The Book Lisp with Jon Ryan & Sarah Colonna

Episode: Giggles & Jiggles
Date: March 9, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively episode of "The Book Lisp," married hosts Jon Ryan and Sarah Colonna riff on the awkward hilarity of book clubs, life as working creatives, and the curious universe of stand-up comedy club names. They discuss their current book club read, "One Day" by David Nicholls—without spoilers—while veering into tangents about travel, binge-watching Mexican dramas, geography woes, and the inside jokes of the comedy and sports worlds. Along the way, they dissect funny cultural terms from the novel and share personal anecdotes from their lives in entertainment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Behind-the-Scenes Banter & Life Updates (00:00–03:17)

• Jon and Sarah open with playful jokes about Jon's "heavy breathing" in the microphone and some technical mishaps.
• Jon is heading to Puerto Rico for the World Baseball Classic, while Sarah recaps her busy tour schedule, sharing excitement at finally being home.
• Both discuss their hectic travel and comedy show schedules, interplaying their personal and professional lives.

Notable Quote

"I made a reel in a hotel room and people asked me if Darth Vader was recording it." — Sarah (00:46)

2. Book Club Reads & Reading Habits (03:17–08:12)

• Current Read: "One Day" by David Nicholls. They stress that book spoilers are only in week four episodes.
• April's Book: "Little Secrets" by Jennifer Hillier—Sarah's pick.
• Jon confesses he's reading way ahead: "Once I start, I can't usually stop."
• Both struggle with keeping reading/reviewing in sync due to their pre-planned content and travel habits.
• Sarah admits to initially struggling to get into "One Day" but has gotten over the hump.

Notable Quotes

• "You’re aggressively ahead. You’ve already read April’s book." — Sarah (04:19)
• "Once I start, I can’t usually stop. Number two, you’ve been gone a lot... When I’m on the treadmill, I read." — Jon (04:42)

3. Binge-Watching Foreign Dramas & Dubbed TV (08:12–09:16)

• Sarah loves to binge-watch Mexican dramas on planes ("El Accidente," "Who Killed Sara?"), even if the dubbed dialogue is sometimes laughably off.
• Jon struggles with dubbed shows and prefers not having to read subtitles.
• The couple discusses generational divides over travel, TV, and reading habits.

Notable Moment

• "I need to know what happened or who this person is or what her beef is... I just couldn’t do it." — Sarah, on not finishing a long telenovela (07:48)

4. Geeky Geography Talk & Comedy Travel Tales (09:16–18:11)

• They spiral into a fun riff on travel routes for their work, the weirdness of US airports (like Cincinnati’s in Kentucky), and regional travel quirks.
• Both admit to needing Google Maps to confirm US geography.
• Jon expresses surprise at Puerto Rico’s location, while Sarah laughs off her own misapprehensions.
• Sarah recounts a stand-up gig in Iowa where a local corrected her (incorrectly) about the state capital.

Notable Quotes

• "I did not know where Puerto Rico was... I had to look on a map." — Jon (11:11)
• "I was in your state’s capital of Emmitsburg last night... Lady goes, 'That’s not the capital of Iowa.' And I said, 'I sure did.'" — Sarah (16:36)

5. Comedy Club Names — The Good, The Bad, and The Hilarious (18:31–28:18)

• Book-Inspired Bit: "One Day" features aspiring comedian characters and cheesy comedy club names like "Chortles" and "The Bent Banana."
• The duo roasts real-life comedy club names: The Loony Bin, The Nut House, The Funny Bone, Go Bananas, Giggles, Jiggles (formerly a strip club, now a comedy club in Seattle), Froggy Bottoms, and the Canadian chain Yuk Yuk’s.
• They recall Chip Chinery’s memoir about his first year on the comedy road, tracking every odd and memorable comedy club.

Notable Quotes

• "Giggles sounds like a lazy name for a comedy club until you find out it was called Jiggles before because it was a strip club." — Sarah (25:00)
• "I think David Nicholls, the author of this book, either has a really annoying comedy club friend or has had to see a lot of comedy." — Sarah (29:13)
• "Every comedy club... number one thing on their menu is chicken fingers and fries." — Jon (30:16)
• "Some of them I perform in... not to brag, but they don't even have a full kitchen. Just popcorn, popcorn, nachos." — Sarah (30:23)

6. Britishisms, Terms, and Culture from the Book (31:56–36:44)

• Discussion of the British use of "stroke" for "slash" in job titles (e.g., waiter stroke actor).
• The term "Swansea" as a pejorative—Sarah asks Jon (a hardcore Swansea football supporter) to explain the reference.
• Jon gives an impassioned account of his Swansea fandom, his obscure fan club connections, and the idiom’s meaning (“a little bit dull or low-brow”).
• They briefly discuss the international habit of using city names as archetypes or gentle insults.

Notable Quotes

• "'What’s your stroke?'... Where we would say, like, slash, 'I’m a waiter slash comedian.' They say stroke." — Sarah (20:51)
• "'A bit of Swansea here.'... It kind of means you’re a little bit dull, a little bit low-brow." — Jon (35:08)

7. Swansea Supporters, Sports Fandom & British Insults (36:44–42:22)

• A glimpse into Jon’s search for Swansea fans during the pandemic—leading to online fan meetups and even interviews on the official team site.
• Sarah teases Jon for going out of his comfort zone to seek out fellow fans in LA.
• The British tradition of creative insults is explored, inspired by reality show "Geordie Shore":
  • "This guy’s such a mug... fucking muppet twat."

Notable Quotes

• "If you ever see another Swansea fan, you say, 'Hey, you Jack Bastard...'" — Jon (33:43)
• "All their insults are like, 'This guy’s such a mug, this guy’s such a muppet.' It’s so good to hear new insults." — Jon (42:00)

8. Wrap-Up & Book Club Reminders (42:22–43:26)

• Reminders:
  • Read "One Day" by David Nicholls for this month.
  • April: "Little Secrets" by Jennifer Hillier.
  • Patreon short story: "Famous Once" by Jane Green.
• Patreon exclusive: They host bonus video episodes and short story reviews.

Memorable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• "I’m sorry. I like oxygen." — Jon (00:54)
• "This is what happens when you turn 40, people." — Jon (05:00)
• "If you think the people from Jersey Shore are a little out there, these people [from Geordie Shore] are crazier." — Jon (42:36)
• "Don’t ever text that to me. That’s not how we talk to each other." — Sarah, on Jon’s “Jack Bastard” Swansea fan nickname (33:53)
• "The joke was that it’s this small town... I do know that the capital of Iowa is Des Moines." — Sarah (16:40–17:25)
• "'Giggles' because previously it was a strip club called 'Jiggles.'... Only one letter to replace on the neon sign." — Sarah (24:39)

Episode Resources

• Books Mentioned: "One Day" by David Nicholls, "Little Secrets" by Jennifer Hillier, "Famous Once" by Jane Green (Patreon)
• Comedians Mentioned: Chip Chinery ("Chip, C H I N E R Y")
• Comedies & Dramas Referenced: "Who Killed Sara?", "El Accidente" ("The Accident"), "Geordie Shore" (Paramount+)
• Patreon: Video episodes and bonus short story reviews at $5/month.

Final Thoughts

“Giggles & Jiggles” is a quintessential Book Lisp episode packed with warm spousal banter, performer anecdotes, hilarious real-life mishaps, and vibrant explorations of language and cultural quirks. Whether you’re a book lover, comedy junkie, or travel enthusiast, Jon and Sarah invite you along for the ride with affectionate wit and no-holds-barred authenticity.
Next up: Look out for the spoiler-filled book discussion during week four of March!