We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Comedian A-Train. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Comedian A-Train below.
Comedian A-Train, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I appreciate the term “learning” the craft. Learning implies a process. Not quite achieved. The mechanics of comedy are something that is pursued. The writing, timing, storytelling, creating premises, characters, and backstories, adequately expressing our point of view, and landing punchlines are things comedians continuously labor to work out. No joke is ever mastered. We just get to a point where we’re satisfied with it. That’s the learning and the work part of what we do. Honing our craft is done by studying those we consider to be “the greats,” and also, absolutely nothing develops a comedy muscle like stage time. You’ve got to hit stages. It’s the only way to find out if something works or not. Again, this is the learning and development part of what I and other comics do. Being funny, however, is not. I know some people will hate to hear that, but it’s true. You can’t teach funny. All the learning, growing, and development—the work I described, is meant to enhance a natural ability to captivate an audience and make people laugh. That part is a gift no comedian can take credit for.
So, how did I learn to do what I do?
I always say, ‘Comedy isn’t something we do. It’s who we are.’ That sounds like a direct contradiction to the description of pursuit I just mentioned. I know. But it’s not. Comics are both things. I’m a funny person by nature. I always have been, since I was a kid, entertaining my family, friends, and classmates. Sometimes solicited, sometimes at inappropriate moments. I see humor all the time. It’s not something I can turn off. That’s the part that can’t be taught. Comics are molded by lived experiences, whether tragedy and trauma, the peak of joy, human interactions, or chemical imbalances (laugh); there’s a story there, and we find the levity. That’s the gift. That’s the ‘who we are’ part. The pursuit part, is bringing some order and structure to the wild and crazy, organizing the chaos, and making it all make sense in a way that brings happiness to others and livelihood to ourselves.
Comedy is my first nature. It is who I have been all my life, but I had no interest in, or even thought of, making it a career. Perhaps, because I didn’t have a reason to, but also because I had a great deal of respect for those who I saw doing it, and I knew, no matter how funny I was around the people I knew, you can’t just get up on stage. I felt there had to be something more to it than that. I’d had visions of myself on stage before thousands of people. There were at least two or three reasons why, and ways that could have been made possible. Never did I imagine comedy. It was just never on my radar. It took someone seeing how my natural ability could be harnessed into something formally presentable and made lucrative. That someone was my wife, believe it or not. Since, according to her, I was not ever going to take anything seriously, and I was insistent upon being the life of all parties, I was going to tackle the pursuit and turn my natural ability into a craft. I was a speaker, corporate trainer and facilitator, and she and I were both enterprising entrepreneurs. Yet, she saw my ability to captivate and entertain using humor, as something to be explored.
After fighting the idea and then later leaning into it, there was still the issue of where or how to begin. There are writer comics, and then there are comics who write. A writer comics’ strength is writing. They write first and massage the funny out of what they’ve written. They write and discover. Comic writers are natural, sometimes off-the-cuff comedians who are sometimes more absolute in believing something is funny whether others think so or not. They may say it first, then write it down and further develop it. I started out trying to write, but found that it stifled my “funny.” I’d stopped trusting my natural instinct. I discovered that just being myself, and then writing down the things I said or found funny, and working it out from there worked better for me. Had I not rejected the thought that I could do this in the first place, and had I figured out what kind of comic I’d be and allowed whatever I discovered to be okay one way or the other, my journey would have accelerated a lot faster. Everybody is different, and in this business, it’s essential to understand how you’re wired as a person first.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
To say I was anti-my process is an understatement. I had just started a radio show with my best friend when my wife signed me up for a local comedy competition and showcase. I was not happy. I did not feel prepared, but it was the push I needed. It definitely expedited the need to find out as much as I could about being on stage as a comic in an official capacity. Of all the comics on the lineup for the competition, I was the only one who was not a local comedy school graduate. I didn’t even know comedy school was a thing. I was even less happy with my wife’s decision at that moment. To my surprise, I received a standing ovation, which I missed because I couldn’t get off the stage fast enough. I ultimately won the competition. I really only did it to hush my wife up about the topic.
