Podcast Summary: The Church of What's Happening Now: The New Testament

Episode: Rachel Wolfson tortures Lee!
Date: September 23, 2025
Host: Joey Coco Diaz
Guests: Lee Syatt, Rachel Wolfson
Location: Live from NYC

Overview

In this lively and hilarious episode, Joey Diaz and Lee Syatt catch up on major life events, reflect on the grind of stand-up comedy, and welcome comedian Rachel Wolfson for a spirited conversation about comedy scenes, mentorship, and the realities of working the road. The group mixes raunchy humor, old-school wisdom, and candid storytelling about both personal and professional journeys.

Key Topics & Discussion Highlights

1. Life Updates & Engagement Announcements

[02:01–06:17]

• Lee Syatt’s Engagement:
  Lee shares the story of getting engaged, including a comically awkward proposal and the cultural dynamics from combining Jewish and Indian families.

  • “Dude, don’t clap for the fucking guy. Don’t encourage him.” — Joey (03:26)
  • The group laughs about the legendary “cheapness” stereotypes surrounding Jews and Indians splitting the dinner bill.

• Finding Love Unexpectedly:
  Lee reflects on his past lack of luck and self-confidence with women.

  • “When you stop looking for whatever, it comes.” — Joey (06:17)
  • Lee recounts letting go of desperation, and ultimately finding a serious relationship.

2. The Realities of Getting Older

[02:15–03:24]

• Joey jokes about mortality, being 62, and his acceptance of aging.
  • “When you’re 62, you’re in that death neighborhood, okay?” — Joey (02:15)
  • “I do a line of coke now, forget it. No head on.” — Joey (03:04)

3. Comedy Scene Real Talk

[21:53–41:49]

a. Rachel Wolfson Joins the Show

[21:53–24:35]

• Catching Up With Rachel:
  Joey and Lee welcome Rachel, reminiscing about her early days in LA and her new life in Austin. They discuss comedy's evolving scene:

  • “Austin doesn’t really care about your credits, which I like, because Austin is really all about standup.” — Rachel (23:58)

• Stage Time in Austin:
  Rachel explains the abundance of opportunities—doing up to 20 sets per week.

b. Proving Yourself in New Cities

[24:35–29:49]

• Joey, Rachel, and Lee talk about the need to "start over" in each city as a stand-up—regardless of credits.
  • “You can’t just stay in the same place and perform in front of the same people, you’ll never grow.” — Rachel (25:06)
  • Joey shares stories about moving to Seattle "sight unseen" and the mindset needed to chase opportunity.

c. The ‘Pilgrimage’ to Austin and the Dream of Instant Fame

[28:16–32:19]

• Rachel and Joey comment on the new crop of comedians moving to Austin hoping for overnight success via Kill Tony or exposure at Joe Rogan’s Mothership.

  • “Everybody who moves to Austin moves to Austin to stumble into the Comedy’s Mothership, to Rogan, to like them, put them on the podcast and they blow up and they can save their mother from dying from cancer.” — Joey (30:11)
  • Rachel distinguishes between coming for exposure and coming to hone the craft.

• The Real Path to Good Stand-Up:
  Joey stresses that real “miracles” in comedy come only by putting in the work, not by expecting shortcuts.

d. Open Mic Stories and the Hustle

[35:17–36:14, 61:23–65:45]

• Rachel describes running an open mic called “Off the Cuff” in Austin, meant as a supportive entry point for new comics.

  • “I want to start a mic...for new comics to come and have a place to start.” — Rachel (35:59)

• Discussion of the importance of risk-taking in stand-up, embracing the grind, and bombing as a rite of passage.

  • “There’s something really badass about taking risks in person.” — Rachel (65:45)
  • Joey explains the value of “hiding” new jokes in established material (65:52).

4. Mentorship, Gender, and Comedy Culture

[54:24–59:35]

• Lee inquires about the competitiveness among female comics.

  • “We all just love each other so much...No, yeah, no, we, we love working together.” — Rachel (54:30, sarcastically)

• Rachel describes the need for mentorship, pointing out how few women comics offered guidance when she began.

