Hi Everyone,

Just a reminder that our next show is coming up this Thursday. The theme is “Wake Up Call.” From the slow murmur that ran through the audience last month when I announced the theme, I figure at least a few of you have had one of those. I’m looking forward to hearing those stories!

Also, if you read my thank you email from last month’s show you know that three people from my past will be at this show and I’m testing my courage by telling a new story that night. Two of the popular girls from high school will be in the audience and I can only assume they are there to see if I’ve become marginally more interesting since the 80s. I didn’t have the courage to talk to them in the halls of West Anchorage High so let’s see how I do now in a coffee shop on Capitol Hill.

The reason they’re coming is because of the third person from Alaska in the audience that night, my friend David. I’ve known David since 2nd grade when we were in Cub Scouts together and he was better than me at everything from building Popsicle stick boats to field dressing an elk. David doesn’t understand fear because David is a bush pilot, mountain man, salmon catcher, and cabin builder. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t even take matches when he goes camping. He just rubs his hands over a cotton ball and suddenly everyone’s marshmallow is on fire.

Naturally, he thought it would be fun to invite Chantal and Shelly to the show. One cheerleader and one captain of the volleyball team. I’m sure they are mature, accomplished women now. They are probably leaders in their fields and get great 360 reviews from their co-workers. I’m sure they have no idea that I spent all four years of high school wondering what they had that I didn’t.

Truthfully, they were always polite to me. If I had asked Chantal to dance at the Harvest Ball she would probably have danced with me as long as it wasn’t a slow song. If I’d asked Shelly for a ride home from soccer practice she would probably have let me ride in the back as long as her boyfriend and varsity wrestler Eric Holta sat in the front. All the stories I told myself about how cool they were and how uncool I was were just things I made up in my head. They were fig newtons of my imagination.

At least that’s what I’ve been telling my therapist. Now I get to test that belief in real life. Thursday night I’m going to tell a true, personal story in front of one over-achieving friend and two women I was too scared to talk to 40 years ago. Come out and see how I handle it!

One last thing before I let you go. The wonderful and amazing Risk! storytelling podcast wrote me the other day to ask if anyone from FGS would like to tell a story when they bring their live show to Seattle in September. Risk! is a great show and you should all pitch them a story. Seriously. Do it!

Here is a short video from host and creator, Kevin Allison, with some tips on how to make a good pitch:

Details are below. All text is pasted from their email to me. If you have any questions go to http://risk-show.com/submissions or email the producers at pitches@risk-show.com.

See you Thursday!

Paul

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RISK! Live Show
The Vera Project
305 Harrison St,
Seattle, WA 98109
Show date: 9/7/18
Submission deadline: 8/3/18

Themes: The Worst, Glorious, Breakdown

Note: Stories are not required to fit under this theme. It’s just a jumping off point to help you brainstorm about stories you have. We cast excellent true stories over stories that simply fit the theme but are less compelling.

Send pitches to: pitches@risk-show.com

RISK! Is a live show and podcast “where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share in public” hosted by Kevin Allison, of the legendary TV sketch comedy troupe The State. RISK! has featured people like Janeane Garofalo, Lisa Lampanelli, Kevin Nealon, Margaret Cho, Marc Maron, Sarah Silverman, and regular folks from around the world, dropping the act and showing a side of themselves we’ve never seen before. The RISK! podcast gets over 1.5 million downloads each month. Slate.com called it “jaw-dropping, hysterically funny, and just plain touching.”

RISK! is not like other storytelling shows. It’s “where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share in public.” We encourage our storytellers to step out on a limb, be brutally candid and emotionally raw. This is an uncensored show where taboos are tackled and people talk about things they ordinarily might not share in mixed company, but might save for their therapist.

To hear some of our stories, go to http://risk-show.com/listen

For more information about what we look for in story pitches and how to submit, go to http://risk-show.com/submissions and send us your pitch by 8/3/18 to be considered!