Laugh With Me – "Leaving Tips with Rod & Karen"

Podcast: Laugh With Me
Host: Jeremy Odem
Guests: Rod & Karen (The Black Guy Who Tips Podcast)
Original Release Date: December 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host and comedian Jeremy Odem is joined by Rod and Karen, the dynamic duo behind the long-running podcast "The Black Guy Who Tips." The trio dives into the origins of Rod and Karen's podcast, the evolution of podcasting, and the intersection of comedy, pop culture, and politics. They also explore hot-button topics such as art vs. the artist, cancel culture, sports-washing, and navigating morality in entertainment. The conversation is full of humor, candid takes, and the infectious chemistry Rod and Karen are known for.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins of "The Black Guy Who Tips" Podcast

Timestamp 08:08–11:16

• Name Backstory:
  Rod explains the podcast name comes from his days as a waiter and his old Tumblr blog, countering the stereotype that Black people don't tip.

  "There's a stereotype that black people don't tip... If you know me, then you know at least one black person who does tip. So maybe stop saying black people don't tip." – Rod (08:08)

• Karen’s Reluctance:
  Karen was initially hesitant to co-host, worrying about not being funny enough or making mistakes. Rod purposely named the show without using their names so Karen could join without pressure.

  "He tricked me because I was like, what is this? Out of any rules, any regulations? I was like, I'm gonna be terrible." – Karen (08:57)

2. Getting Started in Podcasting & Early Challenges

Timestamp 11:16–16:25

• Inspiration:
  Rod points to the podcast Keith and the Girl, and their response to criticism, as his push to try podcasting.

• Technological Obstacles:
  The early days involved recording failed episodes due to bad equipment and learning through trial and error.

  "The first episode we ever recorded is probably the one that ensured that we would be podcasters professional because we had to buy all the stuff and try to record multiple times..." – Rod (13:40)

• Evolution:
  They moved from rudimentary desktop mics to learning how to run a proper setup, adapting as the podcasting world evolved.

3. Building Community and Engaging Fans

Timestamp 16:26–18:43

• Live Shows & Chat:
  Rod & Karen describe developing a pre-show routine with music to create a welcoming online environment, allowing fans to chat and build relationships.

  "That chat room has gotten very familiar with each other. Yes. So it's become like a little bit of a communal space..." – Rod (17:36)

• Growth of Their Brand:
  The unintentional benefits of live interaction became part of their show's appeal.

4. Pop Culture, Politics, and the Artist-Audience Divide

Timestamp 18:43–26:48

• Pop Culture Meets Politics:
  Rod and Karen discuss the blurring lines between politics and pop culture, giving the Nicki Minaj "MAGA" controversy as a recent example.

  "It's like it's dragging both things down, not up. You know, I like, kind of, like, don't like my peanut butter mixed with my chocolate when it comes to my politics..." – Rod (18:51)

• Art vs. Artist:
  The group debates whether you can separate an artist's personal actions from their art (using Kanye West, R. Kelly, Michael Jackson, and Diddy as examples).

  "I can separate art from people's whatever. Like, I feel like I've been doing it my whole life... The only stuff that will really get through is when the art is the politics." – Rod (21:47)

  • Karen adds generational and social media differences in how much fans know about their favorite artists' bad behavior.

    "...Because we didn't know, and I think also we didn't have social media." – Karen (22:55)

• Cancel Culture & Future Relevance:
  They talk about the likely faded relevance of "canceled" artists upon release or attempted comebacks.

  "I'm hopeful Diddy just loses his cultural relevance even more and that it just, you know, he just starts looking like a clinger on loser that he probably always has been..." – Rod (28:03)

5. Morality in Entertainment: Comedy Festivals, Sportswashing, and Double Standards

Timestamp 32:51–43:46

• Comedians in Saudi Arabia:
  The hosts discuss the recent comedy festival in Riyadh, the backlash certain comedians received, and the double standard versus pop stars performing overseas.

  "A lot of these comedians stood on business... and so going over there was the opposite of everything that they stood for..." – Rod (34:54) "Bill Burr is one of the people who derided Beyoncé for performing... And then he's now defending himself, performing at the behest of the Saudi prince..." – Rod (35:21)

• Societal Impacts:
  They connect the idea of "sportswashing" and "comedy washing" to broader patterns such as American football in the South, yielding political or moral blind spots for both fans and participants.

  "Very powerful people that may have nefarious agendas align themselves with something very, very popular that everyone loves, and then vicariously, we love the thing so much, we overlook the people and the flaws..." – Rod (40:34)

• Podcast Self-Censorship:
  Discussing whether comedians will be more careful with their words in light of recent backlash.

