Clean Comedy Chats
Join Drew Davis as he interviews members of the Clean Comedy Collective each week and gets to know each individual better as a person and as a comedian!
Clean Comedy Chats
Brad Brauser
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Brad Brauser is a comedian and show producer based out of Murray, KY and in this episode he and Drew chat about his highly successful show at Corvette Lanes, starting comedy in your late 30's, and much more. Brad shares a lot of wisdom about producing shows in this episode!
Connect with Brad here!
Click here to buy tickets for the May 9, 2026 Corvette Lanes show
(That features both Brad and Drew!)
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We were listening to the episode with Courtney Warner, and after you guys got done talking about the Corvette Lane show, you know, Sarah just looks at me and was like, You did that. Like that, that was you. And I was like, Yeah, yeah, that was me. You're listening to Clean Comedy.
SPEAKER_02You're welcome. You're welcome. Welcome back to the Clean Comedy Chats podcast. Thank you all for being here. We have another episode. We're back to virtual. I feel like the past two episodes have been live and in person. And uh honestly, virtual episodes uh are a little bit easier and more convenient. So uh this is the podcast where we interview each week a different comedian from the Clean Comedy Collective. And uh this week, all the way from Murray, Kentucky, we have my friend Brad Bowser. How you doing, Brad? I said Bowser, Bowser. I I literally asked you confirmed, and then I I guess I was thinking about Mario and said your last name incorrectly.
SPEAKER_00Are not the first, nor will you be the last to to to do.
SPEAKER_02I do think Bowser would be a cool last name, but like yours is Browser. So we'll get we'll we'll get Brad Bowser on next week or something. But uh Brad Bat Brad Browser is here with us today. Uh how how's it going?
SPEAKER_00It's going great. It's we uh it's you know been a uh chill Saturday so far, so it's uh and you know it's it's you know not not much going on, but sometimes that's good.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, those are you gotta have those chill weekends or chill days, and they can't all be. I mean, sometimes it's more fun to rush and rush and rush and rush, and especially as a comedian, you know, have gigs after gigs after gigs. Uh, but you do need that day, otherwise you just collapse.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02Um before we get in our conversation with uh with Brad, uh just uh friendly reminder, uh cleancomedycollective.com. That's where you can find all of our episodes. That's where you can find uh every comedian in our network. We have about 230 from about 30 different states. Um, Brad is part of the Kentucky page, I'm on the Tennessee page. Uh, there's upcoming shows, and we're gonna talk about it here in a little bit. Brad actually runs one of our most successful shows in Murray, Kentucky, which is the Mecca of comedy. Uh that's where all great comedians get started, is in Murray, Kentucky. Uh, and he runs it at a bowling alley, which is exactly uh where all shows should happen. Uh, and we'll get more into that. Um, and then uh just to just a I I've loved interacting with everyone who's um been watching this podcast or listening to it, and then we get comments, and so we're having uh Brad, we actually are starting to have like a small little following, which is kind of cool. Like, I think it's gonna get bigger, but that's there's like people like I'm noticing reoccurring states and cities watch listening to our podcast every when I look at the analytics. So uh so if you're one of those people that you know this is your Saturday afternoon activity is to listen to clean comedy chats. Uh, first of all, thank you. Secondly, if you don't mind, at some point, uh in whatever you're listening to us, please drop us a review, a five-star rating, uh something, uh, just to because that helps us get out there more. That that so any kind of nice comment on the episode, if it's YouTube or especially with any of the uh podcast listening platforms, give us give us a five-star rating. And um, so and if you don't, that's okay. Um, but but it helps.
SPEAKER_00But we will find where you live.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we'll figure it out. We're uh the next week I'm just traveling around going door to door to I see which cities each, and so I'm gonna go door after door in every city and be like, hey, you listen to the Clean Comedy Chats podcast, and if so, have you dropped a review? Uh and that that's not gonna happen. But uh well, uh we're we already gave away some of Brad's secrets. Uh he's uh a comedian from Murray, Kentucky. He runs a wonderful monthly show at Corvette Lane's. Uh and uh Brad, I I you've been performing for um I want to s I'm gonna guess here, I want to say three years. How long have you been a comedian?
SPEAKER_00Um I really about two years. Uh I started, I actually I actually took uh the um Standup One class at Third Coast back in April of 24. Uh and ever since then, like for the first for that time I don't know, I really honestly don't consider 2024 to be like my start because I really wasn't doing much like open mics and that was about it. Um but 2020 last year is when I really started to started to get serious about it, I guess you can say and and it's been it's been a wild ride so far, so it's been awesome.
SPEAKER_02What's been some of your favorite uh comedy related things that you've been able to do since you started since you uh since you got serious? What what are some of like the highlights?
SPEAKER_00Um You know, honestly, I like I I can't think of any like part like one particular show that stands out. But honestly, just getting to meet all these different comedians and all these people working with comedy, and like, you know, when I first started, I was so intimidated by like it was like all these pe you know, I'm I'm 39, I'll be 40 this December. And you know, I just started, so like I feel like I was sort of behind already, and like these people have been, you know, people ten years younger than me have already been doing it for 10 years. And so, but like everybody that I've met has been wonderful. I there's nobody that's been like, oh, I really, you know, I don't want to if I never see this person again, it'll be too soon. You know, that sort of thing. And so it's just it, you know, it's just getting to meet the people, getting to getting to travel and see, you know, see places. Um like show venue, I did even though it was an open mic, I being on stage at the Zany's lab open mic, it was even though like I I only had three minutes, I went last, like there were maybe 15 people there, it was it was a highlight really because I've been going to Zany's for you know years before I even started comedy. So to be able to be on that stage in some capacity, it was it was it was a thrill. I love it.
