Ron Shock
Encyclopedia
Ron Shock is an American comedian and storyteller who is best known for his reenactments of stories that he got out of newspapers.
in Los Angeles
as preparation for the Showtime special "Bad Gig Blues". But it was on one of those Improv shows that Shock got his big break on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. “As I came offstage, a man stood up out of the audience and grabbed my hand and said, ‘I’m Jim McCauley, and I book The Tonight Show,’ Shock said in his laid-back Texas drawl. McCauley hadn’t actually seen the show because he and Shock wound up getting drunk together. “Jim says to me, ‘Are you gonna be funny?’ I said, ‘I’m gonna kill, Jim.’ So we drank some more and then went home.”
Shock formed the legendary Texas Outlaw Comics with his friends Riley Barber, Jimmy Pineapple, Andy Huggins, Steve Epstein and Bill Hicks
. “There are about 60 people out there that claim to have been "Outlaws", but they’re lying,” said Shock, adding that the group is also often confused with Sam Kinison’s
Outlaws of Comedy. “It got to the point where I don’t even use that as a résumé item.”
Shock's blend of stand-up comedy and storytelling, which he referred to as “comedy from a life fully lived”, made him a favorite at comedy clubs across the country as well as on such television shows as Comic Strip Live
, Comedy on the Road and Showtime’s Bad Gig Blues. He toured 40 weeks per year and, at one point, was hitting Salt Lake City’s Comedy Circuit two to three times every 12 months.
Shock’s success culminated in a one-man show in Los Angeles called The Storyteller. Billed as a “concert of stories,” it featured Shock backed by musicians Kenny Moore
and Scotty May, who performed original music. “The show was critically acclaimed and sparsely attended,” said Shock.
Now remarried, Shock is back to touring 10 to 20 weeks per year, although the demand would permit him to be nearly as busy as he was in his heyday. Shock had done a reunion show with the Houston comics and headlined on the Las Vegas Strip
on his 65th birthday. “Gotta love that!” Shock later quipped. In Oct 2011 Shock conducted a comprehensive audio interview with Music Life Radio about his life and career.
Early life
Ron was born in Houston, Texas. According to his website biography, Shock has been "a many great things" throughout his childhood, including a student of the priesthood, member of a chain gang, jewel thief, prison inmate, vice-president of MacMillan Publishers, and an inventor with three patents in electronics. “One went on to become Quick Alert,” Shock said to Salt Lake City Weekly. “I sold it for $15,000, and the guy I sold it to made millions. In financial circles, I’m called an idiot.”Career
Shock began his comedy career at age 40, playing the ImprovImprov
Improv may refer to:* Improvisation, an act of spontaneous invention* Musical improvisation* Improvisational theatre* The Improv, a chain of U.S. comedy clubs* Lotus Improv, a spreadsheet program...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
as preparation for the Showtime special "Bad Gig Blues". But it was on one of those Improv shows that Shock got his big break on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. “As I came offstage, a man stood up out of the audience and grabbed my hand and said, ‘I’m Jim McCauley, and I book The Tonight Show,’ Shock said in his laid-back Texas drawl. McCauley hadn’t actually seen the show because he and Shock wound up getting drunk together. “Jim says to me, ‘Are you gonna be funny?’ I said, ‘I’m gonna kill, Jim.’ So we drank some more and then went home.”
Shock formed the legendary Texas Outlaw Comics with his friends Riley Barber, Jimmy Pineapple, Andy Huggins, Steve Epstein and Bill Hicks
Bill Hicks
William Melvin "Bill" Hicks was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy...
. “There are about 60 people out there that claim to have been "Outlaws", but they’re lying,” said Shock, adding that the group is also often confused with Sam Kinison’s
Sam Kinison
Samuel Burl "Sam" Kinison was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Kinison was known for his intense, harsh and politically incorrect genre humor...
Outlaws of Comedy. “It got to the point where I don’t even use that as a résumé item.”
Shock's blend of stand-up comedy and storytelling, which he referred to as “comedy from a life fully lived”, made him a favorite at comedy clubs across the country as well as on such television shows as Comic Strip Live
Comic Strip Live
The Comic Strip Live is the oldest stand-up comedy showcase club in New York City and the world. Located at 1568 Second Avenue .-Beginnings:...
, Comedy on the Road and Showtime’s Bad Gig Blues. He toured 40 weeks per year and, at one point, was hitting Salt Lake City’s Comedy Circuit two to three times every 12 months.
Shock’s success culminated in a one-man show in Los Angeles called The Storyteller. Billed as a “concert of stories,” it featured Shock backed by musicians Kenny Moore
Kenny Moore
Kenneth Clark "Kenny" Moore is an American athlete and journalist. At the University of Oregon, Moore was one of Bill Bowerman's finest distance runners. After college, Moore ran in the Olympic marathon at both Mexico City and Munich, finishing fourth in 1972...
and Scotty May, who performed original music. “The show was critically acclaimed and sparsely attended,” said Shock.
Personal life
In 1998, Shock's wife, Ellen Harrington, was in a devastating car accident, and Shock had to briefly quit his comedy career to care for her. After Harrington's death in 2000, Shock moved to Las Vegas, where he played poker, resumed his career onstage and created his own website, RonShock.com. “The feeling I had when I first walked back onto a stage,” said Shock, “was how glad I was to be there. It’s more than what I do; it’s who I am.”Now remarried, Shock is back to touring 10 to 20 weeks per year, although the demand would permit him to be nearly as busy as he was in his heyday. Shock had done a reunion show with the Houston comics and headlined on the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
on his 65th birthday. “Gotta love that!” Shock later quipped. In Oct 2011 Shock conducted a comprehensive audio interview with Music Life Radio about his life and career.