Travis Howze is pacing back and forth on the stage of the Stardome Comedy Club in Birmingham, Alabama. He's kicking his legs, clad in well-worn, faded jeans, jiggling slightly as he applauds and energizes the crowd. The stand-up comedian, who served in the United States Marine Corps, then as a police officer and a firefighter over the course of 14 years, makes his opening joke with a dry kind of gusto only one who has experienced serious pain can muster.
"Look, hey, um, I'm gonna try and keep my energy up for you guys all night, despite what's recently taken place in my personal life. Unfortunately I just found out a few minutes ago that I lost a few friends, so. I'm over here trying to deal," he states in a matter-of-fact, almost deadpan tone. He then turns to a member of the audience. "No, no, don't be sad. They were Facebook friends."
The joke is relatable on a number of levels, referring to loss, coping with the passing of friends and family, even social media - themes of our modern life that Howze has encountered on many occasions. According to a recent piece Howze wrote for LaughSpin.com, the devastating events this South Carolina native encountered throughout his life shaped the material for what would later become his saving grace: comedy.
"Dying on stage has never scared me," he writes in his LaughSpin article. "I'm all too familiar with actual death to be intimidated by a few moments of silence during my set. The only thing that scares me these days is not living the best life that I can possibly live."
Howze, who grew up under the watchful eye of a tough – almost militant – father, joined the Marines on Nov. 8, 1996. For the next four years, he served, then returned to civilian society, joining local law enforcement and the fire service until 2010.