SPEAKER_02I I understand how you feel about that because I believe my first time I ever performed at Zanies was it was like the graduation showcase at a comedy class I took. So, like you know, you know, you couldn't help but feel like you kind of paid to get on that stage, so to speak, you know. But I I remember I remember that show and I remember getting on stage, and for me it felt really cool that like just when you think about all the famous comedians and legends that have been standing exactly where you're standing, you know, or like like you, like I, you know, that was where I that's where I was introduced to comedy, that's where I got to watch comedy. Um and uh this is really dumb, but it's related. But you know, when I ever I used to, you know get the two-item minimum every time you go to Zany, so I would always get um I'd always get a Dr. Pepper and then the pretzel bites. Uh that was my go-to two items uh for whatever snack, you know, and then like that first time performing, not having to pay for the Dr. Pepper and the pretzel bites. I was like, wow, I've made it. I've made it absolutely uh so but I I can appreciate that, and I I think it's um, and you know, we talked about sometimes in this podcast the importance of taking the wins, you know, the when you like looking at all the accomplishments and everything, whether it's big or small, uh, because the longer you do comedy, uh hopefully the more wins you get. But you do, you know, you do a lot of uh emailing and getting no responses and you know trying out for a comedy competition and maybe not winning the competition. And uh, you know, like there's a lot of times where you just kind of like, well, we tried, you know. Uh so whenever whenever we do have those cool moments, we gotta take a moment and appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00Um actually you you bringing that up. I realize I remembered uh that I I did the funniest person in Louisville last year, and it was my first comedy competition, and I actually made it to the semifinals. Like, and I'd only been doing comedy really like I don't want to say like not passionately, but like seriously for like the last month or so. So to like be, you know, I was like, yeah, like I can I I like that was that was I guess kind of a a little bit of a defining moment for me because it proved to myself that like I can be funny outside of my hometown and outside of being, you know, absolutely people that know me.
SPEAKER_02And and let's talk about the funniest person in in Louisville, uh you, obviously, when you were there. No, um you know, because I'm realizing I don't think I've spent a lot of time on this podcast with the guests uh talking about like contests and competitions and stuff like that. Uh but that's a really good one. Uh so I'd love to talk more about uh your experience and and what it was like entering it and doing it and like uh takeaways, just like like would you do it again? Have you applied to do it again this year? Yeah, okay, cool.
SPEAKER_00So I applied to do it again this year. Uh the Craig Ewing, the the guy that runs it, he uh uh scheduled me for uh June 13th, but that is the date of the June Corvette Lane show. And so yeah, so I've uh I haven't heard back from him yet, but I I think I'm gonna be on like May 29th or you know somewhere somewhere in the next few weeks. But yeah, uh I I'm doing that. It's uh uh yeah, it was so fun. Like I I was really nervous going into it because I'm like, like I like I said, like these are people I don't know. Uh I actually did have two friends actually buy tickets to see me and my wife who's that's cool. Yeah, yeah, talk to you later.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, she's she's coming to join us next week. Um but for the listeners, uh, you'll get to hear from Brad's wife next week. Where uh uh we're we'll we're gonna um drill her about questions about Brad. We're just gonna say, like, we're instead of comedy, let's talk about your husband. The different kind of comedy. So yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00No, I uh yeah, it was it was a lot of fun. Um and I'd I would do it again. I met uh like I said, I met so many great people there. Uh I met John Dollard, you know, Nash, you know, he's delightful. Yeah, he's he's real good.
SPEAKER_02He's real good.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_02When he's on, yeah, when yeah, oh yeah, that's right. I forgot about that. But like when he's on stage, it appears effortless. But like I know, I know from seeing him at the mics how much work he puts on, but he's just got this real casual vibe up there, and it's really funny.
SPEAKER_00He is he is the kind of comedian that like like I I I I read I saw a video on Facebook the other day that talked about like comedians or comic people or you know, comic actors. They're not the guy that's saying overall they're not nice people. And you know, for whatever reason. But like I I have never had an interaction with John that I haven't been like, okay, you know, we're you know like I'm he's a genuine he is a genuinely nice guy, yeah. A genuinely nice guy, yeah. So let's just spend the next hour talking about John. Yeah, that's our new topic though. Yeah, that's our new topic. Yeah. But yeah, no, I met, you know, met him, I met uh like I met you know a lot of comedians from Louisville, uh, some of which I've had on the Corvette Lane show. Uh I've done you know some shows in Louisville uh with you know with them. And it's just seeing like how so many people out there doing the exact same thing that you're doing, trying to make and trying to, you know, do as many shows, it's it really gives you a sense of camaraderie. Like it's like I know exact, you know, I mean I mean, you may be like, you know, level above me or like you're doing more show, but like I understand the grind that you have to go through to be able to get to where you are now.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And when you when you meet each other on a contest or at a festival, even just on the same show, uh, we're at the same mic. Uh there, even if it's someone who you know is like several years ahead of you or in a kind of different part of the career or whatever. Um, actually, uh it was John Chris who told me this. I met him for the first time doing uh like a new material Monday at Zany's. And so like he's he's backstage when I get off stage after my set. And uh um, and I remember and new material Monday is kind of like a fancy open mic, you know. It's it's for well, if you're our level, you go there and you do your great stuff because you want to impress Zany's. But if you're John Chris level, it's it's like an open mic, you're trying out new stuff. Um, but that was the first time I met him. So I said, hey man, I've enjoyed your stuff, you know, just I'm just a fan. And he responded with, we're meeting, you know, backstage at on the same show, so today we're equals. And like objectively, I don't think that's true. But I did kind of appreciate that, and that's kind of and I look at that now anytime I go into any show, any contest, any whatever. Uh, because you know, I do I'm starting to feel like an old man in comedy, like we're getting closer to 15 years of doing it, and I was on a showcase just last night at an ice cream shop, like with newer comedians, that this is maybe their second or third or first year. And but you know what? While we're on that showcase, we're we're all doing the same thing, you know.
