Comedy to Coaching: The Impact of a Legend with Earthquake

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1:09Mick:You're listening to Mick Unplugged, hosted by the one and only Mick Hunt. This is where purpose meets power and stories spark transformation. Mick takes you beyond the motivation and into meaning, helping you discover your because and becoming unstoppable. I'm Rudy Rush, and trust me, you're in the right place. Let's get unplugged.

1:36Mick:Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the most impactful and important episode of Mick Unplugged in the history of this podcast. We are talking to a legend, to the guy who I follow, who I've looked up to, not just from his comedic skills, but also his entrepreneurial mindset. He is someone who we're about to talk about. It got me in trouble when I was 16 years old. But he is the guy that I have always looked up to. I am talking about the iconic, the legendary, the phenomenal, the absolute legend, Mr. Earthquake. Quake, how are you doing today, brother? I'm doing good, boy. That felt too much like a eulogy.

2:12I like, did you talk to my doctor? Did somebody tell you? But I'm good, man. I'm blessed. Life is good. And things are well.

2:23Mick:I'm well. I'm well. I'm truly honored. I've been looking forward to this all of my life, man. And I truly mean that. Everybody knows the comedic legend that you are. But you don't give yourself enough fortitude. You don't talk about enough about, one, what you do in the community. But, two, the entrepreneur mindset that you have. And I'm going to give you those flowers today, brother. Well, thank you. I think my father taught me a long time ago, So the best way you can change the world is do your part. And, you know, your part is, you know, do the best you can with which you can for what you have around people that are around you.

3:04And that's all I try to do. You know what I mean? And I always thought if actually us as black people, if we only did the best we could for each other and start with yourself and your own, it will be a lot farther. You know what I mean? and personal responsibility and give grace to our women and understanding to our men. You know what I mean? So that's always been my platform.

3:31Mick:Absolutely. And you do that in everything that you do, too. When you're on stage, you always have those moments where you're coaching us. And I'm going to say it. You're coaching us Black men on how Black men should be. Right? You talk to us about going to the doctor, about having our paperwork, about all those things that matter. On Quake's House, you talk to everybody about doing the right thing. When you're on interviews, like those things come out. And again, that's why I want to give you your flowers. But I'm also going to be mad at you because you're the first person that ever got me in trouble.

4:04Mick:I'm born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, hour and a half up the road from Atlanta, Georgia. And at 16, I would sneak down and go to this comedy club called Uptown Comedy Corner in Buckhead. I was not supposed to be there. But at 16, I looked a little bit older and I could get in and I would always have the time of my life. Except my mama found out one day. My mama said I had to be home so I could go to church on Sunday and I was late because I had an amazing time and I'm just going to leave it at that down in Atlanta. But that's when I realized the brevity of who Earthquake was. Because these are the things that I'm going to say.

4:44Mick:T93 and T95, there were, you can count them on what? Three fingers. Black owned comedy clubs in the country. Not just Atlanta, not just Georgia, not just the South, not just the East Coast, in the country. And to see excellence. Because it'd be easy to tear the club down. And I don't mean physically. I just mean to not have would be really easy to do in the early to mid-90s, right? The excellence that that club represented, I got to know Earthquake the businessman before I even got to know Earthquake the comedian, man. So I'd love for you to just walk us to that time and why you said, you know what, I need to open my own doors.

5:26Mick:Because people were not willing to take that financial risk either. Well, it came out of necessity to be quite honest with you. They had a black comedy club there already. Historic comedy act theater. And, you know, they had two locations, one in L.A. and, of course, one in Atlanta. and I was just getting in the business of comedy because of like what's going on now. Golf war, there was a storm that kicked off and I had decided that I wasn't going over there to fight. I don't mind practicing for war, but y 'all fighting for real, you know what I mean? And as patriotic as I was, I knew that that fight ain't had anything to do with my country.

