Sound Bites "That's our theme song." "Is that a... Is that a recorder?" "Nobody cares." "It's a dilemma for me." "What about swim socks?" "I think I've heard them." "Nobody calls them swim socks." "You can merge with confidence." "There could be a mouse in there!" "This is a very simple fix." "Did you try wiggling stuff?" Chapters 00:00 Introductio…

Welcome, Neighbor! We're looking at old photos and solving old mysteries. Then, Phil Vischer is helping a non-profit spread the news that THEY NEED MONEY NOW MORE THAN EVER! And that support letter would have gone to spam with all the other support letters, except they are capitalizing on the CRISIS of a new President. Should non-profits take gover…

Bob Smiley joins Luke and John! In this engaging conversation, the hosts delve into various topics ranging from the challenges and experiences of virtual comedy performances to the dynamics of gender in nursing. They share humorous anecdotes about their personal lives, discuss the importance of audience engagement in comedy, and explore the nuances…

Let's get this things started, Neighbor! Who needs the Comedian?! John wants to ask Luke a sincere question about knives... But Luke has some strange utensil habits. (And this reminds us of the Double Sauce Fiasco...) So many contradictions! Then: Do we need a "Christian Andrew Tate"? What would that even look like? Christians love the idea of bein…

In this conversation, the hosts explore various themes surrounding meal times, cultural practices, and the influence of role models in society. They humorously debate the appropriate time to eat dinner, delve into cultural differences regarding meal times, and discuss the concept of siestas. The conversation shifts to the impact of figures like And…

Pour yourself a steaming cup of water and join us at the table! Keep some distance from the baby or he might hit you with his butternut squash... What's the protocol for giving someone a pet as a gift? (Luke and his sister receieved rabbits one year. It was traumatic.) Later: Is there any podcast doing more work for the Kingdom of God than Joe Roga…

Maybe we need you to join us on a future Riff Session. Would you like to do that? Send a note to nextdoor@johnbranyan.com or hit me up on Twitter. 00:00 Cinematic Conversations: Gladiators and Mavericks 03:00 Podcasting Essentials: Theme Music and Guest Dynamics 06:01 Engaging the Audience: Inviting Listeners to Participate 08:59 The Abundance Ment…

This is a pretty meandering conversation at the table... How popular is Bridger's name? There's snow in the forecast, but we'll believe it when we see it... Also--Luke is wearing a fur coat that (he thinks) makes him look like he's ready to overthrow a Roman dictator. At some point, we touch on how to get Artificial Intelligence to write our books …

We have (by 'we' I mean 'ME') technical issues still. Bad sound quality and flaky microphones but we perservered. I'll be working to get these issued solved by next week... Some Lines To Listen For "There's no finite amount of ideas." "You guys hate mothers." "I can connect these dots easily." "Is it really okay now?" "I was just fascinated by that…

Hey, Neighbor! Please send your messages of shame for Luke to: nextdoor@johnbranyan.com . There are many things we can abide, but removing the cream cheese frosting from the middle of a pumkin roll is NOT one of them... Next: Grandpa John and Grandma Lori bought the annoying gifts this year. But there was PLENTY of music at Christmas! We love singi…

The Youngest Branyan Sibling is home--but we don't remember what we were going to talk about. (We DO remember how to speak a little Spanish, though...) Later: Andrew is not going to miss 2024 very much, because it has been treating him roughly. Here are several out-of-context bullet points to tell you how bad Andrew's move to Missouri has gone: --G…

Maybe one of the worst shows I've ever done! How will I ever recover?! I'll tell you... Chapters 00:00 The Christmas Episode and Promises Made 05:58 Audience Dynamics and Energy Levels 12:04 The Importance of Good Introductions 18:01 Reflections on Comedy and Audience Engagement 24:54 The Art of Crowd Work 35:54 Overcoming Difficult Audiences 41:37…

The McKinney Kids appeared in THE "A Christmas Carol" this weekend... Tis the season to LIE TO YOUR KIDS! There won't be a problem, provided everyone gets together and agrees to tell the SAME lie! (The social worker said so.) Then: Luke and John endured a fairly brutal show this week. It wasn't the audience's fault! But they just didn't feel like l…

00:00 Improved Connectivity and Upcoming Show Plans 05:58 The Nature of Goals and Divine Assistance 11:55 The Challenge of Setting Big Goals 18:02 Possum Adventures and Life Reflections 24:04 The Nature of Memory and Awareness 30:31 Radar Detectors: The Illusion of Control 36:14 The Psychology of Speeding and Arrival Times 44:19 Hiccups: The Body's…

We played disc golf today. But we aren't going to talk about that! The Comedian got an email from a random phone number...asking whether it's appropriate for Christians to buy a violent video game for a disadvantaged kid as a Christmas gift. So... let's talk about Church Giving Trees! (You know what those are, right, Neighbor? Those trees where you…

Video is available Here: https://youtu.be/P2GrMNTpz28 Sound Bites "Can you imagine?" "It was a former cat." "Every goal requires God." In this conversation, we explore a variety of themes ranging from the challenges of pet loss and burial, cultural dilemmas in ordering food, the implications of AI in customer service, to the complexities of setting…

Hey, Neighbor! This begins the busy season... We had two thanksgivings, Christmas Decorating, and a baby shower packed into the same weekend. Then, John got the best Christmas newsletter ever. (Yes, really!) If you must send Christmas newsletters to everybody you know, make sure they contain HILARIOUS KID QUOTES. Later: One of John's friends just b…

Here's a vague outline of this episode: 00:00 Introduction to Nuts and Bolts 03:01 The Art of Comedy and Writing Techniques 06:02 Teeth Grinding and Dental Humor 09:03 Exploring Music and Generational Changes 12:01 Christian Music in Public Spaces 16:12 Exploring Rural King: A Unique Shopping Experience 18:22 The Incongruity of Muzak in Stores 20:4…

Hey, Neighbor! Luke felt led to pray for his Unbelieving co-worker--but he wonders if he prayed the right way? Also, should we just ask for "God's Will" to be done every time, or is that kind of a cop-out? Later: A woman's 10-year-old daughter suddenly stopped walking, and she wants to help you learn how to buy crutches for your child as well. (Tha…

Sound Bites "I hate rye chips, yeah." "I hate joy." "Must be nice to afford hamburger." "Boy, it's great to have cutlery." "I'm trying to express my joy." "Freedom doesn't wait." "I've never had to say a fun fact." "I just don't want to get scammed." "I have a limited experience." "The internet is forever." Themes Wintery Mix and Snack Preferences …

Allow us to do a birthday party recap, Neighbor! Emmi Jane successfully turned nine years old, with only a small "Freak Out" involving tiny food and glue... This wasn't the first time Emmi lost her mind a little bit! Later: Is every 11-year-old boy exactly the same??? Pretty much. And finally: John told the Internet that boys play with Lego differe…

Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Technical Difficulties 05:51 The Dominance of Christmas Music 11:04 Commercializing Thanksgiving Music 18:13 The Culinary Adventures of Warthogs and Iguanas 25:53 Thanksgiving Foods: The Unwanted and Unusual 32:21 The Weight of IQ: Family Dynamics and Social Awareness 40:50 The Lunchroom Legend 51:04 The Hot Pocket H…

It's a SCANDAL, Neighbor! Our 11-year-old boy was the target of racist insults at school... You won't believe the audacity of that 3rd grade bully. But that's nothing compared with the text message that is causing grown women to FEAR FOR THEIR BABIES. Tune in to laugh with us about the state of the country post-election--and to rejoice that the old…

In this conversation, the hosts explore various themes surrounding holiday decorations, particularly wreaths, and the cultural significance of Thanksgiving. They delve into the absurdity of certain holiday traditions and the role of food in celebrations, while also reflecting on the uniqueness of American holidays compared to global practices. In t…

Hey, Neighbor! Our Australian friend, Jasmine, has left the table--but her visit was so refreshing! She went Trick-or-Treating for the very first time, and it led to discussions about whether Satan's Holiday can be redeemed... (When is it appropriate to decorate with skulls.) Next: The Peaches shares her theory that "The Nightmare Before Christmas"…