The Nutshell True Story Hour

Joe Klocek's parents institutionalized him

When Joe Klocek was a teenager, he realized he felt more strongly than others, especially lows. When he felt lows, they were really low. So low, he finally attempted suicide. His parents were well-meaning, but they didn’t know what to do, and decided to have him committed. Maybe the instinct was right, but the mental institution provided very little actual care, and Joe felt like he was being held in prison, wasting his days watching Three’s Company reruns. Since Joe was a minor, he didn’t have any agency to decide whether or not he had to be institutionalized and eventually went to court to get released. The problem? His parents went to court too—to fight to keep him committed. What ensued was a battle for Joe’s freedom and sanity, possibly at the cost of his family. Joe told this story at our February 2026 show, The People Who Made Us. He’d been wanting to tell this tale for years, but as a comedian, felt uncomfortable doing so. But he finally faced this piece of his past on our stage, and wow, was it moving. Our interview with him, a week later (At JP Frary’s house), was also a compelling emotional ride for Joe. We’re honored and appreciative he decided to share his story with us and our audience. And now we get to share it with you, too. Joe is an iconic SF comedian, and you can check him out here [https://stagejoe.com/]. The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee [https://open.substack.com/users/8598354-amy-bee?utm_source=mentions] Keith Lowell Jensen [https://open.substack.com/users/2339998-keith-lowell-jensen?utm_source=mentions] Aaron Carnes [https://open.substack.com/users/8716380-aaron-carnes?utm_source=mentions] Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp [https://www.trippdj.com/] for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel [https://www.hyperlive.events/] for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre [https://bstreettheatre.org/] for a beautiful stage to gather around. Our photographer, Antonio Lovig. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe [https://www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

JP Frary secretly watched other families living normal lives

When JP Frary was sexually assaulted in his youth, no one in his family knew how to talk to him about it. They would get this look in their eyes that JP couldn’t quite identify. Was it worry? Pity? Accusation? With no one—including himself—having the words or the ability to process what had happened, JP began to spend long stretches alone, haunting the woods on the outskirts of his small hometown in Northern California. It seemed a reasonable outcome, or perhaps a foregone conclusion, he decided, that he had become a ghost. During his time as a ghost, JP watched. He saw how the weather moved slowly, then suddenly, in the backwoods of his home. He saw the creek burble with motion and then puddle up like wannabe tide pools. He watched the trees. He watched the wildlife. And when his wanderings led him to the backyards and the manicured lawns and the sliding glass doors of families with mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers, well, he watched them, too. Because JP was a ghost, and that’s what ghosts do. We’re honored JP shared this story with us and on our stage. Listen to the story first, then hear JP talk with us about how difficult it was to put this particular story together. The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee [https://substack.com/profile/8598354-amy-bee] Keith Lowell Jensen [https://substack.com/profile/2339998-keith-lowell-jensen] Aaron Carnes [https://substack.com/profile/8716380-aaron-carnes] Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp [https://www.trippdj.com/] for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel [https://www.hyperlive.events/] for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre [https://bstreettheatre.org/] for a beautiful stage to gather around. Our photographer, Antonio Lovig. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe [https://www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The military sent Kathleen Taylor to London

When Kathleen Taylor enlisted in the military as a young woman, she’d already lived a full life. Or so she believed. When they sent her to London, she saw herself as knowledgeable and worldly, someone who could adapt to any situation she was dropped into. But not only did her rigid ideas on style and “how to experience London” rub her colleagues the wrong way, but the only other woman in the military unit (Sue Ellen)—a very unworldly, uncultured person—was the one everyone wanted to hang out with. As Kathleen found herself in unpretentious punk clubs surrounded by folks with no sense of shame, she learned a valuable lesson about herself. She may know a lot from books and a big brain, but she has no chill. We sat down with Kathleen in her beautiful Sacramento home. She was a delight to talk with about her story; it was abundantly clear how different she is now from the person she was back then. Aside from being a fantastic writer and storyteller, Kathleen is a professor, an Air Force veteran, and the founder of Veteran Women’s Voices [https://veteranwomensvoices.org/vwv-facilitators/], which supports women military veterans in California in developing the writing skills and confidence to express their unique experiences. The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee Keith Lowell Jensen Aaron Carnes Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp [https://www.trippdj.com/] for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel [https://www.hyperlive.events/] for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre [https://bstreettheatre.org/] for a beautiful stage to gather around. Our photographer, Antonio Lovig. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe [https://www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

John Aubert Goes The Wrong Direction

Travel. Who doesn’t love a good trip. It can be be in a plane, train or automobile. As long as it gets you from point A to point B, and you experience some life in the process. Our theme last November was “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” And while we intended that to give us a bounty of holiday stories. Sacramento-based storyteller John Aubert (host of Do Tell and Assistant Events Producer at Capital Storytelling) took the prompt quite literal. His story involved travel. And while each of these forms of transportation were mentioned. It was the automobile that was the focus of his story. There’s nothing quite like hitting the road and making good miles. That was the trip John thought was was having, until he noticed a few peculiar details on his journey. Humiliation ensued. After the story, we sat down with John at the Sofia Theater to learn why this story was so embarrassing for him to tell on stage. Isn’t pain where all the best stories come from? The Nutshell True Story Hour is presented by In a Nutshell Storytelling [http://www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/] The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee Keith Lowell Jensen Aaron Carnes Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp [https://www.trippdj.com/] for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel [https://www.hyperlive.events/] for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre [https://bstreettheatre.org/] for a beautiful stage to gather around. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. YOU can also subscribe for true stories and backstage conversations from the In a Nutshell community. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe [https://www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

DNA wants to be the mayor of Chico

Storyteller/comedian DNA has done a lot of things in his career. He’s put on big comedy festivals in Santa Cruz, he’s done extensive journalistic pieces, and he’s even recently made a movie [https://votedna.substack.com/p/messiah-ink]. But perhaps his strangest pursuit was running for Mayor of Chico…five times! When DNA came to In a Nutshell last year to tell his story of running for mayor, the theme was “It’s a beautiful day.” The reason it was a beautiful day for DNA was that he didn’t run his campaign(s) like a normal politician. There were pranks, publicity stunts and jokes. “Nudes for Nader” was one of the most famous publicity stunts that emerged from all of this. Some of it was designed to comment on the foul nature of American politics. So, when we talked to DNA (In Chico, of course), we got quite philosophical in our conversation. The sour state of politics, the dumbing down of American culture and the hopelessness that any of it will ever get better. It’s a fun listen! Plus, we find out if he still wants to be the mayor of Chico. The Nutshell True Story Hour is presented by In a Nutshell Storytelling [http://www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/] The Nutshell Three: Amy Bee Keith Lowell Jensen Aaron Carnes Sound Engineer: Chris Reeves Thank you to: DJ Yuma Tripp [https://www.trippdj.com/] for allowing us to use his song “Lazy Skank” for our episodes and our live show. Hyperpixel [https://www.hyperlive.events/] for audio and video services. Sofia Theatre [https://bstreettheatre.org/] for a beautiful stage to gather around. Babalou and Suzon Lucore for watching over our event table and engaging with people in the best way possible. SHOUT OUT to Frances Southwick for becoming a paid subscriber and supporting live storytelling! You’re our ride or die, Frances! YOU can also subscribe for true stories and backstage conversations from the In a Nutshell community. Get full access to In a Nutshell Storytelling at www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe [https://www.inanutshellstorytelling.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]