Locked In with Ian Bick - Damon Darling: My Time as a Prison Guard, Getting Sober & Comedy

Episode Date: December 28, 2023

In this episode, we're joined by Damon Darling, who shares his incredible journey. He starts with his teenage years and first experiences with alcohol, leading to a challenging battle with addiction. Along the way, Damon takes on a job as a correctional officer, but his struggle in this role lasts no more than six months.The episode highlights Damon's inspiring turnaround, where he finds comedy as a driving force for his success. Join us as we explore Damon's highs and lows, and how humor becomes his pathway to fulfillment and achievement. Join this channel to get early access to new episodes & Behind the Scenes Content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRvVklIft6DMelVW18M0oBw/join Follow Ian Bick on Instagram: @ian_bick & Snapchat: ianbick Connect with Damon Darling: IG: https://www.instagram.com/damondarlingofficial/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@damondarlingtv?lang=en Buy Merch: https://lockedinbrand.com Use code lockedin at checkout to get 20% off your order Connect with Ian Bick: https://www.ianbick.com Time Stamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:58 - Childhood Insecurities and Finding Humor 00:03:52 - Financial Struggles and Childhood Memories 00:05:59 - Using Comedy to Overcome Bullying 00:07:48 - Aspiring Entertainer 00:09:49 - Partying at a Young Age 00:11:47 - Escaping Childhood and Religious Restraints 00:13:44 - Rock Bottom in San Diego 00:16:02 - Turning Point 00:18:08 - Begging for Another Chance 00:20:08 - Struggling to Provide for Myself 00:24:09 - Recovery 00:26:16 - The Nightmare of Being a Correctional Officer 00:30:07 - The Fight and the Consequences 00:32:04 - Fired from being a Prison Guard 00:33:55 - The Reality of Being a Prison Guard 00:35:51 - Bribery Attempts in Prison 00:37:35 - Experiences as a Prison Guard and Comedy Career 00:39:20 - Starting out as a Comedy Club Door Guy 00:43:17 - The Challenges of Starting in Comedy 00:45:16 - From Bullies to Success 00:47:25 - Staying Out of Trouble 00:49:23 - Family, Hustle, and the Next Five Years 00:51:23 - Teaching Balance and Avoiding Addiction 00:53:24 - Finding Balance while Building a Business 00:55:06 - No Excuses, Just Grind 00:56:48 - Never Giving Up Powered by Creative Evolution Studios https://creativeevolutionstudios.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

And all the new guys would get stuck with these lifers and, you know, the door gets shut. And like, hey, good luck. Here's your pepper spray and your man down. Do you ever have to use pepper spread? I, there was a time where I was supposed to use it, but I didn't. So you got, I remember in the academy, they said, yo, either freeze, fight or flight. Naga, I froze. What happened?

This is how I lost my job. In this episode, we're joined by Damon Darling. who shares his incredible journey. He starts with his teenage years and first experiences with alcohol, leading to a challenging battle with addiction. Along the way, Damon takes on a job as a correctional officer, but his struggle in this role lasts no more than six months. This episode highlights Damon's inspiring turnaround,

where he finds comedy as a driving force for his success. Join us as we explore Damon's highs and lows and how humor becomes his pathway to fulfillment and achievement. Everyone, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your families. And as my platform continues to grow, one of my goals for 2024 is to get more involved in my community during the holiday season and give back however I can. Did you know that for the past couple of weeks, we've been in the top 50 for Society and Culture Podcasts on both Apple and Spotify? And it looks like we'll be heading into 2024 with nearly 200,000 subscribers on YouTube. such an incredible first year,

all thanks to each and every one of you who tune into this show. Remember to leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, share your favorite episode with a friend, and sit back, relax, and get ready to lock in with Damon Darling. Damon Darling, welcome to Locked in, man. Pleasure to have you. You came from Ohio today, right?

Yeah, Ohio. How was the flight in? Flight was cool. It was quick. It always is. Yeah. I was sitting next to this big dude. He kept taking my elbow space.

I finally just leaned outside the aisle and let him have it. You know, we had this guy, 1090 Jake on the show last week, and some guy was, like, falling asleep on him during while he was sitting in the airplane seat. And he was telling me that story, too. Yeah, I was just like, bro, you can have it, dog. So we got connected through Kyle Overmire, who was the sheriff on the show. Yeah. And it was funny when we were talking to get you on the show, you texted me randomly, like a couple days later. You're like, yo, I was a CO2. Is that going to be okay? And I'm like, yeah, we interview prison guards too. But you had a short stint as a prison guard.

Yeah, like right after that, I've seen an episode where you interviewed a CO. I was like, oh, okay. That's so random. You were a prison CEO and we'll get into that. My life is random, bro. Like my entire existence. Let's start at like the beginning of your of your story. Where are you from? Where do you grow up? What's like early childhood life? Like I grew up in Urbana, Ohio.

It's like a town of like, what, 10,000 people. And there's like hardly any black people. It was really, there's a little more now. But when I was in high school, we probably had like three, three or four. And so I just really never felt like I. I fit in. You know what I mean? I never really liked myself.

