In this episode, local comedians Ryan Traughber , Katy Ipock, and Julia Reed Nichols dive headfirst into the wonderfully weird worlds of magic, science, and personal belief. From tarot readings and zodiac signs to pondering the influence of the stars above, the trio tackles life’s big questions with plenty of laughs along the way. They also celebrate the one and only Dolly Parton, reminisce about their love for Captain Planet, and chat about the local comedy scene and the community events that keep Central Oregon vibrant.

Plus, comedian Ren Q. Dawe joins the show to share their incredible journey as the first trans person to perform comedy in all 50 states. Ren talks about life on the road, the power of representation, building community through comedy, and the lessons they’ve learned while making audiences laugh from coast to coast.

Whether you’re a comedy nerd or just here for the Dolly Parton appreciation, there’s something in this episode for you. 

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LISTEN: Nighttime Benders: Ren Q 🎧

by The Source Staff, The Source - Bend, Oregon
September 2, 2026

<h1>LISTEN: Nighttime Benders: Ren Q 🎧</h1> <p class="byline">by The Source Staff, The Source - Bend, Oregon <br />September 2, 2026</p> <p>In this episode, local comedians&nbsp;<strong>Ryan Traughber</strong>&nbsp;<strong>, Katy Ipock, and Julia Reed Nichols</strong>&nbsp;dive headfirst into the wonderfully weird worlds of magic, science, and personal belief. From tarot readings and zodiac signs to pondering the influence of the stars above, the trio tackles life's big questions with plenty of laughs along the way. They also celebrate the one and only Dolly Parton, reminisce about their love for Captain Planet, and chat about the local comedy scene and the community events that keep Central Oregon vibrant.</p> <p>Plus, comedian&nbsp;<strong>Ren Q. Dawe</strong>&nbsp;joins the show to share their incredible journey as the first trans person to perform comedy in all 50 states. Ren talks about life on the road, the power of representation, building community through comedy, and the lessons they've learned while making audiences laugh from coast to coast.</p> <p>Whether you're a comedy nerd or just here for the Dolly Parton appreciation, there's something in this episode for you.&nbsp;</p> <div id="buzzsprout-small-player-tags-tom"></div> <div id="buzzsprout-small-player-episode-id-19706892"></div> <div id="buzzsprout-small-player-episode-id-19706892"></div> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-buzzsprout wp-block-embed-buzzsprout"> <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://nightitmebenders.buzzsprout.com/2621965/episodes/19706892-more-than-jokes-ren-q-dawe-on-comedy-and-creating-change </div> </figure> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://www.bendsource.com/video-and-podcasts/podcasts/listen-nighttime-benders-ren-q-%f0%9f%8e%a7/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://www.bendsource.com&quot;&gt;The Source - Bend, Oregon&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cropped-Untitled-design-4.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;</p> &lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://www.bendsource.com/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=98199&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://www.bendsource.com/video-and-podcasts/podcasts/listen-nighttime-benders-ren-q-%f0%9f%8e%a7/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/bendsource.com/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

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