Meet Darius Walker

We recently connected with Darius Walker and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Darius, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

When you’re the only person in a room who looks like you—which can be the case quite frequently as you work different rooms throughout the Midwest—an invisible, weighted jacket is worn at times. This jacket carries the weight people have added to it through the perceptions they’ve built about me prior to even meeting me. I’m well aware it isn’t about me personally; it’s their perception of what they assume a young Black man is going to yell at them about.

There are times when I make the trip down the rabbit hole to places that haven’t had a person of color, let alone a Black person, in quite some time. The Black people they come in contact with are typically on the screens of their phones or TVs, which is where they form their opinions.

Now that the time has come and I stand on stage in front of them, taking control of the room is necessary by tackling the elephant in the room. I do this not by attacking them, but by welcoming them into my conversation on stage where they learn about my relationships, spanning from friends and family to my wife. The level of relatability created by this conversation ultimately ends with a mutual understanding that establishes how charming I am.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m a stand-up comedian who spends the weeknights perfecting my craft in preparation to deliver strong material to you on the weekend. My style isn’t quirky, and I don’t move or jump all over the place; instead, I pride myself on giving you a well-structured joke guaranteed to make you giggle and laugh. That’s the real reward after each show: seeing the immediate rupture of cackling laughter from one person or watching the evening’s most stoic individual slowly crack a smile and then erupt into a boisterous laugh.

To get in on some of the fun, you can check out my dates at www.dariuswalkercomedy.com or watch a sneak peek clip or two on the site.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Thinking back to the most impactful areas of knowledge that were the most helpful when it came to developing my skills, I’d have to say they boil down to three things: carrying a lot of humility, setting aside time to write in your calendar, and listening back to what you’re saying to see if the joke actually led to laughter from the audience.

Our minds can seriously play tricks on us about what happened on stage versus what actually transpired. Wildly enough, that goes both ways. Sometimes you’re on stage thinking, “This is going great!” but in reality, it was pretty “meh,” or you might think you’re absolutely bombing with zero laughter, only to watch the tape back and notice you got a laugh here and there.

The advice I would give to a newer comic is simple: just be very humble. You will have times where you are the funniest person in the room, and you’ll have times where you weren’t; either way, don’t let it go to your head. I actually think we may have not truly seen the world’s best or funniest comic. I believe many people will agree with that—as in, those comics were unable to overcome the hurdles of things like humility, practicing at open mics, or even their own vices. Go to the open mics and lead with respect—not just to the veteran comics, but to everyone. That includes the audience, the staff, and those newer people looking to get into the craft.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

The Grand Rapids, MI, comedy scene has been vital to my development. This includes the comedians who create and run weekly open mics, which provide the crucial space to gain knowledge on how a joke is coming along—a space to calibrate the timing, rhythm, and vocabulary used.

Furthermore, the bonds built with fellow comedians offer a source of vital critiques, helping me to fine-tune a joke or add the missing puzzle piece. I’ve received a great deal of paid comedy and comedy-adjacent work simply because someone caught me on stage at an open mic and was motivated to reach out.

Though many don’t like the thought of them, open mics are an essential and critical step in the pursuit of comedy success. I owe that success to the people who created and continue to keep those spaces running.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dariuswalkercomedy.com
• Instagram: the_dariuswalker
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darius.t.walker.1/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DariusW231

Image Credits

Dalton Smith IG: dapertures
Libby Oclair IG: libbyophotography