Story Warz Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast Information

• Title: Story Warz
• Host/Author: GaS Digital Network
• Episode: 039. Yakov Smirnoff, Elle King, & Jared Freid | Restaurants
• Release Date: May 2, 2025
• Description: 📖 📚 Welcome to Story Warz: A Game of Deceptive Storytelling. Comedians Big Jay Oakerson & Luis J. Gomez face off with some of the biggest names in comedy and entertainment for this hilarious game of wits and deception… LIVE from The Stand Comedy Club in New York City!

Introduction

In Episode 039 of Story Warz, hosts Big Jay Oakerson and Luis J. Gomez welcome special guests Yakov Smirnoff, Elle King, and Jared Freid to The Stand Comedy Club in New York City. The episode centers around the theme of restaurants, where participants share anecdotes and attempt to deceive each other about the ownership of these stories.

Game Mechanics Overview

Big Jay Oakerson introduces the rules of Story Warz:

• Each participant submits three to five stories centered on the given theme (restaurants).
• Producer Alex reads eight stories aloud.
• If it's your own story, you must convince others it isn’t yours. If it's not, you guess whose story it is.
• Points Allocation:
  • Correct guesses: 2 points
  • Successfully deceiving others: 1 point
• In the second half of the game, the points are doubled for added competition.

Big Jay explains:

"[05:33] Big Jay Oakerson: Restaurants. Our lovely producer Alex will read eight of those stories off one at a time..."

Round 1: Stories 1-4

Story 1:

Audience Member [08:15]: Drunk in a restaurant bathroom, took shirt off while using the toilet, child intervened.

Guesses and Discussion:

• Luis J. Gomez suspects Jared Freed due to his humorous persona.

  "[08:40] Luis J. Gomez: I mean, this could be Jared. Jared's a good looking guy..."

• Big Jay leans towards Jared, citing lack of traits typical to himself.
• Elle King suggests it might be Lakshmi (L. King) due to recent pregnancy-related experiences.
• Yakov Smirnoff humorously connects the story to his American freedom narrative.
• Final Reveal: The story belongs to Jared Freed.

  "[15:02] Audience: That story belongs to Jared Freed."

Story 2:

Audience Member [19:10]: Served spoiled potato salad overseas, flavor akin to spoiled milk.

Guesses and Discussion:

• Luis J. Gomez initially associates it with Russian cuisine.
• Elle King attributes the story to herself, referencing personal experiences.
• Final Reveal: The story is L. King’s.

  "[25:42] Audience: This story belongs to Louis J. Gomez."

Story 3:

Audience Member [28:26]: Only took a dump at Ruby Tuesday's restaurant.

Guesses and Discussion:

• Elle King laughs, indicating familiarity.
• Big Jay contemplates multiple public restroom incidents.
• Final Reveal: The story belongs to Big Jay Oakerson.

  "[80:51] Audience: That story belongs to Louis J. Gomez."

Story 4:

Audience Member [39:54]: Drove a Rolls Royce to get free dinner at Denny's on birthday.

Guesses and Discussion:

• Elle King believes the story is Yakov Smirnoff’s due to its outlandish nature.
• Luis J. Gomez agrees with Elle, linking it to guest behaviors.
• Final Reveal: The story is attributed to Yakov Smirnoff.

  "[68:41] Audience: That story belongs to Jared Freed."

Mid-Game Standings

• Jared Freed: 10 points
• L. King: 13 points
• Big Jay Oakerson: 14 points
• Yakov Smirnoff: 9 points
• Luis J. Gomez: 17 points

Round 2: Stories 5-8 (Double Points)

Story 5:

Audience Member [52:30]: At the fanciest restaurant in Amsterdam, got into a fight, flipped a Victorian chair, grandmother cried.

Guesses and Discussion:

• Elle King contends it’s her story, relating to personal conflicts.
• Big Jay and Yakov argue over the authenticity based on behavioral cues.
• Final Reveal: The story belongs to Elle King.

  "[88:51] Audience: That story belongs to Louis J. Gomez."

Story 6:

Audience Member [62:04]: Sat next to someone with the same birthday at a restaurant, dessert candle incident.

Guesses and Discussion:

• Elle King doubts the story's ownership, suggesting non-ownership.
• Big Jay believes it aligns with Jared Freed's adventurous tales.
• Final Reveal: The story is Jared Freed’s.

  "[68:41] Audience: That story belongs to Jared Freed."

Story 7:

Audience Member [74:21]: Thanksgiving tradition of dinner theater with family.

Guesses and Discussion:

• Big Jay and Luis J. Gomez debate the authenticity.
• Final Reveal: The story is Big Jay Oakerson’s.

  "[85:01] Audience: That story belongs to Louis J. Gomez."

Story 8:

Audience Member [82:50]: Worked at a restaurant, got into a physical altercation over tables.

Guesses and Discussion:

• Elle King confirms minor involvement, hinting at shared experiences.
• Luis J. Gomez reveals personal affiliation, aligning with his narrative.
• Final Reveal: The story belongs to Louis J. Gomez.

  "[87:49] Yakov Smirnoff: That was a tough one..."

Final Standings and Winner Announcement

After all eight stories, points were tallied with Lewis J. Gomez emerging as the winner with a total of 18 points. He clinched the victory by adeptly guessing and deceiving fellow participants throughout the game.

Final Scoreboard:

• Winner: Lewis J. Gomez – 18 Points
• Second Place: Louis J. Gomez – 17 Points
• Third Place: Big Jay Oakerson – 15 Points
• Fourth Place: L. King – 14 Points
• Last Place: Yakov Smirnoff – 13 Points

Conclusion: Big Jay Oakerson awarded Lewis J. Gomez a brand new copy of "City Bird and Other Poems" by Patrick James Dunnigan from the Story Warz library as the grand prize. The hosts wrapped up the episode with heartfelt congratulations to all participants and invited listeners to tune into future episodes and their respective projects.

Notable Quotes:

• Big Jay Oakerson [06:10]:

  "It gets pretty serious in here when you find out what we're playing for."

• Yakov Smirnoff [25:02]:

  "I love love having my shirt off during a dump."

• Elle King [25:50]:

  "My guy. Classy guy."

• Luis J. Gomez [73:23]:

  "Story warriors are taking over, baby."

• Big Jay Oakerson [91:47]:

  "Louis takes home a brand new copy of City Bird and Other Poems by Patrick James Dunnigan."

This episode of Story Warz was filled with laughter, playful deception, and memorable interactions among comedy heavyweights. Lewis J. Gomez showcased his storytelling prowess, ultimately securing his win in this spirited competition.