To help Americans picture his hometown in Saint Andrew, Jamaica, local comedian Shavon Rowe (@theshavoneffect on Instagram and X) says “imagine if Compton had a beach.”
Rowe arrived in Reno in 2022 after spending time in other states, marking the latest chapter of his interesting journey now including more and more stand up.
The 26-year-old comedian prefers what he calls dark comedy, a style of humor that can draw laughter from any awkward, uncomfortable, or serious situation.
Dark comedy doesn’t always land when you have a tough crowd, but he believes it’s the perfect remedy needed for life’s hardships. Rowe’s humor and personality may leave some people on the fence, but once you get to know him, he proves to be warm, friendly, and open-minded.
“When I started comedy, I was in a low season of my life. But I’m probably one of the most optimistic comedians you’ll ever meet,” Rowe said.
Rowe worked in the service industry in southeast Jamaica before moving to the U.S. in 2022, first landing in New York after his family encouraged him to apply for a visa. However, after finding that he “wasn’t a fan” of the East Coast, he decided to move to Alabama. He planned to settle in the South, but a winter vacation to Reno in January 2022 changed his mind.
He discovered a fondness for Reno because of its scenery, nightlife, and community. After attending a few late-night shows with his friends, Rowe stepped on stage himself in February 2024. He performed a five-minute stand-up at Midnight Coffee Roasting in Midtown. Now “when I’m on stage, no one is safe,” he says.
“My comedy is dark because of my upbringing, like things that I’ve seen. We [my family] would laugh at the darkest stuff, even at funerals,” he shared.
In Jamaica, the saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ feels more true than in the U.S., according to him. Americans tend to be more focused on themselves and on approval from others, and Rowe says he’s sometimes expected to conform to a stereotype rather than being allowed to be himself.
Saint Andrew was not an easy place to live because of an ongoing climate of violence. Rowe says he feels desensitized to brutality and violence, shaped by the dangers he faced growing up in Jamaica. He notes that Americans are more prone to gun-related incidents, which has given him a different perspective on safety and breaking news.
“It was very violent, so I’ve been accustomed to violence. Murder, losing friends at an early age, stuff like that,” he remembers.
Here, Rowe says he’s found his community through the comedy scene. Dark comedy is not an identity for Rowe, but a way of bringing light to already dark situations. It serves as a bridge between grief, anger, and fleeting moments of happiness.
“We just need to lighten up. Even in your depression, you can find a joke in it,” he says.
Rowe starts off his 5-minute stand-ups by wearing a construction vest, joking with the audience that it may be easier to spot him on stage. The stunt immediately sets the mood for his performances, showing he is not afraid to laugh at himself, and eventually, other people. By finding humor in uncomfortable topics like racism or skin color, Rowe shows he isn’t afraid to shed light on them with the use of dark comedy.
Reporting by Dallasia Samuels with photos provided by Shavon Rowe