The Best of RISK! #35
5/5/20261 hr 42 min
This episode brings together two of the most gripping conversations in the show's recent run: a man who survived an extended stint in a Philippine jail on fabricated charges, and a medical student whose addiction and grief turned out to be more entangled than she had ever let herself understand. (Content note: accusations of sexual assault, child abuse, false imprisonment) Scott McMahon went to Manila for a construction job, ended up befriending a Belgian neighbor, and got pulled into a nightmare when that neighbor's wife turned the Philippine justice system against him. What followed was five and a half years in a maximum-security cell with 300 men, corrupt cops showing up every six weeks with a cash demand, and a family he could only see through a chain-link fence. It is one of the most staggering survival accounts this show has ever aired. (Content note: addiction, overdose death) Chelsea Dalsey was a medical student with a photographic memory, a habit she couldn't shake, and a lifelong partner in crime named Alex. Her conversation with Kevin Allison is part confession, part excavation, arriving at a truth she had spent 14 years burying alive. Leave your reactions to these stories and find episode details and music credits at risk-show.com/podcast/the-best-of-risk-35 You can find all of our Best of RISK! episodes at risk-show.com/bestofrisk Be Part of RISK! 🎟 See RISK! live ✍️ Pitch your story ❤️ Support us on Patreon 💵 Make a one-time donation via PayPal or Zelle to kevin@risk-show.com 📚 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
Clips
Showing 10 of 13Transcript preview
First 90 secondsKevin Allison· Host0:00
On this episode of Risk, you'll hear...
Scott McMahon· Guest0:02
Six feet off the ground, six feet long, four feet wide, and that was my world for five and a half years.
Kevin Allison· Host0:08
And you'll hear...
Chelsea Dalsey· Guest0:09
If you've smelled what rotting flesh smells like- [laughs] Oh my God. It's that. It's really that.
Kevin Allison· Host0:15
And of course, you'll hear me, Kevin Allison, on the show where people tell true stories they never thought they'd dare to share.
Chelsea Dalsey· Guest0:23
[upbeat music] Mom, can you tell me a story?
Speaker 30:32
Sure. Once upon a time, a mom needed a new car.
Chelsea Dalsey· Guest0:35
Was she brave?
Speaker 30:36
She was tired mostly, but she went to carbana.com and found a great car at a great price. No secret treasure map required.
Chelsea Dalsey· Guest0:43
Did she have to fight a dragon?
Speaker 30:44
Nope. She bought it 100% online, from her bed, actually.
Chelsea Dalsey· Guest0:47
Was it scary?
Speaker 30:49
Honey, it was as unscary as car buying could be.
Chelsea Dalsey· Guest0:51
Did the car have a sunroof?
Speaker 30:52
It did, actually.
Chelsea Dalsey· Guest0:53
Okay. Good story.
Speaker 30:55
Car buying you'll want to tell stories about. Buy your car today on...
Chelsea Dalsey· Guest0:58
Carvana.
Speaker 30:59
Delivery fees may apply.
Speaker 41:00
Fears the virus is trending on TikTok. Vaccines are poison. Then your yoga teacher says that sex-trafficked children are being sacrificed by satanic liberals, but it's all okay. The great awakening is coming. What is happening? Every week on Conspirituality podcast, we explore the fever dreams that suck friends, family, and wellness gurus down the right wing cult spiral in a search for salvation.
Unknown speaker1:29
[upbeat music]