Cedric ‘The Entertainer’, Eddie Griffin, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez and Charlie Murphy have been breaking ground in the comedy business and bringing the laughs for decades. This is a once in a lifetime chance to see five members of comedy royalty come together for the comedy event of the year ‘The Comedy Get Down’ on Saturday, April 23rd at 8pm at the First Niagara Center.
Through numerous motion picture appearances, countless television shows, sitcoms and standup specials, a talk show, three radio shows, and two books, Cedric ‘The Entertainer’, Eddie Griffin, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez and Charlie Murphy have been breaking ground in the comedy business and bringing the laughs for decades. The five popular entertainers will team up for “The Comedy Get Down,” taking the stage at SCOTTRADE CENTER MARCH 12TH at 8 p.m.
Cedric "The Entertainer" is best known for crowd-pleasing performances in hit films such as Barbershop, Be Cool, The Original Kings of Comedy and the top-rankingMadagascar animated franchise, just to name a few. Cedric will be seen next on the big screen in the much-anticipated comedy feature BARBERSHOP 3 slated for release in early 2016. He is executive producer and stars in the current hit comedy series THE SOUL MAN on TV Land. Cedric also stars in the buzzed about new reality series, CEDRIC'S BARBER BATTLE, which debuted on THE CW on June 29.
Eddie Griffin has received worldwide recognition through his numerous stand-up comedy specials, movies, television appearances, and music and comedy albums for not only acting, but writing and producing as well. Most notably, Def Comedy Jam, HBO One Night Stand, Malcolm & Eddie, for which he won the NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series award, Undercover Brother, My Baby's Daddy, Dysfunktional Family, Norbit, Freedom Of Speech, A Fool And His Money Play, You Can Tell Em' I Said It and soon to be released Mucho Dineroand An American Hero. Comedy Central also honored Eddie as one of the Top 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of all time.
D.L. Hughley, star of his namesake ABC television showThe Hughleys, is also well known as one of the standout comedians on the hit comedy tour and docu-film The Original Kings of Comedy. D.L. can currently be heard nationwide as host of his own nationally syndicated afternoon radio show “The DL Hughley Show,” heard in over 60 markets across the country. Known for being astute and politically savvy in true comedian style, Hughley is a published author and was honored with a prestigious Peabody Award for his satirical documentary special D.L. Hughley: The Endangered List. He appeared in the TV dramaStudio 60 on the Sunset Strip and will next star in the upcoming NBC drama Heartbreakers. D.L. is currently starring in his ninth stand-up comedy special Clear.
George Lopez is a multi-talented entertainer whose career encompasses television, film, standup comedy and late-night television. Lopez hosted Lopez Tonight, a late-night television talk show on TBS for two seasons and starred in television’s groundbreaking hit sitcom George Lopez, which ran for six seasons on ABC. Lopez has risen to become one of the premier comedic talents in the entertainment industry known for his extensive charity work with various foundations.
Charlie Murphy became a household name as a cast member of Chappelle’s Show when he recanted his True Hollywood Stories of celebrity and excess, however, he has spent the past two decades solidifying his position in Hollywood as a true acting and writing talent. He’s appeared in Lottery Ticket with Bow Wow and Ice Cube, Our Family Wedding with Forrest Whitaker and The Perfect Holiday with Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard. Charlie wrote cult classics like Vampire In Brooklyn and Norbit, and stars as ‘Vic’ in Adult Swim’s Black Jesus, currently in production on Season 2.
Dine at Prudential Center
Join us at the Restaurant at Prudential Center! Located on Suite Level 1, the restaurant features farm-to-fan dining experiences, providing the ultimate culinary experience for fans. Reservations can be made on OpenTable.com or by calling 973-757-6990. Reservations are limited and are based on a first come, first serve basis.
Through numerous motion picture appearances, countless television shows, sitcoms and standup specials, a talk show, three radio shows, and two books, Cedric ‘The Entertainer’, Eddie Griffin, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez and Charlie Murphy have been breaking ground in the comedy business and bringing the laughs for decades. The five popular entertainers will team up for “The Comedy Get Down,” taking the stage at Newark’s Prudential Center for the first time on Saturday, February 20 at 8 p.m.
Cedric "The Entertainer" is best known for crowd-pleasing performances in hit films such as Barbershop, Be Cool, The Original Kings of Comedy and the top-ranking Madagascar animated franchise, just to name a few. Cedric will be seen next on the big screen in the much-anticipated comedy feature BARBERSHOP 3 slated for release in early 2016. He is executive producer and stars in the current hit comedy series THE SOUL MAN on TV Land. Cedric also stars in the buzzed about new reality series, CEDRIC'S BARBER BATTLE, which debuted on THE CW on June 29.
