Sacramento, California comedian Marcus Parker spent the past decade striving to make a name for himself, mostly on the Northern California comedy circuit. He’s making a big national debut this week, and fittingly enough, the theme for his show is a meditation on growing up. It’s been a long journey for the comedian better known as Mars Parker, whose debut comedy special is titled I’m a Grown Ass Man
Mars Parker: A 10+ year veteran in the world of comedy, Parker first found his way to a stage after high school when he started performing improv. He didn’t think he’d pursue stand-up comedy then, although he was always drawn to stand-up comedy shows such as BET’s ComicView.
His first stand-up performance was in 2013 at Dive Bar at 1016 K St. He said he didn’t do so well at first. He improved and gained recognition from doing shows in different comedy clubs and shows around Sacramento such as Punchline and Laughs Unlimited.
He performed in Boogie’s Comedy Slam hosted by former Sacramento King center DeMarcus Cousins at the Memorial Auditorium in 2016. He’s also performed in the Cap City Comedy Slam hosted by KSFM 102.5FM at the Crest Theatre in 2019. He began to get booked around California performing at HaHa Cafe in North Hollywood, Flapper Comedy Club in Burbank, and San Francisco’s Cobb’s Comedy Club and PunchlineSF. When a worldwide pandemic caused businesses and venues to shut down, Parker had a breakdown because he did know at the time what would keep him going.
He avoided social media platforms that comedians often use, like TikTok and Instagram Reels. But Parker and his friends made a video about the pandemic that gained traction. Once he noticed what social media views and engagement could do, he leaned into them and started making more videos, specifically about Sacramento. He shared the city’s culture through humorous videos, such as the series “Strange and Unusual: Sacramento Edition” in which Parker finds the oddest things about Sacramento and explains them to viewers. Parker said TikToks and Reels are like improv and they helped him continue bettering his craft.
It led him to a featured video in collaboration with Zillow, where he helped break down the steps to buying a home in comedic fashion. Now Parker and friends have independently produced their comedy special at Sacramento’s Guild Theater at the Historic 40 Acres in Oak Park.
Representing his hometown, Parker credits Sacramento and will continue to look for more opportunities to produce comedy specials and bring a comedy festival to Sacramento.
