The Comedian Next Door

We're here at the kitchen table with a neighborhood celebrity--our FLF brother--Adam "AD" Robles. To kick off, we joke about not knowing what we're supposed to be talking about. Except, it's not really a joke, and we literally don't know what we're talking about… Eventually, we find our rhythm and dissect the way "Evangelical" leadership has failed to defend itself against Cancel Culture. (Hello, Josh McDowell!) But maybe the falling away of cowardly pastors is a blessing in disguise?… In this episode, we cover: -AD's massive network of executive staff -Why John's podcast is boring -How Josh McDowell cancelled HIMSELF -Should Christians be FEARED in the culture? -Should parents be FEARED by their children? -Feminism permeates the culture, including churches -How Evangelicals regularly misjudge the cultural moment -Plus, Pkarlgh (our listener) gets a suave new Spanish nickname! "If Josh McDowell could not stand up to the woke Everything-Is-Racist mob, then maybe it's time for him to step aside. The last think that Evangelicalism needs is ANOTHER person who won't stand up to paganism and evil ideologies. So, he shouldn't have done it; he shouldn't have resigned. But, since he's the type of guy who would resign--good!" --AD Robles "Evangelicalism has made it an artform of preaching the sermon that does not need to be preached right now…" --AD Robles Bonus: Why AD is grateful for Transgenders at Hooters.

Welcome to the Comedian's house, Neighbor Pkarlgh! If you don't want to spend a long time shooting the breeze about Japanese food, we apologize in advance. .... John published a post about "Peacemaking" this week, and the Peaches wasn't impressed with his delivery. It was a bit rambly and unorganized. Buuuuut, there were some strong points. Here's the private message John received: "I do have to ask, have you become a Facebook troll? Hahaha! It's funny. But you seem to donate your opinions, many of which I also agree. But they are unsolicited. As I am tempted to throw my two-cents into a Facebook thread, I am also reminded that 'blessed are the peacemakers.' Are you helping to keep the peace?" This is a perfectly reasonable question! But, sometimes comedians aren't very nuanced when they have a point to make. There are two issues with this private message. #1. Private messages are like dragging someone out of the townsquare into a dark alley, where there are no witnesses, so you can confront them. #2. The definition of "peacemaking" in the Western church is a bit messed up. Unfortunately, too many people want to jusify their cowardice by calling themselves "peacemakers." But Peacemaking isn't refusing to fight; it's fighting the RIGHT PEOPLE... Send us an email: [email protected], Thanks for laughing with us, Neighbor!

Welcome to our house, Neighbor! We're not over-exaggerating when we say John and the Peaches aren't seeing completely eye-to-eye on this episode. Be prepared for a little bickering... A listener weighs in on a recent episode. Do teachers WANT their students to be as offended as possible? The Peaches disagrees with both John and the Neighbor who sent us this email. Many, many, many Tik-Tok, Instagram influencers claim they were raised by parents who didn't LOVE them enough, and it caused them to have low self-esteem. (Their parents were selfish.) So, they think the solution is to LOVE THEMSELVES in ways their parents never did. In other words: they want to become as self-focused and self-absorbed as their parents were. Eventually, the Peaches brings up the Golden Rule, and that's where things start to go off the rails. What happens when people start reading the Bible for OTHERS instead of applying it to themselves?... Well, it doesn't work. (We agree about that.) But John thinks it's possible to take the Golden Rule too far...? Or something?... And then we have to talk about BDSM, so it gets weird. Sorry, Neighbor. We unnecessarily complicated this whole thing. But, bottom line: We think there are parents and teachers out there who selfishly train up children to be THEIR PERSONAL SERVANTS; they are raising kids to be part of a world that revolves around THEM... Finally, the Peaches whirls about whether you can respect an idea or belief that you disagree with. Why is this so hard for people to grasp?!?!?! If you like being part of our kitchen table conversations, you can support The Comedian Next Door by joining the Comedy Clique! (Details at johnbranyan.com)

This episode is dedicated to reading comments, emails, and reviews from people who aren't very impressed with John Branyan (to say the least). Welcome to the kitchen table, Neighbor Pkarlgh! If you have always wanted to tell John that he's an incompetant loser who wouldn't understand humor if it fell from a tree and knocked him over, then you're going to love this! If you'd like to send us some hate mail, you can contact us here: [email protected] Thanks for laughing with our family, Pkarlgh!

