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Comedian Dusty Slay Makes a Slew of Sly Observations in Nashville
by Rich and Laura Lynch
Dusty Slay fronting his Grand Ole Comedy Show performed to a packed house at Zanies on May 31, 2022. The hometown gig in Nashville (TN) featured Slay along with some of his fellow comedians. In his opening remarks Dusty anticipated a hot show to match the steamy weather in Music City. Although this funnyman has been touring for a while now he seemed happy to be back in front of a live audience.
Dusty Slay killed it once again in Nashville.
Like many - Dusty had high hopes for the new decade. After successful appearances on the Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live and Nashville Squares - Slay was steadily growing a national fan base. The comic was starting to feel a sense of security as his 2020 calendar was crammed with advanced bookings. All positive life changes for a once struggling artist who had grown up in a trailer park.
Of course, y'all know what happened next. Stuck at home he pivoted to zoom programming and continued hosting his "We're Havin' A Good Time" podcast which is all about Dusty's personal journey and his life on the road. As soon as it was "safe" Slay returned to the stage to keep his momentum going and based on the turnout in Music City his perseverance has paid off.
Slay shared that he is now a dad and was trying out some new family stories on the Nashville faithful which included comments on a vacation to South Alabama - where all the money is - LOL. This flowed into having issues ordering coffee and ice cream along with the dangers of fatherhood as he injured himself while battling a pop-up tent. Dusty then introduced his first guest.
Will Abeles is a comedian, producer and the co-host along with Drew Harrison of "My Funny Friends" a podcast where they interview veteran comedians about their upbringing and journey through stand-up. Abeles' funny set included jokes about weed, the pandemic and some of his strange job experiences.
Clockwise from top left - Will Abeles, Fiona Cauley, Rocky Dale Davis and Drew Morgan.
Next, Dusty welcomed Fiona Cauley who told us that she has been in a wheel chair for about two years so quite a bit of her humor was based on those life experiences including dating. She joked about her "tough" childhood in Franklin, Tennessee which was comical as most locals know it is one of the nicest communities in the region.
Before introducing Drew Morgan, Dusty did a quick bit on elevators. Drew talked about married life expressing his concerns about becoming a dad. He also shared his observations on the pandemic and how divided people have become while suggesting we could all come together over the Amish and he preceded to outline reasons why we can "hate" them. Last up was Rocky Dale Davis who chatted about his girlfriend while sharing an amusing antidote about their rafting trip that did not go well. Rocky also justified his right to talk about his white trash family and shared some stories about them.
Slay returned to deliver his full set. It was a mix of time-tested tales paired with newer material that looked back on his life before he quit drinking but it does sound like Dusty still enjoys weed as he talked at length about it while circling back to coffee. Dusty still frequently uses the catch phrase "we're havin' a good time" along with the high hand to let folks know when a joke is over just in case you are not sure. Slay concluded with the classic two-week notice stanza to end his Grand Ole Comedy Show on a high note.
Zanies continues to host a wide range of talent such as Dusty Slay. Zanies is located at 2025 8th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee. Their walls are adorned with autographs of the many legendary comedians who have appeared at this well-established club that features famous and local acts. Zanies has food and drinks along with a no-phone policy during the show - seating is generally first come first serve.
The perfectly named Grand Ole Comedy Show was a hot one in May.
Related Links:
For more information on DUSTY SLAY and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -
Dusty Slay |
Comedian Dusty Slay Kills It In Nashville |
Will Abeles |
Fiona Cauley |
Drew Morgan |
Rocky Dale Davis |
Zanies Comedy Night Club
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