John Branyan's Comedy Sojourn Podcast

Welcome to the kitchen table of The Comedian Next Door! John is sporting some stylish new tech equipment that you'll just have to imagine. We have three, separate pieces of mail to read--the most important of which declares THE PEACHES WAS RIGHT about something. But, also, John's comedy could cure generations of insomnia, according to a certain critic. If you think you can do a better job insulting John, then send your attempts to Nextdoor@johnbranyan.com. (Keep in mind, the Peaches prefers the "Kill Them With Kindness" approach.) The harder you swing, the more pathetic your attempts to hurt another person are... The Peaches invites you to agree with her! Don't miss our Houseguest episode releasing this Wednesday! We'll have Juan and Melodee DeVevo, of Casting Crowns, to discuss education, culture, and the Kindergarten teacher who identifies as NEITHER "Miss nor Mister." Finally, John reads an article from a non-christian comedian who has noticed the way Cancel Culture is affecting the

Hi, Neighbor Pkarlgh! As you probably don't know, John has a Dry Bar special which periodically goes viral on social media and doesn't impact his career in the least. Be careful if you think you want tons of followers on social media! Trust us when we say, climbing to the "next level" of internet popularity isn't what it's cracked up to be. This leads to a possible opportunity for the Peaches to be in a Whirl about something. (But we're not sure.) (And also, John sounds like his nose is stuffed up.) Eventually, he clears his sinuses enough to read a social media post from a woman who doesn't think her child's father needs to be praised for "simple" things like changing diapers and washing bottles. Why do some people focus obsessively on how much or how little encouragment is being given to them BY STRANGERS? We spend the majority of the conversation discussing the reasons you shouldn't tear others down to make yourself feel better, nor should you fool yourself into believing that others are happier

The Peaches is pretty distracted, as it's almost lunchtime and the whole family is gathering after church. John reads some mail from a Neighbor who regrets learning how comedy is made... Sometimes accepting the truth requires a full grief cycle. Next, John shares a quote from a preacher asking for help engaging the young families who have started coming to his church. (Specifically, the preacher wants "doctrinally sound" videos and other resources to share with the newcomers.) Why is John being so hyper-critical this week?! John's point: church leaders already should have doctrinally sound resources in their possession--whether they have new families visiting or not. Amanda's point: many church leaders have been told it's right and proper to defer to "the experts" when it comes to dispensing resources. We live in a culture that values outsourced knowledge more than homemade tools. For whatever reason, we think it lends a certain credibility when we can share a well-produced video made by SOME

Today, we're talking all things "education" with Jesse Sumpter! Parents have a responsibility to educate their children--but too many of us are abdicating our roles to the nearest government school building and hoping a Christian disciple emerges in 12 years. We are so excited to pick Jesse's brain about how to inspire fellow Christians to band together and build a school that impacts the Kingdom. Quotes from this episode: "We want freedom to educate our children how we want to, as Christians, and we want to do that in obedience to God's word." "The first foundation of all good teaching is to tell the truth...and that is fundamentally at odds with the government school system." "To convince people of a new thing, you can give them literature and give them books--you can have thoughtful conversations with them--but the other way of getting through to people is just saying, 'Come and see.' We're humans. We're embodied people, we have to see it sometimes for ourselves..." PLUS, a story about

Tabby is at the table today. She's John's OTHER daughter (and the Peaches' sister). Good luck figuring out which voice belongs to which sister. We kick off the conversation with an email letting John know there was a sliiiiiiight problem with his 3-minute devotionals this week. (Oops.) Then--the Peaches shares an excerpt from a self-help book about how nothing is okay and everything sucks. Somehow, this leads nicely into an audio clip featuring Robin DiAngelo, who explains that you can joke about white people...but you can't joke about people of color, because they're "different." Peaches gets John's reaction to that opinion. All of this is punctuated by Kid Noises and general familial interruptions. What does it mean when comedians talk about "punching up" or "punching down"...and why does John want to attach extra prepositions to the end of those terms? How have so many Jewish people mastered the art of comedy? Why can't worship leaders laugh at themselves? What are some good insults

