The Southern part of the country has long been a breeding ground for underrated comedians, with very few being able to break into the mainstream due to the logistics of living in a part of the country that has no comedy hub. In recent years however, the inception of the Comedy Mothership and prevalence of Kill Tony has given many regional comedians the means to reach a wider audience, and has helped to breathe life into comedy all over the South. Whether there are comics taking advantage of these new opportunities or finding ways to make a name for themselves on their own, here are some breakout stars that are putting comedy in the South on the map.
Heath Cordes
Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, Heath Cordes has made a giant splash in the Southeast region by being discovered on Kill Tony and given a coveted Golden Ticket. Since then he has performed in arenas, traveled the country co-headlining with other Golden Ticket winners and opened for Tony Hinchcliffe in sold out theaters. Heath is living proof that there are hidden gems all over the South, just waiting for the proper channel to be discovered.
Especially in Huntsville, there are many unique comics just like Cordes that could be promising stars one day. RJ Marchand (Kill Tony bucket pull), Kyle Belcher (Gotham Comedy Club) and David Lynam (X5 Podcast) are just a few others working the circuit in Huntsville and surrounding areas that are more than ready to breakout in the same way. It's inspiring to see Heath Cordes representing this relatively untapped market of comedy prowess, and he makes the Huntsville scene prouder with every Kill Tony appearance.
Derrick Stroup
Also hailing from Alabama originally, Derrick Stroup is emerging as a legitimate headliner, and he managed to do it all himself. I remember when Derrick was a regional headliner around Huntsville, Pensacola and further along the South, and then he made a move to Denver where he would work his way into the Comedy Works (hailed as one of the best clubs in the country). Jumping ahead to the present, Stroup has appeared on The Tonight Show, opens for Nate Bargatze in arenas, and headlines comedy clubs all over the country.
Derrick managed this level of success without going on Kill Tony, without moving to New York, LA or even Austin for that matter. I think a lot of regional comedians along the Gulf Coast can and do look up to Derrick Stroup as an example of where honing your craft can take you, and I believe he's one of many headliners that will emerge out of the region. Some other Gulf Coast headliners that are on the same trajectory include Tyler Arceneaux (Skankfest), Delisia Nicholas (Improv) and Carson Taylor (Whipper Snapper Comedy).
David Jolly
Even though Tony Hinchcliffe claims at the beginning of every episode of Kill Tony that they find all of their talent as bucket pulls, there are a handful of comics that have shown enough promise to garner an appearance without signing up. Ari Matti, Casey Rocket and David Jolly are the leading stars of that exclusive club. David Jolly reached the scene with Kam Patterson, coming from Orlando to Austin in order to find the same success at the Comedy Mothership that his Floridan protege Patterson did.
Jolly is a veteran of the stand-up comedy game, finally getting his well-deserved shine for an honest and aggressive style that has given him opportunities as both a Kill Tony panel member and a Comedy Mothership door guy. Headlining shows all over the South, David Jolly has been able to use his viral performances on KT to sell tickets on a national stage, much like Uncle Lazer, Enrique Chacon and William Montgomery.
Ralph Barbosa
By far the most successful comedian on this list to date, Ralph Barbosa has managed to become a huge name in comedy while still living in Dallas, Texas. The Tonight Show, a Comedy Central Half-Hour, all of the biggest podcasts in the country and an hour long Netflix special are all credits that Barbosa can claim, and he has managed to accomplish all of this within the last couple of years. Followers of the podcast should remember us talking about him as a rising star and including him in past blog posts about how he's going to blow up, and now he has absolutely surpassed any expectation comedy fans have set for him.
Ralph came from humble beginnings in the South to recording a feature length Netflix special, much like Nate Bargatze, Dusty Slay and Bert Kreischer.
Saya Meads
Without a doubt the best social media follow on this list, Saya Meads has managed to become a viral creator and perform at some of the best comedy clubs in the country while living in New Orleans. We live in an era right now where a lot of viral creators try to use their online presence to sell stand-up tickets and absolutely disappoint audiences across the country, but Saya has done the exact opposite of that, cultivating online content that compliments her hilarious stand-up like a fine wine with a steak dinner. Performing at Jimmy Kimmel's Comedy Club, The Apollo Comedy Club and even The Comedy Store, she may be the most accomplished comic that has decided to stay in the Gulf Coast region.
It's no secret that Saya Meads is going to achieve an extreme level of success with the trajectory of her current career, but it seems as though New Orleans has become a breeding ground for nationally successful comedians. Michael Hall has become a regular at the La Jolla Comedy Store, Kevin Little is another viral creator living in New Orleans and Ryan Rogers has a special on OFTV, just to name a few of the absolute killers to come out of the Big Easy.
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