Today we’d like to introduce you to Walter Ford.
Walter, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am originally from Gary, IN. Gary is known for being the homicide capital in the mid-’90s as well as the 6th most dangerous city in the US as of today. I was raised by a single mother who suffered from Bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia. This led to her going in and out of a mental hospital for two-year stints at a time starting at 19. She had me at 28 years old. So she spends half of my life in and out of mental institutions. I then went to Ball State University for college.
Two weeks before college started I watched “American Pie Beta House” and decided I wanted to be “The Black Stifler”. I attended Ball State University and began event planning/promoting/marketing immediately. I then got kicked out of Ball State for insufficient grades. While attending a local community college my friend who was part of the Student Event Committee asked me to partake in the 1st ever comedy show produced by them. And she would allow me to enter using my colleagues student number. There were three performers, the host (who was terrible), one buff white dude, and me. I then did the event and everyone that attended only gave me positive feedback. I then began to do shows two or three times a week throughout the state. Which most shows other than the one in the college town were 1-3 hours away.
After a domestic abuse situation with an ex-girlfriend where I was surprisingly the victim. I listened/read my 1st book other than the bible called “Think and Grow Rich”. I then made the decision that to help get enough money for proper care for my mother, who at the time had her longest and last stint in a mental hospital, and to make Gary not the 6th most dangerous city in the US, I’m going to move to California and become the next best comedian in the world. I then proceeded to sell everything I own and moved to California two months later.
Since then I’ve performed more then 400+times including all four clubs in san Diego; Madhouse Comedy Club, The American Comedy Company, The Comedy Store La Jolla, as well as The Comedy Palace. In LA I’ve been at the Improv, HaHa Comedy Club as well as featured on the Steve Harvey show.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Nope, not at all. Before I moved here I had two good friends that lived in San Diego for one year. We decided to sign a lease together and get the money together. Some of us fell short by a lot so I sent all the money I had the day before my plane to ensure we had a place to stay. In my nervousness, I forgot to pay for my luggages so when I got to the airport I had to only take the things I could fit in a book bag. I came here with a tie, dress shirt, two T-shirts, jeans, dress pants, three pairs of underwear, Dress shoes, and the shoes I had on. When I arrived we stayed in a hostel for a few days.
I got a temp job that sent me to Poway which was a one hour 30 min bus ride then 1.1-mile walk up a mountain road. While simultaneously donating plasma and other quick forms of income. We then couldn’t afford the hostel so they asked a friend if we could stay in their living room. It was a college dorm-style apartment with two bedrooms containing two beds with a shared kitchen and living room. The tenants were all freshmen or sophomores that were well to do. They hadn’t washed their dishes for about 3-4 months by that time and had the worse roach infestation I ever saw. The living room and kitchen were in the same space so we slept on roach couches for about 2-3 hours some nights because they would be up partying.
We then had enough to move into our apartment but the one downfall was we were completely broke and had no furniture in a completely hardwood 2 story apartment. We then get furniture after two weeks and my friend asks if his friend can live in our garage and turn it into a music studio. I said no but they insisted since he would help with rent. After 1 and a half months four jobs later he quit his last job and had his friends from New Jersey where he’s from come visit. He then took their money, pawned their computer and told them “My Grandma just bought me a ticket back to Jersey” and left the two strangers in our garage with no money.
After they left the next week the holidays of 2016 were the most rain in a decade. Our apartment had two huge leaks which eventually turned into six feet of mold in the floor of the living room and location bathroom. After attempting to call the landlord once a day for two months, we had five different people look at the damage and not do anything. We began having mushrooms grow in the bathroom floor so unfortunately not knowing the California laws we agreed to just cut the lease and get our deposit back. They agreed as long as we were out by the 1st which was in four days.
One of the tenants hadn’t paid his part of the rent in three months so unknowingly to me and the other roommate he had them use our deposit. So instead of 700 each we each got back 100. It was then me, a friend whom had just moved in with us and the other roommate all without a place to stay and I was the only one with a little money. We then used Turo and Airbnb to either rent a car to sleep in or stay at several different locations all around San Diego lugging our clothes and belongings every place. Barely eating of sleeping. I didn’t mention I have an anxiety disorder and so the pressure of the situation as well as an argument made me disband from our trio and go on my own.
I then rented a bed in oceanside for $10 a night which was in like a “Boarding house” type of situation. It was a big home and the homeowners stapled a sheet to the ceiling in there dining area(right next to the kitchen) and placed two bunk beds in there. Followed by four bunk beds in the garage. All the men there were from different places some felons some from other continents. I would ride two and a half hours to work which consisted of a 15-minute walk, 15-minute bus ride, hour and a half on the coaster then 15 minutes to work. If I got off past seven I would then have to stay up overnight to catch the early coaster back home.
During that time I’d just stay in the comedy club every night. I’d ride two and a half hours back. Sleep for about three hours and then do it all over again. I then found a place on Craigslist after I saved a little money. I met these three Turkish dudes in a Luxury apartment who were living in one room and renting the other. There were three of us in the other room. I gave them a large sum of money as well as my roommate.
By that weekend they took all their stuff and moved back to Turkey and left us in the apartment in their name. This made it to where we couldn’t pay the rent, electricity, or even get things fixed. After being evicted I stayed in every hostel in SD until I came across somebody in Pacific Beach through a miracle of me working in the past and him working with them at the present time. And while he was reading the email out loud my old coworker said “I know him, I vouch for him” I then moved in the next day. I then got a job at a shady place which didn’t pay me on time. In turn, the owner of the apartment after 1 month told me I have to move out. It’s more but this is getting kind of long. Now I’m good though so it ended great.
Ttell us more about your work.
I am a stand-up comedian. The reason I do comedy is because I want to bring awareness to mental illness, the children who are affected by mental illness and to show you can come from a negative place and have a positive outcome. I created a brand called “Boop” Clothing. Boop is a word I have about 2000 people saying which by my own created definition means every word in the dictionary twice. This is obviously absurd but its purpose is to show that through words we can create anything you want in your life. So boop can be used in any situation
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am planning on beginning my social media brand through content, my podcast, and connecting people. My future goal in the next four years is to be on tour around the country.
Pricing:
- Boop shirts are $25 Each
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.6sidemma.com/the-boop-collection-by-walter-ford
- Phone: 219-512-2239
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: RealWalterFord
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/Walta3rd4low
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RealWalterFord
- Other: 6sidemma.com
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.
