Comedian Erik Clark will be hosting a comedy show titled “E. Clark & Friends” alongside Bay Area natives DC Ervin and G. King at the University Union Ballroom on Thursday, Feb. 9.

Clark, who was raised in Oakland, graduated from UC Davis in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. However, he chose to follow his heart and pursue a career in comedy instead.

“I like comedy because I can say what I want to say,” Clark said. “Sometimes when you work for an institution, people have to censor themselves on social media because their jobs are in danger — I found out I can make a living by saying what I want to say. That became liberating.

Comedy was not something that Clark had planned to pursue after graduating college, but it came easily to him. It was simply a form of expression.

“I started expressing myself and just happened to be funny and the next thing you know a friend of mine offered me $500 to host a step show and since then I haven’t looked back,” Clark said.

Following his time at UC Davis, Clark joined the corporate world, but soon discovered that he needed some form of relief to help him deal with the stress and struggles of adult life.

“You graduate from college and get your first job and sometimes the real world slaps you in the face and you go to an environment where you’re super minority and you’re experiencing dealing with a job,” Clark said. “I was just stressed out and needed a place to talk about it and it just happened to be the stage.”

Stand up comedy became a career for Clark, and one that has brought him success — from his television appearances and movies to tours around the country and at colleges performing his stand up routines.

Clark’s rise as a stand up comedian has allowed him to work with DL Hughley, Dana Carvey and Dave Chappelle, which he considers to be some of his greatest successes.

“It was a big stepping stone for me and once it happened people were like ‘oh okay what’s next?’ ” Clark said. “It took so long to be able to get that and to be able to experience that was pretty cool.”

Performing for college audiences is a particular experience Clark enjoys, as he feel they challenge him as a comedian to be up to date with occurring issues.

“You have to be smart, you can’t pull anything over their eyes because they are so on top of everything that is going on in the world,” Clark said. “Performing for millennials keeps me on my toes.”