  • “...That’s what I wish I had—something like that woman, or just like a comic willing to show me the ropes...” — Rachel (61:09)

• She shares efforts to help newcomers (e.g., providing headshots so open micers aren't exploited by industry scammers).

5. Classic Joey & Lee Antics: Gross-out Stories

[48:05–53:56]

• The hosts swap tales of hot dog carts, food poisoning, and Joey’s notorious pictures of his bowel movements sent to friends (Tom Segura, Bert Kreischer, etc.).

  • “For me to send you a picture of a shit—it’s got to be a real shit, okay?” — Joey (52:07)

• Rachel is quizzed about whether female comedians are as “gross” backstage.

  • “You don't know women; we’re disgusting.” — Rachel (54:16)

6. Battle Stories: Bombing, Insults, and Earning Respect

[67:11–71:48]

• Lee and Rachel exchange memories of tough crowds, hecklers, and learning to turn on-stage disasters into material.

  • “This woman told me she did ketamine with the Kennedys and then she got up and yelled at me that she could see my stomach from Times Square.” — Lee (67:24)
  • “I respect you more for bombing than going up with the same material for 10 years.” — Rachel (67:19)

• Lee’s low point: getting a pepperoni thrown at him by a transgender comic after telling an ill-received joke.

  • “For 35 years, nobody ever threw pepperoni at me. I got a beer bottle, you know, I don’t want that.” — Joey (71:41)

7. Chasing Opportunity and Giving Back

[58:02–62:06]

• Joey and Rachel discuss the importance of paying opportunity forward—giving new comics stage time, guidance, and validation (as Rachel does with headshot photos).

8. Road Food, Buc-ee’s Fandom, and Tour Life

[77:32–78:57]

• Rachel and Lee bond over Buc-ee’s, the famous Texas gas station:
  • “I want to get married in a Bucky’s wedding dress.” — Rachel (78:09)
  • They riff on regional snacks and Joey’s suspicions about grown men wearing Buc-ee’s sweatshirts.

9. Closing Moments: Family, Mentorship, and Respect

[79:16–81:53]

• Joey expresses affection and pride for Rachel and the “tribe” of women comics coming up.

  • “You guys are like daughters. Like I got a 12-year-old...You guys are like daughters now.” — Joey (81:30)

• Rachel acknowledges the support she’s received from both Joey and Lee during her career and looks forward to future gigs.

  • “I really appreciate both of you guys have always supported me since I started.” — Rachel (81:26)

Notable Quotes

• “You found somebody when you weren’t looking, which is what you tell people...Stop looking. Go to the gym. Go to life. Live your fucking life. You’ll meet a fucking guy at the nail salon somewhere.” — Joey (13:52)
• “Austin is really all about standup. Doesn’t matter who you are, doesn’t matter your credits.” — Rachel (23:58)
• “Everybody who moves to Austin moves to Austin to stumble into the Comedy’s Mothership, to Rogan...” — Joey (30:11)
• “There’s something really badass about taking risks in person.” — Rachel (65:45)
• “I respect you more for bombing than going up with the same material for 10 years.” — Rachel (67:19)
• “You guys are like daughters now.” — Joey (81:30)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:01 | Lee’s engagement, family dynamics, and proposal stories | | 13:52 | Joey’s advice on finding love and not being desperate | | 21:53 | Rachel Wolfson joins — moving to Austin, comedy scenes | | 28:16 | Starting over in new comedy cities/“pilgrimage” to Austin | | 35:17 | Rachel on running open mics for newcomers | | 54:16 | Female comics backstage and “grossness” | | 61:09 | Mentorship, guidance, giving back to new comics | | 67:24 | Lee’s worst heckling/crowd insults/bombing stories | | 77:32 | Comedian tour snacks and Buc-ee’s obsession | | 79:16 | Joey reflects on mentorship, family, and pride |

Overall Tone

The episode is irreverent, warm, and filled with real talk about comedy’s harsh realities, sprinkled with plenty of crass jokes and endearing camaraderie. Joey’s wisdom, Lee’s honesty, and Rachel’s thoughtful insights make this a hilarious and insightful listen for comedy fans, aspiring stand-ups, and anyone who appreciates the behind-the-scenes grind of the comedy world.