We recently connected with Diego Morales and have shared our conversation below.

Diego, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I worked hard all of 2019 to build up my brand and take my comedy on the road professionally. I had dates booked for the year of 2020 up until November. This was January 2020, Kobe was still alive.

I took a risk with my stand up comedy career and my well being when I quit my day job of 11 years to pursue comedy full time. Then the world decided to stop. So, my last day with a normal day job was the last “normal day” pre pandemic – March 13, 2020. I was forced to give back a lot of advances and deposits. My old day job gave my entire department a severance check worth 6 months of salary on one check 2 weeks after I quit. So I called my old job and told them I was just playing about quitting, they didn’t believe me.

It was the first time I would be a father without a secure income and benefits (type 2 diabetic as well). Everyone called me stupid, crazy, dumb, etc. For giving up what I had. A lot of the time I agreed. But it made my hunger even more painful and i turned that pain into motivation which in turn fed be my new focus on life and my career and now the future has never been more bright.

Diego, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I always loved comedy but I never dreamt of doing it full time. Never even thought about it. I decided to start comedy because I was tired of being sad about my failed marriage. I Googled “dallas open mics” and never looked back. I started at Hyena’s Dallas. I had no idea I would be waiting for hours just to get 3 minutes of stage time. It was therapy at first that grew into a passion.

I was 3 weeks into doing comedy and I had just got off stage at an open mic and a old man approached me. It looked like he had just got off work in mechanic shop or something. He said, “you diego? I was having a bad day before i heard your jokes. Thanks.” I didn’t know how to network the way i do now, i wish i knew his name. I hope he is still alive because he was old. I wish there was some way I could shake his hand tell him how much those simple words changed MY ENTIRE LIFE.

Little did that man know, I had tried to commit suicide a few days before that because of my marriage falling apart. It was a dark time that he pulled me out of. I am forever in his debt. I literally owe him my life and I have no idea who he is.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My mission in life is to make people laugh. My slogan on my Instagram is, “I am in the business of making people laugh. May I be of service to you?”

I mean it. I believe it. I live it. It’s what I do and I do it really well. Chappell said it best, we are the opposite of athletes because we get better with age.

I WILL ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ON STAGE.

But, my mission, my goal…is two parts:

Part I – build this comedy empire i am in the middle of building
Part II – leave it to my daughters so that someday they will have to decide whether to sell that machine or keep it going, regardless at that point….mission complete.

And I will complete it.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I like to set my self apart in any way possible. Comedians post a flyer with music, i make a reel with custom music by a local DJ so not only am i promoting my show but promoting a local artist.

Every show i personally send selfie videos to anyone lucky enough to be online at that moment. I say their name, i make a joke, i smile, i make the video all about them so they get the personal touch on my invite.

I exploit my daughter’s cuteness for likes.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @TexasChuckle
• Facebook: Diego Morales
• Twitter: @TexasChukcle

Image Credits
Sam Brand Photography Addison Improv Hyena’s Comedy Nightclub