Eddie Griffin has received worldwide recognition through his numerous stand-up comedy specials, movies, television appearances, and music and comedy albums for not only acting, but writing and producing as well. Most notably, Def Comedy Jam, HBO One Night Stand, Malcolm & Eddie, for which he won the NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series award, Undercover Brother, My Baby's Daddy, Dysfunktional Family, Norbit, Freedom Of Speech, A Fool And His Money Play, You Can Tell Em' I Said It and soon to be released Mucho Dineroand An American Hero. Comedy Central also honored Eddie as one of the Top 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of all time.
D.L. Hughley, star of his namesake ABC television show The Hughleys, is also well known as one of the standout comedians on the hit comedy tour and docu-film The Original Kings of Comedy. D.L. can currently be heard nationwide as host of his own nationally syndicated afternoon radio show “The DL Hughley Show,” heard in over 60 markets across the country. Known for being astute and politically savvy in true comedian style, Hughley is a published author and was honored with a prestigious Peabody Award for his satirical documentary special D.L. Hughley: The Endangered List. He appeared in the TV drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and will next star in the upcoming NBC drama Heartbreakers. D.L. is currently starring in his ninth stand-up comedy special Clear.
George Lopez is a multi-talented entertainer whose career encompasses television, film, standup comedy and late-night television. Lopez hosted Lopez Tonight, a late-night television talk show on TBS for two seasons and starred in television’s groundbreaking hit sitcom George Lopez, which ran for six seasons on ABC. Lopez has risen to become one of the premier comedic talents in the entertainment industry known for his extensive charity work with various foundations.
Charlie Murphy became a household name as a cast member of Chappelle’s Show when he recanted his True Hollywood Stories of celebrity and excess, however, he has spent the past two decades solidifying his position in Hollywood as a true acting and writing talent. He’s appeared in Lottery Ticket with Bow Wow and Ice Cube, Our Family Wedding with Forrest Whitaker and The Perfect Holiday with Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard. Charlie wrote cult classics like Vampire In Brooklyn and Norbit, and stars as ‘Vic’ in Adult Swim’s Black Jesus, currently in production on Season 2.
THE COMEDY GET DOWN TO DONATE
PROCEEDS TO FLINT CHARITY
The Comedy Get Down tour has seen overwhelming support from the people of Flint, and the five heavyweight comedians are excited to announce that proceeds from their show will give back to the Flint community. Cedric ‘The Entertainer’, Eddie Griffin, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez and Charlie Murphy have chosen to donate proceeds from the show to the Flint Child Health and Development Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint whose focus is providing support to children exposed to lead. Please visit FlintKids.org for more information.
Cedric "The Entertainer" is best known for crowd-pleasing performances in hit films such as Barbershop, Be Cool, The Original Kings of Comedy, and the top-ranking Madagascar animated franchise, just to name a few. Cedric will be seen next on the big screen in the much-anticipated comedy feature BARBERSHOP 3 slated for release in early 2016. He is executive producer and stars in the current hit comedy series THE SOUL MAN on TV Land. Cedric also stars in the buzzed about new reality series, CEDRIC'S BARBER BATTLE, which debuted on THE CW on June 29th.
Eddie Griffin has received worldwide recognition through his numerous stand-up comedy specials, movies, television appearances, music and comedy albums for not only acting, but writing and producing as well. Most notably, Def Comedy Jam, HBO One Night Stand, Malcolm & Eddie for which he won the NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series award, Undercover Brother, My Baby's Daddy, Dysfunktional Family, Norbit, Freedom Of Speech, A Fool And His Money play, You Can Tell Em' I Said It and soon to be released Mucho Dinero and An American Hero. Comedy Central also honored Eddie as one of the Top 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of all time.
D.L. Hughley star of his namesake TV show that ran on ABC The Hughleys, is also well known as one of the standout comedians on the hit comedy tour and docu-film The Original Kings of Comedy. DL can currently be heard nationwide as host of his own nationally syndicated afternoon radio show “The DL Hughley Show”, heard in over 60 markets across the country. Known for being astute and politically savvy in true comedian style, Hughley is a published author; and was honored with a prestigious Peabody Award for his satirical documentary special DL Hughley: The Endangered List. He appeared in the TV drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and will next star in the upcoming NBC drama Heartbreakers. DL is currently starring in his ninth stand-up comedy special Clear.
