David John Marley
David John Marley is an ex-Jungle Cruise skipper, teacher, father, stand-up comedian, and founder of the Skipper Standup shows. He has two daughters and makes his home in Costa Mesa, California; along with his wife Deb. He is currently a professor of history at Vanguard University, where he focuses on religious history. His long running and hugely popular Skipper Stand Up offers a venue for Jungle Cruise Skippers, fresh from Disneyland to get into the real world of comedy. Perhaps his most notable contribution has been the biography he wrote of Pat Robertson, in which he examined Robertson from a new point of view.
Career
During his early college years, David John Marley was employed at Disneyland in the Jungle Cruise ride. This is one factor which led to him creating the Skipper Show. He received his Phd in American Religious History from George Washington University in 2004. During his days at GWU, Marley demonstrated his sense of humor to his fellow classmates, especially by his catch-phrase, "I'm having an epistemological crisis" and tales of how he met his wife while driving a school bus. He was also a co-founder of the History Graduate Student Forum, an advocacy group for GWU's history majors.
Marley had previously received his M.A from California State University Fullerton as well as his B.A. from Vanguard University. He received professional experience as an adjunct professor at numerous colleges including Fullerton College, Cerritos College, and Vanguard University. David has also written a few published articles, including "Ronald Reagan and the Splintering of the Christian Right," "Phyllis Schlafly's Battle Against the ERA and Women in the Military," and "Martin Luther King, Jr., Pat Robertson and the Duality of Christian Politics." As well as book reviews on the publications of other authors.
Skipper Stand Up Show
The History Channel's David Marley often performs at a comedy show of his own creation, The Skipper Stand Up Show. “I had been doing stand-up for maybe about a year,” Marley said. “We were looking for new ideas, and I told my friends, ‘Hey, I used to work at Jungle Cruise for years, and those are the funniest people you’re going to meet. We should do a night of Jungle Cruise skippers.’” Around Orange County, this show has become quite a success. The original intent was a one time shot at making a comedy show, but after selling out David Marley decided to continue it, and it still routinely sells out. The show is performed monthly at The Maverick Theater, in downtown Fullerton.
Books
Pat Robertson: An American Life, an independent biography that examines Pat Robertson, the founder of both the Christian Coalition and the Christian Broadcasting Network, host of the daily TV show The 700 Club, son of a United States Senator (Absalom Willis Robertson), and a former presidential candidate. Marley's next project is expected to be a book on the history of the Jungle Cruise