Today, we’d like to introduce you to Jamal Jones. Jamal was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Elisabeth Davis.
Hi Jamal, we’re so thrilled to have you sharing your story with us today. Maybe we can kick things off by having you introduce yourself to our readers? We’d love to have you go into your story and how you got to where you are today.
It all started back in elementary school. I was your typical class clown, always doing whatever it took to get the laughs. I found out early on in my life that I loved to make people laugh. It got me in trouble with my teachers, but in the end, it was all worth it. One day my mother told me if I’m going to be a clown I might as well get paid for it. I took that to heart and at the age of 16 I was over a friend’s house in the basement and we watched Eddie Murphy’s “Delirious” stand up special. The way he had the audience laughing at everything he said inspired me to want to do what he was doing. So, I started watching as much standup comedy as I could. 2 years later at the age of 18 I was in commercial acting class making the entire class laugh, and my instructor said I should do standup comedy and gave me the number to the manager to Stand Up NY Comedy Club. It took me 3 months of writing jokes and getting up enough courage to actually make the call. Eventually I called and I was invited to perform at what is called “Open Mic Night”. That’s where amateurs are able to get on stage and do their routine for 3 to 5 mins. The only drawback was I had to have at least 5 people show up in order to perform. So, I invited my entire family and they just about all of them showed up to support me. In my mind I KILLED IT! I guess when half the club is your family, you’ll think that way. I was good and I got my laughs, but I was hooked. I would go on to continue to perform for free at open mic nights around NYC for several months until I went off to college in Virginia. I went to school in Virginia for one year and moved back to NYC and enrolled in a Community College (BMCC) Borough of Manhattan Community College. That’s where the comedy bug bit me once again, and I set back out on the open mic circuit. I eventually stopped going to school and got a job. I was still performing during the evenings, but got frustrated at how slow things were moving. So, I moved to Chapel Hill, NC and found a job, and enrolled in a few classes at UNC-Chapel Hill. When once again with a captive audience I had not only coworkers, but students on campus laughing and was told “I was wasting my talent” just making them laugh. So, I started hosting talent shows and comedy shows on campus, and then one day I heard about this comedy contest on the radio. Schlitz Malt Liquor was sponsoring a 15 city Comedy Tour featuring DL Hughley & Bernie Mac. They were picking 4 Amateur comedians from a local contest to open up for DL & Bernie. I was chosen one of the 4 and went on to win the contest and won $500 and 2 roundtrip tickets to Los Angeles to perform at the Wiltern Theatre in the finals. I didn’t win the contest, but I made valuable connections that would lead me to moving to Atlanta, GA where I worked on my craft and finally became a paid comedian. I traveled all over the United States performing in everything from lounges, sports bars and comedy club. Wherever there was a mic and an audience I was there to make them laugh. I got the chance to perform with Bernie Mac, DL Hugley, Bill Bellamy, Bruce Bruce etc. I did that for 15 years until I got frustrated with the business and walked away. Umpteen years later in 2021 the bear has awoken from hibernation with the urging of my wife Elisabeth Davis-Jones. Now I’m married and living in Fort Worth TX working a day job and hosting comedy at comedy spot called Live Wick’s House of Comedy located at 2405 S. Collins Street Arlington, TX. I am also the clubs booking agent, so this time around I’m wearing 2 hats. I’m behind the scenes putting together shows and giving young comics the opportunity to learn this game called “Comedy”. I’m also working off the rust and cobwebs because I intend on getting back out here and giving this world some of what I call “Organized Stupidity”.
Alright, so we’d love to hear more about your comedy career. What else should we know?
The bulk of my comedy career took place in Atlanta, GA sharpening my skills at Uptown Comedy Club. I was the new kid on the block so I had to show them I was funny too at their open mic night on Sunday nights. That was not an easy crowd but eventually I won them over and gained the respect of the other comedians. Once I got the attention of booking agents, I started booking paid gigs around the Atlanta Metro Area, and eventually in surrounding states (Ala, Fla & SC). I’m most proud of how hard I worked to learn the craft and to become a paid standup comedian. I’m proud of the long-lasting relationships I built with other comedians. Today as I stated before I’m the regular host and booking agent at a club called Live Wick’s House of Comedy in Arlington, TX. I’m looking forward to sharing my gift of laughter with the world again, and share my knowledge with young up & coming comics, so they won’t make the same mistakes I made when I started out. My goal is to become a traveling comedian again, continue you produce comedy shows and maybe even end up on someone’s radio station. If the radio thing doesn’t happen, I would love to own a comedy club and give these underground comedians the shine they deserve. What I love most about comedy is its therapy for me and those I’m making laugh. Laughter is a drug and I want to get high off of laughter every chance I get.
As you know, we’re big fans of Elisabeth Davis and we know you’ve worked with them quite a bit as well. We’d love to hear about your experience working with Elisabeth Davis.
Well Elisabeth is not only my best friend, but she’s my wife or 6 years. We met 8 years ago thru a mutual friend and it was go from the minute I saw her and said. “WAZZUP!!?” I knew from the minute I met her she was a wonderful caring person, and she had a sense of humor. Her being heavy in the church made me pause for a quick second because I was a habitual sinner. Once I learned she wasn’t a judgmental person I proceeded in getting to know her. When I found out she was a gospel recording artist with her own group I was interested in seeing her sing. When they day came I fully expected her to sound average and I was going to have to gas her head up and say “Oh yeah you were great!”, but that first note out her mouth hit me like a ton of bricks and made my “Allergies” act up. I mean my jaw dropped and I had to run to the bathroom because my eyes had started to leak. All I can say I am Elisabeth’s biggest fan and I want everyone to join her fan club. Her music ministers to your soul, and she sings and writes from her heart. There is nothing fake about her. So, I encourage everyone to support Elisabeth Davis-Jones & The Camp they make that feel good gospel music with a splash of Jazz. The public would get spiritual healing & laughter all at the same time from the 2 of us. She’ll touch their soul with her music, and I’ll touch their funny bone with my humor.
Instagram: comedian_tripjay
Facebook: Comedian Trip Jay
Youtube: Comedian Trip Jay
