Kevin Allison

{{short description|American comedian, writer and actor|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox person

|name= Kevin Allison

|image= frameless

|caption=Allison performing in 2017

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1970|2|16}}

|birth_place=Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.

|occupation=Actor, comedian, writer, storyteller

|years_active=1991–present

|website = {{URL|https://kevinallison.net/}}

}}

Kevin Allison (born February 16, 1970) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and storyteller. He is perhaps best known as a writing and performing member of the comedy troupe The State, and appeared in their 1993-1995 MTV sketch comedy series The State. He hosts a storytelling podcast, RISK!,{{cite web|last=Gordon|first=Doug|title=Comedian Kevin Allison On How Taking Risks Leads To Authenticity (And A Hit Podcast)|url=https://www.wpr.org/comedian-kevin-allison-how-taking-risks-leads-authenticity-and-hit-podcast|work=Wisconsin Public Radio|date=2019-03-16|accessdate=2022-02-08|archive-date=2022-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209004531/https://www.wpr.org/comedian-kevin-allison-how-taking-risks-leads-authenticity-and-hit-podcast|url-status=live}} and teaches sketch comedy and storytelling.

Early life

Allison was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a 1988 graduate of St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati.{{cite web|title=TX has big presence in Big Apple|publisher=St. Xavier High School|date=August 1, 2008|accessdate=2008-10-23|url=http://www.stxavier.org/s/106/stxavier.aspx?pgid=327&ecid=4645}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} He then attended New York University, where he became a founding member of comedy troupe The State.

Career

From 1993 to 1995, he appeared on the sketch comedy series The State. Popular sketches on the show starring Allison include "Taco Man," "Mr. Magina", "Dreamboy", and "The Jew, the Italian, and the Redhead Gay".{{citation needed|date=June 2016}}

Allison created and hosts the uncensored weekly audio podcast RISK!, a storytelling show "where people tell true stories they never thought they'd dare to share." RISK! is also a monthly live show in New York City and Los Angeles. Allison tours to other cities with the show on a consistent basis as well. The live show debuted in August 2009 at Arlene's Grocery in New York and moved to Joe's Pub in October with guests like Margaret Cho, Rachel Dratch, Michael Ian Black, Andy Borowitz, and Janeane Garofalo dropping their usual material for a night to tell unusually honest and often embarrassing stories.

RISK! regularly ranks on the top ten lists of podcasts on iTunes{{citation needed|date=June 2016}} and gets well over one million downloads per month.{{cite web|last=Gamerman|first=Ellen|title=Podcasts Hit the Books|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/podcasts-hit-the-books-1531747805|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=2018-07-16|accessdate=2022-02-08|archive-date=2021-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204091758/https://www.wsj.com/articles/podcasts-hit-the-books-1531747805|url-status=live}} The podcast features both stories told at the live shows and studio-recorded "radio-style stories" with music and sound design. Allison's best known story from the podcast is "Kevin Goes to Kink Camp."{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Danny |title=A Q&A with Kevin Allison about the Risk! Podcast, Being a Storytelling Therapist and Going to Kink Camp |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/a-qanda-with-kevin-allison-about-the-risk-podcast-being-a-storytelling-therapist-and-going-to-kink-camp-7095693 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=Dallas Observer |language=en |archive-date=2022-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316013626/https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/a-qanda-with-kevin-allison-about-the-risk-podcast-being-a-storytelling-therapist-and-going-to-kink-camp-7095693 |url-status=live }} In 2011, the RISK! team created the storytelling school The Story Studio based in New York.{{cite web |url=http://www.thestorystudio.org/ |title=Home |website=thestorystudio.org |access-date=2022-08-08 |archive-date=2022-08-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808172900/https://www.thestorystudio.org/ |url-status=live }} The school specializes in both creative and corporate storytelling training.

Allison's other film and TV appearances include Cobra Kai, High Maintenance, @midnight, Reno 911!: Miami, The Ten, Wedding Daze, VH1's Best Week Ever, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang and HBO's Flight of the Conchords, Viva Variety, The State on MTV and You Wrote It, You Watch It.{{Cite web |title=Kevin Allison |url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0021457/ |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=IMDb |archive-date=2022-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316013159/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0021457/ |url-status=live }} He has written for TV and for production companies like JibJab and Blue Man Group.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-08 |title=Kevin Allison Net Worth 2024: Comedy Star Financial Revealed |url=https://hookeaudio.com/kevin-allison-net-worth/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=hookeaudio.com |language=en-US}}

Allison has taught sketch comedy and storytelling classes at New York University, the People's Improv Theater in New York City (where he also served as artistic director), and the Philly Improv Theater in Philadelphia.{{cite web|title=Instructor Bio: Kevin Allison|publisher=Philly Improv Theater|date=March 1, 2010|accessdate=June 27, 2010|url=http://www.phillyimprovtheater.com/performers/kevinallison.html|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927080212/http://phillyimprovtheater.com/performers/kevinallison.html|archivedate=2010-09-27}} He currently teaches storytelling through his website and The Story Studio.{{Cite web |date=2013-09-04 |title=Kevin Allison: 'The State' alum-turned-storyteller |url=http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/sep/04/kevin-allison-status-update |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=the Guardian |language=en |archive-date=2022-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316013207/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/sep/04/kevin-allison-status-update |url-status=live }}

Allison is an advocate for the kink/BDSM community{{Cite web |last=Tanek |first=Nicholas |date=2017-12-07 |title=Some Dos & Don'ts of Approaching People In The Kink Community |url=https://yourkinkyfriends.com/2017/12/07/some-dos-donts-of-approaching-people-in-the-kink-community/ |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=Your Kinky Friends |archive-date=2023-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206090707/https://yourkinkyfriends.com/2017/12/07/some-dos-donts-of-approaching-people-in-the-kink-community/ |url-status=live }} and has taught workshops on related topics.{{Cite web |title=Talk with Kevin Allison on Pensight |url=https://pensight.com/x/kevin-allison |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=pensight.com |language=en |archive-date=2022-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129141454/https://pensight.com/x/kevin-allison |url-status=live }}