“You’re not too far gone. You’re not too late. You’re not broken. You’re being rebuilt. If you’ve ever thought, “I should be farther along by now,” or “Will I ever feel whole again?” — this book was written for you.” — Mickey Bell’s “You’re Not Broken”
Adopted at birth. Started on stage at age 10. Growing up, which comedians were your family’s favorites? How did these comedians influence your decision to pursue comedy professionally?
To be honest, I was raised in a very strict religious home and not allowed to watch comedy. Evidently laughing was a sin, and I didn’t know it. But as I started on this journey of comedy, I started really watching the techniques of Steve Harvey, Kevin Hart, and Tim Hawkins. Not so much for the content but how they presented the content.
Second chances and redemption after a moral fall while serving as a pastor. Fired and homeless within minutes. Battled a severe bout of depression, ready to take your own life. Recovery and finding life again through prayer. Feeling that He chose comedy for your healing and allowing your words to impact others to help them grow. You always address mental illness in your shows. How have the topics you cover in your act evolved since you first started?
From the beginning of getting on stage as a comic, I have always been open about my downfall. Mainly because if I say it from the stage, it takes the power away from my enemies who may want to try and hold it over my head. This way, I get to share it on my terms. With my mental illness… I was not talking about it as much because I didn’t think people were interested in my struggles. Who wants to buy a ticket to hear someone complain about their life for 90 minutes? But then one night it slipped out and the outpouring of emails and “thank yous” I received let me know about the power of identification. When I take just a few moments to talk about my battle, those in the audience who identify with me are able to see that they are not fighting this alone. It lets them know that we all have some level of insecurities that we deal with.
A clean, high-tempo comedy act. How do you find the ‘funny’ in mundane everyday situations?
Humans are far from mundane. We do stupid things every day. As a comic, you tend to look through a different lens than everyone else. We are wired to see the funny in everything. The work comes into being able to retell the incident to make the audience member feel like they were there when it happened organically the first time.
Fans reach out to you. How has social media impacted your career?
Social media allows you to gain fans without ever leaving your home. They are able to watch you online without ever having to buy a ticket or see you in person… So it speeds up the career path. Now I can go into a new area where I may have never been before and already have people there wanting to meet me simply because they have been following me online. It’s creepy and exciting all at the same time.
Can you share a story about a memorable gig — either incredibly successful or hilariously disastrous?
I guess what comes to mind are the many, many people who have come up after a show and shared with me their struggles. They have been through a tough week and the thought of laughing was far from their mind. But then they came to a show and were able to release the stress. One older gentleman (80-years-old) came up to me one night in tears and just wanted to say “thank you.” He shared how his wife had passed away and he thought he would never be able to laugh again. The show helped him break down that barrier.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in your comedy career?
Learning that my biggest critics come from inside the church. In the current climate, it seems politics is a taboo subject (even though it is starting to get better). So when I make jokes about my upbringing that include my religious family and some things I have experienced, I wasn’t ready for the backlash from the church people. Instead of laughing at themselves or the things the church does that doesn’t always make sense, they see it as me mocking God. When what they are doing… even God is in heaven going, “uh.. I never signed off on that.”
And then going back to your social media question… these platforms allow people to make comments they would otherwise never make to your face. They can comment, block you, and then never have to face the consequences of what they say. Not good for someone who is already medicated.
2021 Inspirational Country Music Awards Comedian of the Year Award.
Perform over 150 dates a year. Past tour dates with Jason Crabb, Chonda Pierce, Mark Lowry, and David Phelps. Where do you see your comedy going in the next five years?
I want to be able to do solo shows and tours with other comics. But instead of it just being a comedy show, I want it to be a night of inspiration. I know what it’s like to be arrested by your own emotions inside your own home and unable to get out in a crowd. I want to create a safe space for anyone to come to a show and know 1: they are going to laugh until they almost pee in their pants, 2: leave after relieving some stress from their daily life struggles and 3: have the next steps they must take to get to where they want to go in life.
The goal of your writings is to motivate others to adjust their lives for the better. You’re Not Broken follows I Am David — A Pastor’s Fall into Grace and Reverse the Course of Depression. Your latest, a 60-day devotional, is for someone battling mental illness, identity loss, or the pressure to constantly perform. “You’re not too far gone. You’re not too late. You’re not broken. You’re being rebuilt. If you’ve ever thought, “I should be farther along by now,” or “Will I ever feel whole again?” — this book was written for you.”
Each devotion includes a real-life pain point, relevant Bible scripture, the true story of a well-known public figure, and personal insight from your own battle with depression, insecurity, and the pressure to be “the strong one.” How can we best support someone struggling with feelings of being broken?
If you don’t know what to say, don’t say anything. Many people who battle depression have been hurt further by those they love who might have had great intentions but made the situation worse by not thinking through their words before they said them. “Just get over it,” “You need to pray more,” “Snap out of it.” These are things we either wish we could do or are already doing. You need to understand it goes much deeper than that and if we knew how to just “snap” out of it, we would. Take time and do some research. If you really care about helping a loved one, work on understanding how they feel and think.
What do you do to relax and recharge?
When I find out … I will let you know! Set me up in a beach chair somewhere and let me hear the waves and feel the rays.