Only Bombs! Comedy Podcast

Joe Newcomer is one of those people you’re always happy to see. If you spend time around Austin comedy, you’ve probably seen him working, smiling, and getting ready for another stage. I wanted to sit down and hear how he became that person.

In Episode 41 of Only Bombs!, Joe opens up about his life before stand-up, six years spent recovering, and finding something worth putting his whole heart into. We talk about Kill Tony, fatherhood, the friendships that shaped him, and learning to enjoy a life that still has its share of unfinished business.

There’s plenty of laughter here, too. His dad’s advice is something else, and his answer to why he started doing comedy took us somewhere I wasn’t expecting.

I appreciate how honest Joe was with me. He gives himself credit for the work he’s doing without pretending he got everything right along the way. I’m really glad we got to have this conversation.

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This episode is with Lino Rodriguez, and this one goes all over the place in the best way.

Lino grew up in South Mississippi watching Comedy Central and genuinely never thought becoming a comedian was something he could actually do. A few years later, he got on Kill Tony, moved to Austin to pursue comedy, started getting into roast battles, and eventually found himself performing at the Comedy Mothership.

We talk about what his life actually looks like when he is not onstage, why he gravitates toward late night comedy, what roast battles have taught him, and what happened when one of his clips suddenly took off. We also get into the part of stand up that people do not always see. The pressure, questioning whether you belong, taking the losses with the wins, and figuring out how badly you really want to keep doing this.

Then, because this is Lino, things become a lot of fun.

FEMA trailers. A pet pig. Eating shark. Hippie festivals in the woods. Barter fairs. An absolutely insane amount of psychedelics. A 10 gallon bag of mushrooms. Seriously fun!

I really enjoyed this conversation because, as always, Lino is completely himself. He is funny and open, with moments where you can tell how seriously he actually cares about comedy.

Huge thank you to Lino for coming over, hanging out, and being willing to talk about all of it. I had a great time with this one!

-Trey

📲 Follow Lino Rodriguez

Instagram: @linorodriguezcomedy

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Real comedians. Real stories.

Brandt Tobler joins me on Only Bombs! for a conversation about comedy, storytelling, taking chances, being broke, meeting your heroes, and how all of that played a part in his journey.

Brandt grew up in Wyoming, where becoming a comedian seemed so unrealistic that he said he thought he had a "better chance of becoming an astronaut." We get into his move to Las Vegas, chickening out of stand-up for two years, bombing his way through the early days and eventually realizing that being more honest and vulnerable made people connect with him even more.

This one goes everywhere. Brandt names a ton of very famous comedians he worked with and how they affected his own growth. One of my favorite stories he tells is how Brad Garrett helped push him to also become an author.

Eventually Brandt says something that really sums up the entire conversation: “I outdreamed my dreams.”

That stuck with me during the interview itself, and I wanted to make a note of that for this actual release.

I had already read Free Roll before we sat down and genuinely loved the book. Getting to hear Brandt talk about how it actually came together, including the moment he held the finished book for the first time and started crying in the middle of a Chick-fil-A, made this episode even more special.

Brandt, thank you for coming over, being open, and talking comedy with me. I really enjoyed this one. I learned a lot, and I am looking forward to having you back, bud.

🎤FOLLOW BRANDT TOBLER

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Frank Caesar joins me on Only Bombs! for a conversation about roast battles, stand up comedy, the Austin comedy scene, and what happens when the momentum you’ve been building suddenly gets knocked off course.

This episode really became about three things: roast, reflect, and rebuild. We get into how Frank approaches roast battles, what actually goes into writing and preparing for them, his path into stand up, moving to Austin, and the competitive side of a comedy scene where everybody is trying to figure out how to make something happen.

Frank also opens up about a rough period in his comedy career, his perspective on the drama surrounding it, the decisions he would handle differently now, and what he learned about choosing where to put his time and energy. We talk about losing momentum, finding his way back, Roast Battle League, why roast battling feels almost like a sport, and what success actually looks like when being famous isn’t necessarily the goal.

A huge thank you to Frank for coming on the show and being willing to talk about all of it. The good, the bad, the funny, and the uncomfortable parts. I really appreciate the honesty, and I had a damn good time talking comedy with him.

