Welcome back to Church & State! This week, Brian Bogart and Yuna Pahk are joined by comedian and Kill Tony Golden Ticket winner Ric Diez. Fresh off a trip back home to Brussels, Ric talks about splitting his time between Europe and the U.S., getting more stage time at home than in Los Angeles, and figuring out what a sustainable career in comedy actually looks like. The conversation gets into the business of comedy clubs, why some rooms feel harder to break into than others, and Ric’s decision to start stand-up at 42 before eventually finding an international audience.From there, Ric looks back at his first appearances on Kill Tony and the pressure that came once people started paying attention. He breaks down how his now-infamous rivalry with Hans Kim began, why he decided to challenge him in the first place, and why people still stop him years later to tell him they think he won. Brian and Yuna also get Ric’s thoughts on Roast Battle, joke writing, developing material, and the difference between getting a laugh in the room and showing people that you can actually write.The conversation shifts into Ric’s “Sadman Ric” persona, how his approach to self-deprecating comedy has changed, and the balance between writing from a negative point of view while becoming happier in real life. They also talk about starting comedy later in life, the physical reality of touring, and the realization that building a career is often as much about selling tickets as being funny.Later, Brian and Yuna put Ric’s pessimism to work with a round of “Sadman Silver Lining,” where he has to find the downside to otherwise good situations. From there, the conversation moves into acting, creative careers, fashion, life in Los Angeles, and the differences between writing one-liners and telling longer stories on stage. Ric wraps things up with his upcoming tour dates and a final message for the Church & State audience.Chapters00:00 Cold Open00:37 Ric Diez Joins Church & State02:14 Building a Comedy Career Between Europe & LA08:00 Starting Stand-Up at 4212:15 Ric Diez vs. Hans Kim21:54 The Evolution of “Sadman Ric”26:09 Roast Battle, Joke Writing & Bombing32:13 The Reality of Making a Living in Comedy36:00 Sadman Silver Lining57:58 Ric’s Tour, Comedy Style & OutroFollow Brian BogartInstagram: @brian.bogart[www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/](http://www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/)YouTube: @brianbogartcomedy[www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedy](http://www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedy)Follow Yuna PahkInstagram: @yunapahk[www.instagram.com/yunapahk/](http://www.instagram.com/yunapahk/)YouTube: @yunapahk[www.youtube.com/@yunapahk](http://www.youtube.com/@yunapahk)Follow Ric DiezInstagram: @sadmanric[www.instagram.com/sadmanric/](http://www.instagram.com/sadmanric/)Tour Dates & More:[www.ricdiez.com](http://www.ricdiez.com)Produced by Church & State Podcast#podcast #comedy #standupcomedy #killtony #ricdiez #sadmanric #brianbogart #yunapahk #churchandstate #comedypodcast