Church & State Podcast

Welcome back to Church & State! Yuna is back from Korea, where she experienced some unexpected racism, ate her way through some questionable seafood, and had what might be the worst comedy set of her life. Naturally, Brian has plenty to say about all of it.This week, Brian and Yuna officially enter the race for Mayor of Comedy in Los Angeles, complete with campaign ads, smear tactics, and a healthy amount of character assassination. They also discuss the midterm elections, react to the comments from their most-viewed episode, and get into the realities of bombing, finding your voice in stand-up, and knowing when it's time to move on from roast battles.Plus, Brian shares the story (and footage) of a gym content idea gone very wrong, they debate whether men have it so bad, and Yuna brings a questionable political take to the table. Democracy has never looked less promising.Follow & ConnectBrian Bogart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedyYuna Pahk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yunapahk/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yunapahkSubscribe for more conversations about comedy, culture, and everything in between.#ChurchAndState #ComedyPodcast #StandUpComedy #BrianBogart #YunaPahk

Welcome back to Church & State! With Yuna away, Brian Bogart is joined by comedian Kate for a conversation about comedy, friendships, dating, and the increasingly strange experience of being a woman on the internet. Kate opens up about an upcoming reality TV appearance, getting older in comedy, and why her circle of friends has gotten considerably smaller. Brian also revisits some of Kate's more memorable podcast comments, including her thoughts on what she's actually getting out of friendships with straight men.The conversation gets into online hate, AI-generated versions of Kate, parasocial relationships, and the double standards women face in comedy. Kate shares stories about dating, sobriety, love bombing, and some particularly questionable men from her past. Plus, Brian tells the story of being a three-year-old Pink Power Ranger, they debate who handles fame better, and Kate talks about her life-changing Charli XCX concert. It's a conversation about boundaries, bad decisions, internet weirdness, and knowing when someone needs to be cut out of your life.**Chapters**00:00 Kate Joins Church & State, Reality TV & Recent Misadventures 05:00 Making Friends in Comedy & Knowing When to Walk Away 08:30 Friendship Standards, Straight Men & Brian's Pink Ranger Origin Story 14:00 Comedy Work Ethic, Online Hate & Being a Woman on the Internet 19:00 Parasocial Fans, AI Impersonation & Dating Disasters 25:00 Trust Issues, Friendship Boundaries & Life Outside Comedy 32:00 Harassment in Comedy, Charli XCX & Finding the Wins 38:00 Judging Humanity, Dating Red Flags & Sobriety 49:00 Bad Relationships, Cheating, Love Bombing & First Experiences 57:00 Exes, NFL Players & The Complicated World of Dating 1:01:00 Fame, Success, Hilary Duff & Charli XCX**Follow & Connect**Brian Bogart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedyKate Instagram: @collab__ Podcast: Six Feet AboveSubscribe for more conversations about comedy, culture, and everything in between.#ChurchAndState #ComedyPodcast #StandUpComedy #BrianBogart #Kate

Welcome back to Church & State! It’s our Halloween edition, and Brian Bogart and Yuna Pahk are dressed as Andrew Santino and Bobby Lee. After a surreal encounter with Bobby Lee, Yuna shares the story of a podcast appearance with MMA fighter Jason “Mayhem” Miller that went completely off the rails.The conversation also gets into the state of comedy, why Yuna has soured on Kill Tony, and the growing influence of politics on the stand-up scene. Brian talks about embracing his Cuban roots in his material, while the two discuss offensive comedy, the Austin comedy scene, tattoos, acting advice, and the strange ways people chase clout in LA. Plus, they revisit Brian’s childhood Halloween costume, debate their competing comedy mentors, and reflect on what it means to make it in entertainment. It’s a Halloween episode full of comedy drama, questionable decisions, and absolutely no shortage of roasting.Follow & ConnectBrian Bogart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedyYuna Pahk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yunapahk/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yunapahkSubscribe for more conversations about comedy, culture, and everything in between.#ChurchAndState #ComedyPodcast #StandUpComedy #BrianBogart #YunaPahk

Welcome back to Church & State! This week, Brian Bogart and Yuna Pahk get into brutal roast battles, awkward open mics, and the questionable things comedians say when they think they're funnier than everyone else. They trade stories about dating preferences, racial stereotypes, platinum blonde phases, and Brian’s past boxing career. Plus, they write brutally honest eulogies for each other, debate their biggest childhood fears, and revisit the bizarre 1996 sci-fi comedy Mars Attacks! It’s an episode full of unfiltered comedy, questionable life choices, and absolutely no respect for each other.Follow & ConnectBrian Bogart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedyYuna Pahk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yunapahk/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yunapahkSubscribe for more conversations about comedy, culture, and everything in between.#ChurchAndState #ComedyPodcast #StandUpComedy #BrianBogart #YunaPahk