SPEAKER_00And so yeah, it's it it like and kind of speaking to that a little bit, and it's something that I've talked with my wife about a lot is like is that that feeling of starting at well, I guess when I started I was 38, but like being 30 almost 40, but only been doing it for a year, like I feel behind. But then we we talk about how like you know, a lot of comedians you know, they you know, with with with uh what's it like with age comes wisdom. Like we've lived life, we've had heartbreaks, we've had a lot of ups, we've had a lot of downs. We have sources of material that and not say anything bad about younger comedians, but that younger a lot of younger comedians don't have because they haven't lived a lot of life yet.
SPEAKER_02So that's very true. And I uh I absolutely I tell people when I like work with comedians and consult, because like that's a common thing for old uh older or middle-aged comedians, like man. Well, I didn't start in my early 20s, so do I really have a shot at this? It's like, well, two things. One, you have a different audience, or there's there's an audience for every person. So no matter when you start, like pe your people will find you and value what you're doing. Um, and you know, we all got to start somewhere. So but I remember years ago when I tried to, you know, when I started doing comedy full-time, I was really stressed out of the fact that you know I was starting it in my mid-30s, you know, full force doing it, and there are people 10 years younger that and it it felt like there was just one route that you could go do with comedy, and I was far past that. Um, and I've since then learned that that's so not the case. Like there's uh because at some point you got to learn when you're building your career, you know, you start by doing kind of the same things and the learning the basics of comedy and learning the basics of the grind and the basics of getting booked, and that's something we all have in common. But at some point you have to become unique. At some point you have to, and when that happens, no matter how old you are, no matter what kind of comedy you do, no matter what you do, like you can make it work. And I've I've that's been something I've been reassured in this podcast because I talk to different people each week who have like especially the past few episodes, they've like had a different direction. We've talked to corporate comedians, we talked to uh uh like church comedians, we've talked to comedy club comedians, we've talked to no comedians who specialize in fundraiser shows. Like you find the thing that works for you, and you that's how you build your career.
SPEAKER_01So exactly.
SPEAKER_02So, but something's cool about uh you know contests and festivals and stuff like you're taking uh talking about is some of those same people you met, you know, this past year and started building relationships and started networking with, uh, you'll you'll see next year at the at the you know, or you'll see, I guess I should say you'll see this year at the and then you'll you'll go to some random other event in some different state and you'll see them again there because they're doing the same things that you're doing. And so that's been one of my favorite things about doing comedy is uh some of these people who I really just know when we're on shows or contests together, but like then I sit back and I think, like, wow, I've known them for a decade. Like we we're still doing it, and it it's it's it it's a unique relationship, it's special because we're because you and every other comedian is like the same kind of crazy, like we're there's a there's a little bit of crazy and delusional that has like made us get to where what we're doing, so um you know that's cool. And then another thing I wanted to uh comment on with your answers about the contest is something I'm very proud that to hear you say is something to remind any comedian listening who considers comedy contests. Uh, I loved that all the things you got out of the contest weren't necessarily like you weren't like because a lot of people go and they just want to win. And it and if they win, they have a great experience. And if they don't win, it's like the worst experience ever. But all of your takeaways, I think, are very valid reasons that people should do comedy contests. You talked about, well, first and foremost, you talked about it was being fun, it was a good time. Uh, you also talked about the people you met and the connections you made, and and and how and that's uh this is a business of relationships. You before you start getting booked by comedians on their shows, you gotta meet those comedians. Exactly, exactly.
SPEAKER_00You know, I had this, I had this like this mindset when I first started, it was like if I if I ask another or reach out to another comedian or another, you know, booker or whatever to be on a show, like somehow that doesn't count. Like, like it only counts if they come to me as like right, hey, we saw your stuff, we really like you. We want to be, we want you to be on our show, and that's just you know, that's just not that's just not the way it works, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. And I mean, I'm sure you you do this with uh you know this through booking your show. I it's something I experienced. Uh, there are plenty of people I would love to book on my shows that I I hate to say it, but I forget about them until they send me a message.
SPEAKER_01Yep.
SPEAKER_02Uh and then as soon as I get the message, like, oh, I've been meaning to book this person. So, like for comedians, it's important to regularly ask people. You want to make sure you have the act to back it up. But like, if you're if you're just waiting for anyone to ask you, like Netflix is never gonna call you, dry bar is never gonna call you. Like they they they got a full Zanies is never gonna call you uh until maybe you have that relationship where they like, oh, that's reliable acting. And even then though, they'll call, especially when you first start, they may call you if it's the night of and they had a last minute cancellation, and for whatever reason you were the first or seventh person that they thought about in the sixth, and then maybe they'll call you. But before that point, you have to get on their radar by reaching out to them, you know. So um, um, well, speaking of shows, let's get to talking about Corvette lanes. Yeah, uh, and and as we're talking about this, I would be remiss to say uh when this episode airs, which will be May 9th, uh, is actually the night of your show. Your show is happening tonight if people are listening uh as an all-new episode. Uh both me and Brad will be there. Uh I don't know if it's sold out yet or not.
SPEAKER_00Uh it's not well, it's sold out.
SPEAKER_02Well, but maybe by the ninth though.
SPEAKER_00By the night, yeah, hopefully it will. I I'm pretty sure it will be because like it and I'm sure you booking shows, you've you've run the same kind of like roller coaster. You book a show, and for three weeks you just stress that nobody like all like because we've got some tickets, we've got we're about between a a quarter and a third sold right now, which is pretty much on par with how all the shows we've had do. And then like the the day before the day of, it's just boom. Like it's like people remember.
