Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan West

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

I started doing standup comedy about 3 weeks after I got out of the Army. I was a medical discharge after being hurt in Iraq, and feeling very alone and abandoned by the institution and family I’d spent the last several years supporting and being supported by.

I went to an open mic in Champaign, Illinois at the now-closed Memphis on Main just to be in the audience. Afterwards, I was joking around with one of the comedians and sharing some stories and he encouraged me to get onstage the following week. It did NOT go well. It turns out unloading my trauma on strangers while not having any real sense of comedic timing or joke writing isn’t going to be well received. But, I did get one good laugh and that felt so good that I almost had to keep going. Thankfully, I’ve gotten a lot better at writing and delivering jokes, and sometimes I wonder if that first audience ever remembers me. I hope they do, and I hope they get the chance to come see me perform and how much I’ve improved.

Over the years, I’ve worked and lived in a variety of states, and I always find a comedy community. The past several years, I’ve become more of a road comic than anything, taking my stories and goofiness to bars and clubs all over the country. It’s not always glamorous, but it’s always fun and I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

Some of the struggles have been completely my own. There was a time I resisted learning and growing and listening to audiences, so I didn’t do as well as I thought I should. There were also times when I went for opportunities that I wasn’t really ready for.

There are a lot of egos in comedy, and while that lends itself to performers being willing to get onstage, it also can lead to a lot of people either knowingly conning you or accidentally just being a jerk. I once worked for a comedy club owner with a terrible track record for paying people. He still owes dozens of people thousands of dollars, and refuses to acknowledge he’s done anything wrong.

But there is also just the wearing down that the road can cause. Earlier this year, I was in South Dakota on a Saturday night, then in New York the following Friday, and in Florida the Wednesday after that, all driving. I’m not old, but I’m definitely not young anymore and managing my schedule so my physical and mental health don’t suffer is one of the most important struggles I’m still working on.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

I think I’m very personal when I’m onstage. My audiences get to know me, even though I’m technically telling jokes and stories. I try to be honest with my audiences, sharing stories of both my wins and my losses. A lot of comics are presenting a character onstage, whether it’s the “cool guy” or the “depressed train wreck,” or something else entirely. I play it very straightforward, and you’ll hear about the time I came out ahead in a bad marriage, and also about the time I got fired for being terrible at my job.

I love telling stories to build relationships with my audience, and making those stories accessible. Even if you weren’t in the Army, you can appreciate when I share the absurdity of a bulletproof vest that has “fragile, do not drop” written on the armor plate because it’s workplace goofiness. You don’t have to have been a teacher to empathize with me sharing horror stories about substitute teaching.

To make a (very) wordy answer more concise, I think my honesty onstage is what sets me apart.

What do you like and dislike about the city?

I’ve lived a lot of places in my life, and there’s something to love everywhere (except Prestonsburg, Kentucky. There are no redeeming qualities in that place, and I won’t apologize for saying it).

I currently live a little bit north of Indianapolis, and what’s perfect about it is that there is a little of everything. There is great food, amazing art, wonderful people. And if you can’t find the specific thing you’re looking for, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, Louisville, and St Louis are all just a few hours away.

What do I like least? The weather, no question. I’m so tired of being cold. I lived in Atlanta for two years, and watching people bundle up in winter coats when it was 60 degrees was hysterical. I miss that weather.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.DanWestComedy.com
• Instagram: @danwestcomedy
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/danwestcomedy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@danwestcomedy
• Other: https://bsky.app/profile/danwestcomedy.bsky.social