George Lopez is a multi-talented entertainer whose career encompasses television, film, standup comedy and late-night television. For two seasons, Lopez hosted Lopez Tonight, a late-night television talk show on TBS, Television’s groundbreaking hit sitcom George Lopez, which ran for six seasons on ABC. Lopez has risen to become one of the premier comedic talents in the entertainment industry and known for his extensive charity work with various foundations.
Charlie Murphy became a household name as a cast member of "Chappelles Show" when he recanted his True Hollywood Stories of celebrity and excess, however he has spent the past two decades solidifying his position in Hollywood as a true acting and writing talent. He’s appeared in Lottery Ticket with Bow Wow and Ice Cube, Our Family Wedding with Forrest Whitaker and The Perfect Holiday w/ Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard. Charlie wrote cult classics like Vampire In Brooklyn and Norbit, and stars as ‘Vic’ in Adult Swim’s “Black Jesus”, currently in production on Season 2.
EVENT DETAILS:
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21 @ 7:00 PM
DORT FEDERAL CREDIT UNION EVENT CENTER
THE COMEDY GET DOWN
FEATURING CEDRIC ‘THE ENTERTAINER’, EDDIE GRIFFIN,
D.L. HUGHLEY, GEORGE LOPEZ AND CHARLIE MURPHY
The Comedy Get Down World Tour Comes To Albany, NY
Numerous motion picture appearances, countless television shows, sitcoms and standup specials, a talk show, three radio shows, and two books. Cedric 'The Entertainer', Eddie Griffin, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez and Charlie Murphy have been breaking ground in the comedy business and bringing the laughs for decades. This is a once in a lifetime chance to see five members of comedy royalty come together for the comedy event of the year 'The Comedy Get Down' on Saturday, April 9 at 8pm at Times Union Center. Tickets on sale next Friday, February 12 at noon at
Cedric "The Entertainer" is best known for crowd-pleasing performances in hit films such as Barbershop, Be Cool, The Original Kings of Comedy, and the top-ranking Madagascar animated franchise, just to name a few. Cedric will be seen next on the big screen in the much-anticipated comedy feature BARBERSHOP 3 slated for release in early 2016. He is executive producer and stars in the current hit comedy series THE SOUL MAN on TV Land. Cedric also stars in the buzzed about new reality series, CEDRIC'S BARBER BATTLE, which debuted on THE CW on June 29th.
Eddie Griffin has received worldwide recognition through his numerous stand-up comedy specials, movies, television appearances, music and comedy albums for not only acting, but writing and producing as well. Most notably, Def Comedy Jam, HBO One Night Stand, Malcolm & Eddie for which he won the NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series award, Undercover Brother, My Baby's Daddy, Dysfunktional Family, Norbit, Freedom Of Speech, A Fool And His Money play, You Can Tell Em' I Said It and soon to be released Mucho Dinero and An American Hero. Comedy Central also honored Eddie as one of the Top 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of all time.
D.L. Hughley star of his namesake TV show that ran on ABC The Hughleys, is also well known as one of the standout comedians on the hit comedy tour and docu-film The Original Kings of Comedy. DL can currently be heard nationwide as host of his own nationally syndicated afternoon radio show "The DL Hughley Show", heard in over 60 markets across the country. Known for being astute and politically savvy in true comedian style, Hughley is a published author; and was honored with a prestigious Peabody Award for his satirical documentary special DL Hughley: The Endangered List. He appeared in the TV drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and will next star in the upcoming NBC drama Heartbreakers. DL is currently starring in his ninth stand-up comedy special Clear.
George Lopez is a multi-talented entertainer whose career encompasses television, film, standup comedy and late-night television. For two seasons, Lopez hosted Lopez Tonight, a late-night television talk show on TBS, Television's groundbreaking hit sitcom George Lopez, which ran for six seasons on ABC. Lopez has risen to become one of the premier comedic talents in the entertainment industry and known for his extensive charity work with various foundations.
Charlie Murphy became a household name as a cast member of "Chappelles Show" when he recanted his True Hollywood Stories of celebrity and excess, however he has spent the past two decades solidifying his position in Hollywood as a true acting and writing talent. He's appeared in Lottery Ticket with Bow Wow and Ice Cube, Our Family Wedding with Forrest Whitaker and The Perfect Holiday w/ Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard. Charlie wrote cult classics like Vampire In Brooklyn and Norbit, and stars as 'Vic' in Adult Swim's "Black Jesus", currently in production on Season 2.
The Comedy Get Down World Tour Presents, Black Comedy History Legend - Redd Foxx.
