CHATTANOOGA, TN — A local Christian comedy open mic descended into holy chaos Thursday night after aspiring stand-up comic Zach V., 36, took the stage and delivered a single joke — “Atheists be debatin’” — over and over again with minor variations in tone, posture, and volume.
Witnesses report the set began with promise: Zach approached the mic with confidence, adjusted the stool like a pro, and opened with the now-infamous line. But instead of following it with a punchline or premise, he simply repeated it, each time leaning into the microphone like he had just delivered the finishing blow in a theological debate none of the audience was part of.
“First time was funny,” said local youth pastor and open mic host Chaz Kilby. “Second time, still kinda funny. By the third or fourth, it was like — is this a bit about how repetitive atheists are? Or is he just stuck?”
Zach reportedly performed 62 unique iterations of the phrase, including:
- Whispered: “atheists… be debatin’…”
- Shouted like a tent revival preacher
- Spoken in a British accent for some reason
- Deadpan, while staring into the lights
- Backwards, via audio filter on his phone
The audience, consisting mostly of home schoolers and apologetics YouTubers, was initially confused but eventually erupted in applause — not out of appreciation, but because the repetition began to feel biblical.
“I don’t know what just happened,” said local college student Rachel G., “but I think he might be the Andy Kaufman of Christian comedy. Or possessed.”
At press time, Zach was seen in the parking lot furiously scribbling down a follow-up joke involving a youth pastor, a vape pen, and a Chick-fil-A sauce packet “with spiritual implications.”
