Pints With Aquinas Catholicism, Tattoos, & Getting Banned From Australia (Shayne Smith) | Ep. 545
Oct 8, 2025
Shayne Smith, a professional stand-up comedian and recent convert to Catholicism, discusses the punk rock nature of faith in a chaotic world. He shares his wild experience of being banned from Australia due to visa issues and political labeling. The conversation dives into how conversion affected his relationships, the tension between Catholicism and comedy, and the online backlash he faced. Shayne also critiques modern church aesthetics and emphasizes the need for authentic subcultures in today's culture.
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Banned From Australia — The Full Ordeal
- Shayne recounts being denied an Australian work visa after being flagged as a "political extremist" and placed on a watch list.
- He spent over a year litigating, produced many background checks, and was finally approved two weeks before the shows.
Arriving In Australia After The Fight
- Australia ultimately let Shayne enter and the shows were excellent despite the prior legal battle.
- He describes airport entry as casual and that officials didn't confront him despite months of hurdles.
The 'Nazi' Label Has Become Meaningless
- The label "Nazi" is now a blunt cultural insult with little consistent meaning or historical specificity.
- Shayne notes accusations of Nazism are used as a catch-all to define enemies rather than to identify real ideology.
