Introducing…

They say never meet your heroes. But I made an exception. Bob Smiley has been making me laugh since I was a kid reading the Clubhouse Magazine. I’ve seen almost every standup special he’s made. But when I read Average Boy’s Above Average Year, I became an even bigger fan. Bob Smiley and Focus on the Family have created a brand that has exploded recently. Average Boy books, articles, and an award-winning podcast. Bob has seen a gradual change, as more families come to his comedy shows because they are Average Boy fans. In this episode, Brenda and I ask Bob questions about comedy, the writing process, and his super-secret trick to get into the mind of a 12-year-old boy. If you find my laugh annoying, I apologize. It’s in this episode a lot!

The Podcast

Kathy O'Neill – The Write2Ignite Podcast

There is no way getting around it: Kathy O’Neill reminds me of my grandma. It’s not just the northeastern accent, or the hair. It’s the mannerisms. It’s the heart. It was all I could do to stop myself from ending the interview by saying, “Well, I’ll see you at Thanksgiving!”But I think the similarities go deeper. I think Kathy embodies the grandmotherly spirit. You can tell she loves children, she’s still got lots of energy, and she’d be there for you whenever you needed her. That’s the kind of person I want writing a devotional for kids.As Brenda and I sat down to discuss her book “Hoofprints of Hope” I was amazed at the knowledge and ease that she has. Kathy has put in her time as a teacher and a writer and everyone at Write2Ignite cannot wait to help her get this book into the hands of as many children as possible. Listen to the episode as we discuss devotional writing, research, and how cowboy’s keep their hats on. Who knows? You may just finish the episode thinking about your grandma as well.

1. Kathy O'Neill 37:42
2. Sue Irwin 37:04
3. Bob Smiley 50:12
4. Daniel Blackaby 45:27
5. Emily Golus 56:11

Resources

If, by some horrible mistake, you are not following Bob Smiley on social media, you can find him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and X. Maybe Pinterest. I didn’t ask. Or, just check out his awesome website.

Also, you can get Bob to do a Cameo.

The Official Average Boy Podcast

Average Boy website

The book Bob is going to read next

The first Christian comedian Bob Smiley heard: Paul Aldrich

The comedian Brenda saw: Elayne Boosler

Bob’s writing influences: Dave Barry and Patrick F. McManus

The joke that Kyle sent Bob Smiley back in 2012: Why is there no farting in Middle Earth? The wizard said, “You shall not pass!”