We've got a HOUSEGUEST at the Kitchen Table today: our friend and educator, Chris "Shoof" Scheufele. Chris travels the country giving talks to students about how to be emotionally resilient. Recently, he delivered a speech at a new school that went GREAT! Everyone laughed, they clapped, and they wanted to have him come back again soon… Well, ALMOST everyone… We talk about the way a small minority of offended teachers can control the entire school. Why does the principal allow this to happen? How can Christians stand up to Cancel Culture? And is Chris interested in joining a group of Christian allies who will stand up for him whenever he's attacked by humorless nincompoops? All this and more in today's HOUSEGUEST episode! You can find Chris at chrisintheclassroom.com and on Facebook on the "Chris in the Classroom" page.

Hi, Neighbor Pkarlgh! We decided to record a podcast in the middle of the Facebook Outage, because we thought it might be headline news for longer than 10 minutes... John talked to his Computer Coding Genius friend who gave us some insider information on why the whole system went down for the longest blackout in the platform's history. THEN, we give an update about the Speeding Ticket Lady from last week's episode about toxic femininity. (Spoiler: she still has dozens of people encouraging her bad behavior.) NEXT, too many people just KEEP TALKING when they're upset, which only makes everything worse. If folks would learn to SHUT UP until their strong emotions pass, the world would be a better place. We understand that sometimes you feel like venting! And sometimes you make mistakes and get frustrated with yourself and others. But it's better to JUST SHUT UP. FINALLY, the Peaches reads one of her old blog posts (from 2010) about how you should NEVER say "shut up" to anyone. Her tirade is pretty funny in light of the title of this episode... But, at the time, it was a serious argument she had with her new husband. As much as she didn't appreciate being told to shut up, it turned out to be decent advice. Thank you for joining us at the kitchen table! Visit johnbranyan.com to become part of the Comedy Clique and get exclusive content.

The Peaches didn't write a proper summary for this episode, Neighbor. Here are the bare basics: our culture finds it much easier to identify and call out "toxic masculinity" than to recognize when WOMEN are being toxic. So--today we're talking about sinful female behavior (with examples from social media). But, before all of that, we share a plan for how to handle our new Serial Scam Caller next time he rings the Comedy Business Phone with a thick Hindi accent… Please consider supporting John Branyan by joining the Comedy Clique at johnbranyan.com

We're at the kitchen table with good friend and ventriloquist, David Pendleton--but DON'T CALL HIM DAVE! If you've never listened to a conversation with David before, you won't know that he's an expert on German Baptist theology. (It's a long story, Neighbor Pkarlgh. But you can listen to the German Baptist episode of the Comedy Sojourn by clicking here: Scandals, Forgiveness, Foot-washing, and German Baptists ) Today, David gives just a brief description of the baptism ceremony in the German Baptist community--and then we're able to seque nicely into talking about a DIFFERENT kind of fundamentalism which is infecting the culture... That is, Woke Fundamentalism. David has been a staff member at Campus Crusade for Christ since the mid-80's, and he has an insider's perspective to share regarding the recent criticism of (and subsequent apology from) Josh McDowell. David's testimony may or may not include examples from Cru's internal message boards. This is an extended episode detailing how a once strong, faithful organization can become infiltrated by unChristian ideas in a relatively short amount of time. "Here's the important narrative here… if you say that a certain group of people do not have equal opportunity, you cannot then attribute it to something that is true within their culture. You always have to attribute it to [being] because they have been victimized." --David Pendleton Join us at the table! You can find David's website at anythingcantalk.com Find John at johnbranyan.com

