Today we’d like to introduce you to Dale Jones.
Hi Dale, 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 backstory with our readers?
I started my comedy career when I was 22 years old and I still remember that night like yesterday. It was Jan 12, 1993 at Zanies Comedy Club in Nashville, TN. It was open mike night and my first time ever in front of a live audience. Most of my friends that came to support me that night never saw my portion of the show because they were thrown out of the club for heckling before it was my turn. I didn’t have time to worry about them. I was too busy chain-smoking and trying to remember my jokes. I was a nervous wreck.
Back then the club would only give you 3 minutes if you were a newbie. I thought I was ready. I wasn’t. I also found out that 3 minutes feels like a lifetime when people are staring at you. I got one laugh that night. I flubbed a line and said “Well I f#$%ed that up” and the room exploded with laughter. I immediately said goodnight and ran offstage. Then I hugged a complete stranger and yelled “That was great! I’ll be back next week!” I’m sure that person looked at me like I was an idiot. I’d bombed horribly but that one laugh had me hooked. The feeling was so addictive I wanted more.
One month later, I was asked to leave the open mike as well. I was told I wasn’t funny. I was invited to watch all the shows I wanted but I couldn’t go onstage for a while. So I started going to other clubs. Sometimes I drove all night just for a 5 min spot making sure I was back at my day job in Nashville by 7am.
Four months later Zanies gave me another chance. I made the cut and 18 months after that I quit my day job and hit the road as a full-time comic.
I worked everywhere I could. I was 25 and so energetic onstage that when I did a show in someone’s living room and accidentally broke their ceiling fan they thought it was part of the act.
In 2008 I was asked to be on NBC’s Last Comic Standing. My journey with them ended at the semifinals but I got a lot good exposure, met some great comics and finally got a manager. His name is Chris DiPetta and we’ve been working together ever since.
In the years that followed I went to back on the road working clubs and any comedy festivals that would have me. Then in 2014 my wife Jodi White (who’s also a comedian) and I moved to Los Angeles and I became a regular at The Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach. That’s when I learned the right way to do a 5 -7 min set. Until then, I’d just go up and wing it.
At the end of 2018, my wife and I decided we would like to own a home so we moved to a small town just south of Atlanta, GA. called Jonesboro. My wife says she picked this town so we could tell people they named it after us but I think she did it to help me remember where I live.
So now almost 29 years later I’m still doing what I love. I’m not sure how the next chapter will play out but I know I’ll still be a comedian. Mainly because I don’t have any other skills. This is it. No Plan B.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being self-employed is never smooth. I called comedy clubs everyday and asked/begged for work. That’s a humbling experience. One owner had me do my act over the phone and then said no. This was in the 90’s so I was mailing VHS tapes of my act to clubs. They were getting so many tapes they’d immediately throw them away or use them for support if the leg on their couch broke. When the vhs route didn’t work I started driving directly to the clubs so they could see my act firsthand. It worked but I was living off McDonald’s menu and exhausted. I was sleeping in my car more than my bed. I’d pull into a rest area, give the night guard $10 and say “I’ll be asleep in that car over there. Please don’t let anyone rob me”.
The fact is that no matter what level you’re at in this business we’re all fighting to break through a glass ceiling. The trick is to enjoy what you have now so you can appreciate it when it happens. Easier said than done. I know.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m not sure what sets me apart from others. I try not to focus on other people, it’ll drive you crazy. I write and perform what I think is funny and if the audience responds the way I want them to then I keep the joke. If not I tweak it until they do or I dump it all together. My act is very physical. It’s full of act outs and facial expressions that accentuate the punchlines. I’ve worked hard to make sure it comes across on audio formats too. If you listen to my album “I’m Not Well” it’s very funny but it’s a completely different experience when you see it live. I think most artists would rather you see them live.
What are your plans for the future?
My plan is to keep writing jokes and performing for anyone and everyone. Putting myself out there and hoping I make as many people happy as possible. My manager and I have been knocking on doors for years and we’ll keep doing so until someone answers. I’d love to release two more comedy albums in the next 3-4 years. I’d also love to record my current show for a special on HBO or Netflix. It’s the best work I’ve done to date and I want to share it.
Contact Info:
- Email: dale@dalejonescomic.com
- Website: https://www.dalejonescomic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalejonescomic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dalejonesfanpage
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dalejonescomic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Dalejonescomic
