“I had to have a career change. It came out of depression and giving up on life,” he said. “I’ve always been an entertainer. I just felt like coming out of COVID people needed to laugh. People used to laugh at me when I was growing up, but now I get paid.”
Since then, the comedian has gained popularity and has performed all over the country. He loves to open for musicians. He was awarded Best Comedian of the Year in 2021 at the Inspirational Country Music Awards. He is currently nominated for Comedian of the Year at the Inspirational Country Music Awards and Red Letter Awards.
“I travel with musicians because they like having me as an opening act,” he said. “I get the crowd relaxed and ready to go. Not a lot of comics do that, so I’ve been keeping busy.”
Bell prides himself on his brand of clean comedy. In the comedy world, clean comedy means no cuss words. However, in order to be church-clean, Bell said there are certain topics comedians shouldn’t talk about. He said while clean comedy is harder to write, the goal is to bring families closer together.
“I really think we need more family-type entertainment. It’s even hard to go to the movies with the entire family. I want my shows to be for the entire family. The teenagers think I’m cool because I make fun of their parents, and the parents think I’m cool because I make fun of their teenagers. People are hungry for clean comedy. With this season and our world, people need it,” he said.
The reaction Bell gets from the audience after his shows is also something he cherishes. Bell said that after his shows, he meets with the audience and gets praise for being clean and for the topics that he addresses. His comedy focuses a lot on his life and struggles, which he thinks people connect with.
“I learned right off that the best thing I can do is talk about myself. My life stories and things that have happened to me or things I find funny. Songs are copyrighted and you get royalties. Comedy doesn’t work that way. It’s an unwritten rule that you do not use other comedians’ jokes. To not do that, I talk about myself,” he said.
One topic that Bell talks about is his battle with depression and mental illness. Bell stresses that for anyone who is struggling with mental illness or knows someone who is, this is the show for them.
“I’m always very open about my mental illness because I want to create a safe space,” he said. “I want people who deal with mental illness to have a place where they can come and enjoy the night.”
Bell said that after shows some audience members have expressed how listening to Bell helped them to get a handle on their own struggles with mental illness. He said that being able to help others through comedy is incredibly rewarding for them. He wants people to know they are not alone.
“Most people have a midlife crisis. I had a midlife start-over. Life is too short. I fought to live and I have to fight each day. Some people ask, ‘How do you incorporate mental illness and comedy?’ It’s kind of the perfect pair. I decided I don’t care what people think. If it helps people and liberates them, it’s worth it,” he said.
More details
The show starts at 7 p.m. on June 15 at the Sinclair Community College Centerville Campus on Clyo Road. Tickets are $30-$75 and can be purchased at www.iTickets.com. For more information, call 937-223-2484 or visit www.faithandfriendsradio.com.
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