cindy starts a new job, earning a windfall $200 tip from a hedge fund customer who encourages her to keep pursuing acting.
• Excited to celebrate, Cindy insists on treating Marty to dinner, but he resists—even becoming agitated and suspicious about her motives.
• Conversation turns sour; Marty accuses her of trading on her looks (“fucking tits”) and questions her integrity, projecting his frustrations onto Cindy.
  • “It’s the fact that you have fucking tits. And I don’t think you fucking understand how hard it is to be a guy like this. This doesn’t happen to guys.” (38:44, Marty via Cindy)
• Cindy chooses to end the relationship on the spot, recognizing red flags and reclaiming her energy. She celebrates instead with her roommate, sharing her windfall in a joyful toast.

Themes & Reflections

• Dignity, boundaries, and the importance of not internalizing others’ insecurities.
• Celebration of growth (“I don’t do this”—meaning she doesn’t tolerate emotional abuse anymore).
  • “That good mood that I was in—I still got it. I’m still in a good mood.” (43:17, Cindy Freeman)

Notable Quote

• “There had been points in my life when I would have walked into that apartment, and I didn’t.” (41:56, Cindy Freeman)
• “I could… remember all of that and leave. And I say to him, ‘Hey, this is over.’...I just don’t do this.” (41:44, Cindy Freeman)

6. Musical Interlude – “Christmas is Bullshit” by J.C. Cassis (43:30–44:45)

• J.C. Cassis performs her satirical holiday anthem, expressing disdain for holiday obligations with hilarious candor:
  • “Christmas, Christmas is bullshit. I hate the music and pretending winter is fun.” (43:58, J.C. Cassis)

Memorable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “Sometimes when a man looks like a bird, it’s just very alluring.” (06:45, J.C. Cassis)
• “When I said you didn’t have to be so formal, I didn’t mean the next step is take your dick out and rub it on my butt…” (10:41, J.C. Cassis)
• “And in LA, dear friends would be like, ‘We’re having Pinot Grigio under our lemon tree. I don’t cross Rowena on a weeknight after seven. I’m so sorry.’” (21:30, David Crabb)
• “If you find me later, I’ll totally tell you the name of the restaurant.” (30:49, David Crabb)
• “It’s the fact that you have fucking tits. And I don’t think you fucking understand how hard it is to be a guy like this.” (38:44, Cindy Freeman as Marty)
• “I could… remember all of that and leave. And I say to him, ‘Hey, this is over.’” (41:44, Cindy Freeman)
• “Christmas, Christmas is bullshit. I hate the music and pretending winter is fun.” (43:58, J.C. Cassis)

Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamps | |:--------------------------------------------------------------|:--------------------:| | Introduction & Episode Theme | 03:23–05:15 | | Story 1 – J.C. Cassis: “Not That Casual” | 05:16–12:04 | | Listener Shout-Outs & Transitions | 13:28–15:53 | | Story 2 – David Crabb: “Kitchen Nightmares” | 18:57–30:50 | | Capri Restaurant Banter/Kitchen Nightmares Banter | 30:50–32:54 | | Story 3 – Cindy Freeman: “Fucking Tits” | 33:00–43:15 | | Song – “Christmas is Bullshit” and Outro | 43:30–44:45 |

Conclusion

“Hosts with the Mosts” exemplifies RISK!’s signature blend of unapologetic honesty, riotous humor, and poignant self-realization. Each host’s narrative is at once deeply personal and universally resonant: JC’s dance floor misadventure, David’s LA restaurant fiasco, and Cindy’s boundary-setting breakup all resonate as stories of self-discovery, unexpected lessons, and the hard-won wisdom of adulthood. The episode closes with a musical wink, inviting listeners to cherish the wild unpredictability of life—and to always, as Kevin reminds us, take a risk.