SPEAKER_02Everyone shows up, yeah.
SPEAKER_00No matter how many posts I make, no matter how much I put into ads, no matter how much advertising I do, it's like okay, we're we're we're not going to buy tickets until the day before day.
SPEAKER_02Right. Do you ever struggle with like if you do a show where they're like not a ton of people come and then you almost feel like you're letting down the comedians? Is that something you struggle with?
SPEAKER_00That is the one the number one thing I like I the one thing I struggle with with, you know, like for instance that show is like because like my wife and I were trying to rebuild the comedy scene here in western Kentucky for like because before COVID, it was I like it was growing. It was a you know the lot of comedians, COVID hit, everything stopped. And so uh we've been trying to we've been trying to build it back up. And you know, I I think part of that is showing out of town comedians like, hey, this is a place where people want to hear comedy. They, you know, they you know they might see it on Netflix, but like they want live comedy. And so I that I guess I what uh what it is is I I feel bad that they, you know, drove an hour and a half, two hours, however long they did, for five people.
SPEAKER_02I feel the same way when I have those kind of shows where like not ten people come, but it's what what I've learned is because and you always have to think you always it's helpful to switch switch the position and imagine you coming to a show as the comedian and not the producer. Uh so often we're like, oh my gosh, it's so frustrating, or they must hate me, or so be so disappointed. But like as a comedian, I've I've shown up to a show with just a handful of people and totally loved being there just because it was a time to perform and do what I love. And oftentimes I think as producers, we uh we stress over. That more than the actual talent. So I'm learning to show myself a little bit of grace in that. So you should show yourself some grace too. That being said, as a producer, it's also our job to make sure that more people get to the show. So, like you still you still want to do something about it, but like to just you know go home and never sleep again because of the disappointment that you've caused. So I don't know if you know we gotta we gotta show ourselves a little bit of grace on that one. So but well, uh tell me about what I I'm I think I'm eventually gonna get to talking about uh your your productions eventually. But first, yeah, tell us uh tell us about Corvette Lane. By the way, I'm so sorry. Uh I keep asking you a question and interrupting you, but uh it needs to be said, uh, this might be one of our most successful clean comedy collective shows. Um I love it. It's hard we have a bunch uh all over the place, but I feel like this one might have the best reputation. So I love it.
SPEAKER_00I love it. Um, well, it was like we started back last year, uh September of last year was our first show with Matt Levins and uh um well the our our feature it Joel Beasley was gonna be our or I had a local feature, he wasn't able to make it. I asked Joel Beasley, who's a great comedian in Nashville, he got sick and couldn't make it that day, and so I basically just and my wife Sarah was on the show, so I basically just texted a bunch of my comedian friends that are local. I was like, hey, can you do just 10 minutes clean? And and it ended up being like it ended up selling out. It was a great show, a great start to the show. But um, yeah, it was it was uh it started because I I was reading this book, uh Mastering Stand Up by Steven Rosenfield, which I highly recommend to to everybody. Uh but it's it one of the things that really stuck out to me is he talked about how basically how like sometimes you have to make your own uh opportunities. And so whether that the you know the best way is to start your own show, like you know, whether it's monthly, bi-monthly, you know, every other week, whatever. And so I thought, oh great, you know, I that's something I can do. Cause like I have a you know, I've been performing pretty much all my life. And I was started singing in church, uh, I was a undergraduate, vocal mu uh, you know, musical theater opera major, uh, did a lot of community theater after I graduated and stuff. So I've been performing all my life, so I know what it takes to produce a show from tickets to talking with the people to get on to like light, you know, lights and seats and whatever. Uh so I thought, okay, so we started my wife and I started, you know, brainstorming places in town. And one of the one of our friends, one of the people she has to used to work with, owns the bowling alley here in you know Corvette Lane. And we was like, what you know, like what what if? Like just what if we did it, you know. And so we went there one day and we looked at the room, it was like this could work. This might be able to work. So we so I I made the plan, I made the you know, the schedule the meeting to talk to him about, like, hey, I'd love to do a you know, show here, hoping you know, be a regular thing, whatever. And I had this thing all planned out in my head. I was like, okay, if you give me the cause like the room to rent the room was like a hundred dollars or something. I don't I don't even remember. But I I was like, if you'll give me if you'll let me have the room for free and help me take care of the comics in some way, I'm gonna bring like forty, forty I think forty-six is total what it can hold. Uh 46 people into, you know, and they'll buy they'll buy all you know, they serve alcohol, but you know, they'll buy food, they'll buy drinks, they'll buy, you know, that but uh and like you know, if you know, I'll bring, you know, this is that you give me this, I'll give you that. That's right.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00And so I go to sit down with them, and the very first thing that they say is, we love stand-up comedy, we'll give you the room for free, we'll help you take care of the comics. And I was like, I have nothing left to say. That's so great. Of like, okay, this is why you should let me do this, and they're like, Yeah, we're on board already.
