Today I sat down with Pat Dean, comedian, booker, and the reluctant chip liaison of the Velveeta Room, one of Austin’s longest-running and weirdest comedy venues.

Pat opens up about running a club while being a comic, the chaos of Sixth Street crowds, and how a room full of confused tourists can somehow become comedy’s greatest crucible.

We talk about booking comics fairly, why hacky material still kills (and why that’s a problem), and the bizarre art of crowd work in the TikTok era. Pat also shares some behind-the-scenes club stories — including the time Jimmy was supposed to be security at a Joe Rogan show… emphasis on supposed to.

Also: why bombing at Velv feels like existential loneliness, Austin’s comedy explosion post-pandemic, and how many illegal guns one comedy club staff can possess before it's "a bit much."

If you’re a comic, club rat, or just someone wondering how comedy actually gets booked — this episode is for you.

📍 Chapters

00:00 - Meet Pat Dean: Comic, Booker, Chip Guy

00:55 - What It’s Like Running the Velveeta Room

02:05 - Yes, Pat Buys the Chips Himself

04:00 - Pat’s Comedy Origin Story: Northern Virginia to Austin

06:00 - The Velv: Austin’s Lovable C-Club

08:44 - Toughest Room in America? Why the Velv Has a Reputation

10:21 - Bombing So Hard It Feels Lonely

12:10 - Booking Comics: Who Gets the Spots & Why

15:40 - Crowd Work vs Actual Material: The TikTok Era Dilemma

19:00 - Jimmy "Secures" a Joe Rogan Show

21:40 - Guns, Door Guys, and Texas Logic

24:30 - Managing Comics Without Losing Your Own Spot

28:00 - Austin Comedy Before vs After the Boom

30:40 - The Type of Comic Pat Likes to Book (and Avoids)

33:20 - Why Hack Material Still Works (and Why That Sucks)

35:00 - The "Cover Joke" Theory for New Comics

36:45 - Jimmy’s Joke Gets Stolen in New Orleans (By a Friend)

👇 Check Out Pat Dean

📺 Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thelanalaxcorporation/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patdeanrules/

The Velveeta Room: https://www.instagram.com/thevelveetaroom/

💥 Support the Show & Unlock Bonus Content

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thejimmyclifford

🎧 Listen to Pator Bullsh*t

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6bKpv7OqbyBq2tVesZDnUR?si=_atdK0udQmqOX17g_d4_RA

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pastor-bullsh-t/id1820050017

🧢 Follow Jimmy

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejimmyclifford

📢 SPONSORS

Want to sponsor Pastor Bullsht*? Hit us up: Jimmy@arrogantmenace.com

⚠️ DISCLAIMER

The views and jokes expressed are for comedy and entertainment only. Don’t sue us—we're comedians, not your lawyer.

Today I sat down with stand-up comedian, podcaster, and filmmaker Jake Rick, an Austin-based comic known for his viral sketches, green screen wizardry, and work ethic that puts the rest of us to shame.Jake talks about teaching himself editing, directing, and content strategy from scratch. We talk about bombing in stand-up vs. sketch, how to take brutally honest feedback, and why comedy needs a little more harshness and a little less improv clapping.We also get into the making of his full-length web series Get Good, building an audience from the ground up, and how he’s using DeAndre Holmes (aka "hood Sherlock Holmes") to turn sketches into a national tour.Also: online fame vs. live comedy, escaping the startup grind, and why Hollywood can suck it.If you’re a comic, content creator, or someone figuring out how to make your weird ideas work—this episode is for you.📍 Chapters00:00 - Meet Comedian Jake Ricca00:55 - Moving to Austin: Why Comics Are Flocking There01:43 - DIY Sketch Comedy: Learning Filmmaking on YouTube03:37 - Stand-Up Bombing vs Sketch Fails: What Hurts More?06:57 - Turning Harsh Feedback Into Viral Hits08:43 - The DeAndre Holmes Sketch Series: Going Viral Weekly12:00 - Making a Feature-Length Web Series: 'Get Good' Breakdown20:47 - Balancing Startup Life, YouTube Fame & Stand-Up29:32 - Monetizing Comedy: Building a Fanbase & Touring36:40 - Indie vs Industry: Why Jake Wants to Bypass Hollywood👇 Check Out Jake Ricca📺 YouTube: https://jakericca.com/mediakit📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakericcaWeb Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ukzK_x8Qwo💥 Support the Show & Unlock Bonus ContentPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/thejimmyclifford🧢 Follow JimmyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejimmyclifford/Twitter: https://x.com/notjimcliffordTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejimmyclifford📢 SPONSORSWant to sponsor Pastor Bullsht*? Hit us up: Jimmy@arrogantmenace.com⚠️ DISCLAIMERThe views and jokes expressed are for comedy and entertainment only. Don’t sue us—we're comedians, not your lawyer.

