STAND-UP TUESDAYS: Billy Wayne Davis

Stand-Up Tuesdays is a weekly comedy spotlight written by the wonderfully talented Angie Frissore. Covering both known and unknown comics, Stand-up Tuesdays is your new source for all things funny.

This week, Angie puts a spotlight on Billy Wayne Davis! If you or your comedy troupe would like to be featured on Stand-Up Tuesdays, please email utgjames@gmail.com.

Being a true northerner I will admit that it’s hard for me to take anyone with a deep southern accent seriously – fortunately, the south has produced its fair share of intentionally funny people for me to enjoy in a much healthier manner.  Tennessee native Billy Wayne Davis’ brand new release through Rooftop Comedy is perfect proof that there can, in fact, be intelligent comedy that stretches far beyond simply shouting, “Get ‘er done!”

Don’t let Davis’ deep and intense drawl fool you – he’s not the typical overall-clad redneck sporting a sawed-off shotgun that comes to mind when thinking of the south.  He seamlessly integrates his sharp wit and clever observations with his easy-going southern charm in a way that just might surprise you.

“Rednecks and gay dudes,” Davis quips, “hate each other. What I’ve noticed though is what they hate more than each other…sleeves.”

Davis, who has spent the better part of the last few years living in Seattle, has toured with some of comedy’s biggest acts, including Colin Quinn, Lisa Lampanelli, Louis CK and Mitch Hedberg – which I find refreshing  given so many southern comedians tend to get lumped into more themed tours that ride the wave of the redneck stereotype. It’s nice to discover a comedian like Davis, who is more than aware that the rest of the country doesn’t hold the same particular pride or affection for things like that.

“I’ve been traveling a lot, which is always fun,” Davis describes. “I recently got to go to Wichita, Kansas – yeah, ‘cause my career is taking the fuck off.”

Davis’s humor delves into everything from parenthood and drugs to the similarities between court and church – nothing is off limits, and the comedian can just about saying anything he wants and get away with it thanks to that southern charm and likable personality. At one point, he has his audience in hysterics due to his thoughts on what made the town of Enumclaw, Washington famous – that in 2005, a man died while having sex with a horse.

“The horse was fucking him, and for some reason in my head I think that’s worse,” Davis explains. “I think it’s the alpha in me, like, ‘We’re at the top of the food chain, we should be doing the fucking – you’re making us look bad.’”

Of course, any true testament to a good comedy CD is the audience’s reaction – and Davis’ CD not only comes with that one, louder-than-the-others drunk woman who cackles like a witch in heat (which is usually me if the show was in Boston), but also has some delightful  heckler moments.

“You know this is a monologue and not a dialogue, right?” he quips to a woman who won’t stop chatting with him. When asked to ‘do a joke about Tennessee’, he simply states, “No.”

The self-titled debut release from Billy Wayne Davis is available today from Rooftop Comedy and should definitely be in your comedy rotation – pick it up today and be sure to follow Billy Wayne on Twitter.


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One Response to “STAND-UP TUESDAYS: Billy Wayne Davis”

  1. Monti says:

    PAY YOUR CHILD SUPPORT YOU DEADBEAT. It’s been over a year Billy. Stop acting like your boy doesn’t exist.