We have SO MANY THINGS TO TALK ABOUT, Neighbor! Tune in next Wednesday for our houseguest episode with David Pendleton with some BREAKING CULTURAL NEWS. There’s a scandal related to a respected Christian institution, and you probably aren’t even aware of it, yet. But that’s why you listen to the Comedian Next Door! So you can be “in the know.” Next, John wants to get to the mail—but he has to suffer the Peaches’ sound effects first. (He was so proud of that Mouth Honk last week, and now, suddenly, it’s a burden...) Our listener, Pkarlgh, writes to us from Canada using plenty of commas and making several observations about the sad state of our culture. She closes with a question about what to call “healthcare” when it’s being controlled by tyrannical professionals who hold political grudges. We have some suggestions, of course. Later, John has a quote from G.K. Chesterton. But it takes awhile for him to read it because we enlist the help of the Podcast Ninja (Luke) to demonstrate a perfect British accent. Eventually, John shares the quote: “[Jesus] restrained something… I say it with reverence that there was, in this shattering personality, a thread that must be called shyness. There was something He hid from all men when he went up a mountain to pray. There was something that he covered constantly by abrupt silence or impetuous isolation. There was one thing that was too great for God to show us when He walked upon our earth. And I have sometimes fancied that it was his mirth.” We don’t want to disagree with the famous Theologian. Buuuuut… we’re not sure why he assumes Jesus wasn’t mirthful. And that’s just the first 15 minutes! We spend the rest of this long-winded episode mildly chastising the Focus on the Family initiative to “Take Your Bible To School.” We propose: take your school to CHURCH and stop trying to sprinkle a little bit of Jesus on top of your secular education… We have much more to say about godless, Secular Humanist education and the public school system. Join the conversation! And, if you want to send us your comments and questions, write to: [email protected]!

Welcome, Pkarlgh! The birthday party prep is in full swing, and 5-year-old Emery was given the best chore ever! This reminds John of a new segment idea: Is This a Joke?! As the culture continues to swim in irrationality, there are a lot of things happening that would have been considered unbelievable 20 years ago... For example: Atheist chaplains and women who put their sons in dresses and then complain that they're being bullied... Is this a joke? Related: John is very proud of the new sound he can make with his mouth. Let us know if you're as impressed as he is, by emailing [email protected] . Finally, it's mail time! How can we be respectful toward our bodies as temples and have dignity as Christians made in God's image--while we're laughing at everything? It's a good question, Pkarlgh! We should want to be mature...responsible...respectable...and to maintain a human dignity. However--we shouldn't be too preoccupied with being SEEN as very grown up. C.S. Lewis has a great quote about our quest for maturity. Shout out to Tony and Joseph on the Patriarchy Podcast! They're our network brothers on Fight, Laugh, Feast... Then we spend waaaaaay too long trying to think of a synonym for "frivolous." Don't forget: A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men. --Roald Dahl The most dignified parts of this podcast have--by far--been the most boring. And what does Cami's experience on a roller coaster have to do with struggling to be dignified? Finally, we wrap up with a quick Whirl from the Peaches. Christians have historically been very Libertarian-leaning. (Small government, free markets, etc.) But we don't live in a moral society anymore. We can't value "free choice" at all costs--when our neighbors are "choosing" to kill babies. And we can't value free enterprise at all costs, when pagan corporations are censoring Christian thought… Please consider becoming a member of the John Branyan Comedy Clique by visiting johnbranyan.com. We can't do what we do without you, Neighbor!

Hi, Neighbor! When you're hanging out at the Comedian's house, we affectionately call you "Pkarlgh." So welcome, Pkarlgh. We're just getting back from the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, literally minutes before recording, and John is sporting some stylish new Ear Gear. How comfortable are his new headphones?... Well... the Peaches gives the best description she can muster. Hard consonants are funny, Pkarlgh. That's your free advice from the professional today. And speaking of funny words, please wish Collin "good well" on his 8th birthday. Feel free to ask if you can share some of his lollipop or soda. We'll know whether you listened to this episode if you use the special phrase! After we talk about "duck" and "suck," we discover there is another relevant word, used by an angry Feminist when addressing unvaccinated individuals. The Podcast Ninja (Luke) shared his favorite take-away from the Conference: tyranny happens incrementally, through hundreds of tiny compromises. Long story very short, THAT'S why we find our culture suddenly being bullied into compliance by Mama Bears who are PROUD to use emotional manipulation on Facebook. Whoops, pause for a second, Pkarlgh! The Peaches needs to update the official outro, now that the FLF Conference is over. Now what do you think of the new one? (We especially hope you enjoy the contribution from 3-year-old Silas.) Please send any comments or questions to [email protected]. Follow the John Branyan channel on YouTube and watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show LIVE every Sunday night at 7:00pm Eastern. (Comments left during the LIVE stream can be featured in the show!) If you're not a Club Member in the Fight Laugh Feast Network already, what's wrong with you?! Sign up at flfnetwork.com, and you can get caught up on the talks that were given at the conference this weekend!