Welcome back to Church & State! This week, Brian Bogart and Yuna Pahk sit down with comedian Tom Rhodes to talk about the realities of stand-up, building confidence, and finding success in comedy. Tom shares stories from his early days performing at 17, advice from Jay Leno, the golden age of Comedy Central, and his experiences performing internationally. They also get into Kill Tony, stolen jokes, comedy gatekeepers, and what it takes to build a lasting career in stand-up.CHAPTERS00:00 Introducing Tom Rhodes & the Reality of Comedy 09:40 Starting Stand-Up at 17 & Building Confidence 18:30 Jay Leno's Advice & Finding Success in San Francisco 27:36 Physicality, Stage Presence & Making Jokes Funnier 32:00 Comedy Central's Golden Age & Tom's Wild Vietnam Story 39:00 The Internet, International Comedy & Mr. Rhodes 49:00 Kill Tony, Stolen Jokes & Comedy Gatekeepers 56:00 Comedy Friendships, Tom's New Special & Final ThoughtsFOLLOW & CONNECTBrian BogartInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedyYuna PahkInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yunapahk/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yunapahkTom RhodesWebsite: https://www.tomrhodes.net/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_tomrhodes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TomRhodesComedy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kingofhahaSubscribe for more conversations about comedy, culture, and everything in between.#ChurchAndState #ComedyPodcast #StandUpComedy #TomRhodes #BrianBogart #YunaPahk

Welcome back to Church & State! This week, Brian Bogart and Yuna Pahk dive into the unspoken rules of comedy, who gets to make fun of who, and why Brian thinks Asian women are the white men of comedy. The two break down the unofficial “Oppression Olympics” of stand-up, discussing which comedians can get away with punching in every direction and how race, gender, identity, and presentation can completely change the way a joke lands. Along the way, Yuna talks about trying to shoot her shot in the comedy world, getting more comfortable on stage, and learning that writing five pages of material does not necessarily mean you wrote five minutes of jokes. The conversation also takes aim at the perceived hierarchy of comedy, Kill Tony culture, Elephant Graveyard, and the difference between being told someone is funny and actually watching them perform live. Brian and Yuna also debate uploading consciousness, whether living forever would actually be worth it, Team Edward vs. Team Jacob, Yuna's rapidly expanding joke repertoire, ridiculous trivia, Bong Joon Ho, the Raygun documentary, and why being a female breakdancer might come with the same advantages as being a woman in comedy. As always, the conversation is chaotic, brutally honest, wildly inappropriate, and completely unfiltered, making for another hilarious episode of Church & State.CHAPTERS00:00 Brian's Basketball Skills & The New Live Show02:20 Comedy Success & Yuna's Growth05:06 Korean Superstitions & Haunted Real Estate06:55 The "Oppression Olympics" of Comedy11:21 Who Gets to Make Fun of Who?13:15 Brian's High School Beauty Pageant Story13:54 Yuna Shoots Her Shot at Roast Battle17:00 The Things You Can't Unsee in Comedy18:41 Kill Tony, Elephant Graveyard & Comedy Culture21:00 The Problem With "Smart Comedy"22:37 Would You Upload Your Consciousness?24:10 Why Would I Want to Live in a World Where I Can't Not?25:53 Team Edward vs. Team Jacob26:44 Yuna's Growing Collection of Jokes28:05 What Is Brian Delusional About?30:48 Are We Ripping Off Bad Friends?32:15 Ridiculous Trivia: Guess the Asian34:40 Bong Joon Ho & Korean Cinema36:00 The Return of the Alamo Drafthouse37:30 The Raygun Documentary38:16 Does Being a Woman Give You an Advantage in Comedy?39:30 Church & State Is DismissedFollow Brian BogartInstagram: @brian.bogart[www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/](http://www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/)YouTube: @brianbogartcomedy[www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedy](http://www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedy)Follow Yuna PahkInstagram: @yunapahk[www.instagram.com/yunapahk/](http://www.instagram.com/yunapahk/)YouTube: @yunapahk[www.youtube.com/@yunapahk](http://www.youtube.com/@yunapahk)Produced by Church & State Podcast#podcast #comedy #standupcomedy #killtony #brianbogart #yunapahk #churchandstate #comedypodcast

