His adaptive approach to comedy, adjusting his routines based on audience reactions, and his memorable experiences, including receiving a golden ticket from Tony Hinchcliffe, Dave Bressoud.
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Dave Bressoud's path to comedy began in a humorous household in Northern California, surrounded by a hysterical mom and funny uncles. Balancing comedy and baseball during his youth, Dave often found himself cracking jokes in the dugout. His first significant comedy performance was at the Improv in Santa Monica in 1986. Initially dabbling in comedy, he paused his career after getting married, later resuming it post-divorce. Dave's comedic journey was heavily influenced by his brother, who introduced him to both classic and modern comedians like the Marx Brothers, George Carlin, and Cheech & Chong. He performed sporadically, including shows in Bakersfield, before fully committing to comedy. After moving back to Santa Barbara, Dave performed occasionally but never fully capitalized on opportunities in the Bay Area. His comedy career, lasting about ten years, was interrupted by marriage in 1996 and a subsequent divorce in 2010. Post-divorce, he pursued comedy seriously, starting with open mics in Fresno and gradually moving to bigger venues like the Comedy Store and the Laugh Factory. His passion for comedy led to another relationship ending, allowing him to dedicate himself entirely to his craft, supplementing his income by driving Uber to gigs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dave performed in 15-16 states, doing clean, corporate, and regular shows. However, the pandemic caused him to lose 45 shows in the first 90 days. To sustain himself, he drove Uber, working around his comedy schedule, and even slept in his car, using Planet Fitness for showers and workouts. COVID forced him back into his previous job as an insurance and financial advisor, but he continued to perform at casinos, country clubs, and aimed for cruise ship gigs. Dave's adaptive approach to comedy involves adjusting his routines based on audience reactions, similar to following a paramedic's algorithm for treating patients. This strategy helps in delivering successful performances.
70 episodes