Damon Darling: My Time as a Prison Guard, Getting Sober & Comedy

Damon Darling joins Locked In with Ian Bick to share his journey from early struggles with alcohol and addiction to finding purpose through comedy. Starting in his teenage years, Damon opens up about how his first experiences with drinking led to a difficult path, including a short-lived stint working as a correctional officer that quickly became overwhelming. In this episode, he breaks down the lows of addiction, the turning points that changed his life, and how comedy became the outlet that helped him rebuild and find success. This is a raw conversation about addiction, identity, and using humor as a way to move forward. Follow Ian Bick on Instagram: @ian_bick & Snapchat: ianbick Connect with Damon Darling: IG:   / damondarlingofficial   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@damondarlingt... Buy Merch: https://lockedinbrand.com Use code lockedin at checkout to get 20% off your order Connect with Ian Bick: https://www.ianbick.com Time Stamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:58 - Childhood Insecurities and Finding Humor 00:03:52 - Financial Struggles and Childhood Memories 00:05:59 - Using Comedy to Overcome Bullying 00:07:48 - Aspiring Entertainer 00:09:49 - Partying at a Young Age 00:11:47 - Escaping Childhood and Religious Restraints 00:13:44 - Rock Bottom in San Diego 00:16:02 - Turning Point 00:18:08 - Begging for Another Chance 00:20:08 - Struggling to Provide for Myself 00:24:09 - Recovery 00:26:16 - The Nightmare of Being a Correctional Officer 00:30:07 - The Fight and the Consequences 00:32:04 - Fired from being a Prison Guard 00:33:55 - The Reality of Being a Prison Guard 00:35:51 - Bribery Attempts in Prison 00:37:35 - Experiences as a Prison Guard and Comedy Career 00:39:20 - Starting out as a Comedy Club Door Guy 00:43:17 - The Challenges of Starting in Comedy 00:45:16 - From Bullies to Success 00:47:25 - Staying Out of Trouble 00:49:23 - Family, Hustle, and the Next Five Years 00:51:23 - Teaching Balance and Avoiding Addiction 00:53:24 - Finding Balance while Building a Business 00:55:06 - No Excuses, Just Grind 00:56:48 - Never Giving Up Powered by Creative Evolution Studios https://creativeevolutionstudios.com