Jerry Carroll (comedian)
Jerry Carroll (born 1959) is an American comedian,[1] speaker and farmer based in Raleigh, North Carolina.[2] Also known as The Willow Spring Wildman,[3] Carroll is best known for his role as co-host on television's "Amazing America with Sarah Palin".[4]
Jerry Carroll | |
|---|---|
 Carroll in 2013 | |
| Born | 1959 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Stand-up comedian, speaker, farmer |
| Website | agriculturespeaker |
Carroll started his career as a comedian in 1993 after working as a full-time farmer for several years. He has opened concerts for several music artists including Michael Bolton, Patty Loveless, Lyle Lovett, and Larry Gatlin.[5]
Early life
Carroll was raised on his family's farm in Willow Spring, a small town in Raleigh.[6] Carroll helped his father and uncle on the farm since he was a child.[7] When he was in high school, he performed on the stage for the first time as the lead role in Calamity Jane.[6]
He performed as a stand up comedian for the first time at Charlie Goodnight's open mic night at the challenge of a friend in 1993.[5] He won that night as well as the next four competitions.[6] During his last year of full-time farming, in 1996, Carroll did 75 shows and grew nearly 1,500 acres of crops in partnership with his father and uncle. In 1997, he gave up his part of the partnership in the family farm.[7]
He also presented a radio show called Wild Man Wednesday in the mid 1990s on WQDR-FM.[7]
He owns a 100-acre soybean and oat farm[8] and still works there.[2] Carroll performs sixty to eighty shows a year for agricultural-related organizations.[8] Carroll says he says he incorporates his experiences at the farm into his acts.[1]
Carroll has frequently performed at events organized by Volvo Rents. In 2008, he performed at Volvo Rent's Hard Hat Comedy Show. The show generated one ton of food, which was donated to MANNA Food Bank.[9] In 2009, he presented at Volvo Rents Texas Comedy Night in Bryan-College Station. The revenue from the show benefited Bryan-College Station Habitat for Humanity's 20th Anniversary Home.[10]
Carroll was a speaker at the 2008 Governor's Agriculture Conference,[11] and he performed at the Eight annual Farm News Agriculture Show,[6]
In 2013, Carroll released Dirt in my DNA: Best of Jerry Carroll, Vol. 1, a collection of some of his routines.
Carroll produced and starred in a comedy TV show titled Fishing For Laughs which lasted 13 episodes. He is the current co-host for the Sportsman Channel series "Amazing America with Sarah Palin".[12]
References
- "Bringing Home the Bacon". The Robesonian. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
- "About Jerry Carroll". Agriculture Speaker. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
- Walsh, Billy (December 1997). "A Real Joker, Faming's Standup Guy, Jerry Carroll". Cooperative Farmer. pp. 40, 41.
- Shaffer, Josh. "Farmer-funnyman from Wake County scores show with Palin". newsobserver.com. The News & Observer Publishing Co. Archived from the original on July 18, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- "Farmer comedian and agricultural speaker". Larry Weaver Entertainment. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
- Mutchler, Lindsey (December 3, 2009). "Carroll brings laughs to Farm News Ag Show". Messenger News. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- Davis, Richard (January 1997). "Wake-up Man Does Stand-up Job as Farmer, Comic". North Carolina Farmer. pp. 10, 11.
- Courtney, Ross. "Farmers in good mood at Yakima Ag Expo". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
- "Volvo Rents' Comedy Show Generates Nearly One Ton of Food for MANNA Food Bank". Rental Equipment Register. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
- "Volvo Rents Texas Comedy Night to Benefit Habitat". Rental Equipment Register. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
- "2008 Ag Conference Line Up Announced". Nebraska.tv. January 22, 2008.
- Nolan-Partnow, Maia. "'Amazing America': A conversation with Jerry Carroll". alaskadispatch.com. Alaska Dispatch Publishing. Retrieved July 8, 2014.