Here at Urban Grandstand Digital, we’ve made it a point to connect with many of the comedians who roll through the Cleveland city limits to perform at the Cleveland Improv. This week, comedian Kountry Wayne will make his way into the city with his hilarious routine. He’s made quite the name for himself through many of the videos he has posted throughout Facebook and YouTube, and his fan base has grown tremendously because of them. It’s all pretty remarkable, considering most comedians are super active on the digital front. We had the opportunity to chat with him about his upcoming show, what we can expect, and what his future looks like.

Check out our exclusive below!

U.G. Digital Mag: So again, I do appreciate you taking the time out to talk today, especially with your show coming up here in Cleveland at the Improv Comedy Club. Obviously, there’s a lot going on. I’m looking forward to the show. Without giving too much away, especially for those like me who are seeing you LIVE for the first time, what’s to be expected from the show?

Kountry Wayne: Just a lot of LIVE energy and real life situations. Just putting a lot of energy in it, and helping people to see it all from Kountry Wayne’s eyes. I’m bringing them into my world.

U.G. Digital Mag: I love the sense of humor you have, and how connected you stay in terms of your videos. Why has that been so important for you?

Kountry Wayne: I did a lot of Facebook videos, and people take them and put them on YouTube. That’s how I came up.

U.G. Digital Mag: Obviously, we’re beyond the point where people feel like the internet is taking over. At this point, it’s already happened. Surely there’s a variety of formats, but so many people are online so it’s good to be connected in this way. It keeps you out there, but I also imagine it expands your fan base. If you stay in their faces, you get more people.

Kountry Wayne: It does. I get between 10,000 and 15,000 follows per week. It’s like being on TV.

U.G. Digital Mag: I love for viewers to see the full spectrum. You’re rising in terms of comedy, but you also run multiple business, correct?

Kountry Wayne: Yes, I had 2 nightclubs. I had to shut them down because it became hard for them to run without me. My brothers were running them, but I needed them on the road.

U.G. Digital Mag: That’s understandable. Plus, even when you have people running things for you who are doing all the right things, it still doesn’t run the same without you there physically. It’s hard to not be there.

Kountry Wayne: Exactly.

U.G. Digital Mag: It definitely shows the range of things you can do, and it lets others who want to get into this business, and not just comedy, but even music, journalism, or any avenue …see that it’s all possible if you want it. It’s good for them to see that you’re the same as a lot of them in the fact that you’re striving to make it. So your legacy, what do you want people to take away from your presence and show?

Kountry Wayne: I want people to understand the one who controls the wind and make the sky blue. It’s still bigger than the internet and Hollywood. If you tap into that, you’ll keep going, no matter what happens in the world. It works. I haven’t done any big TV shows, but there’s barely any internet comedians who can pull the fans out like I’m doing. I tap into that energy. It doesn’t matter who wants you, or doesn’t want you. If you have faith, you will build.

U.G. Digital Mag: I’m glad you speak on TV shows and that sort of thing, because I do see it coming. You have a lot of charisma. It’s hard to draw people in and build the fan base, but you’re doing a good job. How far do you want to go as a comic? Many comics are scared, especially when you think of the level that say Kevin Hart is.

Kountry Wayne: I want to take it as far as it can go. I have two sons and a daughter coming up. I want to leave something for them, and others coming up. I want to go as far as it can go.

U.G. Digital Mag: What I also love is that you’re following your dreams. It’s so important for our kids to see it. You speak of your kids, and they can look and see that whatever they want is possible because you’re making it happen for yourself. People say it all the time, but many times, kids are pushed into directions where it’s centered around money. You end up unhappy in the end. You’re doing what you were meant to do, and many people can appreciate that.

Kountry Wayne: Likewise man. Definitely.

U.G. Digital Mag: It’s hard when you’re doing something that you don’t want to do. Often you become miserable.

Kountry Wayne: Most definitely.

U.G. Digital Mag: How do you formulate what your content will be, what you touch on, and what you stay away from?

Kountry Wayne: Basically, I bring up a subject and see the response. I may bring up kids, bills, or relationships. You can feel the energy. I also do a test run with my videos. I do real life situations, and I can see which are most popular, and have the most views. I may say something about letting your girl go through your cellphone. Everybody got something in their phone, even if it ain’t about cheating.  I give it to people from my perspective with all the energy I have.  

U.G. Digital Mag: You have one video about Donald Trump. How often do you touch on the political side, given everything going on now? Do you ever feel like it may be too much for people?

Kountry Wayne: I usually don’t get into that because it has so much negative energy. I don’t want it to get to a point that people won’t pay their money to come and see me. My job is to relieve them of that, and take them away from the things they’ve already been hearing and the negativity.

U.G. Digital Mag: Where can people catch you online?

Kountry Wayne: On Facebook, it’s Wayne Colley, Instagram, it’s KountryWayne, and SnapChat, it’s Kountry Wayne.

U.G. Digital Mag: In terms of final comments and words of encouragement, what would you like to get out there today?

Kountry Wayne: I want people to realize, if you be yourself and stay consistent, you’ll be successful. It sounds like the easiest thing to do, but it’s really the hardest thing. It’s hard to not be influenced. If you find yourself and be yourself, you’ll be successful.