The Nateland Podcast – Episode 267: Ponies, Pitches & A Proposal ft. John Crist

Release Date: August 27, 2025
Hosts: Nate Bargatze, Brian Bates, Aaron Weber, Dusty Slay
Special Guest: John Crist

Episode Overview

This lively, laughter-filled episode brings John Crist back to the Nateland podcast table for a discussion packed with comedy, sports, personal milestones, and classic Nateland banter. The crew, broadcasting from their Nashville studio at Zanies Comedy Club, covers everything from wild proposal stories and viral jumbotron videos, to minor league baseball mishaps and life on the modern cowboy ranch. As always, they riff on their own weekends, poke fun at each other's quirks, and take deep (albeit comical) dives into Americana. Highlights include John Crist’s elaborate engagement tale, insights into the Titans’ new fan code of conduct video starring the Nateland team, behind-the-scenes anecdotes about baseball first pitches, and an impromptu cowboy roundtable.

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Welcoming John Crist Back & Opening Banter

• John is re-introduced as one of the show’s most frequent guests, joking about the “too much” label (02:00).
• The crew reminisces about who’s been on most, joking about being “on the fringe” of invite status, and what it's like being a recurring face.

2. Titans’ Code of Conduct Video – Going Viral

• [06:00] The Nateland team shares backstage stories about filming the 2025 NFL Titans’ stadium code of conduct video.
• The skit features them as studio analysts instructing fans on proper behavior, with John cast as the “bad fan” who gets ejected.
  • “When they showed this Friday night, the crowd went wild… There was a cheer in the. When they showed that. Oh, I mean, people went wild.” – Dusty (07:25, 08:02)
• The segment will air at every Titans home game for two seasons, a surreal moment for lifelong fans.
  • “All five of us… Who gets canceled? We gotta take this video down. It’s two years. A two year cancellation window.” – John Crist (08:32)

3. Sports Talk – Baseball Pitches & Over/Unders

• Weekend tales include Brian’s “middle child” moment throwing a minor league first pitch alone after three little kids went before him (14:10-15:51).
  • “I threw as hard as I could. And it was not a good pitch. I slipped a little on the mound, almost fell.” – Brian Bates (15:49)
• The guys riff on over/under bets for the Titans, with John playfully hypothesizing about “locker room insider trading.”
  • “You get a locker room vibe… That might be illegal.” – John Crist (10:34)

4. Comedian Life – Podcast Woes, Road Stories, and Social Media Mishaps

• John reveals their “Net Positive” podcast Instagram got wiped out by AI moderation after a tongue-in-cheek segment about church problems (12:17).
  • “We lost our Net Positive podcast page… I think it’s AI.” – John Crist (11:42, 11:53)
• John and Dusty share the convoluted story of episode “clips” going awry and their shared comic misfortune (13:01-13:17).

5. Major Life Update: John Crist’s Elaborate Engagement

• [22:52] John details his lavish, highly-orchestrated proposal at Nashville’s symphony hall, complete with decoy awards, a private orchestra, and a pontoon boat reveal for family and friends.
  • “I got engaged to a woman… I surprised her too much.” – John Crist (22:52, 23:28)
  • The event required a fake “Comedy Impact Award: Comedian of the Quarter,” a red herring so layered even Nate and Laura Bargatze participated.
  • “We created the Comedy Impact Awards at the symphony... That was all so I could propose!” – John Crist (24:04)
• Banter escalates as everyone realizes how many layers of alibis John spun to keep the secret.
  • Best moment: “How did you not ask any questions? …You’ve won the Comedy Impact of Nashville not played Nashville. So what impact have you had?” – Nate (33:26)
• The symphony even played “Steady Love” by Ben Rector and “How to Train Your Dragon,” and a 47-person party boat carried all their loved ones.

6. Comic Fashion and Tour Talk

• Nate and John philosophize on the “jacket or jersey on stage” debate and the etiquette of sports fandom as performers get bigger (54:16-56:25).
  • “You want people to come to shows and trust my vision… I just want to look the part.” – Nate (55:56)
• They go deep on comedy attire, proper time for a suit, and how Julian McCullough works local merch/identity into arena shows.