We don't know what we're talking about today, Neighbor Pkarlghl! But that never stops us from filling 45 minutes with meandering conversation... Emmi (5-years-old) treats us to a very quiet recitation of "The Elephant." Then we get ready to open the mailbag. (But first--a quick plug for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference. John says we'll be recording the next episode live at the conference, and hopefully that's true!) This week, someone mistook John's youngest daughter, Tabby, for his wife. (Awkward.) And someone else named their computer "Pkarlgh" in honor of this podcast. (Awesome!) Then the Peaches' is asked for an update about the vaccine mandate being imposed on her husband, who's a registered nurse. Luke was granted a religious exemption, and the Peaches shares the details about the scathing letter they wrote and gave to the hospital. Healthcare is a mess right now! Good employees are being fired (or walking out), and the leadership teams are panicking. Facebook groups of angry healthcare workers are being blown off the internet. What a time to be alive! Then John asks, "Why do administrators think they can just be nasty--and bare their teeth--and then people will do what they want?" And the answer is…unfortunately, because that DOES work sometimes. This leads to a conversation about Christians being bullied into deleting things off the internet. Later, Rick Warren said the best way to love your neighbor in this era is to wear a mask. John has some thoughts about that. And the Peaches thinks people on both sides of the debate are actually afraid they might be wrong... Thank you to the Fight Laugh Feast Network for hosting us--and thank you to Subsplash for sponsoring the app. If you can't get enough of the Comedian, you can follow John Branyan on YouTube and Gab. Or, visit johnbranyan.com to become a member of the Comedy Clique and enjoy exclusive content. See you next time!

We are laaaaaate, Neighbor Pkarlgh! It has been a busy weekend at Vacay with Comics. (And, also, our microphones weren't turned up…but that may have been a smaller percentage of the problem.) Vacay was a success, despite Luke and Joe trying to ruin our reputation with alcohol. Completely unplanned, both John and The Peaches are talking about Parents With Problems. First, a father of two kids is "NOT OKAY" (his words, not ours), because the pandemic is cramping his style. It turns out, he can't really decide whether he wants his kids to go back to public school or he wants to keep them home, safe, where they are driving him crazy. Then, John reads a post from a mother of a newborn who is also NOT OKAY. (Our words, not hers.) She is afraid the new baby will get sick, so she won't let anyone hold him…including the big brothers and sisters. The Peaches reads a post she wrote on this subject long before the COVID circus. Excerpt: "PLEASE, please don't believe the lie that you can prevent tragedies if you refuse to let your babies be kissed or snuggled. Please don't demand that everyone within 20 miles get flu shots, or they will be eaten by Mama Bear. Please don't threaten to rip apart families over a pacifier that didn't get sterilized. And please--please--don't isolate yourself from family and friends out of fear that they'll contaminate your baby. Because… THIS DOESN'T PREVENT TRAGEDY--It'S ACTUALLY A SICKNESS OF ITS OWN." We would love to hear from you, Pkarlgh! Email us as [email protected] to weigh in. Also, it's not too late to visit with us at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, September 9th - 11th. Details at flfnetwork.com.

Welcome to the kitchen table, Neighbor Pkarlgh! Our houseguests are physically in the house with us, for once. Normally, when Juan and Melodee are in town, we selfishly keep them all to ourselves, and we talk and play games without recording anything. But, today, we're sharing a portion of our conversation about speaking TRUTH without lacking LOVE. (This is one of Juan's favorite topics.) "I've given a lot of thought to this Truth and Love debate that we're all having… One of my favorite authors is CS Lewis, and he says the enemy always introduces errors into the world in pairs of opposites…" -Juan DeVevo Can we think of examples of speaking Truth -without- love? And what do Harriet the Spy and Rosie O'Donnell have to do with this? Plus: the Peaches tells the DeVevos about a "gender non-binary" Kindergarden teacher who is brainwashing 5-year-olds in a nearby town. While Christians have been agonizing over whether they're loving enough, the culture has been taken over by crazies who have no problem telling your children they can be "LGBT kiddos." You can see Juan and Melodee on the Casting Crowns Drive-In Tour. Details at castingcrowns.com. Also, become part of John Branyan's Comedy Clique by visiting johnbranyan.com and clicking around until you find a problem with the website and get frustrated and email us at [email protected]