Winning still did not convince me that this was the lane I needed to be in. One of the prizes was seven minutes on stage as the opening act of a comedy show at the Terry Theater of the Times Union Center in Jacksonville, Florida. I performed before a sold-out crowd of 600. At the end of my set, the room exploded into an uproar, and I received another standing ovation. This time, I stood there and took it in. Something came over me, and for the first time, I felt like I could do this. I realized I never wanted to be without that feeling again. Two years later, I was performing with King of Comedy, D.L. Hughley.
Since then, I’ve been seen on WEtv’s Braxton Family Values, AfroTV’s Funny Not Famous and The Low Down with James Yon, River City Live, First Coast Living, and The Chat. I’m an always clean comic who plays every setting with ease. While I still open and feature for some of the most incredible acts, I headline all over the country and worldwide as a traveling, stand-up, and corporate comedian, concert and festival comedian, host, and emcee. I’ve made a huge impact on comedy in the cruise line industry and how cruise comics are viewed, headlining premier lines such as Norwegian and MSC and themed fleets like Bahamas Paradise, Margaritaville, and Carnival. I’ve traveled the world performing, including performances for the U.S. Troops at multiple bases in South Korea.
In addition to performing with him on the road, I’ve hosted the D.L. Hughley Family & Friends Tour and opened and featured for the comedic icon Bill Bellamy. I’ve shared the stage with your favorite comics across multiple genres before diverse audiences: Elayne Boosler, Dave Coulier, Deon Cole, Pete Lee, Ali Saddiq, the cast of The Tom Joyner Morning Show comics, and more.
Music concerts and cultural festivals, nationally and internationally, include the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, of which I am the first and only comedian to host in my hometown’s nearly 46-year history of putting on the festival, Zora Neale Hurston Festival, Orlando Jazz Festival, Steel City Jazz Festival—Birmingham, The Sisters & Soul Music Experience—Jamaica and Cancun with artists like Howard Hewitt, Eric Benet, and Tony Terry. I’ve hosted nearly every beloved name in Gospel, R&B, and Hip-Hop, including Patti Labelle, Kirk Franklin, David and Tamela Mann, The Isley Brothers, Shirley Caesar, Erica Campbell, Yolanda Adams, Big Daddy Kane, Miles Jaye, and more with tours with Frankie Beverly and Maze, The Kings and Queens of Hip-Hop featuring DMX, the Willie Moore Jr. Happily After All Tour, Don & Diva Tour—Rick Ross/K. Michelle, The Blues is All Right Tour, Holiday Block Party—Keisha Cole & Friends, the Love and Laughter Block Party with co-host Vivica Fox, the RBRM (Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike) Tour—Tallahassee, Anthony Hamilton, Tank, and Erykah Badu tours, and others. I was the headlining comedian and nightly concert host for the Maxwell Urban Hang Suite Cruise in 2024 and 2025.
I’ve had a blessed and amazing ride doing something that comes naturally that I never knew could be my living. My talents have allowed me to be the former co-host of iHeart Radio’s #1 local podcast in my city, “Yo! Daddy ‘Nem”, radio personality and former co-host of Jacksonville’s #1 morning and #1 drive-time shows, and a popular go-to host for the city’s concerts and events. Of all I’ve done all around the world, I do what I can to stay connected to my home city. I love my city. My proudest accomplishment includes the people of Jacksonville, FL, who have been so extremely supportive of my journey. Because of them, I am a history-maker and the first and only comedian the city has given a residency, A-Train Live! The Experience. It is my crowning jewel.
A-Train Live! The Experience is a vibrant comedy show that has become a cornerstone of entertainment in Jacksonville, Florida, and a contributor to the performing arts scene. February 2025 celebrated a remarkable 10 years as the city’s largest and longest-running independent comedy series. This milestone reflects the show’s enduring popularity and significant impact on the local cultural landscape.