  "Comedians are extremely self interested... I have a hard time believing that they won't feel some level of at least like, man, if I say this after what I did...I'm gonna get pushed back again." – Rod (44:48)

6. Sports Talk – The Joy and Pain of Fandom

Timestamp 46:22–54:27

• Carolina Panthers & Low Expectations:
  Rod shares the happiness of supporting an underdog team and relishing unexpected playoff chances.

  "We're actually in the best part of being a fan, which is this part where you had extremely low expectations and your team's not necessarily good, but they're beating all the expectations..." – Rod (46:50)

• Generational Fandom:
  Lamenting passing on sports misery to one's children, and recounting how some families break the cycle (Padres vs. Yankees, Duke vs. Carolina).

  "Do you feel bad as a parent for putting that on your kid?...you were like, no, you're gonna follow in Dad's footsteps, and you're gonna like this misery?" – Rod (49:31)

• Duke Basketball:
  A playful exploration of why so many players are "hateable" and how the system has changed in recent years.

  "I feel like they have successfully transitioned to the one and done thing... They're not sticking around long enough to hate them anymore." – Rod (52:24) "The last OG of Duke is Grayson Allen... I don't know anyone who likes them. And if you do like them, I don't like you." – Rod (54:27)

7. Relatable NBA Quirks – Kevin Durant and Showering

Timestamp 54:52–57:31

• Celebrities Seeking Relatability:
  Discussion turns to NBA star Kevin Durant's recent comments about not liking to shower, pondering whether this is an attempt at being relatable or just KD being his singularly focused self.

  "We've never seen a guy so dedicated to only basketball. That's the only basketball, you know..." – Rod (55:44) "Kevin Durant just likes basketball and talking about basketball and going on Twitter and harassing people about basketball. That's it." – Rod (56:39)

8. Plugs & Upcoming Events from Rod & Karen

Timestamp 57:33–59:28

• Las Vegas Live Event:
  Rod & Karen will be at Pod Jam 3 in Las Vegas, April 9th–12th, 2026.

• Weekly Shows & Patreon:
  Sharing info on The Black Guy Who Tips show, available everywhere, and encouraging fans to check out their Patreon for bonus content.

• Upcoming Guest:
  Pete Dominick will appear in an upcoming episode.

  "The first thing we have coming up is in April, from the 9th through the 12th, I believe we're gonna be in Las Vegas for something called Pod Jam 3... And then of course, we'll just be doing our podcast at the black guy who tips.com..." – Rod (57:42)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On outgrowing cancel culture:

  "If it's so easy, why don't you do it? And I went, oh yeah. I mean, no one's stopping me from doing this. No, there's no gatekeepers, there's no radio station, there's no person I need to impress." – Rod (11:38)

• On separating art and artist:

  "It's nice when you can listen to somebody, like say, a Beyoncé and then go, man. And I really like how much charity she does, or I really like the political stance that she takes. That's nice. It's a luxury, but it's not my default at all." – Rod (22:30)

• On comedians' hypocrisy:

  "We want it all. We want to be seen as the philosophers, the moral arbiters...but when it's their turn, they're like, I just need to get a check, man. Y' all calm down." – Rod (35:21)

• On sports suffering:

  "Do you feel bad as a parent for putting that on your kid?... you're gonna follow in Dad's footsteps, and you're gonna like this misery?" – Rod (49:31)

• On Duke basketball's likeability problem:

  "I feel like the last one they had was Grayson Allen. He's the last real, like Duke. The last OG of Duke is Grayson Allen that. I don't know anyone who likes them. And if you do like them, I don't like you." – Rod (54:27)

Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment/Topic | |------------|----------------------------------------------| | 08:08 | Origin of "The Black Guy Who Tips" name | | 13:40 | Early struggles with podcasting | | 16:55 | Building community through the live show | | 18:43 | Pop culture and politics merge | | 21:47–24:32| Art vs. Artist debate (Kanye, Nicki, R. Kelly)| | 27:40 | Diddy's fall and cancel culture | | 34:54 | Saudi Arabia comedy festival, double standards| | 40:34 | Sportswashing, comedy-washing, moral relativism| | 46:22 | Carolina Panthers, sports fandom joy | | 52:24 | The changing face of Duke basketball | | 54:52 | Kevin Durant's shower comments | | 57:33 | Rod & Karen's upcoming events |

Final Thoughts

This episode is a lively, wide-ranging conversation that riffs on everything from the origins of Rod and Karen’s podcast to the messy dilemmas facing artists, comedians, and fans in a world where personal and political lines are increasingly blurred. Rod and Karen’s rapport and perspective—lovingly honest, funny, and insightful—make this a must-listen for anyone interested in comedy, podcasting, or pop culture.

Listeners are encouraged to check out "The Black Guy Who Tips" podcast and catch Rod & Karen at Pod Jam 3 in Las Vegas.