Big Dream Podcast with Smiley Dave

I'm Playing Download Festival 2026 - Selling out the O2 Arena

Episode 10 - Two and a half years left to sell out an arena, and it’s time to pivot. This week, Dave announces his slot opening Download Festival with a chaotic new game show, shares the brutal reality of having a TV concept stolen early in his career, and revisits some wild backstage advice from Michael Starr. Expect rants on overpriced festival food, weird Viking weekend security guards, and why staying nice in a cutthroat industry is harder than it looks.

Selling out the O2 Arena - Storm before the Storm

In this episode of The Big Dream, Smiley Dave checks in on his progress toward selling out the O2 Arena. He shares updates on his "May Challenge" to secure podcast sponsors and reflects on a busy week in comedy, from the "Netflix is a Joke" festival to his own experiences performing at Comedy Bingo, where he spent ten minutes reading off the wrong bingo card. Dave also dives into the world of impressions, discussing his favorites like John Mulaney and Mark Heap, while asking listeners for suggestions on who he should learn next. Between stories of questionable school assemblies involving towel-flicking "ninjas" and the financial hurdles of festivals like the Edinburgh Fringe, Dave teases a massive, "game-changing" announcement coming this Friday that has been 14 years in the making.

Selling out the O2 Arena - My TV journey led me here

In this episode of The Big Dream, Smiley Dave provides a candid update on his journey toward selling out the O2 Arena, including a minor correction to his timeline that places him exactly 30 months away from his goal. He reflects on a busy week at the Brighton Fringe, sharing the highs and lows of the comedy circuit - from the frustration of "Frankensteining" a five-minute competition set to the financial realities that make festivals like Edinburgh a challenge for independent artists. Dave also takes listeners behind the scenes of a unique comedy game called "Laughter to the Death," where he attempted a James Acaster impression and navigated the precision of hitting a three-minute set. He also sets a new objective for May: securing the podcast’s first advertisements to keep the dream moving forward.

The Niko Omilana Anniversary - What Really Happened That Day | The Big Dream Podcast

Two years ago to the day, Dave bumped into NDL Niko Omilana on the streets of Brighton. What followed was one of the strangest, most chaotic days of his life and ana adventure that changed everything. In this episode, Dave finally tells the full story. The parts that didn't make Niko's video. The parts that didn't make the stand-up show. What it was actually like driving Niko Omilana across the country in a corroded 2003 Ford Fiesta that probably shouldn't have been on the road. Piggybacking into a Nando's, Doing stand-up at midnight in a rock bar/prison half way house in Nottingham to a crowd that absolutely wanted none of it. And the honest truth about what happened after. YouTube subscribers that came, the imposter syndrome grew and a missed opportunity. Using the next 2 years to make up for it. This is the untold version of the Smiley Dave and Niko Omilana story, two years on. Niko Omilana original video - https://youtu.be/QLwIrsG0E08?si=n0oNVr2gEhpq53S0 [https://youtu.be/QLwIrsG0E08?si=n0oNVr2gEhpq53S0] Smiley Dave - Stand up - https://youtu.be/aYRv0j636N0?si=hsrbBzcUsu_AMRx2 [https://youtu.be/aYRv0j636N0?si=hsrbBzcUsu_AMRx2] Smiley Dave and Niko - Trilogy - https://youtu.be/mfO5GNW1VcM?si=cyr58Z32ajp-e5tu [https://youtu.be/mfO5GNW1VcM?si=cyr58Z32ajp-e5tu] Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/smileydaveuk [https://www.patreon.com/cw/smileydaveuk] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smileydaveuk/ [https://www.instagram.com/smileydaveuk/] Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@smileydaveuk [https://www.tiktok.com/@smileydaveuk] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smileydavetv [https://www.facebook.com/smileydavetv] Youtube: https://www.facebook.com/smileydavetvhttps://www.youtube.com/@smileydaveuk [https://www.youtube.com/@smileydaveuk]

Selling out the O2 Arens - Big Mile Stones

In this episode, Smiley Dave shares massive updates on the road to selling out the 20,000-seater O2 Arena. With only 29 months left on the clock, the dream is getting real with professional milestones and new industry insights In This Episode, We Cover: * The "Special Agent": Dave reveals he has secured an agent to help pitch creative sketches and ideas to major brands. * The Rock’s Business Lesson: Why a story about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Vince McMahon changed Dave’s perspective on learning the "nitty-gritty" of the comedy business. * The Solid Ten: The importance of finally capturing a high-quality 10-minute set for booking bigger theaters and comedy clubs. * The Salisbury Escape: Dave discusses the struggle of staying productive while visiting his parents and the "danger" of getting sucked into daytime TV like The Tipping Point. * Listener Feedback: Addressing the "loud ad breaks" and how Dave is tailoring his content based on your YouTube comments. Support the Journey on Patreon Get exclusive access to "Joking Around with Dave," where he breaks down the "boring" but essential mechanics of writing comedy and perfecting new material. * Join here: https://patreon.com/c/SmileyDaveUKPro-Tip: Sign up via the website instead of the app to avoid the 30% mobile tax! Follow Smiley Dave: * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf054-GgU5SKt0taRYhvOcw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf054-GgU5SKt0taRYhvOcw] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smileydaveuk/ [https://www.instagram.com/smileydaveuk/]