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Impulsive

March 26, 2026·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

Lauren accidentally snorts a whole bag of cocaine meant for four angry men at a wedding.

This episode of RISK! features host Kevin Allison and three storytellers sharing true tales about impulsive decisions. Lauren Cook, a writer and comedian, recounts a chaotic wedding date; an unnamed narrator describes a near-fatal confrontation in Brooklyn; and Danny LaBelle tells of a failed cat-breeding scheme. Lauren Cook’s story begins after a breakup, leading her to browse Craigslist’s “casual encounters” section. She agrees to be a stranger named Elliot’s last-minute date to a New Jersey wedding, imagining him as a Paul Rudd type. At the wedding, she invents an elaborate false identity as a former lesbian acrobat to entertain the guests. After accidentally consuming an entire bag of cocaine meant for four men, she panics and flees Elliot’s aggressive advances, leaving her shoes behind. The second storyteller, raised in 1980s Bushwick by Jamaican immigrants, recalls a violent encounter with a local figure named Shoesheen. After a verbal dispute escalates, the narrator retrieves a legally-owned handgun with intent to commit murder. A friend named Peyton physically intervenes to stop the shooting, telling the narrator, “you’re gonna lose too much.” This event prompts the narrator to apply to Harvard Business School. Danny LaBelle’s story details his plan to breed and sell expensive Cornish Rex cats on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. He and a partner buy a male cat named Lex, which proceeds to ejaculate on all his belongings. When their supplier falls through, LaBelle has the cat neutered, ending the business. Years later, a friend named Genevieve refuses to return the cat after pet-sitting, declaring LaBelle an unfit owner. Cook’s story highlights the absurd gap between online fantasy and reality, culminating in a cocaine-fueled realization at a debauched wedding. The Brooklyn story examines how community dynamics and pride can override education and career success, nearly leading to murder. LaBelle’s failed venture reveals the comical consequences of a poorly-researched get-rich-quick scheme. The episode’s tone is candid and confessional, with each storyteller embracing humor and vulnerability. The style is narrative-driven, focusing on detailed personal anecdotes with dramatic pacing. Listeners who enjoy raw, humorous, and high-stakes personal storytelling will appreciate this episode. Those uncomfortable with candid discussions of drug use, violence, or sexual situations might choose to skip it.

As heard by us

Impulsive true stories built on sudden decisions, escalating consequences, and a loose but immediate delivery.

Risk's "Impulsive" works best when it lets the bad decision unfold without rushing to explain it. The episode moves through three distinct stories, including a tense confrontation and a more offbeat turn, and it keeps the speakers' reactions and second thoughts close enough to…

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Why you'd press play

For when you want true stories about sudden choices that get out of hand.

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