Notorious for his frank, tell-it-like-it-is style, Redd Foxx broke new ground for minorities and comedians alike. By joking about everything from sex to color barriers, he brought simmering and taboo issues into the open. His candor onstage not only jump-started what is now considered a war with censors, but also inspired and enabled other comedians to achieve more than had ever been possible. Foxx was not only "The King of Comedy," but also a talented artist. He took a sketch book with him whenever possible, and enjoyed creating his own fantastic images or capturing the essence of those whom he loved or admired.
John Elroy Sanford was born into poverty in St. Louis on December 9, 1922. With a ruddy complexion, Redd became a fast nickname. He derived Foxx from admirable Major League Baseball player, Jimmie Foxx. He left St. Louis for Chicago when he was 13, and supported himself by playing the washboard in a band. When the band broke up three years later, he hopped a train to New York City. It was there that he met Malcolm Little, a man who would later be known as Malcolm X. In "The Autobiography of Malcolm X," he is referred to as "Chicago Red, the funniest dishwasher on this earth."
Foxx began performing as a comedian/actor in black theaters and nightclubs, often referred to as the "Chitlin Circuit." From 1951-1955 he teamed with comic Slappy White, a lifelong friend who would also act alongside him on "Sanford and Son" and "The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour." While he was performing in Los Angeles, he was offered a deal with the Dooto record label. Foxx received $25 for his first recording. In the years to follow he would produce over 50 comedic albums. During the 1960s, as cultural barriers began to wear down, Foxx's audience grew steadily. In 1972, after his film debut in Ossie Davis' Cotton Comes to Harlem, Norman Lear signed Foxx as junk dealer Fred Sanford in a new NBC sitcom.
"Sanford and Son," which co-starred Demond Wilson and La Wanda Page, was a big hit. So big, in fact, that it ranked in the top ten virtually every week it aired. At one point NBC even ran the show twice a week. When Foxx left in 1977, it was reportedly because NBC wouldn't give him a dressing room with a window. Closer to the truth, however, might have been the generous salary offered to him by ABC. In an effort to weaken NBC's powerhouse Friday line-up, ABC was determined to lure away the "Sanford and Son" star. It worked.
NBC's ratings dropped continuously. Meanwhile, Foxx launched his own show, "The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour." He was executive producer of the program, which first aired on September 15, 1977, and cast him alongside Sarah Hardy, Slappy White, "Iron Jaw" Wilson, Billy Barty, Hal Smith, Bill Saluga and The Gerald Wilson Orchestra. Foxx was excited about the variety show's open forum, and planned to take full advantage of the opportunity. "I'll be doing anything that can possibly be different from what's been done before." He said. "I'll be doing skits, bits, obnoxious things.. I might do Romeo and Juliet with a gorilla." In keeping with the show's tone, during the introduction a list of guest stars that would not appear on the program was read. Real guest stars included comedian Andy Kaufman and Bob Einstein's "Super Dave Osborne" character.
During the first episode, well aware that he was infamous for a special brand of comedic routines, he joked, "The only thing I can do from my nightclub act is smoke." Foxx took live questions from the audience during his monologue, demonstrating his clever and on-the-ball wit. The program's undisciplined nature made it extremely adventurous for the 1970s, and challenged both the audience and the censors to speculate what would transpire next. Nevertheless, having only been interested in hindering NBC's progress, ABC wasn't concerned with how Foxx faired at their network. The show was cancelled on January 26, 1978.
Foxx then took to Las Vegas, where he instantly became a headliner. He enjoyed performing there, and continued even while he launched another sitcom for ABC. On "The Redd Foxx Show," he played Al Hughes, a likeable, friendly newsstand owner. The cast was a mix of former co-stars, including "Iron Jaw" Wilson, and new faces, such as Nathaniel "Rollo" Taylor, Barry Van Dyke and Beverly Todd. The show did not fair well with audiences, however, and when production was terminated, Foxx left ABC for good.
In 1989, he and long-time friend Della Reese co-starred in Eddie Murphy's "Harlem Nights." Though the movie itself received little attention, critics took notice of the pair's performance. CBS jumped and signed the two for a new sitcom, "The Royal Family."
Sadly, while on the set of "The Royal Family," Foxx suffered a massive heart attack. Reese bent over him and prayed, "Don't die Redd, don't die," but it was too late. The world lost comedic genius Redd Foxx on October 11, 1991. Foxx's albums stand as proof of his legacy as they continue to sell, topping out at over 15 million copies sold.
The Comedy Get Down World Tour Presents - Black Comedy History Month featuring Flip Wilson.
At the peak of comic Flip Wilson's popularity, some of his contemporaries criticized him for not doing enough to advance the cause of African-Americans. After all, his hit television program, The Flip Wilson Show, gave him access to millions of viewers each week in the heavily segregated America of the early 1970s.