John reads some mail at the beginning of this episode. (Send your questions and comments to nextdoor@johnbranyan.com) One listeners calls us out for our use of the word "rhetoric" as if it's always bad, even though rhetoric CAN be used for good purposes. That's a fair complaint, Neighbor! You should always feel free to push back when we don't treat a topic fairly... Then we jump into the Peaches In a Whirl segment because the Peaches truly is in a whirl this week! She even admits it! There are so many examples of people doing and saying dumb things this week that we don't have time to cover them all. People just want to be told pretty lies, and they decide what to believe based on who compliments them. Why are so many people openly admitting they don't care what you think...they only care how you make them feel? An astounding number of people (who would call themselves Christians) actually have a fundamentally different religion than we do. All the talk about support and encouragement and compa

We have a Houseguest at the table today: Nathan Hunter! He is an avid reader, a fair-minded conversationalist, and a student of the history of Critical Race Theory. All of this makes him smarter than approximatley 99% of the people he meets on the internet. If he wants to engage people on social media, he's going to need to dumb things down A LOT! Nathan explains he wants to help people think on a deeper level--but he's just not great at shaming and attacking people. That's where we can help! The Peaches invites Nathan to share his background/credentials. But he's not sure he has researched enough, yet. He wants to jump into the conversation and argue IDEAS--but he's waaaaaay too thoughtful to play the role of the Troll. Welcome to the Comedian's House! You can follow John Branyan on Gab, MeWe, and Facebook (until he gets kicked off). You can watch John LIVE on the Starving Comics Quarantine Show, every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern on his YouTube channel. We'll see you at the Fight, Laugh, Feast C

Hey, Neighbor Pkarlgh! We're kicking off with John's favorite kind of mail: the kind which says he's under-rated! (Email nextdoor@johnbranyan.com to send us your glowing reviews.) On today's "Good Grief" segment, the Peaches shares a sad/funny story about her Grandma with Alzheimer's. Laughter and pain are inextricably connected! Can we hold both of those feelings at the same time? Next--the Peaches is in a whirl about a village in Africa which is supposedly functioning as a "Matriarchal Society." Western women want to smash the Patriarchy.... but would that really look any different than what we currently have in the United States? If Hilary Clinton wants to hand out made-up awards to women who are getting pregnant and intentionally raising their children without fathers, she could start a little closer to home! Finally, we talk about sandwiches and frozen lasagnas and recapping some of the Facebook drama John dredged up during Pride month. (Sometimes people are Internet Trolls by accident

We tackle three distinct questions in this episode: What's funny about pastors getting arrested? Can you be bald and have sin in your heart? And...what have you MADE to make the planet better? (Don't say "my kids," Pkarlgh! Apparently that's the wrong answer.) First up, we teach you how to spell your own name, Pkarlgh, in case we haven't explained that already... Next, John explains that laughing DURING a tragedy isn't the same as laughing AT the tragedy. And then he gives his favorite joke premises for mocking the governments responsible for arresting pastors... Finally, we spend the vast majority of our time unpacking the most self-centered and dehumanizing comments from a Feminist about somebody's child that you've heard in awhile. (And if you have screenshots of something MORE outrageous and offensive than this, please share them with us!) Don't forget to send emails to nextdoor@johnbranyan.com, to be part of the show. Feel free to write letting The Peaches know how much her new sound effects c