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 [email protected]. (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 comedy world. When the author was attacked by the LGBT mob, he received private messages of support, saying he did nothing wrong. But--publicly--nobody defended him. "There are lessons here that go well beyond comedy. While the vast majority of my readers, even the Canadian ones, have never heard of [this Trans Comedian], or the rest of her clique, the examples show...tiny groups of enforcers can poison an entire artistic subculture, despite these enforcers' lack of any real commercial success..." (Full article here: https://quillette.com/2021/08/01/life-as-a-stand-up-comic-can-be-brutal-safe-space-call-out-culture-is-making-it-unbearable/) In other words, a person who's not even a FUNNY COMEDIAN can somehow influence the entire culture. Never, ever ask a woman or couple if they're planning to have children... Never, ever, ever, ever ask certain questions. The Enforcers have spoken! Being afraid to speak what's on your mind will affect the entire Comedy Industry and the rest of society. We'll see you at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, Neighbor! Join John Branyan's Comedy Clique by visiting johnbranyan.com and becoming a member.

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 because their efforts are recognized more than your own. Finally--does anyone know whether lobsters ACTUALLY step on each others back to get out of buckets? Email us at [email protected] to solve this mystery. Subscribe to the John Branyan channel on YouTube and watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show LIVE every Sunday evening at 7:00pm Eastern. Become a Comedy Clique member for exclusive content. (Details at johnbranyan.com) And, finally, have your pets spayed and neutered. Support the Fight Laugh Feast network by becoming a Club Member. Download the Fight Laugh Feast app for easier listening!

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 SOMEONE ELSE, rather than creating something of our own. Pause. John needs to go get a drink before he chokes to death. Okay, now he wants the Peaches to tell the story of the tomato in the toaster. But first, we need to pause again to retrieve the pizza. When we finally resume recording again, it has been a couple of hours. (We can't keep secrets from you, Pkarlgh!) But we eventually get around to discussing the tomato in the toaster. Collin, who's seven-years-old, is starting to show signs of maturity, and we are optimistic he's going to be a free-thinking adult some day! This reminds us of great advice from Pastor Doug Wilson: give your kids FEWER rules. Make the principles broad, and trust the children to be smart enough to reason for themselves. And that's pretty much a wrap, Pkarlgh! Make sure you visit johnbranyan.com for information about Vacay with Comics. This is the LAST WEEK to register. If you can't make it for the full weekend retreat, just come for the showcase on Saturday, August 21st. Link is here: https://johnbranyan.com/vacay-showcase/ You also can meet the Comedian's family at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference in September. Club members get a discount on their registration. Click here for more info: https://flfnetwork.com/politics-of-sex-conference/

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 a flat tire AND why Jesse is worried (and also not worried) about artificial intelligence. Jesse is teaching a virtual class called "Education is Warfare: How to Start a School" on the Fight Laugh Feast network. Visit flfnetwork.com for more details. Follow John Branyan on Gab, MeWe, and Facebook. Also, check out his YouTube channel!

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 to use on Tabby? All of this and more! Follow John Branyan on Gab, MeWe, and Facebook. Also: check out his YouTube channel and tune in for the Starving Comics Quarantine Show, every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern. We'll see you at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference in September! (Club members will get a discount on registration.)

John reads some mail at the beginning of this episode. (Send your questions and comments to [email protected]) 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 compassion and love is coming from a worldview that is the OPPOSITE of Christ-centeredness. Would the Christians you know even recognize the problem with a non-believer saying, "You have restored my faith in humanity!" Or would they accept that as a nice compliment and assume they are doing a good job spreading the Gospel? Your epistemology matters, Pkarlgh! Don't be dumb! Join us at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference in September. Club members get a steep discount! (Details at flfnetwork.com) Follow John Branyan on MeWe, Gab, and Facebook...until he gets removed from there...

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 Conference, September 9th-11th!

Hey, Neighbor Pkarlgh! We're kicking off with John's favorite kind of mail: the kind which says he's under-rated! (Email [email protected] 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, and we give you a handy trick to figure out whether you're dealing with a Troll or with a person who genuinely wants a conversation.) If you don't want the answer to the question, Pkarlgh, don't ask it... Follow The Comedian Next Door on Gab and MeWe. Visit johnbranyan.com and JOIN THE COMEDY CLIQUE to be part of our telegram group and interrupt our podcast recordings with funny pictures of food that looks like a creature from Alien. Also: register for the Fight Laugh Feast conference on flfnetwork.com. See you there!