Yet his humor was lighthearted and apolitical. Richard Pryor even told Flip he was "the NBC house Negro."
But Flip had a strategy all his own –– slower and more subtle.
"He felt his contribution was not to get up in people's faces and yell 'Equality now!' His contribution was to get his black face into a house that had never seen one," said Kevin Cook, author of the recently released biography Flip: The Inside Story of TV's First Black Superstar.
"If a kid said, 'I hate Negroes,’ and another said, 'That one's funny. I like him,' that was going to be his contribution."
Wilson, who died 18 years ago from liver cancer, "transformed television," Cook said. Time magazine called him "TV's First Black Superstar" in a cover story. A Los Angeles Times review of Cook's book said Flip was "revolutionary," presenting a program that was "unreservedly black in its tone and rhythms."
"People revere Richard Pryor and George Carlin. They think they were titans. And they were, as big as it gets, and maybe funnier than Flip. But who knows how far they might have gone if he hadn't been there first," Cook said. Both Pryor and Carlin were writers on Wilson's show.
Flip's humor was "more storyteller than one-line stand-up comic," his New York Times obituary noted. "His winding tales and uninhibited use of the timbre and resonance of black dialect were often compared to the Yiddish inflections and stories of the comedian Myron Cohen. Richard Pryor once told him, ''You're the only performer that I've seen who goes on the stage and the audience hopes that you like them.''
His most famous character was Geraldine, an outspoken, sexy good-time girl with a distinctive, high-pitched voice. Tyler Perry of current Madea fame was just an infant when Flip sashayed across the stage, playing off stars like Bill Cosby, Tim Conway and Burt Reynolds. Geraldine’s favorite sayings –– "When you're hot, you're hot; when you're not, you're not," "The devil made me do it," and '"What you see is what you get" –– became national catch phrases. (The final one is now common computer lingo, abbreviated to WYSIWYG.)
Geraldine, Flip once said, "carried me longer than my mother did."
Flip was born Clerow Wilson, Jr. in New Jersey on Dec. 8, 1933. (The nickname "Flip" came from his Air Force days, when his rambling tales featuring different dialects led fellow airmen to conclude he was "flipping out.") His wasn't a happy childhood: His mother abandoned the family, leaving Flip and his 10 siblings with their father. The boy ended up in multiple foster homes, became a frequent runaway, and landed in reform school. Flip was eventually reunited with his father, who struggled to make ends meet. In later comedy routines, Flip would joke that his family was so poor that homeless people felt sorry for them, Cook said.
After the Air Force, Flip found a home in comedy. He traveled the country with his standup act, performing at clubs and hotels. Sometimes, the same hotels that allowed him to perform in their ballrooms refused to allow him to sleep in one of their guest rooms, Cook said. At one point during Flip's rise, singer Bobby Darin demanded that the comedian share the bill with him at a Las Vegas hotel. The two became lifelong friends.
Flip's big break came when his close friend Red Foxx was a guest on the Tonight Show in the mid-1960s. Host Johnny Carson asked Foxx to name the funniest comic currently working. Without a pause, Foxx said, "Flip Wilson."
Flip was immediately invited to perform on Carson's show. At the time, Carson was a star maker: If he liked Flip, there was no telling how far he could go.
On the night Flip was scheduled to appear, he ended up getting bumped for time. They rescheduled, and he was bumped again. And then the third time was the charm.
Flip took the stage and performed his "ugly baby" routine . (It's still on YouTube.com.) After he finished, the camera panned to Carson, who was flopping around with laughter. "That was one of the funniest lines I ever heard in my life," Carson said.
"Flip was golden from there," Cook said.
Later, Flip would fill in on nights Carson took off; sometimes, the show's ratings would go up when he did. The Flip Wilson Show premiered on NBC in 1970.
In 1974, at age 40, Flip decided to walk away from his show. While it was still Top 20 in ratings, it was beginning to slip. He wanted to go out on top, a very wealthy man thanks to careful investing.
Flip's personal life was more troubled than his easygoing persona suggested. He had two broken marriages, struggled with drugs and wasn't the best father, Cook said. But Flip's contributions to his field and those that came after him should not be forgotten.
"Nobody worked harder at this craft than he did. … At one point, he was the most famous comic in the world," Cook said. "He doesn't get credit for making these strides. He made people who were prejudiced start by liking one black person."
Natalie Pompilio is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. Her lifelong love of obituaries raised eyebrows when she was younger, but she's now able to explain that this interest goes beyond morbid curiosity. Says Pompilio, "Obituaries are mini life stories, allowing a glimpse into someone's world that we're often denied. I just wish we could share them with each other when we're alive."