🎤 Frank Caesar 📲 Instagram: @toaztedramen Frank Caesar on Instagram

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Yaqiao Yang came to America from Hunan, China long before stand up comedy was ever part of the plan. Years later, she found herself doing open mics, headlining shows, traveling for comedy, developing her own style, and eventually performing in front of an arena crowd. In this episode of the Only Bombs! Comedy Podcast, Yaqiao and I sit down for a full interview about how she found stand up, learning to write and tighten jokes, developing confidence on stage, reading different audiences, crowd work, touring, Kill Tony, and what she has learned from building her comedy career her own way.

What I really liked about this conversation is that Yaqiao doesn't talk about comedy like there is one perfect path. She talks about learning through experience, protecting her own voice, adjusting to the room in front of her, and continuing to work on the craft. When I asked about the support system behind everything she does, she summed it up better than I ever could: "No...just me, my drive, and my spirit.”

🎤 Thank you to Yaqiao Yang for coming on Only Bombs! and sharing her story. I really enjoyed having her on the podcast and getting to hear her perspective on comedy, performing, creativity, and everything that comes with trying to get better at this. -Trey

Follow Yaqiao Yang

Instagram: @yang_comedy

YouTube: @yangcomedy

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🎤 What does it actually take to survive stand up comedy in Austin?

Comedian AJ Higlesias joins ONLY BOMBS! to talk bombing, open mics, Kill Tony, finding your voice, social media, psychedelics, and the realities of trying to make comedy work.

AJ talks about why he moved to Austin specifically for comedy, doing stand up on mushrooms, learning from rough sets, finding his place in the Austin comedy scene, and figuring out who he is on stage.

We also get into something almost every comedian has to deal with now: social media. Somehow, one ridiculous frog video AJ posted exploded to 90 MILLION views and 1 million likes. 🐸

If you love stand up comedy, comedian interviews, Austin comedy, or just hearing what life behind the mic is really like, this episode gets into the side of comedy that people do not talk about enough.

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE

• Why AJ moved to Austin specifically for stand up comedy • What the Austin open mic grind is really like • Doing stand up on mushrooms and talking psychedelics • Bombing, confidence, and finding your voice as a comedian • Kill Tony, Vulcan, and the Austin comedy community • Why social media has become such a huge part of being a comedian • How a random frog video somehow reached 90 million views

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Instagram: @thatfunnydudeaj

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Extra, extra! This episode has extras! As it turns out Yoel and I have something in common: we were both extras on TV and in movies! Yoel and I discuss everything from Legos to Communism in this easy-to-listen-to chat. Yoel and I work together at a certain Austin comedy club. He goes up on stage and has some seriously hilarious stories when he performs. The best part is he brings that fun sense of humor to the podcast. So grab an Arizona green tea or Sunny D, and come sit down for a cool, refreshing, hilarious conversation! Thanks for coming on the show, Yoel! - Trey

Follow Yoel: https://www.instagram.com/yoelfat/

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The doctor is in! In this mysterious episode, Dr. Rabbit takes us into a world of conspiracy. Watch and listen as we discuss her favorite conspiracies and my ignorance of all of them. This was a hilarious episode because at many points I didn’t even know the conspiracy for which we were speaking. Nonetheless, the topics go far and wide. She also discusses her victory in court when she sued Meta and actually won; it comes with a price, though! Tune in this week before it gets classified! Thanks for coming on the show, Doc! - Trey

Follow Dr. Rabbit:

https://www.instagram.com/dr.rabbitbills/

https://www.youtube.com/@DrRabbitBills

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Kimberly Koester is back 💣 and this time we went deep. We're talking about what it really takes to chase this comedy dream, what it's like living with someone who's blowing up while you're still grinding, and what happens when you give up everything just to get on stage and make people laugh. She's been on Kill Tony, she closed her business, moved from Colorado to Austin, and she's still out here doing it. This one got real. 💥 Grab a cup of coffee and come hang with us. - Trey

Follow Kimberly:

https://www.instagram.com/kimberly_koester/

https://www.youtube.com/@kimberlykoester

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In this episode I sit down with Isaiah Pichardo, an Austin comedian, as he tells me his journey in finding standup comedy and how it inspires him. Sitting down with Isaiah was a wonderful example of hearing about the grind. Isaiah will be outside "barking," which is advertising a comedy show outside the club to get more patrons inside, and go onto whichever stage he can to get some time behind the mic. His ambition and tenacity really come through and show what it’s like for newer comedians getting into a scene. This was such a fun and hilarious episode; I know you will enjoy it! Thank you so much for coming on the show, Isaiah! - Trey

Follow Isaiah: https://www.instagram.com/isaiahpichardo4love/

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