The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi #410 The Lord Be Like with Jiavani
Oct 6, 2026
Jiavani, a comedian and actor known for Dropout and improv, joins for candid conversations about honest dating expectations, building a creative life between London and Los Angeles, and growing up across cultures. They revisit leaving a stylish but homophobic church, social anxiety at sex parties, the infamous ugly-baby joke, and why slogan-covered clothing and standing ovations need to stop.
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The Baby Joke That Found Its Father
- Jiavani tested a joke about a bald baby with one long hair at a nearly empty open mic.
- The baby’s father happened to walk past the venue, heard the joke, and confronted Jiavani at church.
Church Worship Felt Like Theater
- Jiavani experienced worship as a kind of theatrical flow state, combining music, choreography, emotional intensity, and speaking in tongues.
- That connection explains why performance and religious ritual remained intertwined in their artistic identity.
Jiavani Left A Church Over Anti-Gay Rhetoric
- Jiavani left a church after its apparent welcome toward queer people became aggressive anti-gay and anti-Muslim rhetoric.
- The breaking point came when the congregation applauded claims that gay people committed hate crimes against them.