~Mike Dobbins ~www.mikedobbinscomedy.com
Mike Dobbins grew up in Daytona but left to persue his comedy act in NYC. The last I saw of him he was singing Karaoke in the beachside Checkers Bar back in '02. He also went through a stage where he liked to hurt himself.... randomly running into street poles, garbage cans, and people who liked to throw punches at him....maybe he still does. Anyway, anybody that knows about breaking into a scene, especially somewhere like NYC or LA, knows it is all about getting that one big break, and getting kicked on the ground multiple times to see if you can come back growling or in this case laughing (depends on the industry). I really can't imagine being in the limelight, with a room full of strangers, staring as your armpitts get sweaty, and face flushes red. So, I've decided to check in with Dobbins to see what he is up to, and either inspire or discourage some of you young class acts.
MM: How long ago did you leave Daytona Beach?
Mike Dobbins: Going on 5 years.
MM: How did you come to move to NYC? Did you have family or friends you could stay with?
MD: My cousin said I could stay in his room so I stayed in my cousin's room for one month (much respect). Then moved in with a Jamaican family for the last 4 plus years.
MM: Describe life as a comedian?
MD: Rollercoaster ride with hangover. But more beer's in the fridge.
MM: How long did it take before you got a foot in the door?
MD: The length of time it took to get my foot out of my ass and windex it with some paper towels so it could be presentable for the inside of the DO'.
MM: Are you booked a lot now?
MD: Not so much since I stopped breathing strange fumes to get hype and tackle security guards through a convenient store window. My record's clean!!
MM: Do you crack on Floridians?
MD: Floridians are usually safe because they don't play and they will whoop my ass if I talk too much stuff.
MM: Being on stage must be very rewarding, is each time as exhilarating as the last?
MD: Your thinking of all-you-can-eat Krystal criss cross chili cheese fry and an ex-lax. Now that's rewarding and exhilarating. For real though, the stage makes my personal life wack by making it possible to get high off of audience's laughter which is exhilarating until I crash and start gnawing on lawn furniture which is still rewarding though funky for my tooth.
MM: How much does the crowd affect your performance?
MD: Depends on if they are naked drenched in WD-40 with a lighter or have machetes, jenco cargo bell bottoms and red bulls.
MM: What is your ultimate goal? Where would you like to see your career go?
MD: It's probably too late for it to go where it was supposed to because I highly doubt that I am ever going to ollie 50 steps in front of the supreme court on video and get sponsored by the Dept. of Justice now that I am quasi-fogey. So it's probably just going to be do some Shoney's commercials and then get on Punk'd 2015.
MM: Has there been a highlight in your career so far?
MD: Getting an article in a Time Out NY mag.
MM: Who would make you happiest to see in the crowd on night?
MD: Someone I knew from back in the day that I used to cut up with.
MM: Where do you get your inspiration?
MD: Humanity's disfunction, especially my own.
MM: At what point in your life, or what was the pivotal moment that you decided…hey, I’m good at this, I’m going to try and make a living out of making people laugh?
MD: Before I turned 26. It was a superstitious thang. A lot of people throughout life said that I was funny, but they never said that I was good at pole-vaulting tugboats barge to barge. So I did the comedy thang.
MM: Was there any training or school involved?
MD: Yeah! Elementary school, Jr. High School, High School, Comunity College, plenty of training with the wack jobs up in them mfers!!!!
MM: How nervous were you…your first show in NYC?
MD: Not as nervous as my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd time in Tyson's Corner, VA at Wise Acres.
Being nervous at first is no joke. I for real thought I was going to have a heart attack.
MM: Where is your local spot?
MD: Lately it's been spots around Lower East Side and Brooklyn.
MM: Do you do shows when you come back to FLA, or do you prefer to just max and relax?
MD: Did a rad show in Deland with a very cool dude named Jeremy Mix. He swooned the crowd with his tunes and then I went on and acted the fool. Friends were there and that made the aftershow a maxin' and relaxin' experience.
MM: When you are out with your comedian buddies, is it none stop laughing? Does everyone around start laughing with you?
MD: No, it's non-stop grilling me about what I'm doing and if it is worth it to hang out with me to help them move up in the industry. I cannot help them move up because I'm too artistically funny and scary for most of the industry. At least that's what my manager tells me. Maybe it's time for a new manager. Archie.....you're fired you scum!!! Put down the Field and Stream and Busch Ice 40 and put on your "Mike Dobbins Comedy Career Maker Helmet" and help make my mf'n career! and maybe I'll hire you back!!!!!!!!!!!!
MM: Would you say comedians have a certain presence or personality, or are they all different?
MD: Well, we are all born with a different asshole. Some people shave theirs, some don't. It's the same thing with comedians except they don't wipe theirs. That's why they are irritable and smug. They have gone through a hell of a lot especially the Real ones who've had their toes eaten off by midget pit bulls. So, much respect to my toe-less home dawgs.
MM: What’s the hardest part about an act, besides making people laugh?
MD: Wanting to buy American Apparel clothing and not having any money because I am too artistically funny while I am performing for free and killing the crowd in museums.
MM: Who is the last guy you would want to follow (perform after) on stage?
MD: That's the shit other comedians usually say about my azzzzzzz.
MM: Where can people check you out?
MD: www.mikedobbinscomedy.com, myspace, facebook, imdb
MM: If you never went to NY, what would you be doing now?
MD: Detox tank in Palatka. Collard Green farming in Samsula. Barnhill eating in Orange City.
MM: Are you ever moving back?
MD: There ain't no Barnhill in NYC!!! So hell yeah!!
MM: Anything else?
MD: I appreciate being a part of this interview. You are cool and there are a lot of cool people in Daytona that I know and have known. Lots of good memories. Skating First Union beachside in early 90's (For those who don't know, you don't know how rad that shit was), Laughs off of the stage beachside and mainland have been more appreciated than on. Daytona's in my soul.
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