Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Davis.
Anthony, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started my journey about five years ago in a little bar in Baltimore. Where on the first night of the open mic I put my name on a list. I sat there and waited three and a half hours to do 3 minutes in which I got booed. After a lot of sleepless nights and traveling thousands upon thousands of miles I can happily say I don’t get booed as much.
I live in Orange County or as my family would say Hollywood. This year I won the San Diego Comedy Festival as well as became a Passed Regular at the LaughFactory Hollywood.
Has it been a smooth road?
Comedy is nothing but struggles and bumpy roads. My first six months of comedy I drove from Baltimore Maryland to Grand Rapids Michigan to do two 5 minute sets. That is a one way 13-hour drive. I’ve been to a place called Hagerstown, Maryland. Three hours from where I lived. I had just passed two kidney stones that day but the booker had told me that the show was packed and I was going to get to do more time 10 minutes. I choose to go to the show. Before I got onto the stage I passed another one in the bathroom. I did 15 minutes that night and I got paid for the first time. Comedy is all about the ups and downs. Its all about how you take the bad with the good a lot of the time. When I moved from Baltimore to California I basically had to start all over again. No one knew who I was and no one wanted to help me cause there are a million comics in the LA area.
I’ve had to fight and push myself and that’s a lot of long nights and a lot of proving myself all over again. I wouldn’t change it for the world though. The feeling you get when you’re on stage and you get a laugh on a joke you’ve put so much work into gets a laugh there is nothing that feels better. I have a joke where I talk about being terrified of having a stroke and my wife told me that if I smell toast I might be having one. I’ve done that joke for about a year now and I’ve had multiple people come up to me after shows that told me that they’ve had strokes or a family has had one. I’ve tensed up but they’ve said it really made them happy to finally laugh about it. I put a positive happy turn on it and it helped them get through it easier. So I’ll take all the bumps on the road if it means I can make a difference in anyone’s life.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am in the business of stand up comedy. An ever-changing ever-evolving machine that can be one of the most rewarding experiences anyone can dream of or it can be a bucket full of nightmares. I’m known for being a southern comic. Born and raised in the deep south of North Carolina before moving to Maryland, Michigan and then California. The thing that sets me apart is my act is high energy storytelling. My life is so messed up it wasn’t hard to write jokes for them.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I love LA. Whenever I do a show in L.A it makes me work so much harder for what I want. I’ve come along way since I moved out here. If you are thinking about starting as a stand-up comedian.
My advice:
1. Write as much as possible. As a comedian, I write about 2 hours a day.
2. Your job as a comic is to take something you think is funny and make an audience feel the same way you do about it.
3. Don’t be afraid to try new jokes and don’t be afraid to fail.
4. Be nice to other comics and be respectful.
5. You’re going to want to quit at times but don’t.
6. Step outside your comfort zone. I did I never wanted to do roast battles now I’m in love.
7. Go up and be on stage as much as possible.
Number one thing is always to have fun and enjoy yourself. If you’re not having fun then why do it.
Contact Info:
- Website: adcomedy.com
- Phone: 4435597119
- Email: adavis0028@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/adcomedy28
- Facebook: facebook.com/thecomicanthony
- Twitter: twitter.com/adacomedy28
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=Z36XY8XQl6qpOXByDQUUbg
Image Credit:
Instagram @hollybeaupre, @Issacheckert
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