In 2015, when Steve Smith, the owner of The Comedy Club of Jacksonville, closed his Thursday night show and offered the night to me, his house emcee. I and my wife created Jacksonville’s Premier Night Out: A-Train Live! The Experience with Comedian A-Train and Friends. The idea was to introduce my hometown audience to my comedian friends from the road and my fellow road and tour comics to my fanbase at home. The comedy show, featuring the live band Eric Carter & Co. and interviews with guest comics after the performances, had a late-night show vibe and quickly became a hit and a club favorite. As a kid fascinated with The Arsenio Hall Show, I said that one day, I’m going to do that—have a funny show where I interviewed people, and I will have my own band. My wife reminded me of that when the opportunity to take the Thursday night was presented to me.
In less than two years at the comedy club and serving our city excellently, we were offered a residency at the historic Ritz Theater and Museum, the first such offer since the theater’s inception in 1929. The show later moved to WJCT Television Studios, its current home. We never forgot Steve Smith at The Comedy Club of Jacksonville. He and his wife, Carrie Lynn, were so supportive and encouraging to us in our endeavors. A month before our 10th-anniversary show, Steve passed away unexpectedly. He was so excited to attend our event. Though he passed before the date came around, I’m glad I got the opportunity to share with him how very much he and his support meant to me, and how big it was to me in my life how he believed in me and gave me that break at his club. He even had the chance to see the video I had created talking about him being at the start of A-Train Live! The Experience. I’m so glad he knew before passing how much I appreciated him.
Today’s show at WJCT includes The Pre-Show Experience with Notorious B.I.G.’s former personal DJ, DJ Oxygen, live music with Eric Carter and various artists, special guest performances by known and unknown but hilarious comics, socializing, networking, incredible food and beverage from local businesses and the famed A-Train Live! Marketplace, a peer-supported vendor hall that is a thriving platform for new and recurring vendors. This marketplace has proven lucrative for local and out-of-town businesses, providing valuable exposure to a vibrant audience. The marketplace fosters community engagement and supports local entrepreneurship by showcasing businesses, unique products and services, and encouraging brand collaborations.
Since its inception, A-Train Live! The Experience has transformed the comedy scene in Jacksonville by providing a platform for both emerging and established comedians. The show is renowned for its unique blend of humor, music, and audience engagement, creating an interactive experience that resonates with attendees. With premier comedy as its foundation, A-Train Live! The Experience also features local and national musical guests and occasional local spotlights on poets and talented youth. Each show is designed to be more than just a comedy performance; it is a celebration of community, bringing together diverse audiences to share in the joy of laughter and entertainment. All who attend know and appreciate that it is not just a comedy show. It’s an EXPERIENCE!
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Two resources that helped me are a book entitled The Power of Small by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval, and I once had the privilege of attending a Marcus Buckingham lecture where he spoke from his book, Now, Discover Your Strengths.
The Power of Small taught me to acknowledge and celebrate small victories. It guided me away from heavily focusing all my energies and dreams on the big, life-changing payout—that one big moment many of us hope for that oftentimes rarely comes—to focusing on small, manageable steps, small wins along the journey that collectively produce big results.
Now, Discover Your Strengths is a book I highly recommend. Through this teaching, I learned that, I’m ok. My weaknesses can be supported through connections. My strengths are what will help me soar. My strengths deserve my time, energy, and resources rather than pouring them into developing my weaknesses. It may seem like a controversial take to some, but it definitely helped me. The knowledge that I could work to develop my weaknesses, but even at their peak, I will never be as proficient in them as I am operating in maximized strengths, was a game-changer.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I enjoy laughter. As a comedian, it is my job to make the world laugh. In hard times, in the best of times, through pain, in celebration, even in the midst of trouble, I allow people to put all concerns aside and bask in joy and laughter. It is gratifying. Studies show that laughter is medicine with short and long-term benefits. Laughter has been proven to release stress, improve the immune system, stimulate organs, and lower blood pressure. I’m an essential worker in many ways.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.comedianatrain.com
- Instagram: @comedianatrain
- Facebook: Comedian A-Train
- Youtube: Comedian A-Train
- Other: TikTok: @comedianatrain
Image Credits
Traci Henderson Smith
dlb photography
Jasmine Brown Photography