Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Pollard, and Jeff Clevenger.
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Chris and Jeff. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
We met through acting and comedy, and through the years we have worked on projects together. A few years ago, I was feeling frustrated and lacking direction. I was thinking which way I wanted to go in my comedy career. Friends had been telling me to post my funny videos on platforms like Instagram and YouTube. But after thinking about it, I realized that there really wasn’t anything out there specifically for comedy on a social media platform where comics could promote themselves. Jeff was also looking to get back on “stage.”
After hanging at a few open mic shows, we realized the amount of comedians in the valley, and so we decided that we would go that direction….make a platform for local comics to test out material or post funny videos, on an app specifically for comedy, where …(and here’s the fun part) ,,,they can win cash!
Once the wheels were in motion, we knew the only way that this would work, was with two solid people. One with the brains and one to be the ‘looks.’ We’re confident that once we find those people, the skies the limit…
Tough Crowd is now much more than just an app. Although that is the foundation, we are in the process of producing bigger shows in the valley, looking to expand in the next year to California and Nevada and growing the comedy community.
Has it been a smooth road?
NOPE!!!
Struggles??
Money
Time
Stress
Women
Money
Ideas
Tech issues
Money
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Tough Crowd story. Tell us more about the business.
There is nothing like the Tough Crowd app on the market. The Tough Crowd app is a one-stop-shop for comedy where comics can promote themselves, post funny content, gain followers, and also win prizes. From live shows to comedy specials, and everything in between, there is no limit to what Tough Crowd will become. We’re looking forward to what the future holds and also for the opportunities that await up and coming comics. It’s an exciting time, and we’re enjoying the ride.
Tell us about your favorite and least favorites things about our city.
We love that Phoenix is growing and is now the fastest-growing city in the nation. There are people that have moved here from all across the country, and we have so much diversity. The one thing that we don’t like is that a lot of people seem to have the viewpoint that Phoenix is lacking in comedy and entertainment, but we disagree. There is a lot of talent here and believe Phoenix is proving that it’s a force to be reckoned with in comedy and are excited moving forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.toughcrowdapp.com
- Phone: 602-367-2641
- Email: chrisryan1025@gmail.com
- Instagram: @thetoughcrowdapp
- Facebook: Tough Crowd
- Twitter: @Tough_Crowd_App

Image Credit:
Alfred Trujillo
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