Stand-up comedian Dusty Slay sat down for an interview with Fox News Digital following the release of his newest Netflix special, “Wet Heat,” and opened up about the impact his faith and sobriety have had on his career.
Best known for his laid-back, blue-collar style of comedy, the Nashville-based comedian has risen from a local stand-up act into one of the industry’s fastest-rising stars.
Having maintained his sobriety for over a decade, Slay reflected on the choice he made early in his career to give up drinking.
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“I like to party. I like to get into it. And so, every night, comedy became a party, and it’s just not sustainable,” he said. “I just wasn’t feeling good. I wouldn’t remember my jokes… getting sober changed my whole life. More than just comedy, but changed my life.”
The comedian credited his Christian faith with helping him to quit drinking, noting that he would not be where he is today without it.
With the majority of stand-up performances taking place at venues that serve alcohol, drinking has long been ingrained in comedy culture.
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One of the questions that comedians commonly ask themselves before they decide to quit drinking is, “Will I still be funny without the booze?”
Slay admitted he once had that same fear, but noted how his reality after giving up alcohol was far different from what he imagined.
“When I quit drinking, I thought I might quit comedy because all my jokes were about drinking,” he told Fox News Digital. “I’m much better at comedy now. Now I have all these ideas. My brain’s not constantly clogged and flooded with poison, you know?”
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While acknowledging that there are many people who are capable of drinking alcohol and leading completely normal lives, Slay conceded that he is not one of those people.
“I don’t care if people drink, but for me, it changed my life. It made everything better for me. I’d be a total wreck,” he reflected. “I wouldn’t be sitting here, and if I was, I’d be sweating — even though it’s heavily air-conditioned. I’d sweat, and you’d think, ‘Have you been drinking?’”
“And I probably would have been. I’d have had a beer before. I’d go, ‘You guys got any beers around here?’ You’re like, ‘This is a news station, buddy.’”
Looking back on how much had changed in his own life, Slay was asked whether he’s noticed more comedians choosing the same path — and what might be driving that shift.
“I think there’s definitely an emptiness out here now in the world and I feel like people are looking for something,” he said. “That’s why I like to talk about my faith and being sober, because I get emails from people all the time saying, ‘I don’t hear people talk much about Christianity anymore, and it feels good, it helps me to hear people talk about it.’ And I just think it’s important to share that message.”
With “Wet Heat” now streaming on Netflix, Slay continues to bring his down-to-earth humor to an expanding audience. And while faith and sobriety may not be the typical fodder for punchlines, they have provided him with a foundation to build one of the most authentic stand-up acts around.
Original article source: Comedian Dusty Slay reveals how faith and sobriety paved the road to his stand-up success
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