Dusty Slay, of Opelika, began his journey as a comedian in 2004 after leaving for Charleston, South Carolina.
Nearly 10 years later, Slay is set to return to Opelika to perform on The Road Trip Comedy Tour.
Tuesday, July 8, at 6 p.m., Slay along with Vince Fabra. Evan Berke and Derek Humphrey will take the stage at the event center in downtown Opelika for a two-hour show.
Tickets are $10 in advance at the Opelika Event Center website or by phone at 334-705-5466 and are $15 at the door.
The doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m.
The tour, hosted by comedian Evan Berke, begins Saturday, July 5 in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.
When Slay moved to Charleston, South Carolina, he said he found little to no comedy scene or mic nights.
"So I started one," Slay said. "We'd be in front of terrible audiences. One night I took the stage and everyone actually paid attention, and it was the most terrifying thing in the world."
From there, Slay began coming up with a comedy routine.
In his routine, Slay said he shares observations from his life growing up; life with (and without) drinking; his many years of waiting tables and the many things people said that don't make sense.
Slay has a different perspective and a genuine approach to stand-up comedy and loves to make people laugh.
"I work at a seafood restaurant that brings in lots of tourists," Slay said. "I carry my note pad, and when something weird happens I write it down. If I have a bad table, I just tell myself, 'This could make a great joke.'"
In 2012, Slay quit drinking and left his job in pesticides to focus on being a stand-up comic.
After two years of focusing on stand-up, he said his goal is to become famous enough to do stand-up anywhere.
"I want to be famous enough that any club will book me, but I don't need to be Dave Chappelle," Slay said. "If I saw everyone on the street screaming, 'I'm Rick James!' I might go crazy."
Slay made a move towards his dream of becoming famous when he went to New York for a month and performed everyday, sometimes multiple times a day.
"I liked the idea of doing comedy every day for 30 days," Slay said. "So last August, I went to New York and did 36 open mics and seven showcases."
During one performance, Slay said he vividly remembers embarrassing his parents, and credits that moment to his parents never attending his shows.
"The first time my dad came to a show, this middle-aged couple was there wasted," Slay said. "The woman dropped her glass and it shattered as her face hit the table. They got up to leave and I said, 'Well there goes Mom and Dad. That's why they never come to my shows.' It was the biggest laugh of the night."
Through his performances, Slay said he found comedy is a form of art because of the immediate feedback necessary for success.
"Comedy is one of the most natural forms of art," Slay said. "People can say they love a painter's painting even if they don't. But if a comedian's jokes aren't funny, he's going to know. If no one laughs, it ain't funny."
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