RISK! Podcast — "The Rebound"
Host: Kevin Allison
Guest: John F. O'Donnell
Date: August 19, 2025

Episode Overview

In this candid and emotional conversation, host Kevin Allison welcomes comedian John F. O’Donnell (JFOD) for a deep dive into O’Donnell’s journey with bipolar disorder, how it intersected with his New York comedy career, and his ongoing work as a performer and mental health advocate. The episode revisits O’Donnell's early comedy days, the infamous manic episode that led to his exclusion from a vital comedy club, his struggle toward recovery, and the community support that marked his rebound. Humor, vulnerability, and artistic insight drive this powerful exploration of mental health, creativity, and resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Comedy Years in New York (02:28–07:18)

• John’s Move to NYC & Entry into Comedy:

  • Arrived in 2005 at age 24 after several years of stand-up elsewhere.
  • Started by “barking” (handing out flyers for stage time) at the Boston Comedy Club, a storied but now-defunct venue.
  • Shared shifts with future stars like Nate Bargatze and Pete Holmes.
  • Recalled seeing Dave Chappelle perform unannounced sets during a turbulent time in Chappelle's life (03:57–04:11).

• Emergence of Community and Kingdom of Heaven Show:

  • Described founding the “Kingdom of Heaven” comedy open mic with Timmy Williams at the Creek and the Cave – initially a Mexican restaurant/theater hybrid seeking new programming (05:50–07:18).
  • Comics like Reggie Watts, Amy Schumer, Kumail Nanjiani, and John Mulaney appeared as headliners.
  • The show fostered an unusually supportive, creative, and social scene.
  • Quote:

    “We could be as creative as we wanted to be…it became this sense of community…even if the comics didn’t get on…they would still hang out. Regular people would … attend, which is very rare in New York. And then we would just party like monsters the rest of the night.” (06:30–07:03, B)

Bipolar Disorder and the Catastrophic Manic Episode (09:27–18:10)

• Personal History and the Onset of Symptoms:

  • O’Donnell had previous manic and depressive episodes in college and overseas (09:52), but managed a degree of stability until 2008.

• Public Manic Episode at the Venue:

  • O’Donnell recounts spiraling out of control during a manic episode fed by alcohol and drugs.

  • Infamously alienated fellow comedians and patrons; at one point, drunkenly sobbed onstage and aggressively tried to wrangle a dinner party into watching the show under false pretenses (11:07–12:25).

    “I told them…that the show was to raise awareness for children with autism, which I completely made up. And then they still didn’t want to go in. And then I accused them of being Republicans and screamed at them.” (11:50–12:10, B)

• Consequences and Ejection:

  • Banned from Creek and the Cave, the venue he'd helped turn into a comedy institution.
  • Isolated from the comedy community; former friends distanced themselves out of confusion, not understanding his mental health status (14:24–16:19).

• Mania’s Dual Nature and the Drug Analogy:

  • O’Donnell describes both the addictively exhilarating and ultimately terrifying aspects of mania.

    “Mania can be very exhilarating and euphoric and ecstatic…That’s why people can get addicted to the manias. But for me…it’s very emotionally overwhelming and scary…incredibly…draining, to put it lightly.” (17:39–18:10, B)

Descent, Hospitalization, and Depression (18:50–23:41)

• Aftermath:

  • O’Donnell’s relationships and living situation deteriorate as he spirals further, associating with strangers, hanging out in an abandoned ferry boat, alienating remaining friends and roommates (19:10–19:39).
  • Family intervenes; he is ultimately involuntarily hospitalized at Elmhurst Hospital for two and a half months (21:00–21:30).
  • Following release, experienced a prolonged depressive crash of nine months (“Just as long as the mania,” 22:08).

• Quotes:

  “Now I’m this...this shell…when I’ve been depressed, I felt like, oh, I’m just going to be like this forever now…It’s equally as painful and scary as the mania, just in a different way.” (22:08–22:22, B)

The Slow Rebuild: Medication, Comedy, and Public Honesty (23:41–28:08)

• Medication Struggles:

  • Moved through several medications post-hospitalization; often prescribed drugs less suitable for his Bipolar I, due to incomplete diagnosis or outdated protocols (23:41–24:08, B).