6:08It had to do things with oil. So my time was up, so I didn't re-enlist. So I saw CNN and CNN said the best place for black people, black men to be prospered was Atlanta, Georgia. Never been there. So I migrated to there and I said, let me try this comedy thing. Cause I was doing a little hosting while I was in the military. And the owner would never let me perform at his club. And then one time he said, okay, I'm allow you to perform at my club. And I told, you know, you know, the girls and everything. Yeah, I'm a comedian. because when you tell a woman you're a comedian, especially black women, that's the only women I mess with, then when you going to be at the comedy act?

6:47Nah, I'm down in Miami, you know, White Club. I ain't it. Call me when you come to the comedy act, and you ain't a real comedian unless you perform at the comedy act. It was equivalent to being at the Apollo Theater back in that time. So he finally said yes, and I can perform. So I told the little girl I was messing with, I'm performing this Friday. and I finally went go up there to perform that Friday and I posed to open up for Paul Mooney and the owner told me nah you're not on the show I ain't telling you that I said you're lying to me so I cried to my mother I said this man let me down sit down there told me he was going to put me on I told all my friends I was going to be there and my mother told me what she always said you can't get mad at another person for not allowing you to ride that bike you either get your own bike or don't ride a bike at all.

7:39I said, what you mean? She's like, get your own comedy club. I said, mom, you just can't get your own comedy club. And she said the key word that that's why black women are so important to me because they, she just gave me and as clear as day, why not? And I'm like, yeah, why not? So from then on, I went and found some investors and opened up my comedy club and the rest of it is history. And I had three after that.

8:03Mick:Man, man, man. And again, just that the business acumen that you had, the financial literacy that you had, because again, when you own something, right, like there's a lot that goes into it that people don't realize, right? Like it's bills to pay. It's employees whose lives depend on the decisions that you make. Like, like people don't understand that, bro. And again, that's why I applaud you. Like still my all-time favorite comedian, but one of my all-time favorite business people is Earthquake. Thank you. It was, you really, you know, what's so funny about it? You never realize the significance of it until you look back at it because you're in it.

8:41You know what I mean? You never. That's why I tell people, you know, just do it and don't, you know, worry about if it can't work. Just do it. Apply. And then it's time to sit back and reflect. And you never know how great, with all due respect, how great of an accomplishment you make until it's over. It's like, you know, like you said, it gives you time to count the money. You know, you count the money when the deal is over, when the game is over. You know, you never count your money at the table. So, and that's metaphorically what I did. I just was, I went all out on it. Atlanta was rich at that time.

9:16You know how I was. It wasn't infiltrated by so many people, transatlantic people being there. And I'm being from D.C. It was a country town that turned into a city. You know what I mean? It had all the Southern accolades, but it was a city. And, you know, like, man, this is fertile. I mean, I was surprised they let you pump your gas, then you walk in and then pay for it. You know what I mean? So I didn't pay for no gas. Just leave the holes on the ground and drive off. You know what I mean? It was just that period, that naive. I mean, that naive.

9:53Mick:It was beautiful. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Now we'll get into this comedic legend that you are, man. You know, we have these conversations. We have barbershop conversations at my house every weekend. I got a big family and we always gather around. And, you know, just two weekends ago, we were talking about Earthquake. And every single person in my family said the most relevant and relatable comic of our lifetime is you. You put in the work. And again, I'm going to keep giving you flowers during this whole interview. But you know, right? Like, I go to comedy shows all the time. There's comedians that don't put in the work.

10:29Mick:meaning they told a great joke 10 years ago and that's still the joke they close with, right? It's like, you can close your eyes and tell the joke. Let me be honest. It's easy to fall into the trap of scrolling fitness content. Everybody has a tip, everybody has a hack, but most of it is noise. What I needed was structure, something that adapts as I grow. That is where FitBod stepped in. I opened the app before a recent workout and within seconds, it built a session around my goals, the equipment I had available and what muscle groups needed recovery. No guessing, no wandering around the gym. It felt like having a personal trainer in my pocket.

