Ex-gangsters ditch life of crime to give back to Glasgow areas they once terrorised
Two ex-gangsters have ditched their criminal pasts to give back to the areas they once terrorised.
Jordan Robertson, known as "Hawaii Fivo," and David McCallum, a.k.a. "Ravie Davie," were both involved in gang-related activities before deciding to take a more creative path.
Jordan, 32, was sent to Polmont at just 17-years-old for attempted murder before spending two other spells in HMP Barlinnie. While David turned to drugs and alcohol in the years following the tragic suicide of his mother when he was only six-years-old, reports the Record.
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Jordan turned to music and David to professional wrestling to find redemption and escape their past. They now hope to encourage others to do the same.
The pals have come together to host an unscripted comedy panel show event called Bams to the Slaughter - a roast-style panel show "similar to Mock the Week or Celebrity Juice" - at Govan’s Fairfield Club this Friday (September 27).
Jordan told how prison and creativity became key in his transformation. He said: “Prison changes people, but I am trying to do good and give back to the community.
“That’s the reason I want to do well, to show that you can come from a rough area, go to jail, but still succeed. I want to make people proud to be where they’re from.
“Playing the guitar in prison kept me sane. It was about channelling frustrations and emotions into something positive. Creativity is what kept me alive. I’m in recovery from drug addiction and a massive reason for getting off drugs was that it was interfering with my creativity.
“Doing things like this show has kept me out of jail because I no longer feel like I’m stuck. I have drive and desire."
David sought gang life as an escape from the trauma of losing his mother at such a young age. He now runs the Community Pro Wrestling, a school in Govan aimed at getting kids off the streets and giving them a safe space to channel their energy in a positive way.
He explained: “Me and Jordan can relate because we’ve both lived through similar upbringings. There’s not a lot going on in Govan, so it’s good to give people a chance to enjoy themselves. This is another way we can help the community."
Both Jordan and David have expressed gratitude for the lessons their pasts have taught them, no matter how difficult those experiences were. Jordan sums it up by saying: "I used to have a sense of victimhood, but now I’m grateful for everything that’s happened. It made me who I am today."
The two men are unapologetically real about their comedy style. Jordan acknowledged the gritty humour they bring to their events, reflecting the tough environment they grew up in.
"People like us from the scheme are used to slaggings," he said. "At most comedy shows, they want the crowd to be quiet, but we flip that and invite heckles. We’re pioneers of madness, and we want to make it as mental as possible."
Tickets are still available through Eventbrite.
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