Episode Description
In this episode, Tom Vozzo sits down with comedian and podcaster Pete Holmes to talk about faith, belonging, and spirituality. Pete shares how discovering Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. and Homeboy Industries reshaped not just his theology, but the way he walks on stage. Before performing, he often listens to Father Greg to remind himself that “we belong to each other,” shifting comedy from performance to kinship.
Pete reflects on coming from the Christian tradition, where being the center of attention can feel almost wicked, like becoming the “special boy.” Comedy, he explains, is not that. He will play the role of the special performer, and the audience plays their role too. But underneath it all, it is just a connection. It is all just sunlight wearing different masks.
Reflecting on the story of the prodigal son, Pete explains that you cannot be more of the man’s son in the kingdom and less his son with the pigs. It is about accepting that you are accepted. You are already in. They talk about staying soft when things go wrong, letting anger move through without shame, and resisting the urge to create “the other.”
Key Takeaways
We are sunlight wearing different masks.
Pete looks at the audience and does not see strangers. He sees himself in different forms. Each person carries quiet burdens, love and hurt, generosity and selfishness.
The gospel draws a crowd.
Pete observes that Homeboy’s lobby feels like Disneyland or summer camp. That pull, he argues, is the real sign of the sacred.
Pain is not a competition. Your shit is your shit.
Pete almost minimizes his own story beside another’s trauma, then realizes suffering is not a scoreboard. Healing begins when we stop ranking wounds and start honoring them.
Want to know you’re accepted? Start accepting others.
You can't be more the man's son when you're in the kingdom and less his son when you're with the pigs. Tom watched Greg Boyle pause with wealthy donors to attend to a homie with a simple question. Acceptance is not a reward. It’s a practice we extend, especially to the least visible.
Grace is getting it wrong and being loved anyway.
Tom’s tree story captures the ache of good intentions missing the mark. That tender space between intent and impact is where grace lives.
Hating the other is hating yourself.
When we label anyone disposable, we quietly say the same about ourselves. Loving those cast aside brings the hidden parts of us back to life.
In This Episode:
00:00 – Introduction
00:53 – Getting involved with Homeboy
01:22 – Connecting with Fr. Richard Rohr and Fr. Greg Boyle
03:16 – The impact of Homeboy’s teachings
04:45 – Performing with compassion
07:43 – Lessons from Homeboy
16:11 – The power of acceptance and belonging
22:39 – Balancing help and personal boundaries
27:17 – Spiritual teachings and reflections
29:03 – The value of vulnerability
29:55 – A humbling medical experience
30:44 – Embracing brokenness
34:14 – Spirituality in the corporate world
35:05 – Discovering true spirituality
42:05 – The role of psychedelics in spiritual awakening
Notable Quotes
“Every single one of you has an unseen burden.” — Pete Holmes [05:09]
"We're all just sunlight wearing different masks." — Pete Holmes [05:43]
“If you want to know you're accepted, start by accepting others.” — Tom [25:11]
Resources and Links
Homeboy Industries
Homeboy Media
Pete Holmes
Thomas Vozzo
The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Homeboy-Way-Radical-Approach-Business/dp/082945456X
Credits:
Hosted by: Tom Vozzo
Produced by: Podify, and Alexa Rousso and Melody Carter of Homeboy Media