​Well, the 2025 movie season is officially over. My favorite film of 2025, One Battle After Another, won Best Picture and five other Oscars including Best Director, Best Casting, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Editing. With six wins, that puts it in the same company as Forrest Gump, The Godfather Part II, and Star Wars. Not bad company. Meanwhile, my second favorite film of 2025 Sinners won Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Score. That makes it the first non-Best Picture nominee to get a screenplay, lead actor, and multiple tech awards and not win the top prize. And what this means to the majority of people is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. What it means to me is everything. And that's okay, because it is in the celebration and discussion of cinema where I find my soul at it's happiest. And for the haters out there, your zeitgeist cultural event is just as stupid. Whether it's the Super Bowl, Fashion Week, the latest video game, etc. each of us have to find something in the popular culture to love, or we will find ourselves disconnected from the unifying power of art, sports, and whatever else ties us all together.   

Two Classics In One Year 
One thing that made this year's Academy Awards so special is that with OBAA and Sinners, we have two true generational defining films from two generational defining filmmakers. You can't say that about any year since maybe 2007 with No Country For Old Men (Coen Brothers) an There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson again). Then you have to go back to maybe 1998 with Saving Private Ryan and Shakespeare in Love, but in reality the second is known more for being an Oscar villain. Maybe 1995's Apollo 13 and Braveheart and 1994's trio of Forrest Gump, The Shawshank Redemption, and Pulp Fiction. Then you have to go back to the 1970's to find generational defining films.  

Having two masterpieces in one year is special. If Paul Thomas Anderson (OBAA) is more like Robert Altman with sprawling ensemble pieces, Ryan Coogler (Sinners) is more of the Steven Spielberg, a populist filmmaker with huge blockbusters (MCU's Black Panther films) and producing giant IP's (Creed). Sinners was a huge hit at the box office, whereas OBAA had a more independent film domestic feel to it's box office performance.       

Both films had cinematic parallels as well. Both films dealt with similar themes ranging from the relationships of fathers and children to racism to the politics of our day. Both had large casts with one amazing performance after another. It's a sin both couldn't win best picture. (See what I did there?) 
But even if these films had deflated in popularity by Oscar night and a film like Hamnet had won, they are the only two films we'll be talking about twenty years from now. When Paul Thomas Anderson won his third Oscar Sunday night he mentioned how 50 years ago Jaws, Dog Day Afternoon, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest all completed against each other, and today all three are true classics. Heck, Jaws and Cuckoo's Nest were released in theaters last year for their 50th anniversary. Now that's OG status. 

I truly feel OBAA and Sinners will have that type of lasting impact. Many times I watch all ten nominated films and think we might have one film that I can MAYBE talk to a person about. But in my travels, it feels like these two films really made an impact. And it's from two filmmakers who still have a ton of filmmaking left in them. 

Should We Even Put Art Against Each Other?       
Many criticize the Oscars for various practical and rather shallow reasons. One thing you'll hear from actors and artists is that we shouldn't put movies or art in competition against each other. Many will say it's apples and oranges, and how do you tell people one science fiction film is better than a romantic comedy when they had different budgets, stories, and artistic teams? In sports there are more fair systems ranging from salary caps to complicated playoff structures to name a champion. This is a fair argument, but I would argue that if you view the whole award season holistically and not just the three and a half hour show as the end all, it's really a celebration of art and peer appreciation. 
We all want validation from our peers, and the awards season gives filmmakers that opportunity. There are industry screenings, critics awards, and guild/industry awards that help shape the final Oscar nominations and winners. Along the way actors like The Rock (The Smashing Machine) and Sydney Sweeney (Christy) earn their first major precursors through the Golden Globes, which gives their films a better chance to win other awards or for them to win for future films. Plus, award shows help people with limited time and money to go see the films more worth their time, or ironically ignore. I know many who reject films because they see award nominated films as homework - compared to more fun films like The Housemaid or Anaconda. 

Awards also help actors, writers, editors, designers, and filmmakers get more money for future projects. And if YOU want to "make it" in Hollywood, you want people making more money, so there are salaries you desire waiting for you. Trust me, if there was a Best Production Assistant Award, there would be PA's competing in hopes of getting better pay and promotions. I still think there should be a Best Craft Services Award. I'm joking not joking. "And the Oscar for best omelette bar goes to..."
But by having this award season leading to the top honor of an Oscar, many films and storytellers get an opportunity to see an increase in their exposure, money, and influence. Trust me, Spielberg's power in La La Land comes from both his box office success and multiple award success. James Cameron and Christopher Nolan have won awards and had top films, but not at the magnitude of the director of ET and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Oscars shape the future of cinema and dictates the types of films the culture will see years from now.  

