Allison Raskin


Allison Beth Raskin is an American writer, director, comedian, YouTuber, podcaster, and mental health advocate. Raskin previously worked as a writer at BuzzFeed Video, but left in 2015 with fellow writer and friend Gaby Dunn to pursue work on their comedy YouTube channel, .
Raskin has written for Elle, NBC News Think, and Splinter News. On September 5, 2017, Raskin and Dunn released a joint novel, I Hate Everyone but You, which reached the top ten on The New York Times best sellers list.

Early life and education

Raskin was born on June 20, 1989 in Manhattan, New York to a Jewish family. She attended the University of Southern California and received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree. In 2020 she began a Clinical Psychology Program with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy at Pepperdine University.
Raskin is outspoken about her struggles with mental health. When she was 4 years old she was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and continued to experience anxiety and depression. She took medication until she was 21 and took a 7 year break, which still included therapy. When she was 28 she went back on medication and experienced backlash regarding weight gain due to the medication’s side effects. She notes that while this was difficult, she is losing weight and wants to keep her mental health a priority.

Career

BuzzFeed

Raskin was a writer at BuzzFeed video where she was featured in a number of videos, both by herself and with Dunn. She and Dunn left in 2015 to commit to the JBU YouTube channel. They cited the difficulties of working with Buzzfeed, who wanted to limit their time on JBU. They stated it was the scariest decision they've had to make.

Just Between Us

Raskin and Dunn co-created the Just Between Us Youtube channel in 2014. A self-described odd couple, they play versions of themselves in sketch comedy videos and discuss relevant topics such as mental health, friendships, and relationships in their show of the same name "Just Between Us". They also started a podcast under the same name in March 2019, where they have guests discuss topics and answer different prompts. This includes a section entitled "Hypotheticals" where Raskin asks Dunn and guests questions such as, "Would you stay with this cheater?"

''Gossip''

With the help of Stitcher, Raskin created Gossip, a 12-episode scripted podcast, which chronicles 3 female friends as they meet each week to discuss gossip surrounding their suburban town. The podcast ran from June 2018 to August 2018.

Books

Raskin's first novel, I Hate Everyone But You, co-written with Gaby Dunn, was published on September 5, 2017. The sequel, Please Send Help, was released on July 16, 2019.

Personal life

In May 2020, Raskin announced that she is engaged to Jake Hirsch, her boyfriend of one and a half years.