By Joe Hadsall
jhadsall@joplinglobe.com
In this all-star game, Ron Sexton said he still feels like a batboy.
As his alterego of Donnie Baker, Sexton shares a stand-up comedy stage with the likes of Greg Hahn, Auggie Smith, Henry Phillips and Chick McGee — all of whom will be in Joplin tonight as part of the Bob and Tom Comedy All Stars Tour.
Sexton opened for several of those comedians and others who appear on the tour, such as Bob Zany, early in his career.
“I used to open for these guys, and I’m still in awe of them,” Sexton said. “Even though on paper I’m equal to them, I still feel like the batboy, and they are in a league above most. Each one of them are very funny in their own way.”
Sexton has worked with the nationally-syndicated Bob and Tom radio show for about five years, performing impressions and other comedy sketches. About four years ago, he created Donnie Baker, a white-trash amalgam based on the character traits of people he’s known over the years — right down to his catch phrase.
“I had a buddy who said ‘Swear to God’ over and over,” Sexton said. “I based the character on a guy who gets way too comfortable with you way too soon. He knows you for five minutes, then he’s ready to sell you his boat.”
The character took a little work to develop — Sexton said he had a hard time describing the character to Tom Griswold, host of the show.
“I tried describing the character to Tom and got a blank stare,” Sexton said. “I had to perform him to figure him out. It’s hard to do an impression of someone who doesn’t exist.”
Before working for the show, Sexton did stand-up comedy for about nine years as himself. He said a friend encouraged him to use his voices, and that decision catapulted his career.
It was the push he needed to land a gig on a show he grew up listening to, he said. Before stand-up, Sexton worked for a sports radio station in the same building where the Bob and Tom show is produced.
“I had to go outside of that building and learn to do stand-up,” Sexton said. “Getting a chance to work with them, after being a fan for so long, is incredible.”
Want to go?
The Bob and Tom Comedy All Stars Tour starts at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Memorial Hall in Joplin. Tickets are $32.50. The show is sponsored by Canadian Mist and KXDG-FM (Big Dog 97.9).
Details: 417-623-3254, www.joplinmemorialhall.com.
Enjoy
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Stand-up guys: Bob and Tom comedy show to play in Joplin
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