Welcome back to Church & State! This week, Brian Bogart and Yuna Pahk are joined by comedian Annie Elizabeth for a hilarious and deeply personal conversation about facing breast cancer without losing her sense of humor. Annie shares the story behind her infamous “boob funeral,” where friends eulogized her breasts and roasted cancer before her mastectomy, before opening up about chemotherapy, complications with her diagnosis, and the treatment she’s still undergoing. She explains how facing her mortality completely changed her approach to comedy, pushing her to stop waiting for opportunities and independently book an 11-city stand-up tour before she had ever even performed a full hour. Along the way, the group debates when it’s acceptable to play the “cancer card,” puts Annie through a round of ridiculous trivia, and explores whether comedians need distance from painful experiences before they can make them funny. As always, the conversation is equal parts hilarious, honest, insightful, and completely unfiltered, making for another unforgettable episode of Church & State.CHAPTERS00:00 Annie Elizabeth Joins Church & State01:15 The Breast Cancer Donation Story06:15 Annie's Diagnosis & the Infamous Boob Funeral11:26 Annie's Journey Into Stand-Up Comedy13:48 The Reality of Cancer & Chemotherapy18:43 How Cancer Changed Annie's Ambition22:19 Can You Play the "Cancer Card"?31:59 Ridiculous Trivia40:41 Can Anything Be Funny?45:26 Annie's Upcoming Shows & What's NextFollow Brian BogartInstagram: @brian.bogart[www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/](http://www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/)YouTube: @brianbogartcomedy[www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedy](http://www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedy)Follow Yuna PahkInstagram: @yunapahk[www.instagram.com/yunapahk/](http://www.instagram.com/yunapahk/)YouTube: @yunapahk[www.youtube.com/@yunapahk](http://www.youtube.com/@yunapahk)Follow Annie ElizabethInstagram: @iannieelizabethwww.instagram.com/iannieelizabeth/TikTok: @iannieelizabethwww.tiktok.com/@iannieelizabethYouTube: @iannieelizabethcomedywww.youtube.com/@iannieelizabethcomedyTour Dates & More:www.annieelizabethcomedy.comProduced by Church & State Podcast#podcast #comedy #standupcomedy #killtony #ricdiez #sadmanric #brianbogart #yunapahk #churchandstate #comedypodcast

Welcome back to Church & State! This week, Brian Bogart and Yuna Pahk are joined by comedian and Kill Tony Golden Ticket winner Ric Diez. Fresh off a trip back home to Brussels, Ric talks about splitting his time between Europe and the U.S., getting more stage time at home than in Los Angeles, and figuring out what a sustainable career in comedy actually looks like. The conversation gets into the business of comedy clubs, why some rooms feel harder to break into than others, and Ric’s decision to start stand-up at 42 before eventually finding an international audience.From there, Ric looks back at his first appearances on Kill Tony and the pressure that came once people started paying attention. He breaks down how his now-infamous rivalry with Hans Kim began, why he decided to challenge him in the first place, and why people still stop him years later to tell him they think he won. Brian and Yuna also get Ric’s thoughts on Roast Battle, joke writing, developing material, and the difference between getting a laugh in the room and showing people that you can actually write.The conversation shifts into Ric’s “Sadman Ric” persona, how his approach to self-deprecating comedy has changed, and the balance between writing from a negative point of view while becoming happier in real life. They also talk about starting comedy later in life, the physical reality of touring, and the realization that building a career is often as much about selling tickets as being funny.Later, Brian and Yuna put Ric’s pessimism to work with a round of “Sadman Silver Lining,” where he has to find the downside to otherwise good situations. From there, the conversation moves into acting, creative careers, fashion, life in Los Angeles, and the differences between writing one-liners and telling longer stories on stage. Ric wraps things up with his upcoming tour dates and a final message for the Church & State audience.Chapters00:00 Cold Open00:37 Ric Diez Joins Church & State02:14 Building a Comedy Career Between Europe & LA08:00 Starting Stand-Up at 4212:15 Ric Diez vs. Hans Kim21:54 The Evolution of “Sadman Ric”26:09 Roast Battle, Joke Writing & Bombing32:13 The Reality of Making a Living in Comedy36:00 Sadman Silver Lining57:58 Ric’s Tour, Comedy Style & OutroFollow Brian BogartInstagram: @brian.bogart[www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/](http://www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/)YouTube: @brianbogartcomedy[www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedy](http://www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedy)Follow Yuna PahkInstagram: @yunapahk[www.instagram.com/yunapahk/](http://www.instagram.com/yunapahk/)YouTube: @yunapahk[www.youtube.com/@yunapahk](http://www.youtube.com/@yunapahk)Follow Ric DiezInstagram: @sadmanric[www.instagram.com/sadmanric/](http://www.instagram.com/sadmanric/)Tour Dates & More:[www.ricdiez.com](http://www.ricdiez.com)Produced by Church & State Podcast#podcast #comedy #standupcomedy #killtony #ricdiez #sadmanric #brianbogart #yunapahk #churchandstate #comedypodcast