Don't Be a Hater 
I know a lot of people trash talk the Oscars and call it stupid, but then they'll turn around and love sports betting and trashy reality shows. Or I find people who never "made it" see the Oscars is like lemon being squeezed into an open wound, But I think that while it might not be for everyone, especially non-film lovers, why would you trash a spectacle that doesn't really affect your life?   
Films are the reflection of our society and the individual. Why would you be upset that a group of people got together to have an employee of the year celebration? Because they put it on TV? They put everything on TV. It's a media based industry. If it wasn't on TV, it be weirder. 
As a Oscar fan since 1990 (when I was 9 years old), I can tell you that I have enjoyed watching the show for decades now. It is my Super Bowl. It is my Christmas Day. It is my favorite event of the year. And in a world where there is so much to be upset about, why hate on people celebrating others?

Final Thoughts
While the Oscar season lasts longer than I'd like - it should end in mid February - the overall season has a lot of good spirits and helps shine a light on the best of art. Cinema is a communal experience. Like old camp fires in the wild west, we sit around and hear a story and then discuss it as a group. Ironically, talking about sports or religion can be a truly divisive discussion. Cinema should be a gateway to understanding our world, our neighbor, and ourselves. 

Roger Ebert, the greatest film critic of all time, said it best:
“We all are born with a certain package. We are who we are: where we were born, who we were born as, how we were raised. We’re kind of stuck inside that person, and the purpose of civilization and growth is to be able to reach out and empathize a little bit with other people. And for me, the movies are like a machine that generates empathy. It lets you understand a little bit more about different hopes, aspirations, dreams and fears. It helps us to identify with the people who are sharing this journey with us.” - Roger Ebert         

​So go watch a movie. Learn about worlds you've never seen. It just might change everything from your day to your whole worldview. And then watch the Oscars to see how the industry's tastes stack up to your own.  

​March 15, 2026 is Academy Awards day. My Christmas Day. Since 1991 I’ve watched the Oscars, and what I love about them is they are the most universal way to celebrate a communal art experience. But like a great sporting event, I enjoy the competitive nature of it all too. Using the Golden Globes, BAFTA (British Awards), PGA (Producers Guild), WGA and the SAG Actors Award as guiding lights, it’s time to place your bets in the office or family pool. This year two films have dominated the race, with “One Battle After Another” (13 nominations) and “Sinners” (a record breaking 16 nominations) winning most of the Best Picture awards from critics and guild groups. Could there be a surprise? Here’s my predictions with a week to go so you can do your own research and pick with confidence.
Best Picture
“Bugonia”
“F1”
“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“Marty Supreme”
“One Battle After Another”
“The Secret Agent”
“Sentimental Value”
“Sinners”
“Train Dreams”
“One Battle After Another” won the Golden Globe (Comedy), BAFTA, WGA and PGA, but Hamnet won the Golden Globe (Drama). Sinners won Best Actor Ensemble for SAG and WGA and has the most nominations heading into the night. There was a time the most nominated film was a shoe in to win, yet we’ve seen socially important films like "12 Years a Slave," “Spotlight,” “Moonlight,” and “CODA” pull off the upset over more nominated films like "La La Land" and "Gravity." Meanwhile, “The Secret Agent” and “Sentimental Value” will battle in the International Film category, while popular films like “Frankenstein,” “F1.” and “Marty Supreme” are just happy to be here. Smaller artistic films like “Train Dreams” and “Bugonia” are too existential to take the top prize. While I can easily see One Battle winning (it's a safe bet), “Sinners” feels like the type of populist film that pulls it out in the end.
Prediction: Sinners
Personal Pick: One Battle After Another

Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson “One Battle After Another”
Ryan Coogler “Sinners”
Josh Safdie “Marty Supreme”
Joachim Trier “Sentimental Value”
Chloé Zhao “Hamnet”
After winning the Director’s Guild, BAFTA, and Golden Globe, this is the year to celebrate Paul Thomas Anderson. Even if the film loses Best Picture, he’s the lock of the night. I will add, if there was an upset, it would be Coogler, but since he's a lock in Original Screenplay, he won't be winning this award...yet. 
Prediction: Anderson
Personal Pick: Anderson