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 [email protected], to be part of the show. Feel free to write letting The Peaches know how much her new sound effects complete the show. Join us at the Fight Laugh Feast CONFERENCE (not rally) in September. We look forward to meeting you there!

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, the next generation thinks you are going to look at their bracelets in order to figure out what pronouns to use. All of this is related to emotionalism and rhetoric, and it will keep happening if we continue prioritizing style and tone above objective truth. Follow the Comedian Next Door on Gab and MeWe. He also posts on Facebook sometimes. Watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show every Sunday at 7:00 Eastern, on the John Branyan YouTube Channel. We'll see you at the Fight Laugh Feast Conference in Tenessee this September!

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 to change your mind." DON'T FALL FOR IT, NEIGHBOR! THEY ARE LYING POLITELY, and they definitely ARE trying to change your mind! Don't be a naive girl at a college frat party! Bottom line: we want to be friends with people who laugh. Let's learn how to do that more often! Make sure you register for the Fight Laugh Feast Conference, taking place in Tennessee this September. The Comedian Next Door and the Peaches will see you there!

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 about a promo code to attend VACAY WITH COMICS. Email [email protected] with all questions, comments, and good-natured mockery. Follow John on Gab, MeWe, and YouTube. See you next time, Neighbor!

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 Greenbay Packers.) But maybe God brought him to mind for a reason! Here's a link if you'd like to support Colegio Biblico: colegiobiblico.net They provide Christian education to pastors and missionaries serving Spanish-speaking countries. Follow The Comedian Next Door on Gab, Watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern on the John Branyan Youtube channel. Visit johnbranyan.com and join the Comedy Clique!

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 subscribe information at the bottom of the page? You can take a Vacay with Comics, August 19-22nd. Details at johnbranyan.com. Still reading?... Follow John Branyan on YouTube and watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show, every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern. Did I lose you yet?... Follow John on Gab, if you don't believe it's a Hell hole of unbridled sinfulness. See for yourself! And now, the last line: Support the Fight, Laugh, Feast Network and help us keep producing great content. We couldn't do it without you!

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 EVER okay to add an adjective before the word "Christian?" John is ready to die on this hill, and you're invited to join him. Contact John and Peaches by emailing [email protected] (Send us your body temperature for science!) 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.

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 [email protected] 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: [email protected] 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 Feast club member for more great content!

From time to time, we have house guests come to visit! When that happens, we throw all structure and professionalism out the window and simply go with the flow. In today's special episode, we share the table with author and editor at Staseos, CARMEN SCHOBER. Topics include Christian fiction, getting cancelled, gender roles, and whether it's appropriate for women to beat the crap out of each other. "Some people may be hesitant to read my book because they think I'm casting women in this G.I. Jane type of role. But one of my favorite things about the romance genre is that it highlights the differences between the sexes. And, in 2021, you need that!" Carmen's book, After She Falls, is available for preorder on Amazon, and you can find her at carmenschober.com. Email your questions/comments for John and Peaches to [email protected] 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.

Every Tuesday, the Comedian Next Door publishes a sample of John's comedy, from one of his projects. (I mean, we never have before. But we'll start today!) In this clip, John takes you back to your childhood, fighting about Monopoly and trying to play Army Man with THAT KID in the neighborhood. (You know the one.) Also, camping is awful, and John is really bad at it. By the way, we're going camping with a bunch of comedian friends this August. Join us! (Details at johnbranyan.com) Follow John Branyan on Gab, MeWe, and YouTube. Join the Fight Laugh Feast Club for more great content!

After a long day of birthday festivities, everyone is pretty distractable. John and Peaches are joined by the newly 10-year-old Cami, as well as the Podcast Ninja: Luke. How does our family handle bad moods and perceived injustices? (What are some weird things Tabby and Peaches have gotten mad about?) QUICK! Say the first word that pops into your head--no hesitation! Peaches is feeling sentimental and wants to thank all the But-People out there. (That's spelled with one 'T'.) And a listener proposes we go to war against Mickey Mouse's calendar. If you enjoy hanging out and playing silly games with our family, join us in August for Vacay with Comics. Details at johnbranyan.com. Email your questions/comments for John and Peaches to [email protected] Subscribe to the John Branyan channel on YouTube; watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show LIVE every Sunday at 7:00pm EST. Become a Fight Laugh Feast club member for exclusive content.

