Welcome back to Church & State! This week, Brian Bogart and Yuna Pahk sit down with comedian Tom Rhodes to talk about the realities of stand-up, building confidence, and finding success in comedy. Tom shares stories from his early days performing at 17, advice from Jay Leno, the golden age of Comedy Central, and his experiences performing internationally. They also get into Kill Tony, stolen jokes, comedy gatekeepers, and what it takes to build a lasting career in stand-up.CHAPTERS00:00 Introducing Tom Rhodes & the Reality of Comedy 09:40 Starting Stand-Up at 17 & Building Confidence 18:30 Jay Leno's Advice & Finding Success in San Francisco 27:36 Physicality, Stage Presence & Making Jokes Funnier 32:00 Comedy Central's Golden Age & Tom's Wild Vietnam Story 39:00 The Internet, International Comedy & Mr. Rhodes 49:00 Kill Tony, Stolen Jokes & Comedy Gatekeepers 56:00 Comedy Friendships, Tom's New Special & Final ThoughtsFOLLOW & CONNECTBrian BogartInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian.bogart/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianbogartcomedyYuna PahkInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yunapahk/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yunapahkTom RhodesWebsite: https://www.tomrhodes.net/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_tomrhodes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TomRhodesComedy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kingofhahaSubscribe for more conversations about comedy, culture, and everything in between.#ChurchAndState #ComedyPodcast #StandUpComedy #TomRhodes #BrianBogart #YunaPahk