Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Davis.
Hi Kevin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started out undersized. I stopped growing in the seventh grade — by the time I graduated high school I was 5’6”, 98 pounds, coming up in a pretty rough neighborhood. In that environment, it was a lot easier to be funny than to fight. So that’s the path I took.
I’ve been funny my whole life. As a kid I listened to Bill Cosby, Moms Mabley, Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor — I’d learn their bits and perform them at family get-togethers and different events. Eventually, in high school, I got pulled out of class for being the class clown and sent to a performing arts school, where I got to keep being funny — but now with actual training, learning how to act.
Instead of going to college after that, I joined the Marines. I served over two decades, retiring as a Master Sergeant, E-8. I spent my career as a recruiter — serving as a recruiter instructor in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and eventually retiring as course head at Recruiter School, MCRD San Diego.
After the Marine Corps, I went back to what I’d always been — funny — but built it into a real craft. I trained with Greg Dean and Jerry Corley for stand-up, Lauri Records for commercial acting. Over 10 years in the industry now: regular sets at places like the Ontario Improv, national commercials for Jardiance, Nugenix, and CVS, over 25 Dhar Mann films, independent films and shorts, plus 14 years hosting karaoke alongside the stand-up work.
Today I perform as “The Marine of Comedy.” The thing that’s changed my life is “1 Degree of Separation” — a show created by Brad Bonar, involving over 100 comedians, that uses humor to tackle veteran mental health and suicide, with the goal of turning it into real training across the military. I also have a second brand, “The Tequila Pimp” — educating people on tequila, breaking down misconceptions about it, and entertaining while I do it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, not at all. Growing up small in a rough neighborhood, you learn early that things aren’t going to be handed to you — I had to find another way to survive, and comedy became that way.
Leaving the military was its own reset. I’d spent over two decades with a clear structure and a clear identity — retiring as a Master Sergeant, having built a whole career as a recruiter and instructor. Walking away from that and starting over in entertainment, with no guarantee it would work, was a real leap.
And building “1 Degree of Separation” has been one of the hardest and most meaningful things I’ve done — talking about veteran mental health and suicide through comedy means walking a real line, earning the trust to make people laugh about something that heavy without ever making light of what it costs people.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a stand-up comedian, actor, and producer performing as “The Marine of Comedy” — a retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant with 20-plus years in the Corps, now over 10 years into entertainment: stand-up at clubs like the Ontario Improv, national commercials for Jardiance, Nugenix, and CVS, and over 25 Dhar Mann films.
I specialize in finding the funny in things people don’t expect to laugh about — military life, mental health, addiction — without cheapening the subject.
I’m known for “1 Degree of Separation,” a show created by Brad Bonar with over 100 comedians involved, using humor to tackle veteran mental health and suicide. It’s the show that changed my life, and the goal is to see it become real training across the military.
What I’m most proud of is that same show — combining everything I am, Marine, comedian, someone living with PTSD, depression, and now cancer, into something that might help a veteran choose to stay alive.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck has played a huge role, absolutely.
The first big one goes back to high school. A drama teacher noticed me — the class clown, the cut-up — and got me into a performing arts school. At the time, kids like me weren’t the ones getting into those schools; it was mostly kids from money. Somebody saw something in me and made an exception, and that changed the entire direction of my life.
The second one is more recent, and it’s the reason “1 Degree of Separation” exists at all. It was a chance meeting — I was watching a Pauly Shore show, walked outside afterward, and ended up talking with Brad and Victoria about what we’d just seen. That conversation led to them inviting me to perform in one of their shows. Four years later, I’m a major part of a show tackling military mental health.
Neither of those things were planned. But both times, it came down to being in the right place, being open to the conversation, and having someone give me a chance. That’s what luck really is in this business — it’s not random, it’s opportunity meeting the willingness to show up and take it.
Pricing:
- If you are interested in having 1 Degree of separation speak to your organization that you can contact Brad Boner and he will discuss the pricing with you and the program
Contact Info:
- Website: https://1degreeofseperation.life
- Instagram: @themarineofcomedy
- Facebook: Themarineofcomedy
- Twitter: Marineofcomedy
- Youtube: The marine of Comedy