I never liked looking in the mirror. Um, shit like that. And, uh, so just insecure. But, um, I found out I was funny and that kind of made things a little better because I'd just make people laugh to be accepted and to be liked and things like that. Um, my mom was a single parent. Uh, she raised five boys all by herself. Um, went to nursing school.

did all that while raising us. She had two sets of twins, so I'm a twin. My younger brothers are twins. What else? Yeah, man, it was just tough. We didn't, you know, she would work a lot of overtime to make sure we could get like Old Navy and, you know, Errol Possible and Abercrombie, you know,

shit that people in Ohio was wearing back in 2000. You know what I mean? So, you know, I always, you know, respected my mom for just going above and beyond, making sure we'd had shit we didn't really need, but felt like we needed to be liked. And, you know, sometimes we'd eat fucking popcorn for dinner, bro. You know, she'd be like, you know, I just bought you guys all school shoes.

So, you know, we're going to have to eat, like, ramen, popcorn, you know. And she'd, like, kind of worn us before. like you guys want to like eat good or y'all want some new shoes for school i was like maybe i want them new shoes you know what i mean like so it was tough but um it was you know i still love my mom it was um even though it was like rough financially and stuff we still had a lot of fun and good memories and things like that the kids pick on you uh yeah they would try um like kids would come up and like check the back of you your tag and see, you know, if it was real name brand.

And if it wasn't, you'd get roasted for shit like that. Kids would do that? Oh, yeah. Oh, shit. Yeah, yeah, bro. So that's what I'm saying. That's why I was like, you know, beg, I would beg my mom like, please get, like, I got to get this brand and it's got to be real.

But other than that, no, man, I was pretty cool. Like I said, I was, I was the funny guy. So I pretty much was cool with everybody. But, yeah. Wow. So how would, I still can't believe kids would check the tags. Oh, I know. Like I've experienced being bullied and seen what kids could do.

I've never seen like the checking the tags thing. So that's got to be rough, especially if you knew your family was struggling too. Yeah. How did you know that like comedy and making people laugh kind of got you out from being like bullied in a way? It was kind of like your escape path. Because I'd always get made fun of, like, not just for that, like, the clothes stuff, but, like, how I looked and, you know, just being scrawny and, you know, being black shit. And I noticed whenever I would be, like, just being myself, just being serious, having conversations with people, they would laugh, like, in the middle of my conversations a lot of the time.

and I just started to realize that I was just funny. Like, people just thought I was funny. So I would just start doing it on purpose. Like, I started to hone it, you know, like, and do it on purpose and be funny. So then I got good at, you know, tearing down people, too. You know, like, even though they'd tear me down, I got good at tearing people down. So once I started snapping back, you know, things just got a little better for me. You know, there's definitely a power and taking, like, bad moments and turning it into comedy.

because that's essentially what I do with my story. You know, like taking those bad prison moments and turn it into a funny story. Yeah. So, you know, when you're the kid that's bullied and you kind of see and you know you have like this talent too, it's interesting that it kind of like evolves right there. Yeah, that's what comedy really is. It's pain, suffering, you know, shortcomings. Like you take all that, the hard times and the negative and you make, you make a lot.

light of it, you know. What were your like aspirations at that time? Did you want, did you know you wanted to be a comedian or did you want to go to college and do something with your life? What was a plan? Not right away, but like I grew up in a strict Christian household. So my mom made us go to Bible study. We had to go to Bible study like three times a week. We weren't allowed to watch rated our movies. We weren't allowed to watch Disney movies if they had magic in it. Like, I mean, that's, I'm just trying to show you like how strict it was. So I didn't know of a lot of entertainers right away. But as I got older and I would like go to friend's house and stuff, I started to learn about comics like Dave Chappelle. And I remember when I first saw Dave Chappelle, I'm not really sure

what movie or situation introduced me to him first. But the more I saw him, the more I saw him, the more I saw like me, you know, just not like, not to say like I'm funny like Dave Chappelle, but just like the skinny, black goofiness of him. Like I saw that in me. And I was like, man, people love this dude. And so then I kind of realized then that I wanted to, you know, be an entertainer at least, you know, get into acting and, you know, stand up and stuff, shit like that. Do you end up going to college at all?

I did. I went to college. a ton of times and I dropped out every single time bro. I'm trying to think the first college I went to, I want to say it was Wright State University that's in Dayton. And I really just went there because I needed a place to stay. So I like filled out all the paperwork and got my grandma to co-sign and so I could crash in the dorms, but I never really did my homework or went to class.

That was when you were 18. I was about I was like 19, 20 So what were you doing at that point in your life? What was I doing? Yeah, that you needed a place to sleep. I was drinking all the time, partying. I was alcoholic, man.

By the time you're 19. Yeah, full-blown, bro. How did that start? I started, I had my first drink. I think I was like 16. Ohio's a big party, like, Like, as soon as the weekend comes, everybody's drinking, bro. Like, you know, bonfires, kegers, you know, things like that.

And, you know, then football and all that, any reason really to drink, they're drinking. But yeah, I had my first beer at, like, a little party when I was 16 that I, you know, lied to my mom about to be able to go to. but I remember after a couple beers it just I felt really good man like I got a lot more confidence you know just felt good felt happy

it tasted good I know a lot of people say beers like an acquired taste and they didn't like it right away I liked it right away I loved the taste of it and so basically whenever there was an opportunity or a party that I could get to on the weekends, I would try to get to it so I could drink after that. That was pretty much it.

And then once I got, you know, older, it just got worse and worse. The older I got, it turned into like a weekend thing to whenever I wasn't at work. You know what I mean? And then it turned in from whenever I wasn't at work to calling out of work so I could do it. you know, if there's a party scheduled during my shift or, you know, something like that that I wanted to be at, I'd just, I mean, I would quit jobs so I could drink, you know, and just party. I just never wanted to party to stop. That was my problem. Do you think you were using that as like an escape from not having maybe the best childhood growing up and having everything?

