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Snackin' & Yakkin'
Two matching orange shirts. One “please subscribe” bribe that absolutely does not work. And a guest who shows up with one goal: to say something career-ending on camera and let time do the rest.
In Episode 43 of Snackin’ & Yakkin’ with BIG Ben Kennedy, Charleston comedian MK Kern hangs with Ben to talk roast battles, open mic strategy, posting clips without burning your act, and the great Moxie soda hunt that came up empty.
Matching orange shirts, loud snacks, and a very serious chip situation
The setup is simple: snacks on the table, comics on the couch, and a vibe that feels like two friends talking before the show starts (except there are cameras, and your words can haunt you forever).
MK’s snack picks were Zapp’s Voodoo chips and Baja Blast. Ben tried to track down MK’s first choice drink, Moxie, to match their Moxie shirt, but Charleston had other plans. The only local spot was a Cracker Barrel in North Charleston, and even that location was out.
For the record, the chips don’t hang around long. Ben even admits he had to stash them behind him because they were disappearing too fast. The show may be called Snackin’ & Yakkin’, but the “snackin'” part is not a metaphor.
If you want the full episode feed, you can also subscribe to Snackin’ & Yakkin’ on YouTube and keep up with clips on Snackin’ & Yakkin’ on Instagram.
Roast battle win: clever over cruel
MK reached out to Ben about coming on the show, and Ben already knew the name from the local scene: roast battle champion. He’d heard comics swapping ideas behind the scenes and liked that MK was the kind of person people trusted as a sounding board.
When Ben asks about roast style, MK’s answer is clear: clever beats mean. They avoided the easy stuff (no low-hanging “body” jokes) and aimed for punches with some craft. It’s still a roast, so nobody’s getting a handwritten apology afterward, but MK’s lane is more “smart twist” than “burn the building down.”
That approach matters in a room full of comics because it tells people what you value. You can win, you can hit hard, and you can still keep your soul.
Finding a voice onstage (and learning to pause)
MK describes early comedy like a baby giraffe trying to stand up. They started doing standup for a few months in 2024, took about six months off, then came back with a better plan: be unapologetically themselves.
They don’t live in political material, but they’ll step into it when it fits (including a Charlie Kirk joke they call a banger). They also talk about not wanting to be boxed in as a “gay comic.” The easy self-deprecating jokes are always there, but MK wants range more than a label.
MK adds an angle from Mike Birbiglia’s advice: the audience has to know you’re okay before you take them into darker or heavier territory. That’s tough in a five-minute open mic set.
Then comes one of the most relatable open mic lessons ever: timing. Both Ben and MK talk about how new comics often run material like a memorized speech, then realize the real trick is leaving space for laughter.
Five minutes on paper isn’t five minutes with laughs in the room.
Best shows so far: Indiana Jones at a Don’t Tell
MK’s first real show was a Don’t Tell, the day before Halloween. All the comics wore costumes, while the audience mostly didn’t. MK went full Indiana Jones, fedora included, and still remembers how nervous they were.
The key detail: they were literally shaking, but the first line crushed. Once that happens, the rest of the set feels like your body finally agrees to let you do the job.
Hosting Wits End, biker gangs, and “Democrats” as the dirtiest word
MK was about to start hosting the Monday open mic at Wits End, and Ben gets into why hosting is its own skill. You set the tone, you control the energy, and you get a crowd before they wander off.
MK also shares a wild curveball from a longer set: a biker gang walked in right before showtime. The host asked everyone to yell the dirtiest word they could think of, and a biker shouts, “Democrats.” MK instantly shortened their planned set because, in that moment, the room had a new personality.
The episode also shouts out local killer comic Kalicia (intimidating in the best way) and a story involving wrestling at a strip club, with Kalicia fully in “RIP HIS HEAD OFF” mode.
The Moxie problem, the Baja Blast solution, and the Voodoo chip verdict
Even MK admits Moxie “is not good,” yet they still love it. Their best description is perfect and strange: it tastes like the word “sassafras” sounds, kind of medicinal, but with an aftertaste that keeps pulling you back. If you’re curious what people mean when they say Moxie is polarizing, this Moxie flavor breakdown lines up with the “you either get it or you don’t” vibe.
Baja Blast, on the other hand, is easy. It was made for Taco Bell, got popular, and now it’s everywhere. No scavenger hunt required.
As for Zapp’s Voodoo, Ben and MK describe it like salt and vinegar meets barbecue, with a spicy lean that feels more balanced than “all dressed” chips. If you want a wider take on why people obsess over Zapp’s, Tasting Table’s take on Zapp’s Voodoo Heat is a fun rabbit hole.
A very brainy background (and why comedy won anyway)
MK’s resume is quietly wild: American University in DC with an interdisciplinary major (communications, law, economics, government), a data science minor, then grad school in Boston for software project management. A national security think tank internship “broke” them, and the Gen Z job market didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet.
Then life hit hard. A major medical emergency (ovarian torsion tied to multiple cysts, including a gnarly one with hair and fat, plus a bone) flipped a switch. Desk life started to feel less important than doing something that mattered to them.
Comedy did that. MK moved away for a bit, then came back to Charleston, moved in with their parents, hit as many open mics as possible, and got better fast.
They also keep social media in its place. Clips matter now, but MK tries to post one-off improv moments instead of dumping polished material online. The internet can wait. The stage can’t.
You can follow MK at MK Kern on Instagram, and find their short-form stuff at MK Kern Comedy on TikTok. If you want extras from the show itself, there’s also the Snackin’ & Yakkin’ Patreon.
Conclusion
Episode 43 works because it’s equal parts snack review and comedian shop talk, with just enough chaos to keep it honest. MK Kern comes off as sharp, self-aware, and hungry for reps, even when life tries to throw a wrecked Subaru in the way. If you take one thing from the conversation, make it this: keep showing up, keep recording, and keep building that new five.
