Joel Kim Booster | "You're Not Going to Hell"
They weren't friends. Joel Kim Booster sang baritone; Sarah Casey sang alto and was a state champion pole vaulter who ran with an entirely different crowd. She turned around at the end of choir one day and said if he ever needed a place to stay, he could stay with her family. He doesn't think she meant it literally. Three days later he showed up at her door and said he was there to cash in.
He'd been homeschooled until junior year, come out at 16, and been given an ultimatum by his parents after they read his journal: live the way they wanted, or move out. He called the bluff and had no idea how long he'd last. He ended up in the Caseys' basement for the rest of his senior year — lunches packed, car started for him in the winter, student loans co-signed, a car bought for graduation by their church. Sarah's father, Tim, a Methodist pastor, sat him down after hearing that Joel had resigned himself to going to hell and told him there is no biblical basis for hell, and that God does not care who he loves. Joel says plainly that it saved his life.
In this conversation with David Begnaud, he talks about being diagnosed bipolar II at 33 and what that framework explained about the kid he'd been. About a father he couldn't speak the same language as, who came to every play anyway, and a mother who has never watched anything he's made — which he says is fine, and means it. About why a no from a casting director cuts deeper now than any rejection from his family. And about Sarah, who is a Methodist pastor herself now, and who he'd like people to understand is doing the more important work.
Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.com
Chapters ☀️
ABOUT THIS PODCAST:
The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.
David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.
Host: David Begnaud
Guest: Joel Kim Booster
Executive Producer: Olivier Delfosse
Associate Producer: Jonah Johnson
Booker: Sully Bloch
Director of Photography: Foster Parks
Director of Social: Mariah Maull
Live Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)
Theme Music: Slipstream
Post-Production: Longwave Digital
CONNECT WITH US:
The Person Who Believed In Me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
More description
They weren't friends. Joel Kim Booster sang baritone; Sarah Casey sang alto and was a state champion pole vaulter who ran with an entirely different crowd. She turned around at the end of choir one day and said if he ever needed a place to stay, he could stay with her family. He doesn't think she meant it literally. Three days later he showed up at her door and said he was there to cash in.
He'd been homeschooled until junior year, come out at 16, and been given an ultimatum by his parents after they read his journal: live the way they wanted, or move out. He called the bluff and had no idea how long he'd last. He ended up in the Caseys' basement for the rest of his senior year — lunches packed, car started for him in the winter, student loans co-signed, a car bought for graduation by their church. Sarah's father, Tim, a Methodist pastor, sat him down after hearing that Joel had resigned himself to going to hell and told him there is no biblical basis for hell, and that God does not care who he loves. Joel says plainly that it saved his life.
In this conversation with David Begnaud, he talks about being diagnosed bipolar II at 33 and what that framework explained about the kid he'd been. About a father he couldn't speak the same language as, who came to every play anyway, and a mother who has never watched anything he's made — which he says is fine, and means it. About why a no from a casting director cuts deeper now than any rejection from his family. And about Sarah, who is a Methodist pastor herself now, and who he'd like people to understand is doing the more important work.
Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.com
Chapters ☀️
ABOUT THIS PODCAST:
The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.
David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.
Host: David Begnaud
Guest: Joel Kim Booster
Executive Producer: Olivier Delfosse
Associate Producer: Jonah Johnson
Booker: Sully Bloch
Director of Photography: Foster Parks
Director of Social: Mariah Maull
Live Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)
Theme Music: Slipstream
Post-Production: Longwave Digital
CONNECT WITH US:
The Person Who Believed In Me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Listen elsewhere
Available Results
Generated results are saved to your library for reuse and search.