I think it definitely was, and I think also a part of it was being held back from so much. because of the religious stuff. I felt like I missed out on a lot. Because there was only a handful of times in high school that I really could, you know, drink and stuff because my mom had such a strict watch on us. But when I could get away, I would. But yeah, absolutely, man.

That definitely played a part in it. I was trying to fill some kind of void, whether it was just what I missed out on childhood, or the insecurities I had with myself. Oh, man. And I just really liked the party. I just, I mean, I really just liked partying and I didn't want to stop partying. You think if you had the stability growing up and had access to, like, I would say maybe a little bit more of a normal childhood and not with the religious barriers and restraints that the alcohol wouldn't have felt the same when you did try it?

Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. I feel like if my dad was present and he gave me the confidence I needed as a man, that would have played a huge part. I feel like if I had more reasonable expectations from my religion, that that would have played a huge part, you know, a bunch of things. But I think there was unreasonable expectations from the religion.

it was almost like perfection was needed and that put a lot of strain on me and you know I had a lot of fear from God you know I still battle with it on a daily basis today you know I just daily got to convince myself like God loves me I'm doing enough you know by trying

but yeah man when do you think the drinking brought you to like rock bottom I was living in San Diego because I had moved to San Diego, um, 20, um, my mom had moved out there with my younger brothers. Uh,

she had signed on with a travel agency, a nursing travel agency. And they pretty much housed her and everything. And, uh, so I moved out there with her. And I stayed out there for about 10 years. But the whole time I,

was out there, I was pretty much just fucking off, bro. Like, I was just the same shit I was doing in Ohio. Drinking, chasing girls, partying, working shit jobs, just making... At first, I didn't think it was real. I woke up to this blinding light

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At participating locations, terms and conditions apply. I made enough to support my habit. And I ended up having kids outside of marriage with a woman that I didn't barely even know, didn't love, tried to force it, didn't work. got divorced. I was still trying to do the religion thing off and on. And I got hit with child support. I remember that made me really stressful

because once the child support hit me, I couldn't afford anything, bro. In California? Like, California alone and then child support, like, bro, my check would be like 20 bucks. At Hyundai of Glendale, Lisa New, 2026 Hyundai, Tucson, SC, front wheel drive for 269 a month plus tax for 36 months with owners assurance in america's best warranty

10 year 100 000 miles stopped by hunday of glendale today or hunday of glendale dot net 36 month lease 4,499 to its signing tax title license and dock fees extra plus government fees and taxes 75 500 miles per year expires 6126 who available at this payment ph 71529 ph 7159 i didn't have nothing so um anyways uh long story short, I pretty much just ended up living out of my car. I was behind on my child support. The repo man was looking for my car, so I was always, like, moving it around. I was stealing alcohol from grocery stores, bro. Like, I actually got into an altercation with a little kid, like a young kid, bro, like trying to steal alcohol. And, like, the beers went all over the parking lot. And Like he called the cops and I had to get out of there.

That was one of the moments for sure where I was kind of like, bro, what the fuck are you doing? Like, you are lame as fuck. Like, you're stealing beers, dog. But that's still didn't get you to change. No, it didn't. I was still doing it. And then I got a DUI. Still didn't change.

I'm not sure what one thing it was. But one day, you know, I just called my buddy in Ohio and I just, you know, was telling him everything that was going on, my best friend. And he encouraged me to just move back to Ohio. And he was like, yo, you could just stay with me until you get on your feet. And, you know, we get you back going again. So I think in that moment, I knew I needed to just like make a day. decision and it was hard. I decided to go, but it was hard because I had to leave my kids. They were in San Diego. So it wasn't easy, but I did. I left and I remember I got back to Ohio.

I kept drinking for a couple months. And then I don't know, man. I don't know what one thing, like I said, I don't know what one thing it was because I had, there were times where I ended up in the hospital for alcohol poisoning, all kinds of shit. And I think I just remember coming home to his house drunk as hell one night. And I was just having a conversation with God and I was just tired, man. I think I was just tired of losing, tired of being lame, tired of not, you know, being able to see my kids, not being able to provide for them, not being able to provide for myself. just, I mean, I pretty much was at rock bottom, bro. I was just bumming, you know, people taking care of a grown-ass man.

And then I had dreams, things that I wanted to do. I was just afraid to try to do them, too. So I was kind of suppressing that. And I just had enough. And I was terrified to quit drinking, man. And I told God, I was like, man, you know, I want to quit. I don't want to do this anymore. But I'm afraid if I stop drinking, I'm going to die.

So I just got down on my hands and knees and I told him, I was like, hey, you know, if you give me another chance at life, like I promise I'll do it the right way. Like, I promise, please just give me another chance. And then I even told him, but if I quit and I die and if I have to die, then whatever, I have to die. But I don't want to go on like this. Like if I have to die sober, I'd rather do that, you know what I mean, then continue to live like this. That's how tired and ashamed and disgusted with myself I was. And he answered me because the next day I quit cold turkey. And it was hard as fuck, man, like, you know, sweating and.

and, you know, heart racing. And, you know, it sounds like I was probably having more symptoms that I don't fucking know what they're called because I'm not a doctor. But I felt like death, bro. I didn't, there were times that I felt like I probably wasn't going to make it. But I just really wanted to be a good father.