Best Actor
Wagner Moura “The Secret Agent”
Timothée Chalamet “Marty Supreme”
Leonardo DiCaprio “One Battle After Another”
Ethan Hawke “Blue Moon”
Michael B. Jordan “Sinners”
Last year, at this time, Chalamet was crowned the front runner by buzz alone, but after losing BAFTA to Robert Aramayo (“I Swear”) and the SAG Actor to Jordan, he feels vulnerable. As much as I love Moura and DiCaprio, I happily think Jordan is going to pull this out.
Prediction: Jordan
Personal Pick: Jordan


Best Actress
Jessie Buckley “Hamnet”
Rose Byrne “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
Kate Hudson “Song Sung Blue”
Renate Reinsve “Sentimental Value”
Emma Stone “Bugonia”
After the Toronto International Film Festival, Buckley was crowned the winner of the category, and after sweeping the season, she’s a near lock. But if there was an upset, it would be Byrne in the best performance of any actor all year. 
Prediction: Buckley
Personal Pick: Byrne


Best Supporting Actor
Benicio Del Toro “One Battle After Another”
Jacob Elordi “Frankenstein”
Delroy Lindo “Sinners”
Sean Penn “One Battle After Another”
Stellan Skarsgård “Sentimental Value”
What a group! All are deserving, and all have a winning track record. Penn won the BAFTA and SAG Actor - so he is looking the best on paper, but his disdain for campaigning and awards shows could keep him from winning. Elordi won the Critic’s Choice. Skarsgård won the Golden Globe. And del Toro leads the critics group (30+ award groups!). So due to all this chaos, elder stateman Lindo has a real shot - like Marcia Gay Harden in 2001 with Pollack. 
Prediction: Lindo
Personal Pick: del Toro


Supporting Actress
Elle Fanning “Sentimental Value”
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas “Sentimental Value”
Amy Madigan “Weapons”
Wunmi Mosaku “Sinners”
Teyana Taylor “One Battle After Another”
Like Supporting Actor, this category has been all over the map, which means much chaos. The Sentimental Value ladies will split the vote. Mosaku won the BAFTA, but as a British actress she had home court advantage. Taylor was only in the film’s first third. While Madigan is the film’s only nomination, she won the Critics Choice and SAG Actor award, which makes her the only one to win at least two major precursors. 
Prediction: Madigan
Personal Pick: Mosaku


Other Awards:
Original Screenplay: Sinners
*No one is stopping Coogler from this one.
Adapted Screenplay: One Battle After Another
*PTA will have at least two Oscars by the night's end. 
Animated Film: KPop Demon Hunters
*An easy pick
International: Sentimental Value
*The Secret Agent could pull this off due to the new voting block, but since Sentimental Value has FOUR acting nominations and a Best Director nomination, this feels like the safe bet.  
Casting: Sinners
*This is the first year for Best Casting. No one knows how this will play out yet. I have a sneaky suspicion that in a few years from now it will become a silver medal for best film.    
Documentary: The Perfect Neighbor
*The frontrunner all year, but it's a whacky category and nothing is certain. Use a dartboard if you want. 
Cinematography: One Battle After Another
*Sinners was winning every award here - until it wasn't. OBAA won the ASC and BAFTA. Those rolling hill roads were too iconic to deny.  
Editing: One Battle After Another
*So many characters, stories, timelines, voice overs, etc. As much as Marty Supreme had some amazing sequences, OBAA is the achievement. 
Sound: F1
*Vrooooom vrooooom always wins. 
Production Design: Frankenstein
*But that castle though! 
Costumes: Frankenstein
*But those Victorian dresses though! 
Makeup & Hair: Frankenstein
*But those monster prosthetics though!  
Song: “Golden” (KPop Demon Hunters)
*It was literally the most popular song in the world all year. BUT if Sinners has a perfect night - "I Lied To You" is waiting in the wings. 
Score: Sinners
*2X Oscar winner Ludwig Goransson is about to be 3X Oscar winner Ludwig Goransson. He's becoming the next John Williams. 
Best Documentary Short: All the Empty Rooms 
*This is what the experts are picking 
Best Animated Short: The Girl Who Cried Pearls 
*It's either this or Butterfly - flip a coin. 
Best Live Action Short: Two People Exchanging Saliva
*This one has three "frontrunners" with The Singers and A Friend of Dorothy getting a lot of love. But my research (watching YouTube videos) tells me this feels like the winner.   
So these are my best guesses. I've been around 80% correct every year, depending on my "shorts" picks. But if you have no idea what you're doing in an Oscar pool contest, you can impress your friends with my picks and steal my analysis. That's my gift to you.  

