Uncomfortable Truths

Pradeepa Timmermans

Uncomfortable Truths is hosted by Melbourne comedian Pradeepa Timmermans. She interviews interesting local comedians and regular people here in Australia. Each podcast briefly discusses or delves right into at least one uncomfortable truth. These include topics like being a comedian, writing comedy, sex, addiction, corruption, experiences of failure as well as success, mental health - you know, the stuff we don’t talk about. The only thing we find more uncomfortable than these subjects is trying to hold them in! Let's release the shame and fear by talking and laughing about it, together.

  1. 11/10/2022

    Ep32 Rain Ferndale (Visual artist, ex-Hare Krishna, child abuse within religions, cult behaviour, dangers of guru worship)

    Rain Ferndale was brought up as a Hare Krishna from the age of 5, in Murwillumbah, Northern NSW. I have known Rain since the time she was a baby. I recently watched “Keep Sweet, Pray and Obey” on Netflix, the documentary on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I noticed some striking similarities between what I saw in the documentary and what I had observed of Rain’s family, all Hare Krishnas. These were similarities such as idolisation of women becoming mothers at a very young age and limiting their education. I also noticed that both religions ask you to believe what you are told by the guru, no matter what, even if it doesn’t make sense. This also often happens in a dictatorship. Rain tells us in what ways they are similar, and gives us a unique insight into what it’s like growing up as a Hare Krishna, here in Australia. I watched most of the documentary “Faith and Fear – The Children of Krishna”, which outlines the horrific child abuse that went on in the USA and India at Hare Krishna boarding schools, aka Gurukalas. I ask Rain if she witnessed any of this kind of abuse, or if she was subject to anything similar. Her story is captivating and horrifying. She was kicked out of home when she was 13 and has been estranged from her mother ever since. She is now 26. None of her family are Hare Krishnas anymore. Despite this, her 19 year old younger sister, who was born into being a Hare Krishna, has recently become pregnant to a 35 year old man. She has a Year 10 education. This has all transpired with her mother’s encouragement and support. You’ll hear that this is exactly what she was brought up to do, and despite the fact that they are no longer Hare Krishnas, the conditioning runs deep, it would seem. This conversation will blow your mind. You won’t believe that this is happening with no investigation or transparency, right here in Australia. Hang in there. It’s worth it.

    2h 53m
  2. 08/08/2022

    Ep27 Jarryd Goundry (Comedian applying military precision, strategies, self-discipline & 100% commitment - what it really takes!)

    Jarryd Goundry, successful, hard working, Melbourne comedian is super inspiring! He’s forging his own path with his machete of diligence and self-discipline (and of course, very funny gags!) We talk about his tactical approach to comedy, the path he has forged and how he has done it. Jarryd hasn’t waited for someone else to give him a ‘break’. He has been figuring out how to make it all work from the time he decided that comedy is his thing. He’s travelled throughout Australia, both cities and regional. He’s developed strong muscles around making people laugh in all of these places, and marketing and getting people into his shows. His stories are riveting! The experience he’s had and the advice he gives is gold for any up and coming comedian who wants to take control of their career and move forward. For someone like me, who was a hippy for a decade, his military background is totally foreign to me. Hearing the structures and practices he has brought from the army to tackling comedy as a career, is en point. Fascinating! It’s a bit confronting to see what it takes, but it’s always better to face these things head on rather than pretending you know what you’re doing, when you don’t. When a path looks difficult, I pretend that there must be an easier way and make my own pseudo-path. It’s better to know what it really takes, so that we can make informed decisions that are based on truths, which are sometimes uncomfortable! Jarryd Goundry Instagram  |  TikTok  |  Facebook Pradeepa Timmermans Instagram  |  Facebook  |  pradeepa.com.au | pradeepa.deep@gmail.com

    2h 27m

About

Uncomfortable Truths is hosted by Melbourne comedian Pradeepa Timmermans. She interviews interesting local comedians and regular people here in Australia. Each podcast briefly discusses or delves right into at least one uncomfortable truth. These include topics like being a comedian, writing comedy, sex, addiction, corruption, experiences of failure as well as success, mental health - you know, the stuff we don’t talk about. The only thing we find more uncomfortable than these subjects is trying to hold them in! Let's release the shame and fear by talking and laughing about it, together.