I wanted to provide for my family. I think that was one of the main things. You know, you kept asking me, like, about the childhood and struggling. I think that was one of the main motivators is I just wanted to be able to provide for myself. I never wanted to be rich. I never wanted to have a bunch of money. I think one of the most frequent prayers that I would pray to God was just allow me to be able to provide for myself. That's all I want to do.

Like, I mean, I couldn't even get jobs at, like, shitty places, bro, sometimes. like subway you know like I would get rejected for jobs like that like imagine what that would do to your self-esteem why do you think you were rejected for that I don't know man like I there was just I couldn't get the shittiest jobs man and then even when when I would get them I'd be so excited and happy and then I would just realize they were shit every time I'm like why am I happy about this. I still can't provide for myself. This still isn't enough. I don't know, man.

But I got tired of living like that. And, but now, you know, things are different. When you were drinking for like those 10 years in San Diego, out of that time, how much would you say you were intoxicated? At least 90% of the time.

So describe like the routine. Are you waking up and immediately having a drink? How does that work? Is it like water? No, my alcoholism was a little different. I wasn't like one that there were times definitely where I'd get up and like day drink. But rarely, I was more of like a night drinker. So if I drink all night, I would usually sleep all day and then get up, shower, get dressed, hit up.

my other drunk friends and be like, what's going on or try to get in contact with some girl that I ran into or some female. I'd be texting like seven girls at a time, you know, trying to feel love. And that's, you know, that's pretty much what my day would be. I would get drunk all night, sleep all day. If I had a job, I'd go in hungover, feel like shit. I remember I was a supervisor at Walmart in San Diego and I basically just did change runs

and so I remember I was so stoked when I got that position to it was like a dollar more and I got in I had just clocked in I was hung over his shit and I went over to the count the change drawer and I was trying to unload lock the change drawer and I couldn't get it unlocked. And I was like, what the fuck?

And finally, my co-worker said, Damon, that's your car key. And I was like, oh, shit. So, yeah, that's how hungover I was. When you're drinking that much, do you even, like, know what it's like to be sober at that point during that time? That's what I'm saying, bro. Like, when I, no, I was afraid to be sober. I couldn't function sober. Like, I remember when I first got sober, it was really hard for me to be around people.

And I was never a shy person. You know what I mean? Like, but it was so hard for me to be around people, so hard for me to just do what we're doing right now, have a conversation. Like, my anxiety would be through the roof. You know what I mean? Like, I mean, it takes a lot to sit down, especially with a stranger and talk about childhood trauma and past addictions and struggling. but and overcoming that, it's hard. Yeah.

Why people don't see therapists. Yeah, I do. I go every week. That's good. Yeah, and it helps tremendously. I got good-ass therapist. Bro, he just be like. He tells it to you real?

Oh, man, he does, but then he gives me, he gives me ways to deal with thing, to fight back. You know, so it's not like I'm just unloading my shit. And he's like, oh, yeah, that's, you know, or do it. He gives me coping. mechanisms. And so I'm able to get better. You know, I don't have to just submit to this

and just stay at this level of shit that I'm in. Now, did your addiction to alcohol, did that only lead to DUI at getting a DUI as like criminal charges? DUI theft. I think that's it. Those are felonies? No. They were, a DUI is a misdemeanor?

Yeah, it was a misdemeanor. Really? Yeah. I thought it's a felony, no? As far as I know, I'm not a felon. So, I might be. So you got the DUI before becoming a prison guard. Yes.

So how did you become a prison guard that how do you go from alcoholic to prison CEO? Were you drinking while you were a CEO? No, I was sober by then. I was back in Ohio by then. already, and I already had a few years of sobriety under my belt. It's weird that I even did that because I, you know, like, I'm a big rap fan and stuff. So it's like I wasn't like someone who ever wanted to be a cop or anything close to it, you know.

Not that I have anything against cops or anything. I have family members that are police officers. But it's just nothing I ever wanted to do. but that's how bad I wanted to provide for my family, man. That's all I ever wanted to do. So I was like, you know, they were hiring people left and right and it paid really good at the time. So I was like, fuck it. I'm going to do this, man.

I don't be a CEO. I remember being so excited about it too, bro. I was like bragging about it on Facebook. Like I just really thought that it was going to be the best thing to ever happen for me. And it was just going to, you know, give me the last. I wanted and I got in there and it was just a nightmare, bro. A nightmare. Like, I don't even know why I was thinking that.

Like, it was almost like I didn't even know what the job was that I was going to do. I was just, someone just told me what it paid and I was like, oh, yeah. You know, I had tunnel vision on like the pay. How much did it pay? I think at the time it started out a little over 18. $18 an hour. Yeah, but this was, well, bro this was like four or five years ago did they send you like training do you go to like a

yeah i had to go to uh training what's academy what's prison c o training like well it's really fucking corny bro like it's like renting cops is it really is it like a ball screen you ever seen uh you ever seen national security i've never seen oh okay never mind uh it was kind of like that so is it is it tough or is it no i did it thing Yeah, but I mean, they basically just, you do like slideshow, like they show, like they show you videos and like, you know, like normal orientation, but it's like prison shit. And they tell you prison stories and they show you some bloody shit of stuff that's happened in, you know, prisons. They talk about the Lucasville riots and things like that. And, you know, they weed out the sclerty cats, you know what I mean?

so some people would walk out. I was kind of scared. I'm not going to lie. Like, I should have just walked out. But I was trying to be tough. I had already told my girl, man, like, we're going to do this. Like, I'm going to pay all the bills. Like, I just wanted to be a man so bad.

