Check Out Del Harrison’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Del Harrison.

Hi Del, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I originally came to the entertainment business because I (thought) had started my own nonprofit organization called Pipes Magazine. I really didn’t have full direction. I just knew I wanted to help other organizations and do some celebrity interviews. This man named Don Cash from Faces of Our Children – a nonprofit organization that helped raise awareness on sickle cell – agreed to let me help him organize his yearly extravaganza called “Bowling for Sickle Cell”. There I was knocking on doors, asking for donations for Faces, and surprisingly getting some yeses…..we’ll two yeses. Still, it was invigorating to be a part of a major cause. I helped him to get money and got a local celebrity to make an appearance and then hosted the event.

My friends always encouraged me to do standup but I was afraid. I wasn’t scared in front of them but wouldn’t dare think of getting on stage. I had the secret desire to get up there but thought I would end up writing for people… even though the writing is NOT wanted to do. It wouldn’t be until I met an actress on another job who encouraged me EVERY DAY. I finally broke free on a stage in Baltimore, page in hand, written material, and when I was done, two old ladies walked up to me and said “now you curse too much… but you were really funny.” Lol. We had a fantastic laugh and I kept going from that day. It was my awakening. In fact, I don’t even remember a lot of things that happened before I started doing standup. It was like I was rebirthed! Sometimes my best friends ask “do you remember that time?” And I almost never do or I’ll vaguely remember. Comedy created a new me- the real me. The higher me.

From there I moved to New York! I always say New Orleans made me and New York raised me. I lived there for 10 years and in my 7th year, my music was born. I always sang but that dry heat in New York left me with some vocal issues that I had to correct with several visits to the ENT doc and various vocal coaches to relearn how to properly use my voice so I wasn’t hoarse at the end of the night.

At the end of my 10 years in New York, I stood eyes wide open at a crossroads wondering what my life would be like when I was fully gray. My good friend used to call me all the time from the various music studios in LA. I remember the time I was hosting at this club in Greenwich Village and this big agent came to see this other guy. The host for the next show didn’t up so they asked me to host – something I absolutely doing and it was an electric show that night.

After the show, the agent went upstairs and the producer of the show asked how he liked the comedian to see. The agent said, “he was good but tell that host she needs to get her ass to LA.” Of course, they never told me but they didn’t need to. The Holy Spirit had let me hear it for myself. That was always stuck in the back of my head and in 2016, I hit the Highway (well maybe it was Spirit Airlines) and headed for LA. Speaking of Spirit: I love them! Why do people hate Spirit airlines? You can get from New York to LA for a $100 roundtrip and people are still complaining. It must be them!

Now I make my home in Hollywood, pursuing it all: comedy, music, acting voiceover and I have a new hot song called Never Give Up that just got picked up and played on some radio stations. Yay Lord, Yay!!!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has super duper NOT been a smooth road. When I first got here, we – we meaning my aunt Gwen and I and shout out to my Aunt Gwen, without her taking an assignment as a travel nurse, I don’t how I would have made it – we had to move from place to place for weeks. First place bed bugs, throw all furniture away, second place bed bugs and crooked landlords.

Sue crooked landlords. Check. Get the deposit back. Check. Take building dowwwwwn. Check. Move into 3rd. The girl stops paying the rent. Check. Aunt Gwen takes another assignment in a different town. Check. Move to a hostel. Check. Go out of town. Come back and stay with the crazier man. Check. Guys. I think I checked every box. Lol. Oh, wait, pandemic. Check. Lol

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
For the past 3 years, I was voted One of the Top 35+ Funniest Black Female Comedians in the U.S. by Ranker.com.

What an honor. What sets me apart from everyone is my love for the Lord. I’m so proud of developing into my higher self and watching myself grow too. I changed my comedy to be clean and I’m super proud of that. I’ve been wanting to do that for so long. And I still might have a slip-up or two but very rarely and never in the wrong place. I’m also a bad mamma jamma tv producer and hilarious content creator.

I got the Black mama down the pack. I got the Black auntie on lock. I got the funny co-worker/boss/neighborhood/wife / hilarious Black women on lock. Lol. NBC, where are you at? I’m ready to lead a sitcom to the Emmys. Netflix! Stop playing. Y’all need to come to get The Del Show. Who also needs my voice?

Toyota! You know for a fact, when Black people hear my voice your brand is instantly connected to the Black community. Come on BET AWARDS. I’m ready to host…or at least announce!!!

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Yeah, I have advice. Get out of your head. They weren’t even thinking about you at the time. No unsolicited emails or phone calls? Call anyway. In fact, call right now. Need a lot of sleep? This business is NOT for you.

In fact, any entrepreneur tells sleep to call them right back unless HE MUST spend the night. And also daylight hours are not for smoking weed. Use every waking minute to follow up and then take yourself… a lot. You deserve it.

Don’t judge them and they won’t judge you. You are enough.

Pricing:

• $1.29 – Never Give Up (download my song)
• $9.99 – Oh Yeah, Girl! (download my comedy album)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.iamdelharrison.com
• Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/iamdelharrison
• Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/iamdelharrisonofficial
• Twitter:www.Twitter.com/iamdelharrison
• Youtube: https://www.YouTube.com/@iamdelharrison
• SoundCloud: www.SoundCloud.com/Del-harrison
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/track/7cOGMUxpW8OdgL6aCP8A1P?si=uAm2NZssQwGvCLnGKeXFHg&context=spotify%3Aplaylist%3A7rhnbQ1AhfpUuTxOiG8ebV