John McCombs was born in Pennsylvania and moved to the suburbs of Chicago at a young age. He attended the University of Illinois on an ROTC scholarship and served in the Marine Corps for four years, stationed in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. During his service, he deployed twice — once to Spain during airstrikes in Libya against ISIS, and once to Romania as part of the Black Sea Rotational Force amid tensions with Russia and Ukraine.
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After leaving the Marines, John returned briefly to Joliet before settling in Chicago, where he pursued his passion for stand-up comedy. He began performing at open mics in Champaign, Illinois, continuing during his military service and later in Chicago. John immersed himself in the local comedy scene, organizing a comedy tour across Europe and recording specials in unique locations like Estonia.
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His career highlights include running a comedy show at the Den Theatre in Chicago, organizing international tours, and achieving 52 shows across 20 countries. John is known for his willingness to perform in diverse cultural settings, reflecting on his experiences in non-English-speaking countries like Estonia and Moldova. He aims to record comedy specials worldwide, with a unique goal of performing in Antarctica, blending his military background with a global comedy presence. John McCombs is also involved in producing comedy events and hosts the podcast "Smart Comics" and sketch series "Black Dude Therapy."