About this episode
Two RISK! veterans share stories about plans that backfired.
Two RISK! veterans deliver stories about plans that—you guessed it—backfired. As a teenager Nate Runkel built a satirical website that sexualized cartoon characters as a parody of how guys talk online. It got a million views, landed in Complex Magazine and a Maureen Dowd book, and earned him more attention than he ever wanted. The people he respected weren't laughing. (Content note: conversion therapy) And Kelli Dunham’s story is set in the sweaty, armadillo-haunted wilds of an evangelical Florida summer camp. She was there by her own choice, fundraised her own way in, and came home proud, convinced for the next 20 years that the whole adventure was entirely her idea. It wasn't. Two stories about getting exactly what you didn't ask for. Full episode details and music credits at risk-show.com/podcast/backfire Support RISK! & Get Involved 🎟 See RISK! live on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in New York City! ✍️ Pitch your story ❤️ Support us on Patreon or make a one-time PayPal donation 📚 Shop merch or the RISK! book 🎓 Take storytelling classes with us 🎥 Hire Kevin as a coach or get personalized videos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People in this episode
Guests: Nate Runkel, Kelli Dunham
Topics covered
- backfire
- storytelling
- satire
- evangelical camp
- unexpected outcomes
Keywords
- satirical website
- cartoon characters
- conversion therapy
- Florida summer camp
- unexpected consequences
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Complex Magazine, Maureen Dowd
Places: Florida, New York City
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