SPEAKER_02You're on board already, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh, which is uh totally a great start. It was it like and they've been nothing, nothing but great to work with. Um, but yeah, so uh yeah, we we you know I booked it, you know, it was back in July we had the meeting, so I booked it for September because I wanted to give, you know, a few a few months to like build up uh the notice for it. And yeah, ever since then it's been it's been, you know, we've had like I said, we've had John DeToy, we've had Matt Levins, we've had uh Courtney, who uh uh you had on recently, uh Courtney Warner. Um and one of the things that I when I started out this show, one of the things that I wanted to do, I knew I wanted to do with a show, is I wanted to make sure that in every show there was at least one person who was not a white male. So like and so like I I and I say that in this last show we had uh Jakeovis, it was all white men. Uh which you know sometimes that happens. Yeah, but like I but like that was something that was really important to me is to make sure that I whatever platform I had helped you know bring in, you know what you know, women comedians, minority comedians, whatever. Uh just so because like their voice is as valuable as anybody else's. Like, you know, they they deserve to be heard too. And so that was like that's that's what I want to make sure that I have at least at least some representation like that in every show. And it's been yeah, it's been great. Uh like I've had it's so weird because like in the last the last couple months, I've had comedians reach out to me. It's like, hey, I've heard great things about the show, I would love to be a part of it. And uh like I'm at the point out where like as of as of yesterday, like I'm booked booked through the rest of the year. So like I've got comedians, comedians through the rest of the year. And yeah, that's wonderful. Yeah, it's it's just been such a cool thing. Because like Western Kentucky, there are a lot of good things about Western Kentucky, not a lot of live events that are not music, and music great, like I have a lot of musician friends, they're great, they deserve to have people to have come to their shows, but like people want to see live comedy here in Murray, Kentucky, Benton Mayfield, which is you know, not too far from Paducah. And so like that is another way for for I f I feel like I can help build up the scene. And like someone, you know, someone come in and it's like they see a show and like, oh, you know, I've you know, I've always wanted to try stand-up comedy. I've now I don't know how to start like well, we also have open mics. We have like at this point now, we have at least one open mic going every week. Uh and so we, you know, I always encourage, like, hey, if you don't, you know, come to open mic, it's a great place to, you know, see if this is for you. So Corvette Lane's has been great, they've been great to work with. It's um it's a show that I that I want to do for as long as I can, as long as people will want to come see.
SPEAKER_02You coming, yeah. Well, that's wonderful. I mean, and and the uh and I'm I know uh a big chunk of the success of that show is all the work that you put into it, that that that Sarah puts into it, um, that you guys as wonderful producers. But one thing that you said at the very beginning that it's so important people were thinking about producing shows or looking to produce shows should should hear this. Um there is no substitute to when the venue is behind it as well. Uh yes, there's uh, you know, I interact with a lot of venues and I've had mixed uh mixed reactions of like ones who are super into the show, having a show, and ones who kind of assume like, okay, we'll open the doors and then you do all the work and maybe they don't promote it as well, or maybe they don't, you know, like uh you know support it as much. And you can tell in attendance with shows like that. You can, you know, sometimes it's uh, you know, uh oftentimes a lot of the folks that uh reach out to us here in uh uh in Nashville, uh they're kind of um dying businesses or restaurants that aren't looking for this world and they think, oh, someone brings a comedy show and that'll save us. And it it does not. Um but um but I have, you know, in in in producing my own shows, but in also working with people as they produce shows, um it makes such a difference when your venue's behind it, uh, whether that's you know the PR, what even just being positive and excited about like that first conversation you mentioned, like would you know it because you feel as a producer, you feel less alone, you feel like you're not just doing it yourself, you know.
SPEAKER_00Um yeah, and it's like I and like for Corvette Lane's like I and like I said, they've been great, but like I like I've put like I'm the one that pays for the the comment, like they provide the venue, which is more than enough for me to be able to say, okay. Uh and there, you know, there's some then like I actually had a venue reach out to me a few weeks ago and saw how like successful the shows that my wife and I have been producing, uh, and they uh they're like, yeah, we'd love to start a quarterly comedy night. And and I went and it's a little this little place in Parrish, Tennessee called uh Parrish Station. Uh great venue. Uh it's got uh like it holds like 150, 200 people, something, something along those lines. Yeah. And the and I've taught had a couple conversations with the owner, they're 100% behind it. Uh yeah, and like you said, it's so it it it's you know, I and I've been a I had I didn't produce a show, but I had a show at a venue uh I I won't say where because people listening to it they might know, but um venue, and it was it it was the kind of thing like a friend of mine was producing it, he had me on, and they it it was clear that uh they weren't the venue wasn't into it. Like, oh yeah, yeah, sure, do comedy. It was on a Sunday evening like an an hour and a half before they closed. Um and there were the people so quite a quite a few people came, but it was it was you could tell that they the venue was not like was not excited about it. And it and it and it kind of you know it affected the you know yeah, it makes a difference.
SPEAKER_02It it really does. Um but uh your Corvette lane sound show sounds fantastic. I'm excited about doing it next week, slash if you're listening to it like tonight. Uh so so what what what we're gonna do, I just so everyone knows, you know, if you uh from wherever you're listening, uh if you look at our notes section for this episode, uh we'll of course we'll have all Brad's links that he'll tell us about later uh before we before we enter chat. Um but we're also um and I don't know if it'll be sold out or not, but we're gonna put the link for uh I'll put the link for the Corvette Lane show too, if you guys are able to get a ticket. And if not, sorry, I'm it's a wig ahead. I have no way of knowing whether you'll be able to get tickets. Don't send me hate mail if you click on it and can't get a ticket. But this is uh in Murray, Kentucky, uh, and me and Brad will be there and it'll be a lot of fun. Do you feel like you're more of a producer or a comedian? Which which hat is more fulfilling?
SPEAKER_00Well, for me, and I also want to say that like as much as I do, Sarah, my wife, does as much or even more to like she she is she is absolutely a staple and a pillar in this uh Western Catholic community. Uh, but um, you know, it's funny, like I this is gonna be, I don't know, I don't know, bad as that. Like, I don't want to be a producer for the rest of my career. Like, I like I love being on stage, I love performing, and I love being able to bring comedians in. Like, I love producing, but I you know, I I want to I I like being a producer, like I like, you know, I like the you know, it does give me a little bit of fulfillment, but ultimately like I want to perform more than I produce.
