Dogma Debate

Rooftop Rants is David C. Smalley and Michael Regilio overlooking Los Angeles talking.

During the discussion about the Epstein files, Regilio mistakenly says the “Katie Miller case.” It’s actually the Katie Johnson case.As to Marla Maples denying that she told the mother of a 14-year-old girl to keep her daughter away from the men at Mar-a-Lago, especially her husband: She didn’t accuse Coleman of fabricating the encounter altogether; she specifically denied saying the part about Trump. Separately, later reporting found former Mar-a-Lago employees who said Maples did warn staff that something about Jeffrey Epstein was “wrong” and “off,” and that she was concerned about Epstein’s influence on Trump.

Rooftop Rants is David C. Smalley and Michael Regilio overlooking Los Angeles talking.

Rooftop Rants is David C. Smalley and Michael Regilio overlooking Los Angeles talking.

David and Michael sit down for an unfiltered live reaction to President Trump’s election speech, pausing throughout to discuss the claims being made, election integrity, media coverage, and where they believe American politics is headed. The conversation then shifts into a classic Rooftop Rant, covering everything from drug policy and immigration to policing, homelessness, criminal justice, comedy, joke theft, and David’s upcoming BBQ channel.As always, it’s unscripted, uncensored, and full of rabbit trails.Topics include:

• Live reaction to Trump’s election speech
• Election integrity and voting claims
• The SAVE Act
• Voter ID and election security
• Immigration and border policy
• The War on Drugs
• Policing and criminal justice
• Homelessness and rehabilitation
• Comedy, joke theft, and Kill Tony
• The new Smoke & Smalley BBQ channel

TIMESTAMPS


00:00 Intro & Trump’s election speech begins

01:00 Live reaction and fact-check discussion13:15 Election fraud claims, China, and voting systems

36:00 Post-speech analysis

50:45 The War on Drugs and legalization debate

1:16:30 Immigration, labor, and corporate incentives

1:34:00 Shoplifting, policing, and criminal justice

2:11:30 Drug policy continues

2:27:45 Tony Hinchcliffe joke theft discussion

2:34:00 Smoke & Smalley BBQ channel update

2:35:00 Outro

After more than a decade of debates, thousands of hours of conversations, and countless guests, one question keeps coming up:Is Dogma Debate dead?In this episode, David Smalley explains why Dogma Debate slowed down, what changed in the debate landscape, and why stand-up comedy, content creation, and the rise of TikTok debate culture made the original format increasingly difficult to sustain. He shares behind-the-scenes stories about booking guests, producing the show, dealing with debate fatigue, and why so many potential guests stopped accepting invitations.David also discusses possible futures for Dogma Debate, including:

• Research-focused conversations instead of traditional debates
• Fact-checking and investigating claims together in real time
• Reacting to news stories and current events
• Revisiting classic Dogma Debate episodes
• The challenge of finding guests willing to engage honestly

Most importantly, he reflects on what made the show successful in the first place: a commitment to evidence, critical thinking, and following the facts wherever they lead.  Topics Covered:

• Why Dogma Debate slowed down
• Debate burnout and repetition
• TikTok debate culture
• Ben Shapiro, Bill O’Reilly, and high-profile guests
• The hidden workload behind podcast production
• Research vs debate
• Future directions for the show
• Comedy, purpose, and creative fulfillment

If Dogma Debate returns, it may look very different than before.But the search for truth isn’t going anywhere.

What happens when David C. Smalley brings his wife Angelica Smalley onto Serious Circus for her first-ever podcast appearance?

After watching coverage of the viral “Make America Hot Again” conservative dating movement, David and Angelica unpack the bigger conversation around modern dating, masculinity, toxic masculinity, gender roles, liberal vs conservative relationships, marriage expectations, emotional safety, provider culture, and what actually makes someone attractive in a relationship.

