Dusty Slay: “The Night Shift” Tour

CRITIC’S PICK: He grew up poor in a trailer park, was a college dropout, an army reject, a pesticide salesman, and a waiter. It’s safe to say Dusty Slay wasn’t initially slated for greatness; on top of all that he had a drinking problem. When all else failed, Slay began doing open mic nights in Charleston, SC, using his life for material, and gradually cleaned up his act, so to speak. These days he claims about half a million Tik Tok followers, has appeared on both Netflix and Comedy Central and is the youngest comedian to have performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, where he now lives with his wife; the two of them host the “We’re Having a Good Time” podcast. And rightly so. Slay, who credits Jeff Foxworthy as an inspiration, was listed by Variety as one of “10 Comics To Watch” in 2019. Why should you see him? Because he’s damn funny. — Kevin C. Madigan