John and the Peaches have a lot to disagree about--including music theory and what it tastes like when you combine wheat thins with green grapes. Then, John reads an email from a listener/neighbor asking for his take on Christian Hedonism. (Is it a sin to enjoy things?) Meanwhile, the Peaches nearly ruptures her ear drums trying to fix her headphones. Next, a female neighbor wants to challenge the recommendation that everyone should "say true things," because it could lead to nagging and bitterness... Finally, John's Hill to Die On includes the charge to destigmatize stigma. What does that even mean, and will you join him? Email your questions/comments to [email protected] Subscribe to the John Branyan channel on YouTube and watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show LIVE every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern. Join us for Vacay with Comics this August! (Details at johnbranyan.com) Become a Fight Laugh Feast club member for exclusive content.

The Peaches doesn't want to talk about Brood X. Some listeners actually took us up on the offer to write their "honest wedding vows," so we share the resulting masterpieces! Then--the Good Grief segment features a story about stillbirth/child-loss. Is the world ready for parents who include laughter as part of the mourning process? Next--the Peaches pleads with humanity to get in the habit of saying true things (for crying out loud). And finally, John invites you to die with him on yet another hill. Are we too quick to label our opinions as "biblical truth?" Email your questions/comments to [email protected] Subscribe to the John Branyan channel on YouTube and watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show LIVE every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern. Join us for Vacay with Comics this August! (Details at johnbranyan.com) Be sure to download the Fight Laugh Feast app and enjoy more great FLF content.

This is the first OFFICIAL episode of The Comedian Next Door--if you don't count the Super Secret Alpha Test Episode. (Which we don't.) We're immediately interrupted by a phone call from a fellow comedian friend. Then we discuss various reasons a person may intentionally look ridiculous in public, including a family story about Tim (John's son--Peaches' brother) wearing something that didn't belong to him, just for laughs. Finally, John proposes a hill to die on and invites you to join...if only we can sort out the official documents. Email questions/comments for the Comedian Next Door to: [email protected] Subscribe to the John Branyan channel on YouTube and watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show LIVE every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern. Join us for Vacay with Comics in August! (Details at johnbranyan.com) Be sure to download the Fight Laugh Feast app for more great FLF content!

When you're a member of a comedian's family, everyone wants to know: "Is he funny at home?!" Four years ago, we decided to turn on a recorder so you could judge for yourself. Now that we're moving our podcast to a new "neighborhood" on the Fight Laugh Feast Network, we do our best to introduce ourselves with clarity and enthusiasm. (Spoilers: we fail miserably.) Ice-breakers are awkward, and we'd rather skip the First Impressions so we can jump straight to being Old Friends. But just bear with us, New Neighbor. If you give us time, we think you'll really like having a Comedian Next Door. Email questions/comments for the Comedian Next Door to: [email protected] Subscribe to the John Branyan channel on YouTube and watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show LIVE every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern. Be sure to download the Fight Laugh Feast app for more great FLF content!

Good Grief! We help a listener find humor in chronic pain that resulted from military service. The Peaches shares about the first time one of her blog posts caused social media outrage. Related: weddings would be much more interesting if the vows were written for honesty rather than poetry. Finally, John criticizes Tim Keller, but The Peaches isn't convinced he picked a good "hill" this time. Let us know if you agree! Email questions/comments for the Comedian Next Door to: [email protected] Subscribe to the John Branyan channel on YouTube and watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show LIVE every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern. Join us for Vacay with Comics in August! (Details at johnbranyan.com) Be sure to download the Fight Laugh Feast app for more great FLF content!

The Peaches is having one of "those" homeschool days. Emmi (5-years-old) requires some discipline right off the bat. A listener asks John whether he can trust his sense of humor considering humans are sinful creatures. And we unpack the reasons we shouldn't take ourselves too seriously. This results in possibly the best analogy about our relationship with God that we've ever stumbled upon! Email questions/comments for the Comedian Next Door to: [email protected] Subscribe to the John Branyan channel on YouTube and watch the Starving Comics Quarantine Show LIVE every Sunday at 7:00pm Eastern. Join us for Vacay with Comics in August! (Details at johnbranyan.com) Be sure to download the Fight Laugh Feast app for more great FLF content!