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12:35Mick:Zapier is how you break the hype cycle and actually put AI to work. Whether it's enriching leads, coaching your sales team, resolving tickets, or streamlining marketing, Zapier makes it simple. Join the 3.4 million companies already automating with Zapier and transform how you work with Zapier and AI. Get started for free by visiting zapier.com slash mick. That's Z-A-P-I-E-R.com slash mick. You are always putting in the work and from opening story, and I like story because you're a storyteller, to the close, you got us hurt, bro. Like hurt. Again, a lot of people, they'll put energy in the beginning or energy at the end.

13:23Mick:Earthquake is giving it to you moment after moment after moment. Talk to us about that work and why that's so important and why I'm not going to have you say it. These are the words of Mick and Mick only. Why there are some that just don't continue to put in the work. It's hard to come up with a joke. I'm just blessed to be able to do it. I come from a family that we call, I'm from Washington, D.C. We have no cut card. So we always joking and there is no limit. You know what I mean? We, my, my brother was, was bound, was fighting cancer and he just came out of surgery. He was in ice and we asked the doctors, can we go to see him?

14:03And me and my three brothers, we went to see him. And my older brother named Tyrone looked at him and said, hey man, I know your Zodiac is a cancer, but you're going too far to prove you a cancer. And we just started laughing. The doctor was like, what is wrong with y 'all? You know what I mean? But that's just how we have no cut cards. So when you have a standard of excellence within your family, you know there's a standard you must do when you stand on that stage. And that's what is in me. I know that it's a standard I have already set. I know it's a standard that I must maintain. And it's easier to maintain that standard if you keep working on it than to let it go down and then try to regenerate it.

14:54And I think that's what a lot of comedians do. I'm not confident enough or arrogant enough to behave everything I can rest on my lungs. You know what I mean? I don't have that comfortability. You know, I always worry about, have I structured it this way? I constantly, I'm always in the lab trying to improve. And of course you get into them slumps where creative it doesn't come, but you mean anyway, I fight to get out of it and keep on working with it. And people pay their hard-earned money to come see you, especially especially a black comic i'm an urban comic my clientele is my people and i know what it takes for them to spend their money to come see me so it's an obligation that i at least give their money work to come see me and i always you know i carry that like a badge of honor and you

15:53Mick:do it well man and now i mean it's been this way for a while because you know three decades in you started when you was five years old. I get it. You are now, you're the shoulders that people are standing on, right? And again, I want to give you your flowers because I don't know if you understand how powerful that is, man, but it's your shoulders that people are standing on. And when you hear those type words or that phrase, how does that make you feel? It's humbling. And you try to sit back and say, thank you, God. Thank you for letting me to be living in a great purpose, making a difference.

16:33Because I always, for all my, all my, see, in this business, I have always tried to elevate my peers, my friends, and my coworkers, because I'm a sole fan of the art. I love the art of it. You know what I mean? So when I own my own comedy club, You know, I only, I just did not do that for me. I did it for every other comedian that they went loud to perform there. I gave them their opportunity. Quake House, when I formed, when Kevin Hart came to me and asked me about that, what kind of show, I could have done my show anything, but I brought a place where other comedians can shine and everybody can hear is other comedians other than the name brand you know about.

17:17These comedians are just as funny. and the people that you love so much, we was at these same positions, these comedians I'm introducing in their life. So let me introduce you to them. And I have always felt opportunity you need to give back, especially to black comedians because we don't have no comedy clubs. We don't have no platform. So I think it's very important for those of us that do get some kind of success and able to provide a platform. and we do have the ear of the masses. It's our obligation. I feel homily. It's our obligation to pull back and say, yeah, you love me, but what about him?

17:58He's funny too. Let me show you the bands of comedians that we have. And I always carry that to the day I die.

18:06Mick:And again, I applaud you because as a huge listener supporter of Quake House, that is exactly how that show is, man. Like, yeah, your name is on it. But you give everybody their time. Like, you wouldn't know that it's your show unless you really knew that it was your show. Meaning everybody gets their time. You don't interrupt. You never make it about you. Like, ever. And you let people go in on you on the show. Like, y 'all cut on each other. And you don't pull the I'm earthquake card or anything like that. Like, again, I relate that to business because that actually helped me be a better leader in my businesses.

