In this episode, my guest is Jeremy Elwood, one of New Zealand's leading comedians.  During the years I lived there, I met Jeremy, seen him perform comedy as well as act--just one of my favorite parts of being there, for sure.  My guest co-host is John Hensler, one of my partners in heathen-flavoured comedy.  Originally a livestream from January 8, 2025--this is slightly edited for your enjoyment.  Includes the popular segment "PSA's" by my comedy brother Jeff Gedert.  Post production assistance from Sean Scott.  Original Bach organ music from Mark Bell.

Jeremy Elwood facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.elwood.58

  website: https://www.jeremyelwood.com/

John Hensler facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/john.hensler.10

In this episode, my guest is Mark Riccadonna (one of my personal favorite comedians) and my guest co-host is Jesse Pimpinelle (who puts the comedy "pimp" into comedy).  We discuss the qualities of good comedy clubs as well as topics from listeners, such as "what is punching down?"  Originally a livestream from January 4, 2025--this is slightly edited for your enjoyment.  Includes the popular segment "PSA's" by my comedy brother Jeff Gedert.  Post production assistance from SEan Scott.  Original Bach organ music from Mark Bell.

Mark Riccadonna:  facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/markriccadonna

  website:  https://markriccadonna.com/

Jesse Pimpinella:  facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ComedyJesseP

  website:  https://www.jessepimpinella.com/

Originally a livestream from June 23 (2024), in this episode Jerry is joined by Steve Mers and John Armstrong.  In June of 2024 there was suddenly a bunch of stories in the news about religion and we decided to dissect them and also make fun of them.  Some of the stories covered included Louisiana adding the 10 commandments to classrooms and several states allowing students to skip school for bible study, amongst others.  Please enjoi.

Visit John on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012674684191

Visit Steve on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/steve.mers

https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-ten-commandments-displayed-classrooms-571a2447906f7bbd5a166d53db005a62

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/05/ohio-public-schools-are-releasing-kids-for-religious-instruction-during-the-school-day-soon-they-could-be-required-to-do-it.html

• Find the Comical Heathen on Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/comicalheathen

Show notes:

Eggert Smári’s Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/eggert.sigurdsson

Þórhallur Þórhallsson (aka Thor) on X:  https://twitter.com/thorhallur83

Comedy in Iceland website: https://comedyiniceland.com/

Former Mayor Jón Gnarr on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B3n_Gnarr

• Find the Comical Heathen on Facebook:    https://www.facebook.com/comicalheathen

In October of 2023, I had the pleasure of doing a livestream about anti-science conspiracy theories with science commuicator AND comedian Brian Malow.  We were joined by Lake Erie College Professor of Biology Dr. Zane Johnson.  On a personal note, let me add that Dr. Johnson is a colleague of mine, and he is not only erudite and well-read, he is sardonic and one of the most hilarious people to sit with during a faculty senate meeting! Here is the slightly edited version for your enjoyment.

Please follow Brian on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/sciencecomedian

Here is Brian's website:  https://sciencecomedian.com/

Get a Comical Heathen coffee mug at Jerry's merch shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/JerryJaffeComedyShop?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=624456037

Email us:  [email protected]

This is an ad-free and independently produced podcast.  Please consider donating via this link (to our other podcast):  https://www.goldstarclassroom.com/

In September of 2023, I had the pleasure of doing a livestream about Conspiracy theories with professional skeptic and author Ben Radford and professional magician and comedy club owner Bobby Borgia.  Here is the slightly edited version for your enjoyment.

Ben's website:  http://benjaminradford.com/

Ben's podcast, Squaring the Strange:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/squaring-the-strange/id1226273233

Bobby's website:  https://www.bobbyborgia.com/

Get a Comical Heathen coffee mug at Jerry's merch shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/JerryJaffeComedyShop?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=624456037

Email us:  [email protected]

This is an ad-free and independently produced podcast.  Please consider donating via this link (to our other podcast):  https://www.goldstarclassroom.com/

Originally recorded in August or 2023, my interview with Prof Jeremy Dauber.  Prof Dauber is the Atran Professor of Yiddish Language at Columbia University, specializing in Yiddish and Jewish literature, American Jewish culture, and American studies

Find Jeremy's books on his website:  https://www.jeremydauber.com/books

Jeremy's X:  https://twitter.com/JeremyDauber

Get a Comical Heathen coffee mug at Jerry's merch shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/JerryJaffeComedyShop?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=624456037

