The First 5 Comedy Podcast

Comedian and comedy producer Nikhil Pilli joins us to discuss developing a comedy scene in Beaumont and Southeast Texas, his comedy heroes as well as his relationship with the stereotypical Indian accent in comedy. We talk about his life as a former evangelical and balancing comedy with earning a masters degree.

Fresh off his Don't Tell show in Pensacola, FL, comedian Derek Shirley sits down with dem baws to talk about the show, as well as his headlining set at the Artmosphere Open Mic in Lafayette, LA. Drew talks about his first win at Stoned vs. Drunk vs. Sober vs. Mardi Gras. We get into submitting to Altercation and Skankfest. Later we go into depth on what good comedians have in common.

Jacob returns to discuss his recent dates in Austin, TX, hosting Arielle Isaac Norman in Lake Charles, LA, 2024 goals for his stand-up and Lake Charles Comedy. Drew showed up without a hat, so that's a thing. Plus Michael wrote a joke about the N-word.

First-year comedians Delaney Miller and Chandler Smith join us for in the studio to discuss writing jokes together, for one another and themselves, experimenting with how the same joke works coming from one versus the other, Delaney's first booked show, Chandler's experience at The Review and much, much more. The mics weren't on for this episode, so it's camera audio only. Sorry about that. It probably won't happen again.

John returns for his first video episode. We discuss his multi-city showcase Ghost Roast, his weekly open mic at Artmosphere in Lafayette, LA, his upcoming spring tour and his new dog, Ruby Doo. Oh, and there's a tiny discussion toward the end where we discuss the concept of punching down.

Recent winner of Ghost Roast, Raven, joins us to discuss performance art, mental health, comedy drama and whether stand-ups are just clowns in street clothes. Are we artists, entertainers or both; and does it matter? Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good set.

Lafayette newcomer Brock White-Lyons joins us to talk about being a first year comic in the local scene, booking his first few shows and learning to differentiate himself from his influences. First, though, he establishes himself as a true Wu-Tang clansman, er, uh, fan.

The always funny Morgan Wright returns with stories about a casino gig that went well, a country club gig that did not go so well and many more. He also provides great news about his dad's health situation.

Don Schexnider joins us on the podcast to discuss how he quickly ramped up from his first open mic to a win at Stoned vs. Drunk vs. Sober in under 6 months. Later we discuss his involvement in paralympics and praise him for being a dirty old man. He makes multiple uncomfortable jokes about sex with this sister before answering the question.

Baton Rouge-based Brennan Robards joins us to say farewell as he prepares to relocate to Little Rock, AK. We discuss his recent win on Stoned vs Drunk vs Sober, bombing in everyday situations and Brennan's reputation as a hardworking new comic in his second year.

Lafayette-based comedian Isiah Benjamin joins us to discuss his style and influences, winning Stoned vs. Drunk vs. Sober, producing shows, getting booked, martial arts, aliens and the wildest thing he's ever seen at a comedy show.

Garrett Hebert joins us to discuss hosting the premiere open mic in Baton Rouge, LA at a venue called The Station. We get into the details of his style and approach to comedy. Drew and Michael break down their experiences on a recent Kill Tony styled local event. Garrett gives us a surprising answer to our final question.

Tyler Arceneaux returns as he eagerly awaits his first performance at Skankfest. We discuss Drew's booked show in New Orleans, local comedy scene drama and what personality traits are more suited for comedy.

Joshua becomes our first return guest as he prepares to relocate to Houston, TX. We say farewell and cover a wide range of topics including vices, comedy scene drama, physical and mental health and Joshua finally gets to answer the question.

Isaac joins us on the podcast to discuss his monthly showcase at Bayou Terrebonne Distillers in Houma, La. We have a lengthy conversation about risky material, how subjective offensive comedy really is, and how a joke might come across depending on who tells it. Later, Isaac gives one of the best answers we've had to our "deal with the devil" scenario.

Veteran Lake Charles comedian Chase Bonin joins us to discuss how taking a short break may have been what helped take his comedy to the next level. We move on to a variety of topics related to comedic development. Later, Chase tells us the story of when he saw a UFO/UAP!

Joey joins the podcast to talk about top-down versus bottom-up joke writing, getting booked on showcases and the re-location of the Yeah! Comedy open mic to Legend's Pub. Later we discuss As Cool As Beans, Joey's meal delivery charity.

Dwayne Tousand joins us on the podcast to talk about his creative process, including joke craft, preparing showcases and how much we all want to see more roasts across the comedy scenes in S. Louisiana. We can't have an episode lately without commenting on the developing story of aliens. Later, Alana J joins the podcast so we can ask them annoying questions about being a comedy couple.

Ked Edwards joins us on the podcast as we discuss whether you should meet your heroes, comics asking for his advice, our similarity to our cousins the chimpanzees, recreational drug use, exchanging energies with the audience, and, of course, aliens.