Too often the laborious task of creating art can become emotionally, psychologically, and financially draining. We drive from gig to gig, mic to mic, place to place, all in hopes of getting our big break or maintaining the breaks we've earned. Yet most of us never seem to enjoy the fruits of our labor the way we hoped. Yet, what if your art isn't all meant for the current audiences you perform in front of, but something for future generations? What if you doing stand up comedy or the eventual things you'll create are meant to inspire people you'll never meet or ever know in anyway? Once you see your art and your career through the eyes of eternity, you might find more strength and desire to pull forward than if you're looking for the instant success you might have wanted when first starting. And that can be the most comforting thought of all. 

Time is Circular - Not Linear 
So much of the western world is about getting ahead. We want to reach the highest heights. Sometimes its internal, in that we truly strive to be the best at something. Rudyard Kipling wrote about this idea in the poem IF: "And so hold on when there is nothing in you/ Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’"

Not everyone wants this beyond the dream of it. Most people want to be a millionaire. Yet most of those people don't want to put in the hours it takes. Desire cannot be confused with effort or determination. Desire fuels determination, it doesn't replace it. 

If you find yourself wanting something more than you're willing to put in the work, then you have a "desire outweighing your commitment to excellence" problem. 

The reason I bring this up is because people think A has to happen before B, and that's not true. You don't HAVE to get a million followers and then you'll be successful. The idea that A has to happen first implies that A is a noble and/or attainable goal to begin with.

Let's say you need 100,000 followers to get to a level of success, but you never get past 10,000. Well, then you might as well quit. But what if I told you out of the 10,000 followers you have, one is a national touring headliner who wants to bring onto his next gig, and then you meet someone...and see where I'm going with this? 

You have to stop thinking you are running out of time. It's not about time. Time is an abstract idea. You have to think in terms of unlimited opportunities. You can get one gig, then another gig, and maybe you'll meet the right booker or comic or even audience member who can set you up. Stop worrying that you're running out of time - you still have an endless amount of opportunities.     

Time is a liar. Time tells you you are too young, too old, etc. You have to look at your success as something that can happen, will happen, already happened. A sort of of Zen comedy philosophy must take over your psyche before you can truly enjoy the journey or see how your journey is helping others. 

I've Seen My Own Fingerprints On Timelines I Didn't Expect
When van Gogh questioned if his art was meant for future generations, I felt that in my bones concerning my time as a coach. I coached wrestling between 1999 to 2016 and now I'm seeing my athletes coaching their kids. And their kids are way better than they were. Because of the conversations I would have with my wrestlers, they took that life advice and ran with it.

Now my wrestlers from 20 years ago (2007 graduates) are coaching their kids, building off the skills and philosophies I taught them while they were hard headed teenagers. Seeing them coach at such a high level inspires me, and watching their kids get national rankings is a wonderful feeling, knowing I started that journey with their pops two decades ago. 

The truth is, you don't know how much you are influencing someone. And while you might not feel like your career is where it should be, you don't realize the people you're influencing. From family members now willing to try a new thing from a stranger in the crowd who saw you and now started writing their own sketch. 

If I told you your influence would be discovered by strangers but undiscovered by you, would you really want to stop?  

Being "Ahead of Your Time" Puts You in Great Company
There are many artists who were "ahead of their time" we cherish today. Andy Kauffman was a misunderstood comic who trolled his audiences and created experiences more than steps and punchlines. Now people like Sacha Baron Cohen has made a career based on the same comedic sensibilities Kauffman was criticized for. Today, many comics credit Kauffman for being the type of comic (brave and fearless) they want to be. While his style hasn't been the most copied, that spirit has become the template for which standups aspire to copy. 

The film The Big Lebowski was a flop back in 1998. Coming off their Oscar winning Fargo, the Coen Brothers went back to their "idiot" film themes (Raising Arizona) and found little fanfare. Today, the film has become a cultural milestone inspiring a religion, a festival, and midnight screenings all over the country. Endlessly quotable, the film is considered a cult classic now, cementing both Jeff Bridges and John Goodman's national treasure status. 