I was willing to do anything. But I kind of knew, I kind of knew, like, before the academy was up that I had fucked up. You know what I mean? But I was like... When did you realize it was, like, your first fuck up? Like, when they were showing... on me those videos of like people being murdered and like COs being attacked, I was like, I fucked up.

That ain't worth the AT. No, I was like, I can't fight. You know what I mean? Like, I don't like confrontation. What are I doing, bro? Like, I'm tripping. What did I get myself into now? And, but I knew I had to stick it out, man.

Where did they stick you? They stuck me at Madison prison in London, Ohio. And is that a tough prison? It's one of the tougher ones because they can have level three prisoners in there. And I think they had just started getting them. They were like fours that were getting a chance to be threes. And, you know, a lot of them were lifers. And when you're the new CEO, when you're the new CEO, you get the shitty units.

Like, because they bid on them when you go in for your shift. And those that have seniority always get the easy ones. They get like the level ones where they can free roam and like, you know, go to the barbershop. They can go to the gym. You know, they got open bays and pool tables and shit. You know, these people are going home. They're not trying to cause no trouble. So, and then all the new guys would get stuck with these lifers and, you know, the door gets shut.

And like, hey, good luck. Here's your pepper spray and your man down. Do you ever have to use pepper spread? I, there was a time where I was supposed to use it, but I didn't. So you got, I remember in the academy, they said, yo, either freeze, fight, or flight. Naga, I froze. What happened? This is where, this is how I lost my job.

Oh, they fired you? Oh, yeah. I lasted like six months. And I was on high blood pressure medicine trying to keep this job. The doctor had to put me on. Tell us a story. Yeah, yeah, okay. I'm all over the play.

So I go in one day and a fight just broke out, man. This white dude, this little white dude and this big-ass black dude, they just start hitting. And I just watched it. You know, I'm trying to think where my partner was. I think he was doing around up top or something. I was down low. And they're just hitting. I didn't pull my man down.

I was supposed to do that, didn't do that. Man down. So a man down is like this little device that you pull it if something's wrong and you need help. And they send more COs to come help you. And you got to let them in. So I didn't pull that. I should have pulled my pepper spray out to stop the fight. Didn't do that.

And then I finally came to as they're hitting and I walk over to the desk because I heard the phone ringing. And I'm like, bro, I'm just, I don't know what happened. I blacked out. So my buddy, by this time, my buddy sees what's going on. He's running over. He done pulled his man down. He ain't there yet, though. And the other COs beat him.

They're knocking on the door before he even gets to the fight. This is a big unit. You know, he's upstairs. And they're banging on the door, and I'm just looking at him bang on the door. I don't even go let them in That's how scary I am bro And they're just like What are you doing? What are you doing?

And finally I come to And I go but like let them in And they're like what the fuck were you doing Why were you standing there? And I was like Oh the phone was ringing I went to get the phone They was like you don't need to worry about the phone

I was just trying to make up any excuse You know that I could And Yeah man That was pretty much the end of my CEO They fired you for that? They called me up like an hour later they called me up to the captain's office or lieutenant or whoever the fuck I went and saw.

And there was like three of them in there and they were like, so what happened? And I was like, I don't know. I was like, they was like, what, you didn't pull your man down. You didn't spray them. Like, what happened? I was like, I don't know. I was like, I guess I did. just didn't want to get in the middle of that.

And they're just like, well, you got to do something. You can't do nothing. And I was like, hey, man, I don't know, bro. Like, I don't know. Like, are we done or what? And it was just like, man, you think this is the job for you? And I was like, no, probably not. And it was like, yeah.

This is so random. I know. Like literally random as far. Fuck. They're just letting me down soft. Like, easy. Like, dude, you're not meant to be a prison guard. Yeah, yeah.

So they pretty much let me go. And to tell you the truth, bro, I was so happy inside. I was, like, jumping for joy. Like, yes. Did you have to do, like, strip searches and everything like that? Mm-hmm. What was that like as a man having to do that to another man? I didn't like it, personally.

Nothing about the job was me, bro. Like, I don't really have any strip search stories. but I remember walking by doing, because we had to do our rounds like every 15 minutes. And I remember walking and I looked in and this big black dude was butt-ass naked, bro, just beating this shit. And I was just like, what the fuck?

And so I banged on his door and I was like, yo, man, like, what the hell? I was like, stop doing that or I'm going to spray you. And he was like, oh, come on, man. And I was just like, bro. And like that image is burned in my head, bro. It's just, it's there for life. Oh, bad.

I always used to remember, you know, being an inmate and seeing the brand new fresh on the off-the-street prison guards and stuff walking around. They're all like pristine and stuff just trying to figure things out. Those are the guys that could be assholes, though. Do you think like you were a nice guard or a mean guard? No, that's where I fucked up, though, because they told me. specifically when you go in there you need to start out mean as fuck

hard as fuck and then you can kind of like tone it down as you go along but you can't go in there and start out super nice like you can't and then try to be hard later

and try to get them to listen later because it won't work and I was like man they don't know what they're talking about I'm a people person people like me all I got to do is make them laugh and they're going to love me like I'm going to be

the cool guy, you know, bro. So I went in there doing that. And they did like me. They did think I was funny. Took advantage? Oh, yeah. But when I needed them to lock down, they'd be like, you ain't fin dude shit. You're the funny guy, man. Yeah, those are the best guards then.

