Rocky receptions

Funnyman Davis not afraid to ruffle feathers — on stage or online

Depending on the week, comedian Rocky Dale Davis may or may not be flagged or suspended from social media.

“Because I said ‘white trash’ on Instagram, I was flagged for hate speech,” Davis said. “And ever since then, my Instagram has been almost useless. I’ve also been flagged on TikTok probably 30 times. I’ve seen literal breastfeeding videos, and I got in trouble for nudity on a video for me doing stand-up fully clothed.

“I’m talking about sex, and I got flagged. There is someone out there who doesn’t like me and I guess just flags all of my videos. It’s so annoying because this has cost me literally hundreds of thousands of dollars at this point for saying ‘white trash.’”

Despite the fact his videos have garnered more than 200 million TikTok and Instagram views and he has 600,000 followers, the comedian feels like he’s being penalized for being himself.

Whether the phrase “white trash” is or isn’t controversial isn’t the question.

“I had a great joke about it where I say I got flagged for ‘white trash’ yet my name is Rocky Dale Davis Jr.,” Davis said. “I have Dale Jr. literally in my name.

“My dad met his nowwife while she was in prison, while he was visiting his daughter who was also in prison for identity theft against his other daughter. White trash is my world. I’ve earned that word.”

Currently earning a living on the road, Davis returns to Cleveland’s Hilarities 4th Street Theatre for shows through May 21. In fact, it was during previous visits to the club that the comic had some of his greatest crowd-work memories.

One experience involved interacting with a slow, white competitive track runner. He posted that encounter online. The experience actually epitomizes how Davis views crossing a line in comedy.

“The line matters for people who think the line matters,” Davis said. “If I do a joke and no one laughs, maybe I did something wrong, but every time I make fun of somebody, everybody laughs.

“And I make fun of myself in my set, so nobody can be mad I make fun of them because I just did 20 minutes on how dumb I am.”

Davis has toured extensively with Ralphie May, as well as opened for Nate Bargatze, Bert Kreischer, Robert Kelly and Tom Segura.

It’s a suggestion by the late May, who died in 2017, that Davis credits as being the reason his career continues to grow today.

Naturally, the expectation is May provided sage advice about perhaps having

a comedian’s mindset or something to do with his delivery or joke structure. No, the legendary comedian’s words of wisdom were a simple suggestion that ended up grounding Davis.

“I went by Rocky Davis on stage,” Davis said. “When I used to tour with Ralphie May, he was like, ‘Why don’t you carry the Dale?’ So he always called me Rocky Dale Davis.

“I ended up going with the Dale, and I think it’s a pretty good stage name. I’m one of the few people who have always had a stage name, but I don’t carry the Jr. I better start carrying that, maybe I’ll be more successful.”

If he ends up going by the name of Rocky Dale Davis Jr., the funnyman should expect a call to appear on HBO’s “Righteous Gemstones.”

“I can play myself on ‘Righteous Gemstones,’” Davis laughed. “My name sounds like the best preacher you ever heard of — Rocky Dale Davis Jr. from Brookwood, Alabama. You can’t beat that.”

SUBMITTED “I had a great joke about it where I say I got flagged for ‘white trash’ yet my name is Rocky Dale Davis Jr.,” the comedian said. “I have Dale Jr. literally in my name.”