Rebel Comedian, Darrick Jones, is Using Hobnob to Change the Industry

Despite its humorous context, breaking into the comedy industry is no laughing matter. After experiencing the difficult politics of the “funny business” for himself, stand-up comedian, Darrick Jones, decided to take matters into his own hands. Inspired by his personal struggles within the field, he created an accessible platform for comedy’s newcomers, and used Hobnob to help spread the word.

Darrick’s Personal Battle with Comedy’s Politics

Despite the fact that Darrick worked for Chicago’s public transit system, he has always been a comedian at heart. Every morning, he would entertain his co-workers with jokes and anecdotes, creating a light and amusing atmosphere that everyone enjoyed. During this time, he was often told that he’d missed his calling, but realized that this was not the case. He hadn’t missed it. It was still waiting for him. After seventeen years with the Chicago Transit Authority, he took a risk, and quit his job to pursue comedy full time.

Upon entering the business, Darrick discovered that it required much more than the courage to stand on a stage and tell jokes (though this was a challenge in itself). New comedians also had to face the industry’s strict hierarchies.

According to Darrick, it’s a common practice for venues to skip over the names of new comedians, giving coveted performance spots to those who had been in the industry much longer. This made it extremely difficult for Darrick to make a name for himself, and after a frustrating run on the circuit, he decided to call it quits.

A New Place for Comedians

For about two years, Darrick stayed away from the industry. But, in the end, he couldn’t leave it behind. The joy he got from making people laugh and the way they relaxed as he turned real, culturally-infused anxieties into hilarious stories, was impossible to ignore.

So, he decided to change the way the field operated, and created his own platform for stand-up. Not only that, but he made sure it was targeted towards new comedians, allowing them to enter the business without fighting through all of the politics he’d witnessed himself.

Darrick believes that everyone can be extraordinary as long as they keep moving forward. Great things come to anyone willing to persistently pursue their passion, and if he can help provide a space for that passion to be displayed, he will. His Naughty Comedy Showcase is exactly that. It’s an arena in which emerging comics can perform, without the fear of being replaced by bigger name comedians. Darrick has also started putting on private shows, and he loves using Hobnob for both types of event.

“Hobnob is a quick, professional, clean way for me to get information to my audience,” he tells us enthusiastically, “If you’re trying to get information out about an event, Hobnob is the way to go. Besides all that, it’s FREE!!”