SPEAKER_02Dude, I I feel that. Uh I'm I agree. Me too. You know, exactly.
SPEAKER_00And like I yeah, that's and that's I'm sure that's a common sentiment, but like, but as of right now, like I love producing, I love making the connections, I love making the reaching out to people that I've kind of followed since I started, and you know, the reaching outside, hey, do you want to do you know, I have this venue, the show, would you be and like in my mind, and I it it it's it's anxiety for sure, but like in my mind, that I'm always afraid they're gonna be like, absolutely not. Like, why would you even bother messaging me about you know just going off? But almost every person, if they've not been already booked on a show, they're like, Yeah, I would love to know. Yeah, and so people outside of Western Kentucky know that this is a scene that that you guys can like I've told a lot of people from Nashville, from from uh Louisville, also like if you're like, hey, I would love to have you know come up to you know, Murray or Purdue or whatever, uh, you know, sometime, we may not have a show already, but my wife and I have good relations with a lot of venues that the fact is we could probably make a show specifically for you and whoever, you know. Uh obviously we we vet people, and like if you're a jerk to work with, or you know, your material is is like uh I don't think we want that.
SPEAKER_02Like, you know, we're not just like letting everybody it is hard as a producer, you do get lumped into the role more of a producer than a performer. People forget that you're also a comedian. Uh people, I do feel like, and you do kind of with other producers, um, a challenge when you're a comedian and a producer is a general vibe that someone might have is like, well, if they're not gonna put me on their show, why would I put them on my show? They haven't reached out to me, so I don't know if I want to reach out to them. Whereas if you don't produce shows, people just just judge you based off of your merit of your performance alone. And so um I I I'm in a space where like I I wish more people knew uh that I'm a qualified headliner as I'm also a producer as well. In fact, I probably am a better headliner than I am a show producer. Like I'm probably a better comedian than I am a producer. Um, but I if I be if I'm being honest, so so they're and and I I I this is one of those uh years from now, we'll we'll have you back on another episode and we'll see if this is an accurate statement that I'm saying here. Wait, my bad, my bad. But it seems like what a lot of uh comedians do that kind of go from producing more to like they want to headline more and travel more and all that is they build their show, they build their scene, they build their whatever to the point where they're not doing it by themselves. That's one of the biggest reasons we have a clean comedy collective and not just Drew's comedy shows, you know? Um, because the goal is um, I love it when I'm able to take a show and pass it on to somebody and they take it and keep it going and keep it the same awesome thing that I started and was passionate about. But then when you do that, you free yourself up more to travel and to book. And so, like at some point, I think any every serious producer who wants to lean more into headlining has to be has because you have to travel more and you can't do your monthly stuff all the time. Uh so what it seems like the really successful ones that I've noticed find it a way to successfully pass on their productions. Uh and then they keep going. And that's one of kind of one of my goals of the Clean Comedy Collective. I want it to be a thing where it eventually grows to where it's not just me doing it, and then if I ever did want to like do less, I could step away and you know travel more instead of you know just produce shows in Middle Tennessee. So I don't know if that's gonna work, but that's a goal, you know.
SPEAKER_00And that's a good goal to have.
SPEAKER_02So as a comedian and or producer, just since you've started this whole doing stand-up comedy journey, what's what's something you say that you've learned, whether it has to do with comedy or not, like just maybe it's about yourself or maybe it's about comedy and entertainment. Like, what's a a big thing that you feel like you've learned in the process of stand-up comedy?
SPEAKER_00Oh, that's a good question. Um, I think the thing that I have learned the most is that everybody is looking, you know, we live in a uh world that's getting crazier and crazier as as it goes on. And everybody is looking for some sort of like reprieve from that, you know, whether it'd be like I, you know, I I'm having trouble paying the rent or I'm having, you know, uh relationship issues or whatever, people want that want some sort of however brief reprieve from me. And comedy I think is a great way to to provide that. And I've and I've had a couple people come up to me after shows or or message me. It's like, yeah, I've you know, uh I really love the show, you know. I've been, you know, I have you know been laid off. There was one guy that that said he had been laid off from his job and he had all like he'd already got tickets to the show, and like the sh our show made him forget about that for just you know an hour and a half. And so like that, you know, that sort of thing, that's yeah, I would you know I I wouldn't trade for any any anything in the world. I guess the second thing uh that I learned is like and you kind of you mentioned it at the beginning too, is like there's an audience for everybody. Your kind of audience isn't going to be the same as my audience, which isn't gonna be the same as this other person's audience. Uh it's you know, we just have to find it. And you know, that that's and I and I obviously I'm I'm still trying to solidify my audience, solidify my comedic voice, and but it's it's good to, you know, I I feel like I'm starting to see like, okay, you know, this is the kind of audience, you know, you know, with you know, mid thirties and up or you know, whatever, but this is kind of the audience that I attract. And I, you know, that I was like, wow, people pay to like and that's the thing that that I'm like people pay, and there are some people who have been to every show at Corvette Lanes that I still don't know. Like I don't even though Murray is a town of like 10,000 or less, like I still don't know everybody here, and there are some people that are have been at every show or have or close to every show, and it's it's just it's just wild to me. Like, like what like who what what am who am I? Like, how did I deserve like someone who's essentially like a a follower already? Yeah, like just coming, you know, coming to the show because what a privilege, right?
