Today we’d like to introduce you to David Dyer.
Hi David, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up being a big fan of stand up comedy. My Dad was a very funny guy who introduced to things like Monty Python and comedy albums by Bob Newhart, Bill Cosby, and probably some other stuff we shouldn’t have listened to. Humor was a big part of our household. One-upping one of my three older brothers with a funny quip was a way to score some points seeing as I was so much smaller than them. I always had the idea of doing stand up myself and went to Michigan State where I studied Theatre. I never did stand up there, but once I got out of college, I thought, “If I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it.” I started going to open mic nights and having my brother tape me with this enormous VHS camera. I brought the tape to an agency that books comedy around the Midwest and they started getting me guest spots which led to hosting gigs which led to being the middle act and, eventually, headlining.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s never a smooth road. There are always bumps and those are the things that make you better. If a comedian tells you they’ve never bombed, duck because their nose is going to come shooting right at you. You HAVE to bomb to find out who you are and what makes you funny. The audience will help lead you in the right direction. Their reaction is what helps form your style, your point of view, and your direction. It still has to be your voice, but the crowd lets you know what part of you speaks to them. Are there shows I’d like to forget? You bet, but those are the shows that have also made me better.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I pride myself on being a pretty good writer. There are only so many topics to talk about and so you have to find some common ground with an audience. I think I’m good at that finding the right words to express my thoughts on those things. Where you separate yourself from others is by looking at that common ground and coming up with a way to approach it from a different angle. Comedy isn’t rocket science. It’s leading a crowd down a path and taking a quick left turn at the end. I think I’m most proud of the reactions I get when people come up after a show and say things like, “Great show. I really needed this.” Or, “I can totally relate to so much you had to say.” My job is to take these people on a little journey for 50-60 minutes and help them escape from all the crud they’re dealing with the other hours of the day. I think I’ve learned how to do that pretty well.
What’s next?
I would love to continue to do stand up, but also start to focus more on some writing projects I have in mind. I love to write and come up with stories, dialogue, and so on. I’m at a point in my career where I still love writing a good joke and feeling an audience’s reaction to it, but I’d also be totally fine being the creative force behind something and let others be out front and let them run with it. Either way, I’d still get great satisfaction from it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.daviddyercomedy.com
- Instagram: @dyercomedy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.dyer.1612
- Twitter: @dyercomedy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@daviddyer1039