Yeah, you're the silly little dude. Did anyone, like, try to try you, like, to, like, get you, did you a bribe or anything like that? Oh, yeah. It was crazy because I actually, there was a dude that I went to high school. with in my unit. And I never said anything.

I don't know if he ever said anything, but I never said anything. But as soon as I saw him, I was like, oh, shit, because you know you're supposed to say something if that happens. And it was funny because as soon as I went in there and he was like, you know, like, neither one of us said anything, but you know how you just know? Like as soon as I locked eyes with him and I was like, oh, hey. And he was like, oh, hey. It was like, we both knew.

Like, we, damn it, damn it. And I was like, y'all, shit. Like, we both knew. And he was like, hey, man, if you're ever trying to make some extra money, let me know. And I was like, what? Were you tempted? He didn't even talk like that. What he said?

Were you tempted at all? I might have thought about it for a split second. But I'm just way too scary, bro, to do anything remotely, like, criminal. That will get me some time like that, you know? Can prison guards, like, eat the food that the inmates were eating, too? How would that work? Do you guys get your own trays? Not as far as I know.

So you got to bring your own lunch and stuff? Yeah, I always had to bring my own lunch. Yeah. But yeah, he was like, you ever trying to make some money? Extra money, let me know. And I was like, what? But then it wasn't just him. Other guys, man, they would come up to me and say,

hey, man, you try to make some money? Like, what's up? Come on. And then it got more and more aggressive every day, man. then guys started saying, hey, if you don't play, we'll get rid of you, we'll get until we get somebody in here that will do what we need them to do. And I was like, for real, I thought y'all liked me. I told you all that joke. Remember, y'all laughed.

But nah, man. And then they were telling me personal things about myself, like the color of my car, like where I lived. And I was like, what, bro, like, legit, that feeling you get in your stomach, like, that tells you you should probably get to. the hell out of here. Yeah, you're like, get me the fuck out of here. Yeah, bro, I was like, how the hell do they know this about me? You know, so it was like shit like that started happening. Did you see anyone that was like battling addiction or was in there because of addiction

and then came off the streets? I mean, yeah, there was definitely drug addicts in there and stuff. People that were still doing drugs in there. Did it make you feel like, you know, have some thought because you were a recovering addict? Well, yeah, because I went in there with the mentality. I can help. people, you know. That's how I went in there.

But I learned really quickly most guards go in there with the mentality of I can control people and I can have a power trip and I can just be the God in here. Like, nobody went in there really thinking like me. Like I was thinking maybe I can mentor some people. Maybe I can help people, some people get on the right track, you know. Like nobody was thinking like me. You've had quite like the life. I mean, you go from alcoholic at a teenager to prison guard, the most random thing ever.

And then you start a comedy career. Yeah, yeah, man. My life, I'm telling you, my life has been just, I've done about every retail job you can think of. I've just been through it. How did like the comedy career start? So the comedy started. I think I took a few more jobs after that. And then I finally told my wife, I was like, hey, I really want to try this comedy, you know.

And she supported me. She was like, okay, like you can try it. And she told me, I remember we were walking. We're out like this outdoor mall place. It's called the Green Town Center in Dayton. And it has a funny bone comedy club in it. and so I had did like a couple open mics and but I still really didn't know like how to break into this industry. So I was walking, we were walking through that mall one day and we walked by the funny bone and she was like, hey, why don't you get a job there?

And I was like, you got to understand like someone who is a big fan of comedy and stand up and like shit like that. you see this a room club. I'm thinking like, bro, they don't just hire anybody, you know? That's what I'm thinking, because I'm looking at it like, like it's a church or something. And she was like, why wouldn't they hire you? I was like, I don't know. I mean, you probably got to have like qualifications. Anyways, long story short, they hired me and I got on as a door guy.

And I couldn't believe it because, you know, that's how most comics start. They go to a club. They get on as a door guy and, you know, the rest is history. So a door guy pretty much just seats the guests and they're kind of like security. You get rid of like hecklers and shit like that. And then you also like check in on the comics at the green room. Like they need anything. Shit like that.

So that was my end, bro. I was like watching comics, comic after comic after comic after comic live and just critiquing and learning and networking with comics that would come to the club, building relationships, and getting guest spots from comics, and working on my craft and finding my voice. And that's pretty much the rest is history. No, it's really hard to stand out in comedy. Extreme. And when you're doing like those small shows, those don't really pay much, right?

Like, what can you expect to make on a night while you're starting out? Um, if you have a pretty full room, it doesn't even have to be sold out. But if you have a pretty full room, um, you can make a, you can make a couple grand. You can make a couple grand as a brand new comic. Oh, if you're headlining. If you're headlining. Yeah, but what about, are you talking about headlining or what stage? Trying to get your, like a host.

Either a host or trying to get your footing in it. Like you see all these people are doing the stand-up nights. Okay. So first off when, so open. micing and guest spots are the beginning. And you're not getting paid for either one of those. So you're just doing that solely to get your name out there? Yeah, I remember my first guest spot was with a comedian by the name of Country Wayne.

And he just dropped a Netflix special. And I had about five minutes of material. And he said, can you work clean? And I lied and said yes. But my whole five minutes was filthy. What does that mean? It was dirty. It was.

cussing and sex and, you know, just dirty jokes. And so that night I went home and I tried my best to make clean of what I had. And it was just like near impossible. So I like tried to come up with some other stuff too. And just didn't really succeed. So I went up on stage and that was my first bomb. Yeah, man, I got maybe two chuckles the whole five minutes. Did that trigger any, like, wants to go back to drinking and stuff?