John's car broke down, but at least he was able to drive 3/4 of a mile first! Our friend, Nathan, made a great comment about people using rhetoric to say what they DON'T REALLY MEAN, and the Peaches decided to make it the theme of this episode. John's sister ("Aunt Bonnie") once found an injured bird in a parking lot, and it became a favorite family story about crazy emotions. Can you EVER trust your emotions? We don't answer that... but you can't be mad when people laugh at your extremism. This reminds the Peaches of a comment about gluttony and obesity that is so outrageous she has to read it verbatim. Later, John embraces the chaos and goes off script by trying to read a comment that is almost completely unintelligble. Even having seen the comment with her own eyes, the Peaches needs a translator. Apparently, one of John's former classmates passed away and another classmate was really broken up about it...so he took the opportunity to verbally abuse everyone else in the graduating class. Also

Why does Amanda ("Peaches") have a reputation for being The Salty One, when sis-in-law, Marla, says offensive things, too? (John has an answer the Peaches doesn't like.) Then we go to the Mail Bag... Our neighbor doesn't know any Christians who are able to laugh at themselves! NONE! How can we move beyond the "safe" topics like slipping on banana peels and learn to laugh at ourselves? Sign up for John's comedy workshop at Fight Laugh Feast University! It's called "Life is Hardy Har-Hard." Click here: https://flfnetwork.com/product/life-is-hardy-har-hard-a-comedy-workshop-for-christians/ The Peaches writes these descriptions. Aren't they interesting? Watch the Butter Video by clicking this link: I Just Need Butter It's hysterical. Click it! Later, we explore the role of the Straight Man. Groaning and eye-rolling is a legitimate part of the Comedy Team, Neighbor! And then the Peaches is in a Whirl about the manipulation behind phrases like "I'm not going to debate" or "I'm not trying t

John just came back from a SURPRISE show... which isn't really as great as it may sound. This reminds Amanda ("Peaches") about the special event happening in the children's department at the local library, in honor of Pride Month. Which, actually, ALSO is less great than it was meant to sound. Then, we hit the mail bag, because one of our Neighbors wants to push back on the idea that it's okay to mock people's bad ideas. How do we avoid being one of the "scoffers" from Psalm 1? This also leads nicely into the Peaches' rant today: women often say they want a partner who makes them laugh and is their best friend. They want a Dax Shephard to share funny stories; but they're not Kristin Bell! (That makes more sense when you've heard the Sloth Story.) Finally: what should you do when a kind stranger washes your windshield? And how big is pickle-sized hail? All this and more on today's episode! You can join John's Comedy Clique and get special member content. Visit johnbranyan.com for more info. Also, ask a

Comedy material is EVERYWHERE. Here John gives just a few examples... Learn how to discover more humorous situations in your own life; buy John's book, Life is Hardy Har Hard, available on Amazon. Come on vacation with John and his funny family! (Details about Vacay with Comics at johnbranyan.com) Follow John on Gab, MeWe, and YouTube.

Welcome to the kitchen table of the Comedian Next Door--a cozy household where there's laundry being washed in the background, and we didn't realize our mics were picking it up for the first ten minutes! (As always, we're very high tech around here.) We're going on a picnic, and you can't come unless you figure out the rule and bring along the right item! This is a game we play with 10-year-old Cami and 7-year-old Collin. And here's a new segment: MAIL BAG! Send us your suggestions for appropriate sound effects. Because, again, we're very high tech around here. Our listener, Pkarlgha, wants to know whether pastors should be using their pulpits to push vaccines as the "Christian thing to do." Are we alienating people from the Gospel if we are hesistant to get a vaccine? Also: IU Health is trying to make COVID vaccines mandatory for ALL employees, students, and vendors. We mention Patrick Mahoney's ministry completely by mistake in this episode. (Turns out he isn't the quarterback for the Green

It's time for another "Branyan Bit." Has anyone else ever had an animal in the house that doesn't belong there?...besides a cat? John isn't a very outdoorsy person, but the Outdoors keep coming IN. Take seven minutes and laugh with the Comedian Next Door. Follow John on MeWe and Gab. (He also has a Facebook account, until he gets banned from there.) You can watch John LIVE on the Starving Comics Quarantine Show, every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern, on his YouTube Channel. Visit johnbranyan.com to support John. Become a Fight, Laugh, Feast Club Member to unlock more great content.