Email us:  [email protected]

This is an ad-free and independently produced podcast.  Please consider donating via this link (to our other podcast):  https://www.goldstarclassroom.com/

Show Notes

Welcome to our most recent Live Q&A episode!  With special guests Marv Connor and Dan Crowder, and guest co-host John Hensler, we tackle fan and social media comments and questions. This episode originally broadcast one week after the Nov 8 2022 US elections, so we focus on fall out and questions from the time.  Included topics are Donald Trump running again, the importance of appointing judges, redistricting in Ohio and elsewhere, and whether or not Mitch McConnell is fucking the dead corpse of Congress.

 Original broadcast live November 15 (2022). Slightly edited for clarity.

Joh  Hensler is on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/john.hensler.10

Marv Connor’s new podcast Unsuitable Language: https://unsuitablelanguage.wordpress.com/

Marv in Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/marv.conner1

Dan on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008416596788

Dan’s suggested social agencies to consider supporting this holiday season:

Extended Housing:  https://extendedhousing.org

Greater Cleveland Food Bank:

https://support.greaterclevelandfoodbank.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app340a?idb=305227542&df_id=1520&1520.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T&NONCE_TOKEN=DCE4A69ED01C52ABF4358246F0A97228

Get a Comical Heathen coffee mug at Jerry's merch shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/JerryJaffeComedyShop?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=624456037

Email us:  [email protected]

This is an ad-free and independently produced podcast.  Please consider donating via this link (to our other podcast):  https://www.goldstarclassroom.com/

Show Notes

Welcome to our most recent Live Q&A episode!  With special guest Bill Boronkay and guest co-host Jim Hagan, we tackle fan and social media comments and questions. Included topics are recent SCOTUS decisions, flopping in sports, and "is cheating at board games ever justified?"  We receive a phone call form Toledo-based friend-of-the-show David who asks how we interact with friends/family who are politically/religiously opposed to ourselves.  And hey, What advice would you give your younger self?

 Original broadcast live June 25 (2022). Slightly edited for clarity.

Bill Boronkay. "You get sick of beauty"

website:  https://www.billboro.com/

Jim Hagan " Nothing is as important as you think it is"

board games on TikTok:  mhgn.games

Columbus Crew twitter:  OnThisDayCrew96

"When Faith and Football Teamed Up Against American Democracy" by Greg Bishop

(https://www.si.com/high-school/2022/06/13/fear-over-scotus-ruling-in-public-school-coach-prayer-case-daily-cover)

"The Film that Launched a Thousand Court Cases" by Niv Elis

(https://momentmag.com/the-film-that-launched-a-thousand-court-cases/)

--Ghost Hunters investigate the Collingwood Arts Center in Toledo, Ohio (https://popculture.com/category/the-shadow-man/)

--Stepin Fetchit Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepin_Fetchit)

--"How Did Colonel Sanders Become Japan’s Santa?" By Steve Burgess

(https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2021/12/21/KFC-Colonel-Sanders-Japanese-Santa/#:~:text=In%20the%201970s%20they%20began,in%20Japan%2C%20a%20Christmas%20song.)

Get a Comical Heathen coffee mug at Jerry's merch shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/JerryJaffeComedyShop?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=624456037

Email us:  [email protected]

This is an ad-free and independently produced podcast.  Please consider donating via this link (to our other podcast):  https://www.goldstarclassroom.com/

Heathen Highlights is a new feature here at The Comical Heathen.  We share some of our favorite clips from the past 2 seasons.

Today's episode features a previously unpublished outtake from my Season 2 episode with Ben Radford.  Along with guest co-host Aaron Kozbial, we talk horror movies! 

Full episode here:  https://comicalheathen.podbean.com/e/the-comical-heathen-s2-e11-talking-ghosts-w-ben-radford/

Ben's website:  http://benjaminradford.com/

Ben's podcast, Squaring the Strange:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/squaring-the-strange/id1226273233

Aaron's website:  https://professorofcomedy.com/

Get a Comical Heathen coffee mug at Jerry's merch shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/JerryJaffeComedyShop?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=624456037

Email us:  [email protected]

This is an ad-free and independently produced podcast.  Please consider donating via this link (to our other podcast):  https://www.goldstarclassroom.com/