18:45Mick:because it's not about me. Yeah, it's my name, it's my brand, but I can't do anything without my team, right? It just so happens that my name is on it. And not only that, if you really look at it, man, I call it the Tom Brady effect. You know what I mean? You take responsibility when you lose. It's my fault. And you defer all the credit when you win. But at the end of the day, everybody knows who team it is. You know what I'm saying? So the accolades, you ain't got to say, you don't need the accolades. And if you're about winning, you want to elevate your team. And you know what I mean? You want people to gravitate to the other people that you put.

19:25And then at the end of the day, those people that you elevated are going to be so indebted to you for what you did for them when they knew you could have been the other dude. You could have hogged all the time. You could have been, this is mine, mine, mine, all mine, mine, mine. I look at that as insecurity. I look at that as bad business. I look at that as burning bridges. And then if you ask for me, having the ultimate faith in God that this is my purpose and what's meant for me, can't none of y 'all stop it? You know what I'm saying? So there's no reason for me to be around here. Portraying to be afraid that you can.

20:06When I know you can. You can.

20:09Mick:Yes, sir. And, you know, that's a perfect segue. way you talk about team and the team dynamics and you brought up tom brady i'm a huge sports nut and you are as well right like i mean you could talk about sports more than you talk about comedy if you want to and and you do a lot of times man what happened to your football team bro well i met the washington commanders i mean it's understandable it was a gift and a curse The gift was we got J.D. 5, Daniels, J.D. Daniels, and we had a phenomenal year. We went all the way to the NFC Championship, something we ain't done in over 30 years. So you had to run it back.

20:54You had to give all of those older players that was on one-year deal another shot. It was one game from there to the Super Bowl. You know what I mean? you had to postpone or delay the rebuild and add a couple of more players to see can they duplicate what they did the previous year this year unfortunately the older players got older injuries came in and you sit back and say okay we gave it a shot now we're going to tear it back down and get back to the original the way we are a building around obviously one of the greatest young quarterbacks able to play and go from there. So that's what happens with our team.

21:35We gave them one more year for them to duplicate the go farther, and it didn't work out. It was a gamble that didn't work, and now we're back to the rebuilding and doing what we need to do with the quarterback we got.

21:47Mick:No, y 'all will be just fine, man, because those quarterback contracts are very good if you've got the right quarterback, which you guys did. So to turn it around, we'll be quick because my team did it. So I'm a New England Patriot. It has nothing to do with Tom Brady. Oh, listen to me. Don't you talk. Y 'all got, listen to me. Oh, New England Patriots got the easiest road to the Super Bowl ever to know. We had to play the games, though. I'm not knocking it. You celebrated. You came in second. Every team is going to be upset except for one. And that was Seattle. Y 'all was two. Y 'all went. No problem.

22:26Experience. Jake May get the final. He went to a Super Bowl. He already know what it takes and everything. But, you know, y 'all back in the same situation we are. Do you keep that same team because you got to the Super Bowl? Or do you stay on the same formula of rebuilding and rebuilding, placing around, and hitting the draft and everything on it? And we're going to see.

22:49Mick:Yeah, we got to go get an offensive line because we got exposed. Well, you got exposed earlier than that. He just, he didn't have no offense. Nobody on the other side could score. You know what I mean? He played teams that didn't have no offense. So after a while, the opposing defense get tired. We just can't. Listen, man, we just, we didn't even get a chance to drink no water. Y 'all went three and out again. You know what I mean? After a while, I tell people if I had to pick between a defense and an offense, I'd take a defense. All day. You understand? Because the defense can demoralize the whole team.

23:29Yeah. You know what I mean? If you got the 85 bears and you knocking the quarterback out turn and the defense see, man, they ain't getting no break and it's three and out there, you're demoralized. Yeah. Defensively, everything got to be right. Yeah. Everything got to be right. Defensively, if they can't move that ball, that's why I tell people all the time, don't tell me how good your defense is. can your defense make a stop when it needs to make a stop? I don't want to hear you. Fourth-ranked defense in the league, but when he got – there's no reason Kansas City should bet he go all the way down the field in 13 seconds.