We get to play the Cliche Game with 5-year-old Emmi and laugh heartily at her responses. (If you have a Kindergartener in your life, Neighbor, then ask him/her to fill in the blank with popular sayings, and send us the results.) Next--we need to accept criticism when it's true, even when it comes from really awful people... And, speaking of awful people, we bring up the unwashed miscreants on Gab. Some gross stuff comes out of people's hearts when you let them talk freely. But don't give into the temptation to be a victim, Neighbor! We will damage our children if we pity them for the injustice they'll inevitably encounter. Bonus stories: John was treated unfairly as a kid!...but his mom taught him that's how life goes sometimes. Finally, John proposes we should LET PEOPLE APOLOGIZE to the Woke mob for things they "did wrong," when their consciences demand it. If someone wants to confess the they're horrible sinners for voicing an Indian on the Simpson's, then so be it. Does anybody read the subscri

From time to time, it is appropriate for comedians to put something funny on their podcast, so the following is completely appropriate... John tells you the name of the only town he might consider moving to. What should you do when you see a distracted driver? How can we be sure God has a sense of humor? What's the Universal punchline?... All this and more in today's Branyan Bit. We can't be funny without you! To support John Branyan, become a member of the Comedy Clique. (Details at johnbranyan.com) Follow John on MeWe, Gab, and YouTube.

We're recording on a Sunday, and the Comedian's house is FULL of family. (Listen to the chatter in the background...) Amanda, aka The Peaches, has been wrangling approximately 4,127 children this week. So she's a little impatient with John's slow reading of emails. A listener wants to know where to find The Peaches' blog posts, and--whoops--we never actually answer that question. (Here, Neighbor! culturesatwar.wordpress.com) It turns out, we made a strong case for "the Indissolubility of marriage" without knowing that term. Also, a different listener calls us out on a blindspot involving female church leaders, and now we're collecting the basal temperatures of our listeners...for science! In the Good Grief segment, we talk about how to manage when an Atheist is angry at you. This leads nicely into the Peaches in a Whirl segment. She shares how David Wood manages when Muslims are angry at him. Don't tell other Christians they're doing ministry wrong, if you're not doing it better! Finally, is it EVE

Mark and Deanna Gungor are in the house today...on our computer screen. Doorbells are ringing, kids are laughing in the background, and we're talking about how Mark upset some people on social media. Topics include: Separating from abusive spouses, the problems with marriage counseling, asking questions, and "Women be crazy." (But don't say that last part on Facebook!) "I promise you guys, this Sunday there will be churches all across America where Johnny and Suzie are getting a divorce, and everyone will be shocked." --Mark Gungor You can find Mark and Deanna on Facebook and at markgungor.com. Email your questions/comments for John and Peaches to nextdoor@johnbranyan.com Subscribe to the John Branyan channel on YouTube; watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show LIVE every Sunday at 7:00pm EST. Join us for Vacay with Comics this August! (Details at johnbranyan.com) Become a Fight Laugh Feast club member for exclusive content.

We start the episode playing a game with 10-year-old Cami and 7-year-old Collin you can try with your family in the car or waiting areas... Then John/Dad/Grandpa reads a study that concludes women are "healthier" in churches with female leaders. He has some advice for people who want to laugh about that. Later, the Peaches brings up "Husbands are the heads, but wives are the necks." She shares the name of a preacher who agrees with the Bible that Jesus is the Gate...but he says Christians are the hinges who can prevent people from entering if we're not open enough. (LOL!) Finally, we're not done talking about whether Sunday is the first day of the week! And the army gathering to die on that hill is getting larger. Leave us a comment: nextdoor@johnbranyan.com What's it like to go on vacation with a bunch of comedians? Join us for Vacay with Comics! (Details at johnbranyan.com) Follow John Branyan's YouTube channel and watch the Starving Comics Show, every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern. Become a Fight Laugh F