Vincent van Gogh was a painter in the late 1800's who died broke, in a mental institution, wondering what his life was meant for. Today his paintings sell for millions, and his artwork has been merchandised by many on shirts, canvases, and jewelry. While he didn't see the impact of his work in his life, his fingerprints are all over the world today. The film "At Eternity's Gate" explores the madness of knowing you're doing something that may not be appreciated until generations later. 
Herman Melville wrote Moby Dick. The urban legend goes he died so broke his family couldn't afford the final "e" on his tombstone. A man who wrote the most epic of man v. nature novels found little success in his life and now every kid in high school know his name. They might resent it, but that's a different story. 

Final Thoughts
You don't know how your comedy or bits will affect future generations. With YouTube, TikTok, and podcasts, there might be a person not even born who discovers you years from now and your old clip keeps them going.  

Back in 2015 I went to see Jim Gaffigan and his opener Ted Alexandro talked on stage about being a school teacher who did stand up comedy. At the time I was a teacher, and it was that piece of information that inspired me to start this crazy journey. Ted has no idea who I am, but his story inspired me, and then I have had the privilege of mentoring thousands of comics over the years. In a weird way, Ted is a part of your journey too if I ever taught or booked you. 

​Life is a complex collection of experiences that tie together through the different fabrics of interconnecting lives. Don't ever think your journey is less significant than someone more "successful" than you. Because maybe your comedy was made for future generations you've never met. And that is a comforting thought.   

Last week I talked about sex. This week let's talk about something more controversial: religion and comedy. When I first started doing stand up, I took a workshop that talked about ways to make money in comedy and performing in churches was on the list. At the time I was very involved in my church community. I was teaching at a private Christian school, co-running a Bible study, and attending an evangelical church in Simi Valley. I thought, wow, I could totally transition into the church market with all my contacts and general knowledge of church ethos and history. I could write jokes about Jonah and the Whale, Adam and Eve, and why churches all have the same bland wall colors like a prison. But a funny thing happened on my way to the church...

So let's talk about writing jokes about God, faith, and religion. Because I will make the argument the best jokes about God sound like Job talking to God. 

Faith is Both a Seriously and Ludicrous Matter 
I'm a Christian, but I also fully understand why people don't want to be. From the moral teachings to the types of people attached to the institutions, it's not always an easy vibe to groove with. Jesus called being a follower like a person who carries their own cross. The Apostle Paul called Christians to suffer with joy. These are not the best marketing terms. Other religions ask you to give up expectations (Buddhism), to submit to Allah and be ready for war (Islam), and to give up coffee (Mormonism). I'm fine with having no expectations and war - but lay off my caffeine, bro! 

Yet you must always remember that faith is sacred and for many a daily ritual or experience. So when you write jokes, if you "strawman" their faith or use hacky offensive statements, any chance you have of getting the crowd comfortable to laugh becomes harder. I write a lot of jokes about my faith but from the absurdity of the follower's interpretation. I have jokes about Christians being obsessed with football and the stupidity that breeds. I have jokes about Christians using swears and the double standards they project. 

There's a difference between mocking and making observations. And if you strawman the joke too much you'll invite white knights to heckle and argue. 

Being a Jobber v. Headliner with Fanbase 
Often, comics will want to emulate their favorite comic who talked about certain topics and approach the topic with the same energy. Comics like George Carlin and Ricky Gervais both made a career mocking religion and religious people. Currently, Louis CK has been bringing a Bible on stage and reading passages to talk about how weird these stories sound on a first read. But here's the caveat - they're famous and a fanbase came to watch them be outrageous and controversial. 

When you're starting out, you're performing in front of people who were brought by other comics. Maybe you have 2-5 friends in the crowd, but the other 10-20 people are a mixed bag of supportive family and friends. They came solely to hear their friend, so those first years in, anything that would divide the room will potentially be a disaster. Whether that's sex, politics, or religion. So keep that in your mind as you navigate the topics you want to be known for. 

The best workaround is through social media. If you want to post rant videos, sketches, or short stand up clips (with or without laughter) about religion, you can build a following through the algorithm which you can convert into ticket sales. I'm talking about pro or anti-religion jokes. This method is the most tried and true the past decade. If you get swept up in the TikTok or IG sphere, you can cultivate the crowd you desire.  

Another workaround is theme shows. Having a "Christian" comedy show or a "There is No God" show can create the expectations that other shows aren't taking advantage of.