SPEAKER_02Like for like I just I believe an earlier episode someone talked about how uh they were nervous about doing stand-up comedy because like what a responsibility that you were entertaining these people, but also like what a blessing, what a privilege that they're giving you their time, and that you're then uh what a I don't know, flex or bragging, or just something to feel good about that that those people that come to your shows every month, like you your comedy show is making their lives a little bit better, like and they have it on their schedule, like, oh, I want to come enjoy this piece of entertainment, and that's something that you're providing, and all of your hard work and all of the growth, and you know, things you've learned not just as a comedian but as a producer and how to put things together, all that is working together to make someone else's life just a little bit better, just a little bit better, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's pretty cool. And it was when we we were listening to the episode with Courtney Warner, and after you guys got done talking about the Corvette Lane show, you know, Sarah just looked at me and was like, You did that, like that that was you, and I was like, Yeah, yeah, that was me.
SPEAKER_02And like I you know, I kind of walked around the house a little bit, like well, I have one more question before I jump to uh asking comedian questions. Uh and it it's a very random question. We've we've been talking about great, deep, serious stuff, and uh this might be the deepest, most serious question I ask you. But when I was when I was scrolling through all of your social media and site stuff, uh one thing kept coming up, and it was uh your love for your beard. There do you do you realize how much stuff about you is like This is a real beard. This is this is you're welcome. This beard is here, you know.
SPEAKER_00Yes. I well, and I put that in my I put that in the description because so many like uh a lot of people a lot of people won't see, but if you ever see me in but a lot of people think this, I die this this way.
SPEAKER_02This is everyone needs to jump on YouTube to fully understand what we're talking about. But he uh not on YouTube but has white in his beard, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Not like and not like like stripes of white, like not like my my beard, like it's got some gray, but like the front of it, like around my chin is like solid white. And a lot of people ask me if I dye it that way, and I and I and like I just keep thinking, like, why would I why would I dye it just right here and not like the whole thing? And like I like it just it just surprised me. So I'm like, yes, this is my actual beard.
SPEAKER_02Like I go ahead and answer the question before it even comes up. I like I respect that. I was like, and you know what? It is a mighty beard, like it it the the the the natural white part makes it look more like sagely, like you look like you just proselytize the unwashed matches, no no problem. You look like you could. So you look like you have a monk background. Uh yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I probably could could be a monk at some point.
SPEAKER_02That's great. Well, uh let me pull up my questions from the comedians. Uh or is not well, some comedians sent them, it's from the audience, uh, from our friends. Uh just a reminder as people are um still listening. Uh, this is the Ask a Comedian portion of our show where we we have a comedian, so we're gonna ask him questions. The way I got these questions is about once a month I reach out on uh Facebook and Instagram and threads, uh, and uh at Drew Davis Comedy if you ever want to check it out. And I just ask people like, hey, what questions should we ask comedians? And some people give me comedy-related questions, and some people give me not comedy-related questions. Uh, you can always you uh I've had people comment below on our YouTube videos with questions. So if that's something you want to do, uh I did have a few people randomly email me a question. So I guess if you want to send me an email with a question to add to the podcast, you can do that. I suppose if you know where I live, which I hope you don't, if I don't know you, uh you could knock on the door and say, like, hey, could you add this to the list of questions?
SPEAKER_00Um Drew's number is is this, so just text him. You know, it'll be yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um there is actually there is actually for all the podcast listeners, there's a button in our notes section where you can press that and send us a message, hopefully a nice message. You can send us whatever you want. Uh and if you want to send in a question that way, you're more than welcome to. So we are always welcome to questions because you know we got a different comedian on every every week, and we ask them three questions. Uh, and if their answers are good, we don't edit it out of our podcast. So um anyway, so so what I need from you, Brad, is uh three numbers uh uh between one and thirty.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Uh let's go thirty, because that is the number, the the day number that Sarah and I got married. Oh, yeah. And uh nine, which is the month that we got married. Uh and so nine, thirty, and let's go 21.
SPEAKER_0221, the age they were when they got married, I don't know. Uh okay, uh, so I got nine, twenty one, and thirty. Um, and um also special. I feel like we've mentioned Sarah a lot in these uh this episode. So uh just to if you're listening, uh next week's episode we'll be interviewing Sarah Hines and uh you know this it's kind of this kind of like a two-parter, yeah. Brad recommends so all right. Here's number 30, the question. It comes from Facebook from Joseph uh Stolles. And this is a good question for you because you probably have people that uh reach out to you asking to be on shows. So uh any tips or advice uh on how to uh contact folks about getting spots, comedy spots in their town?
SPEAKER_00Um I would say the number one, if they don't know you, send them a clip of you on stage. Like uh like it doesn't have to be 20 minutes long. In fact, it's better if it's not four four or five minutes is enough. Uh obviously, if like if I know the person or I like I've seen their stuff before, it's you know, I it they don't necessarily have to do that, but like I but I not only for me as a producer, but me as a comedian, like you know, if they don't know, if a booker doesn't know me, introduce myself, like hey, this is where I'm from, this is kind of the audience I have, whatever starting out to have, uh and just just making sure that you know producers know you're funny. And like, you know, so send that send them send them five minutes, your type five, and and hope for the best.
SPEAKER_02I think that's such a great idea. I mean, I it's just it's so many times people reach out and um you shouldn't put it on the producer to turn around and be like, Do you have a video? You because uh they might be busy when they get that message and they may just not want to respond. But if you send me a message with a video on it, I don't have to ask for it, so I'm more inclined to watch it.
SPEAKER_00Make it as easy for bookers to see how funny you are as possible.
SPEAKER_02I agree. But that's that's solid advice. Okay, next question from Brian Atkinson, who's also a comedian uh in the Queen Comedy Collective. He's on our episode three, I think we were uh interviewed him. If you guys are like, wow, this is a great question. I wonder what he has to say about things. Um, you can listen to his interview. Uh and this came to us from Threads. Uh, and what's the joke that you're most proud of?