Welcome back to Church & State! This week, Brian Bogart and Yuna Pahk are joined by comedian Shea Freeman, fresh off his appearance on Kill Tony. Shea breaks down what it was actually like getting pulled from the bucket, performing in front of an arena crowd, dealing with the pressure of going up first, and watching his appearance take off online. He also shares the strange chain of events involving his wife’s Kill Tony experience that eventually pushed him to make the trip to LA himself.The conversation shifts into what happens when a joke goes viral and suddenly attracts an audience you never intended to speak for. Shea talks about his “Fauci Ouchie” joke, people projecting their politics onto comedy, and his experience living with Crouzon syndrome. He explains how growing up with a craniofacial condition shaped his comedy, why he makes himself part of the joke, and what it means when people with similar experiences reach out after seeing him perform.Then it’s time for “Is This Ableist?” as Brian and Yuna give Shea a series of uncomfortable scenarios to judge. They get into backhanded compliments, being stared at, casting and representation, people getting offended on someone else’s behalf, and the difference between laughing with someone and deciding what they should be offended by.After an unexpected power outage briefly shuts down the studio, everyone heads to the Confessional Booth. Shea tells the story of accidentally trauma-dumping on a complete stranger because he thought she was someone else, Brian shares a similarly painful case of mistaken identity, and Yuna confesses to taking dog discipline a little too far before the episode somehow becomes an argument about Chihuahuas.Chapters00:00 Cold Open00:52 Welcome to Church & State01:06 Meet Shea Freeman03:03 Shea’s Kill Tony Experience12:16 Getting Cut & Going to LA17:58 Viral Comedy & Crouzon Syndrome29:44 Is This Ableist?47:40 Mistaken Identity & Race56:03 The Confessional Booth1:07:11 Shea’s Plugs & OutroFollow Brian BogartInstagram: @brian.bogart[www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/](  / brian.bogart  )YouTube: @brianbogartcomedy[   / @brianbogartcomedy  ](   / @brianbogartcomedy  )Follow Yuna PahkInstagram: @yunapahk[www.instagram.com/yunapahk](  / yunapahk  )YouTube: @yunapahk[   / @yunapahk  ](   / @yunapahk  )Guest: Shea FreemanWebsite: SheaFreeman.comProduced by Church & State Podcast#podcast #comedy #standupcomedy #killtony #sheafreeman #brianbogart #yunapahk #comedypodcast #churchandstate #comedian

Welcome back to Church & State! This week, Brian Bogart and Yuna Pahk decide to have a few drinks and see where the episode goes. They start by discussing the questionable historical shirts they are wearing, North Korea, and Yuna’s habit of finding unusual potential sponsors. From there, the conversation moves into what kind of drunks they are, Yuna’s long drive between Long Beach and the LA comedy scene, developing stage presence, and another round of arguments about their recent Roast Battle. Brian also shares his past as a ballroom dance and cotillion instructor before the conversation turns to drinking habits and their preferred beers.Things take a turn when Asher is brought in to host a series of increasingly uncomfortable Would You Rather questions. Brian and Yuna work through impossible scenarios involving careers, reputations, social taboos, and what they would actually be willing to live with. The questions eventually lead to conversations about internet outrage, comedy, sex robots, and whether some choices are worse because of the act itself or because everyone would know about it.The episode wraps up with a new version of The Price Is Right, where Brian and Yuna try to guess the cost of things they probably should not be researching, including organs, bail, hitmen, and eventually horse semen. Asher provides the answers while everyone realizes they know considerably less about the black market and horse breeding than they thought.Chapters00:00 Cold Open00:56 Welcome to Church & State01:25 The Most Questionable Sponsor Yet05:51 North Korea, K-Pop & Yuna’s Childhood10:27 What Kind of Drunk Are You?13:32 Comedy, Stage Presence & Roast Battle16:36 Brian’s Ballroom Dancing Past19:16 Drinking, Beer & Asian Drinking Culture22:35 Unhinged Would You Rather Begins35:18 Sex Robots & the Future of Dating38:30 Would You Rather Gets Worse52:03 The Worst Price Is Right59:06 How Much Does Horse Semen Cost?1:03:57 OutroFollow Brian BogartInstagram: @brian.bogart[www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/](  / brian.bogart  )YouTube: @brianbogartcomedy[   / @brianbogartcomedy  ](   / @brianbogartcomedy  )Follow Yuna PahkInstagram: @yunapahk[www.instagram.com/yunapahk](  / yunapahk  )YouTube: @yunapahk[   / @yunapahk  ](   / @yunapahk  )Produced by Church & State Podcast