7. Cowboys & Ranch Recap

• [71:50] In the second half, John shares about attending “cowboy camp” in Montana—a five-day “cattle drive” vacation.
  • “We were on the ranch for five days, brother, out there in Montana… Me and Lydia… This is a cattle drive. They only take expert horse riders.” – John Crist (71:50-72:11)
• Dusty provides a humorous cowboy primer (origins, terminology, what chaps are for).
  • Banter erupts about brands, fake ranch work, and the industrial tourist cowboy experience.

8. Comedy Props, Gimmicks & Magic

• John muses about “prop comedy” tours, ventriloquist/misdirection ideas, fake crowd plants, magician pratfalls, and having a tour “logo.”
  • Best meta-moment: “I'm not saying there’s not going to be any props, but we’ll see… Expect the unexpected.” – John Crist (104:49, 103:10)
• The group reflects on planned vs. organic crowd work routines, and the limits/ethics of staging “crowd moments.”

Notable Quotes

• On longevity in podcasting:
  “He comes off looking like the good guy… That’s what happens every Nateland moment: we look like jerks and then Brian pops in.” – Dusty (13:32)
• On first pitches:
  “There was three other people that threw out the first pitch with me, and they were all little kids.” – Brian (14:16)
• On proposal surprises:
  “I think I surprised her too much…Like, if she was on the way and someone said ‘this is fake, you’re getting engaged,’ she’d be like ‘no, I’m not.’” – John Crist (23:28)
• On doing stadium videos:
  “Now they’re all the way down to Nateland. That’s who they’ve got left in Nashville.” – Brian Bates (06:22)
• On the future of stand-up attire:
  “Rise to the occasion.” – Brian Bates (58:03)
• On going viral with bad baseball throws:
  “Throwing out the first pitch or doing anything baseball related…it could only go wrong.” – John Crist (18:02)
• On planned crowd work:
  “You’re a showman. You have to sell that this has never happened before to this crowd.” – Nate (94:34)
• On comedian “logos”:
  “I would like you to have one [logo]…Yours would be a worried face. Just a guy who looks worried.” – Nate to Brian (81:21)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:12 – Show intro, John Crist joins, reflexive banter on recurring guest status
• 06:00 – Titans’ Jumbotron code of conduct skit stories
• 14:10–15:51 – Brian’s minor league first pitch misadventure
• 22:52–38:41 – John Crist’s proposal story: fake awards, symphony hall, pontoon reveal
• 54:16–56:25 – Comedian wardrobe philosophy: suits, sports gear, respect for fans
• 71:50–78:09 – John’s Montana “cowboy camp” summary; cowboy history, brandings
• 88:34–94:34 – Comic prop ideas, fake crowd work, and comedy “magic”
• 104:49–105:25 – John’s “no props (maybe)” tour tease and soft-launching a logo
• 106:10–end – Wrapping up, Brian’s “worried logo,” upcoming tour plugs

Notable Memorable Moments

• John’s engagement required inventing the “Comedy Impact Award: Comedian of the Quarter” just to lure his fiancée to a fake event at the symphony.
• The Nateland cast’s code of conduct skit for the Titans is now a stadium staple—crowds cheer when John gets hauled out by players.
• Brian’s mortification about pitching “between adorable kids,” then sprinting alone to his show.
• A revealing, funny look at how comedians really develop “crowd work” bits and the myth of spontaneous stage magic.
• Cowboying at a luxury resort: “I think the one girl could have done it herself, the professional.” – John Crist
• Planning vs. performance: John’s elaborate description of managing props, special effects, and physical gags for tour ideas (“I want to have Pyro in the show.”)

Final Thoughts

This episode is peak Nateland—a blend of self-deprecating humor, wild behind-the-scenes stories, big announcements (a proposal!), and friendly ribbing about the business of comedy and the quirks of American life. If you’re new to Nateland, this will both endear the hosts to you and keep you laughing throughout, while giving rare insights into how comedians think, plan, and occasionally out-prank one another.

For full laughs, stick around for: John’s runaway cowboy stories, the epic planning of his proposal, and classic tangents on childhood TV channels, branding mishaps, and whose logo would be the most relatable!