SPEAKER_00Oh man. Um I think there's actually two. Um it's one that I've that is part of my root like uh rotation now. Um one my my my wife is one of the funniest people that I that I've you know, Sarah's one of the funniest people you'll ever meet. Uh she also says some incredibly unhinged things sometimes. Not just just like just like out of the blue. One time she said, you know, I read that your and the joke, the joke is like I, you know, it it's important to find a partner that you can learn from. And I learn from my wife every day. She's one of the smartest people I know, learn from her every day, whether I want to or not, you know, sometimes against my will. But she told me the other day that your skin should be so moisturized it's like touching a raw chicken breast. And I don't know about you, but I've never touched a raw chicken breast and thought I want to keep touching this. And like, yeah, that that yeah, that a lot of things. And then I I was, you know, because like a part like, and of course I you know this a lot of comedians, but like jokes that like d reference like physical features about you is all you know, I feel like always good for the audience. And obviously, like if you see this on YouTube, I am bald, like I I have not a lot of hair up here. Um I was trying to think like what what can I compare this to that is not that has not been done before? Because you know, egghead or like shiny or whatever, like that's been done to death, and so I thought, oh, it's kind of like a gentrified neighborhood. All the original residents have left, and now all you see is white. And that that those are the two jokes that I'm most that I'm probably most proud of.
SPEAKER_02Those are good ones. I like it. You should be proud of them. So all right, this this is a brutally honest question. Uh it came from Linda from Facebook. Uh, she's a comedy fan, very big supporter of the Clean Comedy Collective and just Nashville comedy in general. Uh uh, do you pursue this field because you truly want to, or are you a comedy addict?
SPEAKER_00Wow, okay. Um that is whoo that is that we're we got deep and we're going deeper. Um I yeah, I was like, I was like, I don't know if I should ask that.
SPEAKER_02I was like, well, it's on the list, I have to ask it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's no, you're I I I love it. And that this is actually probably a question that Sarah would love to answer too. But uh I I would say when I first started out, it was because I was uh like I liked comedy and I wanted to tell jokes on the stage in front of people. But now that I've been at it, I I'll I'll just say been at it for almost a year, like like seriously, I have found that it is obviously laughs are are good, laughs is what we want, but laughs like being able to like I we talked about earlier, being able to make people make to give a reprieve to whatever they're going through that I I know that's not exactly the two the binary options, but I I would say now because I I want to continue doing this and bringing joy to people, you know, with my you know stupid little jokes.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, with your with your bald head jokes, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Exactly.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, no, that's good. Well, Brad, first of all, thank you so much for being on this podcast for agreeing to do it. Um, do you have uh what what kind of things can you promote or tell us about where to find you and just give us all the information we need?
SPEAKER_00Core uh obviously Corvette Lane's is uh the big thing like tonight if you're good on the night tonight, come see it tonight, wherever you are. Um, but Corvette Lane's uh like spellbound brookery that we talked about earlier in the shows there. Um as far as where people can find me, I uh mostly just Facebook and Instagram. I am uh I am terrible about posting videos of myself and and you know, but I'm trying to get better at it. But um for anybody that wants you know that wants to be on a show that you know my wife or I produce, uh you can contact me there. Or if you know want to find shows, you know, in the western Kentucky area, um, you know, message me there. Uh Brad Bcomedy at gmail.com is my email. Email me there. Uh I have a TikTok and a YouTube channel that have not I've not really posted to at all. So probably don't don't go there because it's not that's gonna be where everyone goes and meeting.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_00He's only got three videos, let's get him out of here. Uh but yeah, yeah. So um yeah, I I you know I everybody that that comes to one of my shows, thank you so much. Uh literally cannot do this without audience members. Uh and like and that's why I say comics, if you're in the if you're gonna be in the Western Kentucky area and you know like a couple months in advance, uh, you got you know, wanna fill in some dates, message me and I will do, you know, my wife or I will do what we can to uh uh maybe have you on a show there.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I I appreciate how approachable and how gracious you are to people, to the comedians just trying to create a space to for give people the opportunities to perform. And I appreciate is it's uh so obvious how much you care about your audience and the folks that are coming. And uh that's just I'm so glad that your show is part of what we do as a Clean Comedy Collective. I'm so and I'm so glad that it's doing so well because I feel like it represents a lot of what we're trying to do, just trying to create uh enjoyable, chill, open space for performers, for the audience, you know. Uh no BS, no, you know, no, just just we're just having a good time, you know. And I I love that. Um, I love that. So um and if you guys are like, well, what other shows does the Clean Comedy Collective have? Just a reminder, uh, we have a website. You can check, uh you can get connected to me or Brad. Brad's in the Kentucky site. I'm in the Tennessee section. Uh you can see what shows we have upcoming uh for the month of May. Um, and hopefully by the by the by the time you look at it, I will have updated the site. It is currently not updated, but it will be updated. That's more information than you all need. Of course, you can listen to previous episodes on uh and you there's a donate function. We have a Patreon where you can hear uh the uncut longer episodes where you know all the goofy, awkward things I cut out for put in the post-editing section uh will be there uh on the Patreon. So uh, and just last thing I want to plug next next week's episode that we're literally about to record here in a bit, uh Sarah Hines will be our guest. Uh, she's had we've we've name-dropped her several times in this uh show. She's the uh the co-producer for uh the Murray comedy scene with Brad, and they do a lot of shows together. Um, and so we're gonna talk to her more about that. She's also a comedian in the collective, so we're gonna talk about that. Um, and uh it'll be another good episode. And and and Brad, thank you so much um for being here.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for having me. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'll see you next week, slash tonight, depending on how time works. Um, and and uh it's an illusion anyway. Yeah, we'll see you in some plane of existence somewhere. So uh, and I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your plane of existence until we see you next week. Have a good one.
SPEAKER_00Bye guys.
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