Today I sat down with stand-up comedian, podcaster, and filmmaker Anthony Pappaly—an Austin-based comic known for his chaotic sketches, dark sense of humor, and full-send approach to content.Anthony talks about his roots in video production, early doubts in comedy, and how his early videos shape the way he creates now. We get into the stress of perfectionism, working with friends vs. professionals, and what it really takes to make consistently funny stuff online.Also: cringe early work, breaking into the Austin scene, and the fear of AI taking over the industry.If you’re a comic, creator, or just a chaos enthusiast—this one’s for you.📍 Chapters00:00 – Meet Anthony Pappaly00:27 – Sketch comedy, film school & doing it all yourself01:42 – Cringe early projects & trial-by-error filmmaking06:32 – Working with Nick & building a content team10:20 – The art of low-budget sketch comedy13:00 – Writing vs. shooting vs. releasing15:42 – How military life shaped his work ethic18:33 – Making comedy with no rules21:12 – Finding your comedic voice online24:09 – When perfectionism holds you back27:00 – Breaking into Austin’s comedy scene30:02 – Treating sketch like stand-up32:44 – Future plans and what Anthony actually wants👇 Check Out Anthony Pappaly📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC7Xs-2eLvYMdYT0bCjLkMrA 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonypappaly/💥 Support the Show & Unlock Bonus ContentPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/thejimmyclifford🧢 Follow JimmyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejimmyclifford/Twitter: https://x.com/notjimcliffordTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejimmyclifford📢 SPONSORSWant to sponsor Pastor Bullsht*? Hit us up: Jimmy@arrogantmenace.com⚠️ DISCLAIMERThe views and jokes expressed are for comedy and entertainment only. Don’t sue us—we're comedians, not your lawyer.

Jimmy sits down with stand-up comedian, filmmaker, and podcaster Josh Francis—co-creator of the viral medieval sketch series Off With Their Heads and host of the Friendly Fire podcast.Josh shares the chaotic journey from holding onto one sketch for five years to launching one of the most unique comedy projects coming out of Austin. We get deep into the DIY spirit, comedy perfectionism, and the growing pains of running a full-scale production with $0 and a dream. Also: the origin of the King Arthur’s "tiny sword" sketch, why gay men are the most honest fashion critics, how to trick YouTube’s algorithm with good lighting, and what it's really like directing the wild magic of Casey Rocket.If you're a comedy nerd, a filmmaker, or just want to feel bad about how little you’ve gotten done—this one’s a banger.📍 Chapters01:41 – Off With Their Heads04:57 – The first sketch: King Arthur and the tiny sword08:28 – Letting go of perfectionism & SNL dreams10:24 – Finding your voice by accident12:02 – The Good Girl Studios era & YouTube success14:49 – The “right” way to make comedy vs. what actually works18:45 – The ad deal that kicked it all off20:54 – Reverse engineering a narrative around sketches23:21 – Building characters and throughlines on the fly25:08 – Writing to character vs. just writing jokes26:34 – Spencer & Josh’s dynamic as squires28:26 – Casey Rocket as a sketch comedy chaos engine30:11 – Riffing vs. sticking to the script36:11 – How budget forces creativity38:18 – Hiring pros over your girlfriend (sorry Ariel)40:35 – Why production quality matters more than ever43:16 – Creators need deadlines and discipline44:29 – Nobody’s using the power they actually have46:00 – What Josh actually wants from all this👇 Check Out Josh Francis📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GoodGirlStudios📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshfranciscomedy/💥 Support the Show & Unlock Bonus ContentPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/thejimmyclifford🧢 Follow JimmyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejimmyclifford/Twitter: https://x.com/notjimcliffordTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejimmyclifford📢 SPONSORSWant to sponsor Pastor Bullsht*? Hit us up: Jimmy@arrogantmenace.com⚠️ DISCLAIMERThe views and jokes expressed are for comedy and entertainment only. Don’t sue us—we're comedians, not your lawyer.

Jimmy sits down with the man behind the mic of comedy news: Jake Frombach, creator of JokeWRLD—the ESPN of stand-up podcast culture.Jake breaks down how he went from college open mics and Instacart runs to becoming comedy's go-to news source. We talk starting JokeWRLD during lockdown, why he avoids negativity, how he curates the best podcast clips each month, and whether we’ll ever see him on Kill Tony. Also: the dream of a JokeWRLD Comedy Club, why YouTube analytics might be witchcraft, and the most unhinged thing he’s seen at Skankfest (spoiler: it’s Ari Shaffir-related, obviously).If you love stand-up, podcasts, and chaotic festival energy, this one’s required viewing.📍 Chapters:00:07 - Introduction to Joke World00:46 - Inside Comedy Podcast Focus01:34 - Origin Story of Joke World02:46 - Balancing Comedy and a "Real Job"04:56 - Personality in Comedy News06:42 - Barstool Inspiration and Goals10:47 - Joke World’s Team Structure14:50 - Values of Joke World20:40 - Staying Positive in Content Creation40:32 - Skankfest Experience👇 Check Out Jake & JokeWRLD📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JokeWRLD📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joke.wrld/💥 Support the Show & Unlock Bonus ContentPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/thejimmyclifford🧢 Follow JimmyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejimmyclifford/Twitter: https://x.com/notjimcliffordTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejimmyclifford📢 SPONSORS:Want to sponsor Pator Bullsht*? Hit us up: Jimmy@arrogantmenace.com⚠️ DISCLAIMER:The views and jokes expressed are for comedy and entertainment only. Don’t sue us—we're comedians, not your lawyer.