Before They Stood Up

Maverick was born to be an entertainer. At the age of 10 he became an actor, appearing in two national commercials and “The Spy Next Door,” starring Jackie Chan, Billy Ray Cyrus, and George Lopez. 

After leaving junior college he moved in with his father in Oklahoma. He pushed Maverick to get on stage for the first time seven years ago and he’s been hooked ever since. 

In his short amount of time doing comedy he’s travelled much of the Southwest opening for comics such as Josh Wolf, Theo Von, Big Jay Oakerson, John Heffron, Trae Crowder, John Caparulo, and Sean Patton. He’s competed in the Austin Comedy Competition and his first year in Oklahoma he was runner up in the Funniest Person in Oklahoma City contest. 

Maverick McWilliams hasn’t gotten this far on his material alone, most people know him for his likability on and off stage, and his relatable subjects such as; working blue collar jobs most of his life, crazy family, and his not so ideal love life. If he’s in your area, he’s definitely a comic you do not want to miss!

This is a converssation about his journey thus far.

Kirstie Hayden, is a Dallas comic known for her dark, dry humor reminiscent of a fine cabernet. With a mix of awkward charm and undeniable charisma, Kirstie has captivated audiences nationwide, from clubs across the US to radio appearances on Bo & Jim 92.5. She's rocked stages at top festivals like the Plano Comedy Festival and the Portland Maine Comedy Festival, and was a semi-finalist on Funniest Comic in Texas. Sharing the spotlight with comedy giants like Nimesh Patel, Dave Attell, Steve Treviño, Liz Miele, and more, Kirstie's unique style promises a night of laughter you won't soon forget. This is a conversation about her journey thus far.

A Dallas-based comedian, HotTopic got his start at The J-Spot. He is a touring comic who travels the world to hone his craft. Antonio (HotTopic) Barnes is a quick-witted comedian with a one-of-a-kind style. HotTopic not only delivers great jokes, but he also dresses to impress. He has performed on the European Comedy Tour and for troops on deployment multiple times. Antonio is a rising star who will undoubtedly become a household name in the near future. This is a conversation about his journey thus far.

Lukas is a comedian from East Tennessee who is now based in Austin, TX. His stand-up was featured on Netflix's 20 Somethings, and he has performed at SXSW, Skankfest, and was named a 2023 New Face at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. His comedy has been seen over 7 million times on Instagram and TikTok. In Austin, Lukas successfully auditioned to be in the first class of comedians at The Comedy Mothership. Lukas can be seen at clubs all over Austin and is a name to watch out for in a new breed of Austin killers. This is a conversation about his journey as a comedian thus far.

As a rising comic in the DFW comedy scene, Cody has already performed all over Texas and several surrounding states. Cody was once given a whole green back for his comedic performance. Since then, there has been no looking back. If you like quick-witted humor that tackles today’s toughest issues, then you will likely have to look elsewhere. But surely you will still love the slow-witted comedic stylings of Cody Swindell’s enjoyable nonsense. Cody is a rising star in the comedy scene, and this is a conversation on his journey thus far. 

Darian is an Austin comedian that has gone through a journey of getting into shape. As part of that journey Darian lost a bunch of weight, and begin cycling as part of his regular fitness routine. In October of 2023 Darian decided to cycle from Austin Texas, to Las Vegas Nevada for Skank Fest, where he was a featured comedian. We begin the episode with Darian at the Famous Creek and The Cave (ATX) studio, and we end in Las Vegas were we wrap up the interview of his incredible journey.

Dez O’Neal is a Texas native who began in the arts studying theater and acting. He made the transition to stand-up comedy and has never looked back. Dez has been named "Funniest Comic in Texas" out of 500 contestants. Dez is a very experienced comedian that knows how to gauge a crowd even before he gets on the stage. Pivoting on the fly to make sure that the audience is laughing moment by moment is what sets Dez apart. This is a conversation about his journey as a comedian thus far. 

Arun Rama is an Indian American comedian, who got his start in Washington D.C. After moving to Dallas Arun has become a regular at the hottest comedy clubs in Dallas. Arun has a unique and interesting approach to the way he sees the world, and it shows in his comedy. Arun comedy can be reflected in the following conversation about his journey as a comedian thus far.