INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis native comedian Nate Russ has gone viral with more than 30 million views in his new social media comedy series, “Buggin,” which humorously explores the personality of insects in the spring time.
The hit clips have garnered praise from celebrities such as Saturday Night Live’s Leslie Jones, MAD TV’s Anjelah Johnson, Tabitha Brown, and KevOnStage.
The first video was inspired by Russ, 31, who was in his backyard when a mosquito landed on his shirt. He fanned it off and said, “Dang, I can’t stand mosquitoes. I bet other bugs can’t even stand mosquitoes.” A light bulb went off in his head, and the hit show was born.
The comedy star, who moved to Atlanta from Indianapolis to pursue his dreams, still comes home almost every month to produce his show Homecoming Comedy. The show plays in both cities and features a mix of local comedians and special guest performances, bridging the gap between his hometown and his new home in Atlanta.
“That is something I’ve created to help shed light on rising stars in standup,” said Russ. “So I understand how to grow a social media platform. So I said, you know what, I’m going to build something for the underdogs, the up-and-coming and the rising stars so they can be seen online and grow.”
Knowing all about humble beginnings, Russ first served his community in the Air Force for four years. During that time, he discovered his love for comedy in his military dorm room. After his contract ended in April 2016, he decided to take a leap of faith and pursue comedy as a career.
He performed his first set in Indy during the intermission of a stage play by Eric Washington in May 2016. “Once I did it and got off stage, weights were lifted off my shoulder,” said Russ. “I had got that taste, and I said, okay, I want more of this.”
As a macro influencer with a growing fan base of more than 600k followers across social media platforms, Russ has plans to keep moving forward. He aspires to continue to trailblaze his path with a sitcom, podcast, movies and more. Comedian Martin Lawrence primarily inspired his ambitions.
“Martin is definitely the biggest influence on my comedy career,” said Russ. “Watching the Martin show back in the 90s and watching Def Comedy Jam as a youngster, he was my favorite comic. I was captivated by his performances each and every time.”
Now, audiences are captivated by Russ’s performances, particularly comedienne Erica Duchess. Duchess saw Russ perform his routine in Atlanta’s Original Uptown Comedy Corner and was so impressed that she reached out to him to perform in a show produced by mogul Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris.
The show titled ‘T.I. & The Haha Mafia presents Comedy in The Trap,’ will feature Russ alongside other top comedians. It will have a theme similar to Comic View or Def Comedy Jam.
While there’s much in store for the Lawrence North graduate, he maintains that his faith is his foundation and core. “These are the things that I prayed for and have been working towards for years doing content,” said Russ. “The goal is to go global.”
If you want to become a viral influencer like Russ, he has these words of wisdom for creators, “You have to be consistently original. Your people will find you. I’ve been doing this for over a decade and I’m really starting to see the fruits of my labor. Pray and stay the course,” said Russ.
Follow Russ on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube @NateRussComedy. Learn more about his upcoming shows and Homecoming Comedy on his website here.
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