Because you felt like... Oh, yeah. Absolutely, bro. I just kind of wanted to run, you know? Because I knew I was funny, but then that, I don't know, it was kind of like, well, maybe you're not. But, you know, looking back on it, obviously I just wasn't prepared. I wasn't ready.

You know, comedy's the slow grind. It takes a while, you know, whether you're hilarious or not, it's a hard craft. And, yeah, that was a tough one. But, you know, something you were able to do that most comics that are starting out can't do is build a social media following. I mean, you have, what, almost 800,000 followers on TikTok? Yeah, yeah. How did you pull that off? Well, I started out doing skits, and nobody really knew who I.

I was so, you know, people were just scrolling by my skits, didn't really give a damn. And I was like, man, this is taking too long. Like, I'm getting older, you know, I don't have a lot of time. I already wasted a lot of time drinking. I got kids to take care of. Like, if I'm going to do this thing, I need to do it, you know. Plus my wife, she was carrying most of the financial load so that I could do this. And that made me feel terrible, you know, as a man. And, you know, as a man, that you don't want that. And so I was like, what can I do to speed this up? So I was like, I noticed pranks got a lot more views than anything else on the internet.

Like pranks and like negative shit, you know, like fights or whatnot. So I was like, I'm going to start doing pranks. So I started doing pranks, man, you know, going out and pranking people and stuff. And I was getting way more views. And then I stumbled upon these, drive-through pranks. I was like, oh, try these drive-through pranks out. And I started doing those. And those were like the most views I had ever gotten. And I just stuck with that. And that's pretty much how my following blew up. And you're making money from TikTok and social media? So that's your full-time gig now?

Well, my full-time gig is content creating slash stand-up. I do make decent money from stand-up. up and I make decent money from content creating. So I get paid from Facebook and TikTok right now. Isn't it crazy that the thing that you used as a coping mechanism to get away from like the bullies and whatnot in high school became the thing that, you know, would create a life for you in a way? Yeah. It is insane.

I still really can't believe it. It's crazy, man, because when I was doing guest spots, I never thought I'd get a hosting. gig. Then when I got a hosting gig, I never thought I'd get a feature gig. And then when I got a feature gig, I never thought I'd be headlining. And now I'm headlining. And it's, it's, I can't believe it sometimes, bro, because I've never been good at anything ever in my life, bro. You know what I mean? Always failed. I always get emotional right here. It just feels good to be good at something finally and be able to stick to something and not have to quit or start over. What keeps you going?

What keeps you motivated and on track and kept you through those times where you felt like giving up? My kids, man. My kids, my wife and me, man. Like, I can't go back to drinking. I can't. If I go back to drinking, bro, it's over. you know what I mean Are you able to like being in the same room as alcohol

Can you be around people that are drinking? Yeah I'm past that Like obviously the clubs There's a lot of drinking going on I usually don't hang out though Like I usually do my show and I go I go back to the hotel or go if it's local I go home

So I just don't hang out And it sucks because sometimes I do want to shoot the shit With everybody And you know I get invited to go do things Like I had some fans after a show asked me to go play board games with them. A little weird or are they going to chop you up? That was very weird.

And I was just like, I weaseled my way out of that. But it's like I just stay out of trouble, man. Like, I'm happily married. I love my kids. And I just, I do my show and I go home. That's what I do. Staying out the way. Yeah.

I mean, but I can't sit here and tell you that. If I did hang out all the time and I did, you know, stay up all night with these guys with the comics and the fans and stuff, I don't know if I, I might have a drink, you know, who knows where that might take me. Do you think you'll ever have another drink again or is that it forever? I don't think, I don't have a desire to. I don't want to never, I mean, never say never, but it's one day at the time, obviously. but I think as long as I continue to not put myself in situations where I can fail, I'll be fine. Because I think that's the only reason I've had success in this. I don't put myself in situations where shit can go wrong. Like, I don't hang out all night.

I don't go out drinking with people that are out drinking. I don't go hang out with a group of girls, you know. Like, so if I don't put myself in that situation, then nothing really can, I mean, what can really go wrong at home with my wife and kids, you know? What are like the most important things to you right now in your life? My family, man, my wife, my kids. That's it. And what's it? And my hustle.

You got to have the hustle. Got to. What's like what's next for you? What's the next five years look like in your plan? Well, the way things are going, man, things have been moving really fast this year. So I think if it keeps going the way it's going, man, I see myself being a pretty famous comic. I think I'm going to be torn, at least torn. I mean, I'm torn, but on a small scale.

I see myself touring all the big clubs, you know, all the improvs, all the funny bones, you know. all the big franchises and just, you know, having shows every weekend. How many people are, is your normal crowd? This last crowd I had, it was about 80. 80? Mm-hmm. Which was good. That was probably, yeah, that was really good.

You ever got nervous going up there? Mm-mm. It's just natural. You go up there and you rock it. I get excited. I get excited. I don't call it nervous. Because in the beginning, it was nervous because I'd be like, oh, my God.

