RUNGA Radio
RUNGA Radio is where physical health, emotional well-being, and personal transformation collide. Hosted by Joseph Anew, a 20+ year health and fitness coach, and Dr. Richard Blake, a PhD in Psychology, RUNGA Radio blends evidence-based insights with proven high-impact approaches to optimize your mind and body. Join us as we sit down with some of the world’s leading experts to explore the cutting edges of personal transformation and long-term health with deep explorations into breathwork, biohacking, functional fitness, emotional resilience, psychedelics, and beyond.
RUNGA Radio
231 | Brent Pella: Punchlines, Psychedelics & The Pursuit of Joy
Comedian and creator Brent Pella (@brentpella) joins Richard and Joseph for a hilarious, unfiltered, and thoughtful conversation about satire, spiritual charlatans, and the surprising power of breathwork. Brent offers a rare blend of humor and heart while opening up about his creative process, psychedelic journeys, and why he believes we can store joy in our cells just like trauma.
Topics
– Satire, censorship & comedy’s role in an outraged world
– From ketamine to ayahuasca: Brent’s psychedelic path
– Conscious Connected Breathwork vs. plant medicine
– The charlatan problem in the healing space
– The neuroscience of joy, trauma, and creativity
– Biohacking water, BPA receipts, and microplastics
– Brent’s secret Bernie Sanders impression
Timestamps
00:02:45 – Learning to suck at something again: Brent on picking up piano and why challenge equals joy
00:05:52 – Storing joy in your cells: Can our bodies hold more than just trauma?
00:12:15 – SNL, Daily Show, and political bias in comedy
00:19:30 – Satirizing the psychedelic scene: Manipulation, ego, and false prophets
00:25:10 – Psychedelics & creativity: Brent’s journey from microdosing to macro insights
00:33:01 – Why Brent won’t do ayahuasca (yet)
00:39:45 – The wine glass metaphor for trauma healing
00:45:00 – Punching down vs. satire with integrity
00:52:20 – Leah Thomas joke: Finding the line without crossing it
00:55:42 – Pella or Propaganda: Brent plays the parody vs. real news game
01:03:00 – Deep breathwork & energy surges: Brent’s experience with CCB
01:09:30 – From Venice Beach smog to Austin skies: Nervous system reset
01:14:58 – Water hacks, raw milk mafias & BPA paranoia
01:21:45 – Receipts, Lululemon, and slow-drip toxicity
01:26:30 – Mercury in retrograde & the astrology placebo
01:32:20 – The burden of manifesting everything vs. surrendering to chaos
01:35:10 – Brent on legacy: Why joy matters more than justice
STAY CONNECTED
Liability Note
Psychedelics discussed in this episode are illegal in many jurisdictions and are not suitable for everyone. Conscious Connected Breathwork can induce intense physiological and emotional responses and may be contraindicated for those with epilepsy, cardiovascular issues, or during pregnancy. Always consult a healthcare provider before participating in altered state practices.