• Return to Comedy Scene:

  • O’Donnell chose radical transparency: “I was going to address everything that happened head on, on stage and on podcasts.” (24:57, B)
  • This not only helped manage the “eggshells” problem but improved his standup, providing material that was both meaningful and funny.

• Destigmatizing Bipolar Disorder:

  • Early on, much of the self-stigma and career fears were powerful barriers. (26:05–26:16).
  • The process of integrating his experience into his comedy (“Trying to destigmatize it from the self-stigma that I had for it,” 25:54) became essential to his identity as an artist.

Redemption and Community: Returning to the Creek (31:44–34:56)

• Readmission to His Comedy Family:

  • After initial reluctance, friends organized a roast as his “welcome back” — a classic comedy sign of “love and respect” (32:25–33:32, B).

    “Instead of me having to limp back in there, they were going to tear me a new proverbial asshole…what a beautiful thing.” (32:40–32:55, B)

  • He describes the importance of feeling reintegrated into a community he cherished.

• Potential Documentary:

  • Filmmaker Andrew Neal is interested in using O’Donnell’s footage and story for a long-in-development documentary about bipolar disorder and his comedy journey.

Mental Health Advocacy and the Power of Creativity (35:13–38:29)

• Service and Self-Forgiveness:

  • Volunteering with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), presenting his story to patients and professionals—including returning to a psychiatric ward where he’d once been a patient.

    “The road to self-forgiveness is tricky and difficult…But I find trying to be helpful to others is healing and redemptive.” (35:45–36:02, B)

• Creativity as Resistance and Healing:

  • Kevin draws a parallel between artistic creation and resilience in dark times (37:00–38:14, A).

    “In times of destruction, creation is the best way...Creativity and kind of leaning into appreciating art and creating it…and thinking of ways to express and share with other people whatever light we have to share. That’s pretty fucking key.” (37:17–38:09, A)

Notable Quotes

• On Mental Illness in Comedy:
  • “They didn’t really realize for quite a while that something was going on with me... They thought like, oh, Johnny’s just being a bit extra tonight.” (15:16, B)
• On Medication and Systemic Issues:
  • “Lithium…can’t be patented and put on private label. So it’s very cheap. Pharmaceutical companies can’t really make money off of it…I didn’t get prescribed it until 14 years in my illness.” (30:56, B)
• On Finding Redemption in Advocacy:
  • “Nobody gets off the mat like my nephew John.” (35:13, B, quoting his uncle)
  • “I find trying to be helpful to others is healing and redemptive.” (36:02, B)
• On Community:
  • “Community is so crucial as well.” (38:14, B)
• On His Comedy Show:
  • “My show is currently called I’m on Lithium: A Comedic Journey About Bipolar Disorder. I may be changing it to American Psychosis: A Bipolar Comedy.” (26:05–26:16, B)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Content Highlights | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------| | Comedy roots/Kingdom of Heaven | Early NYC comedy, founding Creek & the Cave open mic | 02:28–07:18 | | Onset/Manic Episode | When mania returned; public breakdown at show | 09:27–12:25 | | Being Banned & Alienated | Aftermath, community disconnect, spiral continues | 13:10–16:19 | | Hospitalization & Depression | Involuntary hospitalization, crash, “shell” of person | 18:50–23:41 | | Return to Comedy/Transcendence | Comedy as healing, honesty about illness, building new material | 24:08–28:08 | | Medication Odyssey | Lithium, pharmaceutical industry factors, finding right meds | 30:17–31:44 | | Roast/Community Forgiveness | Friends’ roast at Creek & the Cave as symbolic reacceptance | 32:25–34:56 | | Advocacy & Redemption | NAMI, volunteering, self-forgiveness, paying it forward | 35:13–38:29 | | Creativity as Survival | Creation as revolutionary act in dark times | 37:00–38:14 | | Show Plugs & Resources | Website, show info, newsletter, where to see JFOD perform | 38:41–39:19 |

Conclusion & Resources

John F. O’Donnell’s resilience, honesty, and comedy craft provide both stark truths and genuine hope for anyone navigating mental illness or supporting creative communities. For upcoming shows or more about John, visit jfodlovesyou.com or follow him on social media @JFODlovesyou.

Kevin Allison closes by encouraging listeners to share their own stories of mental health and creativity at risk-show.com/submissions, reminding all that “today’s the day. Take a risk.”