Jaywalking: Life Unfiltered with Jay Yoder

On this episode, comic Bhavik Patel joins me to talk comedy, culture, and career pivots. We get into what it’s like growing up with Indian parents who had big expectations, how his engineering background shapes his comedy, and the life lessons scooped up while working at his family’s Dairy Queen. From pressure to perform (academically and on stage) to the power of soft serve and stand-up, this one’s full of heart, hustle, and hilarious truths.

Jay sits down with fellow Scrantonian and comedian Zach Hammond for an honest, funny, and refreshingly earnest conversation about life on the road, growing up in the Electric City, and how the skills honed in stand-up—like reading a room, timing, and rolling with punches—translate far beyond the stage. It’s two comics catching up and trading notes on comedy, travel, and the unexpected wisdom that comes from chasing laughs across the country. 

What happens when your former student grows up, chases their dreams, and ends up in the same world as you? In this special episode of Jaywalking, Jay reunites with Morgan—once a middle schooler in his class, now a 30-year-old pursuing a career in the performing arts. They swap stories, reflect on how far they’ve come, and Morgan shares the moments that stuck with her most from having Jay as a teacher. It’s funny, full-circle, and proof that the classroom is just the beginning.

In Part 2 of Jay’s conversation with childhood best friend Stephen McConnell, they veer from personal to planetary—unpacking the wild world of artificial intelligence. Steve’s not just a guy with good takes—he’s a professor of media and AI at UNC and NYU. Jay asks the questions we’re all thinking: What is AI really doing? Can we trust the TikTok algorithm? Is ChatGPT just Clippy with ambition?

It’s a hilarious, honest, and surprisingly hopeful look at the future of tech, teaching, and what it means to be human in a world getting way too smart for its own good.

This week, Jay is joined by his best friend since childhood, Stephen McConnell. They revisit the wild way their friendship began and open up about the moments that shaped them. Steve shares a powerful and personal story about how his mother’s death by suicide altered the path of his life in ways he’s still unpacking.

Comedian and proud Irish Catholic Joey Callahan joins Jay to about life as a girl dad, emotional rollercoaster of becoming an empty nester, and what its like being married to a teacher on summer break (spoiler: naps and Pinterest projects). They swap stories about raising daughters, surviving June chaos, and why no one prepares you for how quiet the house gets. Come for the laughs, stay for the accidental wisdom.

Jay is joined by fellow veteran teacher-turned-comedian Karen Schwarz. They talk about surviving 20+ years in the classroom, discovering comedy later in life, and the sweet, sweet joy of not setting an alarm in June. From student sass to stand-up sets, this one’s for every teacher who’s traded lesson plans for punchlines.

Karen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schwarzbollinger?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

For Pride Month, Jay invites fellow straight comic Dan Dapril to talk about growing up around LGBTQ+ family. Jay lied about his uncle’s “roommate” in the ‘90s—did Dan do the same? Turns out their experiences were very different, but the laughs were loud and the porcelain statues were fabulous. From Greg Louganis videos to awkward Airbnb meditation, it’s a funny, honest convo about queerness, shame, and showing up as an ally.

Today on Jaywalking, I’m joined by my good friend and fellow comic Barry S. Naylor—aka the funniest substitute teacher you’ll ever meet. We dive into the wild world of substitute teaching and stand-up comedy: from roasting kids who think they’re slick, to roasting hecklers who really should’ve stayed home. Barry and I swap war stories from both the classroom and the green room, relive our comedy road trip to Louisiana, and talk about what it’s like balancing lesson plans with punchlines. Whether it’s students, crowds, or life in general—nobody’s safe.

The guest bailed, so Jay sat down with the only people available—himself. Multiple versions of himself, actually. Teacher Jay, Parent Jay, Burnt-Out Jay… they all had a lot to say.