RISK! Podcast – “Hurt”
August 28, 2025
Host: Kevin Allison

Brief Overview

This episode of RISK!, hosted by Kevin Allison, dives into the theme of hurt—emotional and physical pain, survival, and the courage to share stories that normally go untold. Pulled from the show’s rich archive, this episode features powerful live storytelling from two performers: New York comedian and showrunner Robin Gelfenbein, who recounts a personal experience with bullying, and international comedian Trevor Noah, who tells his harrowing family story of domestic violence and resilience. The episode foregrounds vulnerability, endurance, and ultimately, self-acceptance.

Key Segments

1. Introduction by Kevin Allison (04:07–06:17)

• Kevin shares updates about recent vacations, teaching at Kink Camp, and meeting listeners inspired by previous episodes.
• Jokes about his own comfort zones and reactions to pain:

  “I now know how I react when I’m tied up and tortured with an electric cattle prod. I scream and cry like a six-year-old girl.” (05:20)

• Sets the tone for the episode:

  “Speaking of pain, we’re calling today’s episode Hurt. Moving stories from recent Risk live shows in New York and Los Angeles.” (05:54)

2. Robin Gelfenbein – “Vargas” (06:17–17:54)

Story Summary

• Excitement for College: Robin arrives at Syracuse University to study broadcast journalism, brimming with hope for fun and connection.
• Mysterious Harassment Begins: She’s bombarded by a repeated menacing chant—"Vargas"—from unseen male students. At first, Robin shrugs it off, confused by the reference.
• Bullying Escalates: The harassment spreads: phone calls, whispers in class, shouts in the dining hall, and eventually a public confrontation at a campus block party. Confronted, she learns the nickname is a reference to a male teacher character (Mr. Vargas, from Fast Times at Ridgemont High) the bullies think she resembles.
  • Robin’s reaction:

    “It wasn’t just that that man is highly unattractive. It was that it was a man. And I was so crushed. I was so embarrassed and ashamed by that.” (09:38)

• Living in Fear: The bullying’s scale grows, leaving her constantly anxious—she alters her routines to avoid her harassers.
• Seeking Help: After a terrifying elevator encounter, Robin reports the situation to her residence director. She feels dismissed but is encouraged by friends to escalate.
  • Resident Director’s reaction:

    “Ugh... Robyn, I get complaints about these guys every single day... You should consider yourself lucky.” (11:38)

• Judicial Board & Consequences: She brings the case to the university’s judicial board. Only five out of sixty involved are punished—with perfunctory apology letters.
  • Robin’s summary:

    “Dear Robin, sorry I called you Vargas. Have a great summer.” (13:18)

• The Confrontation: The ringleader, Chris, is forced to hand-deliver his letter. Robin practices compassion but demands an answer for his actions.
  • Notable moment:

    “I said, ‘Chris, I just want to know one thing. Why?’ And he doesn’t say anything.” (15:13)

• Lingering Effects: Though the direct harassment lessens, the emotional toll lingers for years. She avoids activities she loves, living “in a self-imposed witness protection program” (16:47).

• Graduation & Triumph: Robin sings in front of thousands at graduation—receiving laughter on her own terms—and finally feels free:

  > “For the first time, I felt so confident. Because I knew I was no longer afraid of them. But more than anything, I was no longer afraid to be myself.” (17:54)
  

3. Trevor Noah – “The Best Looking Person in the Family” (23:49–40:40)

Story Summary

• Family Background: Trevor grew up in apartheid South Africa. His mother raised him alone for years (“We were like a team... every Tuesday we would go and have pizza. She would buy me a pizza and then she would watch me eat it.” (24:55)).
• Mother’s Strength & Independence: She lives independently, hitchhiking with Trevor and later getting a car. Humor and warmth thread throughout their poverty and adversity.
  • Quote:

    “Sometimes my mom would tell me to hide and then wait for the car to stop for her. And then I would run out. Because people were more likely to stop for a woman and not a woman and a fat child.” (26:45)

• New Stepfather, Abel: Trevor’s mother marries Abel, a charismatic man who becomes abusive as the relationship sours.
• First Incident of Violence:
  • A drunken Abel burns food; a fight escalates. Trevor watches as Abel physically assaults his mother:

    “...He slapped her. And you know, the weird thing about seeing your parent get hit is you just don’t see it coming. Because parents are not meant to receive beatings. This is their job, to administer beatings.” (30:24)

  • The trauma of witnessing this is compounded by the police’s indifference:

    “My mom said, ‘I’d like to lay a charge against this man who has hit me.’ And the policeman said, ‘Well, did you do something?’” (32:13)

• Aftermath: Though Abel is not immediately removed, time passes before violence erupts again.
• The Shooting: Years later, Trevor gets a call:

  “Mom’s been shot... And it’s so funny, I didn't ask by whom. I knew immediately who she had been shot by.” (33:54)

  • Abel has shot her at close range as she returns from church. Miraculously, four bullets misfire and only one enters her head (35:48).
  • In a moment of dark humor, Trevor offers:

    “I think that was Jesus... Bullets and wine are very different.” (36:16)

• Hospital Ordeal: The bureaucracy of the hospital pauses for financial guarantees, to Trevor’s exasperation and comic effect.

  “They said, it might be a lot of money if she has to go in ICU. I said, just do it... but like, I still want my money, and she’s cool and everything, but she’s lived a great life, I feel.” (36:57)

• Miraculous Survival: His mother pulls through; the bullet misses all vital structures. When offered cosmetic reconstruction, she refuses:

  “No, no surgery. I’ll keep it the way it is as a reminder of what has happened to me.” (38:23)

• Finding Light in Pain: The story closes with his mother’s joke:

  “You know what this means now, right?... Now you're undisputedly the best looking person in the family. There's a bright side to everything.” (39:11)

• Aftermath: Abel is imprisoned, Trevor’s mother is alive and resilient, and laughter returns.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Robin Gelfenbein:

  • “I had been living in this self-imposed witness protection program.” (16:47)
  • “But more than anything, I was no longer afraid to be myself.” (17:54)

• Trevor Noah:

  • “Parents are not meant to receive beatings. This is their job, to administer beatings.” (30:29)
  • “She looked at me and said, you know what this means now, right? ...Now you’re undisputedly the best looking person in the family.” (39:11)

• Kevin Allison:

  • “That’s the kind of stuff you learn about yourself when you step outside the old comfort zone.” (05:33)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:07 – Kevin Allison intro, episode theme
• 06:17 – Robin Gelfenbein’s story “Vargas”
• 17:54 – End of Robin’s story
• 23:49 – Trevor Noah’s story “The Best Looking Person in the Family”
• 40:40 – End of main content

Tone & Style

• The episode is deeply personal yet leavened with the hosts’ and storytellers’ trademark wit and self-deprecation. Both stories show how humor and candor can coexist with pain, making for an engaging and cathartic listening experience.

Final Thoughts

“Hurt” is an exemplary RISK! episode—unflinching, funny, and ultimately heartening. It offers two vivid, very different journeys through pain and the recovery of self-worth, making for impactful listening both for those seeking catharsis and those in search of inspiration.