Being Vulnerable is Another Step
What I've found is if you say "I don't believe in God and this why religion is stupid..." you aren't taking much of a risk. But if you say "I'm Mormon/Muslim/Jewish/Christian/Hindu/etc. and this is what I hate about my group..." the crowd gives you more room to play. While you might have some great jokes making fun of other religions, the general question audience members ask is "why does this matter to him/her?" 

Now, if you talk about coming out of a religion, you have a reason to talk about it. If your spouse switched religions on you, and now you have to attend a new church, you have something to talk about. Just thinking that you, a person with no notable accomplishments are going to make a career making fun of or celebrating a faith will be welcomed with open arms is a rather vain concept. 
If it works, great. But if you find the room pulling back, then take note you haven't created a space where they trust you with this egg shell of a topic.              

The Trick is in the Writing 
Some jokes rely on attitude. Other jokes rely on the cult of personality. Other jokes need act outs, props, or crowd work to fully form. But religious jokes are successful purely based on the writing. The writing has to be clear, with a concise punchline. The angles you attack need to feel fresh and original. Especially, when starting out. I can argue that as comics get more famous, their negative jokes about sex, religion, or politics tend to get lazy, but when starting out, you want to make sure you writing and rewriting all the time.    

I would start by writing serious complaints you have with an aspect of religion and then move into the setup-punchline territory. Ask yourself, are you going for a cheap laugh or making a point through humor? Because if you can stand by your joke, as if it was a debate, then you'll have more credibility on stage from both a persona and in delivery. 

Why I Never Got into "Christian" Comedy
If there is a market where comics can make manna from heaven, it's in the Christian comedy market. Churches will pay a pretty penny for comics to come on a Saturday or Sunday night to entertain the flock. In fact, you can ask for a "gift offering" and make a fortune after a good show. So why didn't I go that route? 

The reason is because Christian audiences seem to like safe, evergreen humor. They want jokes about airplane food and TV remotes that have too many buttons ("Which button takes me back to 1980 when TV was funny?"). Many Christians have no understanding about popular culture and are narrow minded when it comes to politics. Liberal Christians will see movies and go to clubs, so they're fine, but when you walk into a church setting to do 30-60 minutes of comedy...you better know your crowd. 

Church crowds tend to like jokes making fun of spouses and kids too. Jokes about how husbands are stupid, wives are lazy, or kids are the spawn of Satan get big laughs.

I don't have kids, nor do I think they're evil. I might think kids are annoying, but Christians like jokes about kids to be mean spirited. ("I'd be happy if I was married to Eve. I'd love my wife to eat a piece of fruit every now and then.") And they LOVE anti-spouse jokes. The wife who is a nag (ho ho ho). The idiot husband (ha ha ha). I'm not married. And if I was, I wouldn't want to make fun of the mother of my children. 

Christian crowds also love anti-gay, any-liberal, anti-trans, anti-progressive jokes. {"When lesbians go out on a date, who pays?") Some groups love stereotype racist jokes too. It's a mixture of MAGA and Christian groups these days, so you might offend half the group and then not offend the other half enough. This is the group afraid PC culture is ruining comedy because you can't say the R-Word anymore. It's a no win from the stage.  

So when people ask me why I don't play churches, it's the same reason I don't go to Turning Point USA events. It's not my jam. But if that sounds like fun to you...be my guest...the wages are great.         

Final Thoughts 
While everyone has a right to joke about anything they want, keep in mind that what makes niche crowds or open micers laugh compared to middle class working paying crowds is different. 

On top of that, when you try to dunk on any topic, you give it power. There are very few jokes when dunking on a person on topic doesn't make them more relevant. In a weird way, your religious jokes are a conversation starter. They get people thinking and deconstructing their faith journey. But they can also get people more angry and resent the opposing view. So always approach the material with some acknowledgment that you aren't "preaching," but instead just making jokes - whether they're smart or dumb. 

Jim Gaffigan made jokes about Hot Pockets and they went through a massive rebranding. Causation or Correlation? You can argue both. But he will forever be known for those jokes. If you want to be the religion comic, great, but only if you're prepared to be put in that corner the rest of your career. Because if Gervais or Bill Maher want to pivot, they can't. And if a Christian comic wants to branch out, they'll have to start from page one again. 

​Yet, as long as you are staying true to you, I say write what you want, and as long as it's funnier than it is "preachy" you're doing okay.