I don't know. But now it's just like, oh, like, I can't wait to get up here. I need to hurry up and get up here. I want this. Like, it's excitement. But it's also, it's my new addiction, too. So you were able to convert, like, that energy that you had into alcohol into comedy in a way? Yeah, which is, you know,

bittersweet. It's got its pros and cons. Have you had a conversation with your kids about what you've gone through and how to make sure that they don't go down that path? I've had a conversation with my oldest. I got one teenager. He's 14. All the other ones are like 11 and under. But I had a conversation with him about addiction because I see a lot of my habits in him. Like if he find something he likes a lot he kind of like goes overboard like it's all he does it's all he wants to do it's tunnel vision like addiction isn't just drugs and alcohol it's anything bro like you can become addicted to anything so his thing is like weightlifting right now and i had to sit him down and just give him that whole spiel on addiction and teach him balance you know you got to have balance

and everything. And as long as you have balance, you'll be all right. But you can't, you can't be like, you know, you just, hey,

a little bit of, do my workout and then move on with my day, bro. You don't have to work out the entire day because that's what he was doing. And I was like,

that's me, you know? And I find myself doing it, I'm sure you might even struggle with it with, with your podcast, but I find myself doing it with my social media,

my skits, my prints, my friends, Like sometimes I'll spend the whole day, bro, like editing videos or, you know, watching a post, seeing how it's doing or trying to think of my next, you know, prank or skit. And it's just like, bro, detach for a minute. Like, you know what I mean? Like you could die tomorrow and you spent your whole day doing this and you didn't talk to your daughter. You didn't talk to your son. you didn't like watch a movie with your wife like

detached for a minute bro you know it's hard to do though because it's like the closer I get I feel like I need to work harder not less you know yeah no I'm the same way I mean I'm lucky like I don't have like like a wife and kids that are depending on me right now where I can really you know dive in like I'm really committing like these these two years right now between you know 20 and 30 to

grind, you know, and make this shit happen. And it is different for you, absolutely. But you still, you know, you got friends, I'm sure, and you got family and,

you know, shit, you, man. Yeah. Just make some time for you. Got to find that balance. That's always been like, when I'm all in on something,

I'm all in. That's how I am. So, you know, it's just navigating and finding it out, but I am able to like, you know, if I'm going out with someone

or doing something or whatever I'm doing, like I can, I plan. I'm a really good multitasker and organizer. So if I know, all right, I'm going to go out Saturday night with someone, then I need to get all of this done. Right, disciplined.

Yeah, but when you're in the building phase of a new business, it's tough too, you know? That's what you kind of give up. Yeah, but that's understandable. That's a little different. You know, you're getting things going. Like, that's what it was, like the first two years I was getting in a standup. She kind of let me work a part-time job so that I could just,

catapult, you know, get myself going. And then once I got going, that third year, I got a full-time job. And so I was working full-time and doing comedy. But now this summer, this summer I was able to quit my job, bro. That's awesome. And I couldn't fucking believe it. I was so happy. Yeah.

Because I was in a factory, bro, and I hated my life. I was going to do it for my kids and my family, but I was going to be miserable. doing it, bro, because I'd come home. I'd have no energy left. I'd have no niceness left. You know, everybody was just getting mean, Damon, because everybody at work got nice, Damon. Yeah.

You know what I mean? So it was just, I was like, I can't do this. I was like, God, you got to change my life, please. I'm putting in, I'm doing the work, you know. That's why I'm people tell me they, oh, I got this or I got that. Like, I even got comic buddies that make up excuses. And I'm like, nigga, I got five. kids and a wife and I had a full-time job and I still did it. You don't got no kids.

Like, which is, don't come back when you got a real excuse, bro. Yeah, there's no such thing as excuses. They don't want it. That's what it, that's just what it boils down to. They don't want it bad enough. When you, when you want something and you put in the work, you're going to get to it. Yeah, you'll find a way. Exactly. No matter what, no excuses, you just grind it out and do it. And that content creation is literally just all about consistency and showing up because you're going to beat out the 99% that can't do it consistently. Yeah, they quit after a year. They don't see any results or they don't go viral. They're like, man, this ain't never going to work, bro.

It took me five years. I mean, look at Matt Rife. It took 10 years. And that one video that I was listening to his interview, the one video that he was going to not post on TikTok changed everything. Yeah. That, yep, that's what my brother always would. tell me it's, damn, one video, one video, and he was right. Now I got countless viral videos, bro. And it's going to be the ones you at least expect that go viral. It always is too, bro.

Like when you don't believe in them, you're like, this is wag. Like, it's the same with jokes, too, on stage. Like, I hate when the crowd loves a joke, I hate. I'm like, really? That's the one, bro? Like, that joke is trash. What are, what are your, like, your biggest life lessons you would want the listener and the watcher to take away from your story. If you had to sit someone down. That's tough, bro. The biggest life lesson? Never give up, man.

That sounds corny, but really, that's all. That's really what it boils down to, man. I don't want to say some sober shit, but, because everybody doesn't have a problem with, like, you know, I'm sure you could have a drink and you'd be fine, but I think it's never giving up, man. because there's so many times that I wanted to give up and that I did give up for a period of time. But you got to keep going because if you quit,

you're definitely not going. It's not going to happen. You know what I mean? But if you keep going, there's always going to be a chance. There's always going to be hope. You just can't give up. You have to keep going, bro. Like, that's the only way to accomplish anything

is to keep going, consistency. No matter what. No matter what, bro, that's it. No matter what the outcome, yeah. You can't say, oh, I'm going to do this as long as I get this. You got to say, I'm just going to do this. Like, that's what I told myself. I'm a comedian.

No matter what, if I ever, if I never make it, I'm going to still be getting on stage telling jokes until the day I die. That's just who I am. And once you tell yourself that and you realize this is just you're in it for life, everything else just falls in place.