Authored By seanphippster

If you’ve ever been to a comedy show at JJ’s Bohemia, you have Joel Ruiz to thank.

For the past four years, Ruiz has been working tirelessly to create and sustain an alternative comedy scene. He created a video production company called Evatt & Bloom to produce comedic sketches. In addition, he worked with his brother, David, to create the 423PK music database for local bands and performers.

Ruiz has become such a part of the Chattanooga arts scene that it seems almost impossible to imagine a Chattanooga without him.

But that’s the reality.

Following an official going-away party/roast Sept. 20, Ruiz will set his sights on Atlanta for a new adventure.

Nooga.com spoke to him about his successes and struggles in Chattanooga.

You’re discouraged with Chattanooga, aren’t you?

Yeah. There is a lot of talk about support in Chattanooga. But it is just talk. There is very little actual support. There aren’t really any jobs unless you’re in the technology sector. No one really cares. A lot of it came from me getting so involved with this city over the last year or two … trying to branch out comedy more and make it a town for comedy so we don’t get passed up for tours …. Don’t get me wrong. There’s a lot of really cool stuff here-and I’m not one of those people that is saying I’ll never come back to Chattanooga-but the only reason I see myself coming back is when Chris Dortch calls me and says he has a job. He’s one of the only people in town that I trust to really do what he says he’s going to do. There’s no jobs in town …. I don’t see why I should stay here.

The whole Chattanooga Forward initiative was the big thing that made me want to leave. I went to all those meetings, and it got separated into the different “task forces” or whatever. We were involved in the “arts” and “entertainment and attractions” task forces. I sent follow-up emails to every person I talked to, and I never got a single email response over the course of a month and a half of these meetings. And it’s just so much stuff like that. There’s a lot of people trying to bring in talent but nobody trying to retain.

I’ve been told by people, “Look, we know how good Chattanooga is. We don’t have to convince you to stay.” But that’s a lie. It got to the point where I could keep fighting for this city, keep bashing my head against the wall and trying to make stuff, or I could go. I’ve built a lot of cool stuff … but how can anyone expect me to stay in a city where the rent keeps going up and I only get job offers for $10 an hour?

Have you heard this from other creative people?

Yes. I know people who are trying to get things started, and they all have a ticking clock in their heads about when they’re leaving Chattanooga … Companies are paying people to move into town, but with people already in town, it’s different. With 423PK, we kind of screwed ourselves by doing too much. We felt like we needed proof of a concept that we could show. But then we hear, “Why do you need funding? You’re already doing it” …. I’m going to leave for five years, and then some company is going to forget that I’m from Chattanooga and hire me back because I don’t live in Chattanooga. That’s how you make money in Chattanooga: you leave and then someone hires you to come back.

I’m not trying to discourage people. If you’ve got something working in town where you’re able to make some money and do cool things, keep it up. It is a city on the rise, and there is opportunity here. But it’s just one of those things where I’ve hit the ceiling. It’s just so easy to be complacent in Chattanooga.

I imagine your friends are upset you’re leaving, right?

Some people are upset and they wish I would stay, but they understand. I’ve owned a production company; I can write; I have standup skills, public speaking and management, lots of things. But nobody cares because people see that I’ve done it for free, and so why should I get paid? They don’t see the point …. I’m ready to go see new stuff and try out new things. It sucks because I have to go to a different city to live and do anything because there’s no work for anyone here, with the exception of the technology sector. There’s a lot of talk about wanting to see more arts and culture, but anything that’s going to happen with that is not going for three to five years. It’s just small projects starting right now and studies that take eight months to complete, as opposed to looking at a scene that’s been built up over the past four years with an actual fan base. I get it, but I think a lot of people are putting the cart before the horse with Chattanooga. I’m not going to turn 30 and say, “Great, I broke $20,000 a year. Look at me, guys.”

What about the comedy scene in Chattanooga?

Ryan Darling is going to be the first official member of Evatt & Bloom who has any sort of control outside of me. He’ll be running the shows at JJ’s Bohemia. We’re working on some standup and improv at other places around town, too. Evatt & Bloom has always tried to cater to the indie crowd. We literally have a national name for comedy now. There are people in New York and L.A. who know about Chattanooga.

Are you hopeful for Chattanooga at all?

I want people to keep working. It’s not that I’m just trying to quit and that it’s pointless to live here. The reason I’m leaving is that I just turned 27, and the most money I’ve made is $18,000 in a year. I can’t stay here and make any form of a life for myself because I live paycheck to paycheck. And most of my disposable income goes to making this city a place where people can have fun. I can’t stay somewhere where all I get is verbal appreciation, if that.

Updated @ 3:06 p.m. on 9/9/14 to correct a typographical error.