Do conservative dating values create stronger relationships?
Are liberal relationships too undefined?
What does healthy masculinity actually look like in modern marriage?

This episode gets into all of it.

Follow Angelica:
@angelicasmalley

Follow David:
@davidcsmalley
davidcsmalley.com

Stay tuned for more conversations on culture, politics, relationships, religion, and comedy.

In this episode of Serious Circus, host David C. Smalley sits down with legendary comedy manager and industry insider Barry Katz for a deep dive into what it actually takes to succeed in stand-up comedy.
 
Hear behind the scenes stories about Chris Rock, Katt Williams, Dave Chappelle, Jerry Seinfeld, Dane Cook, and more, along with raw insights on:

• Why most comedians fail to break through
• The myth of “followers = success”
• Why elite comedians obsess over being undeniably the best in the room
• The difference between talent, work ethic, and true greatness
• How comedy careers are actually built (and destroyed)

From backstage with Jay Z and Beyoncé to lessons learned from decades in Hollywood, this episode breaks down the real rules of entertainment success—no filter, no fluff.
 
Barry Katz is available at:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/barrykatz
Website: https://barrykatz.com 

David C. Smalley:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/davidcsmalley
Website: https://davidcsmalley.com 

🎙️ Podcast: Serious Circus

Four comedians. No filters.

David C. Smalley, J. Mandyam, Jeff Horste, and Jason Collings dive into the real debates happening inside stand-up comedy right now:

– Is crowd work authentic… or strategically prepped?
– Are comics writing full hour specials anymore?
– Is everyone just chasing viral 60-second clips?
– What happens when a comic breaks down after being heckled?
– And what were the worst day jobs before making it in comedy?

This is the real behind-the-scenes conversation comedians have after the show. No crowd. No filter. Just comics talking shop.

⸻

Serious Circus Podcast

Follow the comics:

David C. Smalley
https://www.instagram.com/davidcsmalley/

J. Mandyam
https://www.instagram.com/godhatesj/

Jeff Horste
https://www.instagram.com/jeffhorste

Jason Collings
https://www.instagram.com/jasoncollings/


If you love stand-up comedy, behind-the-scenes debates, and comedians roasting each other — stay tuned

What happens when a comedian gets served a $27 million lawsuit… on stage at The Comedy Store?

In this episode, David C. Smalley sits down with Learn More, Shang Forbes, and Vipul Munshi for a wild conversation covering everything from real-life comedy drama to industry shifts happening right now. They break down the viral moment Learn More got served legal papers mid-set, what led up to it, and what could happen next. The group also dives into a heated back-and-forth between Shang and Smalley over a viral wedding clip that sparked debate online.

The conversation expands into how platforms like Kill Tony are changing the path to becoming a headliner, skipping the traditional grind—and whether that’s a good thing.

Plus:
– Handling hecklers in real time
– Comedy industry politics
– Marriage, relationships, and parenthood
– Roasting, jokes, and unfiltered moments throughout

This episode is packed with comedy insight, real tension, and nonstop banter.

Serious Circus Podcast

Follow the comics:
David C. Smalley
instagram.com/davidcsmalley

Learnmore
instagram.com/learnmore_jonasi/

Shang Forbes
instagram.com/comedianshang/

Vipul Munshi
instagram.com/comedianvipulm/

In this episode of Serious Circus, David C. Smalley and Jeff Horst revisit a classic Dogma Debate episode featuring Greg Locke—and it escalates quickly.

We pull some of the most intense, controversial, and unbelievable soundbites from the original episode and react in real time. What starts as a throwback turns into a full-on breakdown, with sharp commentary, unexpected turns, and plenty of roasting along the way.

From bold claims to chaotic moments, nothing is off limits. If you’re into debates, commentary, or watching wild moments get dissected with humor and honesty, this episode is for you.

Follow the Comics

Jeff Horste
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhorste
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeffhorste


David C. Smalley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidcsmalley
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidcsmalley