John Branyan's Comedy Sojourn Podcast

You can't just sit and listen to a podcast, Pkarlgh!  The Podcast Ninja has spoken.   Turns out, all of our attention spans are shorter than we'd like...   What's the minimum amount of time you have to concentrate on something for it to count as "focus?" Then: Joe and Luke both have the sort of study habits that make their wives craaaaaazy.  Later: Play "guess that word" with Emmi's spelling test.   Contact the Comedian's family by emailing nextdoor@johnbranyan.com. 

The gang, with special guest Curtis Crow, dives into the hilarious transition from young to old—think reading glasses, sensible shoes, and pharmacy apps. We also chat about the wacky world of Guinness World Records and the absurdity of some titles. Then, we tackle the ultimate culture clash: marriage. Cue the awkward gift-giving scenarios with white elephants and secret Santas, and brace yourself for the laugh-out-loud idea of the "Joelympics"—where regular folks compete in everyday tasks like grocery bag hauling and car packing. We wrap it up with some honest family talk, exploring the quirks of communication and the art of not offending Aunt Mildred.

Welcome to the table, Pkarghl!  We're joined by two, young McKinneys to play one of our favorite Family Improv games.  But first--allow Luke to tell you about his latest KILL... Then, Cami and Collin help us demonstrate how easy it is to create comedy without ANY advanced planning or set-up!  Email the Comedian's family at nextdoor@johnbranyan.com.  And don't forget to pray for The Peaches' thighs!

If you like outlines, you're going to LOVE this week's  synopsis! Navigating life with oblivious kids? You'll need the patience of a saint and a sense of humor the size of Texas. Roughhousing: where childhood fun meets a near-certain trip to the ER. Gold mining: a high-stakes game of “Will I strike it rich or just strike out?” TV shows: where even the simplest task turns into a life-or-death struggle, because who needs realism? Reality TV: more about dramatic glances and less about actually doing the thing they’re supposed to be doing. Society’s greatest hits: pretending you’ll keep in touch, and convincing yourself that all babies are adorable. Asking real questions: it’s rude until it’s not, and suddenly, you’re deep in conversation about life’s big mysteries. Social interactions could use a lot less small talk and a lot more “Let’s be real for once.”

Hey, Neighbor, the family almost had to do this episode WITHOUT the Comedian because John is passing a kidney stone.  But he is present and soldiering on! (If you struggle with the same ailment, Luke has a suggestion for something to try.)  Drink more water, find the nearest theme park, and try to get some "bang" for your buck.  Next:  John and his wife are landlords who have been fighting a legal battle with a group of squatters for over a year... The whole Branyan family pitched in this weekend, to help clean up the mess left behind by these people.  Why would someone hang a boat motor from a tree? Maybe for the same reason they would keep a rotting deer head in their kitchen?  Or a hollowed out tree stump full of scrap metal?  Later:  Let's try to make sense of the fact that some human beings actually live in that sort of squalor (and refuse to pay any bills).  What causes someone to make those sorts of decisions? And if you've never read the Lord of the Flies,

Juan kicks things off with a wild tale about his dad’s mysterious age and a hilarious take on Tom Brady’s Hertz commercials. Things get deep with a chat about gratitude—like how hard it is to find new stuff to be thankful for without rolling your eyes. Then, they dive into the evolution of pants and why wearing them low is a fashion fail. They also touch on credit scores, organic food, and the odd value of a perfect score. And if you think that's random, wait till they introduce the Humpty Dumpty scale for fall risk and debate World War I interest rates! It’s a whirlwind of laughs and life’s quirks.

Tabby's at the table--with her enormous baby.  He's even bigger than a baby panda! Next, Luke did a show with Chris Farley's brother, and he unintentionally gave us a GREAT new marketing idea!  (How much would YOU pay for a lousy T-shirt???) Later:  John reads a piece of sage wisdom...   Who cares what your parents think? Defer to your children instead! Join the conversation, Neighbor! Contact the Comedian's family by emailing nextdoor@johnbranyan.com . 

The guys discuss the idea of celebrities doing ordinary things and how it becomes news. What about a service where normal people can hire paparazzi to make them feel famous? Luke talks about the joy of gift-giving and the pressure to find the perfect gift. There is some anxiety in gift exchanges. Technology is impacting amusement parks and  algorithms control our lives. At Disney World, anything counts as an 'attraction.'

Welcome to another Sunday evening at the Branyan/McKinney table--after another great Sabbath day of family fellowship and DISC GOLF.  Yes, The Peaches will allow a Disc Golf Recap today, since her husband accomplished something totally world-changing... Then:  John's yardwork adventures aren't getting any less painful.  Hear the latest injury story, especially if it has been awhile since you considered the danger of using a chainsaw near stinging insects.  Later: Some Christians really are shocked--SHOCKED--about how "quickly" the culture is declining. To them it seems it happened over night. But at least they're shockable, right? Their eyes are apparently working, even though they're a little slow on the uptake.    The big kids are making a happy ruckus in the background, and the newborn fusses (just a little) in his daddy's arms. If you want to be part of it all, tune in! Contact the Comedian's family by emailing nextdoor@johnbranyan.com  

Hey, Neighbor!  John has some things he wants to say--while the Peaches and the Pod Ninja ignore him... Did you hear about the man (or is it a woman?) who failed the gender test in women's boxing? Did you know even CONSERVATIVES are struggling to understand what makes someone a woman? Tune in for this biology-heavy lecture on female hormones, fertility cycles, and--oh yeah--all of our headphones are broken, so listen while we complain about that.  Baby Bridger makes himself known a time or two as well.  It's a pretty typical Sunday at the Comedian's house! Email the Comedian's family at nextdoor@johnbranyan.com.  

Another riff session with the gang. Among other topics, we discuss the intrigue of candy hearts and how the Handmaid's Tale would be a different story from the male perspective.

John is sweaty. Peaches is sweaty. But the baby doesn't mind... Luke hurt his tongue...twice. And, eventually we get around to talking about being "counter-cultural."  Viva la Revolucion!  You can email the Comedian's family at Nextdoor@johnbranyan.com.

Join us as we workshop some ideas for comedy. It's possible you'll have a laugh, but we can't promise that.

New Baby Bridger is at the table! He has been a little cranky lately, so we'll see if he makes himself heard... The baby is hearing and smelling new things, while old men are LOSING those senses. John remembers the old man neighbor who used to "putter" around and do Old Man things when John was a kid.  That's the neighbor whose bushes were set on fire by Bob Branyan... Let us tell you the story! Later: John had a brief conversation with a Christian lady about "unity." But did she really mean "just agree with me"? Email the Comedian's family at nextdoor@johnbranyan.com .     

We're riffing on the destructive force of children, pro wrestling, and the back of IKEA stores. Plus some other random thoughts. Join us for another comedy writing session.

 It’s just you and me. No other podcast pals, just us. So, if you’ve been with us before, you know there was a baby on the way. Well, that baby has now made his grand entrance, and as predicted, it’s shaken up the podcast schedule. I feared the podcast might be canceled, but The Peaches assured me, "No worries, Dad, I'll pop out the baby, and we’ll be back on track, no big deal." Fast forward a couple of weeks, and here I am, solo at the mic because my usual crew is at the hospital with the newborn boy. My kids have been griping about our intro music, calling it not just mediocre, but downright bad. So, I decided to skip it this week. Maybe it’s time for a new format: no music, just straight into the chatter. Let me know what you think. Now, about the baby. His name is Bridger Luke Michael McKinney. That’s right, Bridger. Not Alexander, which I was half-expecting because Amanda was adamantly saying it wouldn’t be Alexander. But no, it's Bridger. And like all new

Join us for another comedy riff session. We'll talk about slow motion, Paul Bunyan's actual size, antiquated messaging systems and some other stuff. We had fun. Maybe you will too!

This is an absolute carnival of Branyan Family Improv.   That is to say, we're just shooting the breeze and telling stories... Hear us talk about: -Squeaky birthing balls and Lactation Chairs -Why milk is bad in New Mexico -What squirrels have in common with Jared Leto (spoilers: it's the way they talk) -Tech issues and new equipment -Fortunately/Unfortunately -And finally: Our new family project idea!   Plus...  There's a succulunt in the middle of the table. We probably better stop to talk about it.

We're launching a new show that will hopefully ease a bit of the pain caused by the end of SCQS. This is our first episode and we're pretty sure the format and production is going to change. But we gotta start somewhere.The Riff sessions are comedy writing workshops. We're taking a premise and 'riffing' ideas with fellow comedians. Enjoy!

HOW MANY BABIES ARE YOU PLANNING TO HAVE?!  Turns out, we've been fielding that question for over a decade... Next: did you know the very first automobile was tested in our town of Kokomo, Indiana?  Well... that's because it's not actually true.  But Kokomo still loves to call itself the City of Firsts.  (And we really are responsible for that loveable Big, Red Dog!) Still no McBaby... The Big Kids are drinking "coffee."  And John wants to talk about the Presidential Debate that he didn't watch. Later: a shocking number of people can't figure out when they're talking to a robot...or when they're sharing photos of a "missing person" who is actually a plastic doll.  How does THAT affect the voting situation?  Join us at the table, Neighbor!