Uhm, I am just a man that loves life and loves to see people happy, in life.”
TM: At what point did you say, ‘Hey, I want to make people laugh for a living.”?
SB: Actually, I have been doing it [comedy] all my life, for free. [Laugh] But, actually it’s been crazy because I just knew I was going to play football. I went down to Troy State, which is now Troy University, and walked on [to their football team]. That didn’t work out because, I ended up with a plate and six pins in my right ankle. So yeah, that kind of killed football. I transferred to Stillman [College] where I graduated. I was hosting a lot of talent shows, just trying stuff out; just being funny. And a well-known comedian, Rickey Smiley, came to one of the shows. He actually is the one who in instrumental in me starting comedy. He saw me, was impressed and said, ‘Dude, you should try and do standup.’ And so, that’s what I did!
He took me on the road with him. For a year or so I was doing it for free. I say that because, some up and coming artists think that they have to get paid right off. But it’s like dude, you gotta build a fan base. You gotta create a buzz on yourself. As a matter of fact, nobody knows you. So, why would people pay to see somebody they don’t know?
So, I traveled with Rickey for a year or two and my name started to get out there. From there my career snowballed. And here I am today.
TM: What’s next for Steve Brown?
SB: As a matter of fact, Sunday I will be flying to LA to meet with some pretty big names in the industry as far a management goes. I am hoping to take my career farther.
What’s funny is, this call came after I was on Comedy Central’s, Comedy After Dark, so I thought it was someone joking around or trying to get me to join one of those [bogus] organizations. But my wife was the one who urged me to call them back. I still wasn’t convinced. So when I did call I was being super rude. So the dude was like, ‘do you know the name Judy Brown Marmel?’ [Still with an attitude]. No…. who is she? So he suggested that I hang up, Google her, and call him back. So I Googled her and I was knocked off my feet. This lady was instrumental in Jeff Dunham’s career; Eddie Murphy; and so many others. And she wanted to be ‘my’ agent. I immediately called back with a very, very humbled heart. They are flying me to LA where I will be auditioning and showcasing in hopes for new management.
TM: What are some things that people don’t know about you?
SB:I cry during movies. I don’t mean a couple of tears, I mean like boohoo crying? To the point that people will be like please come get this man out of the theater. [Laugh] You openly weep in public? {Laugh}