8TH Annual Martha's Vineyard Comedy Fest (August , 2018)

AUGUST 1ST-3RD, 6TH-9TH & 13TH-16TH, 20TH-23RD, 2018

AUGUST 1ST-3RD @ LAMPOST OAK BLUFFS 7 PM

AUGUST 13TH-16TH @ STRAND THEATER OAK BLUFFS 9 PM

AUGUST 6TH-9TH @ STRAND THEATER OAK BLUFFS 9 PM

AUGUST 20TH-23RD @ LOLA’S OAK BLUFFS 9 PM

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CONTENTS PG3

STEVE CAPERS

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AMOS ‘N’ ANDY: THE GENIUS, INNOVATION AND INFAMY OF THE COUNTRY’S MOST POPULAR SHOW

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Marcus Combs Alex Ortiz

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Howie Bell Marc Henderson

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Martini HARRIS Dj Dolla Bill

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Rob Stapleton Gary Johnson

PG10 MYRA J

PG11 Maija DeGiorgio Steve Brown

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DAMON WILLIAMS

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TONY ROBERTS RUDY RUSH

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BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ A CELEBRATION A CENTURY IN THE MAKING

PROMOTER: KNOCK KNOCK PRODUCTIONS SPONSORS: HBO AND AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION THE FIRST FAMILY OF COMEDY WOULD LIKE TO THANK: DOROTHY CAPERS, JIM & ETHEL CAPERS, STEPHANIE & WILEY BRANTON, ERNIE & CAROLYN GIBSON, THE CLEMONS FAMILY, LUCINDA MARTINEZ, JUANITA WILLIAMS, LYNN BROOKS, JAMES JR. & SPRING CAPERS, KEVIN MCFALL, CHARLES WHITE, CLINT EVANS, CURTIS SYMONDS, JASON EASTERLY, THIS WEEK ON MV, LOLA’S, MV SAVINGS BANK, THE POLAR BEARS, C’EST LA VIE, THE LAMPOST, ROBIN NASH LAW FIRM, BENFORD BROWN & ASSOCIATES, BURRELL ADVERTISING, ALEX THURMOND, FRANK COLLASO, CAROLYN & COURTNEY SMITH, REGGIE PONDER, MIKE & LORIE ARMSTRONG, THE CHICAGO FOLKS, BISONS ON THE VINEYARD, AND RILEY, SAFER, HOLMES & CANCILA WRITERS PATRICIA KEENAN DIANE ALTER PROGRAM PUBLISHER: 10 C PUBLISHING PROGRAM LAYOUT: HARPER CREATIVE MEDIA MARTHASVINEYARDCOMEDYFEST.COM

AUGUST 1ST-3RD, 6TH-9TH & 13TH-16TH, 20TH-23RD, 2018

STEVE CAPERS

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KNOCK-KNOCK PRODUCTIONS

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teve Capers’ career as a comedy impresario began while vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard, enjoying a day at the island’s famed Inkwell Beach. It was in 2009, that the Managing Partner of Knock-Knock Comedy Productions had the idea to produce a comedy festival featuring primarily African American comics. His vision was to feature comedians on the cusp of stardom, whose performances were relevant and edgy, yet family friendly. The first Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest (MVCF) in 2010 featuring Damon Williams (The Kings of Comedy Tour), AJ Jamal (In Living Color) and Roz G. (Last Comic Standings) far exceeded his expectations. Eight years later, what began as a single event, morphed into another Capers’ brainchild, BLACK COMEDY MONTH™, one of the most prestigious celebrations of Black comedy in the country, held each August.

Capers was no novice to the world of entertainment, specifically comedy. Prior to forming his own company, he had a successful career at Comedy Central where he was recruited in 1998 to head up their Chicago regional office. While at Comedy Central, Capers planned comedy events featuring nationally-acclaimed comedians and personalities including Jon Stewart, Lewis Black, Ben Stein, Bill Cosby, and Sinbad.

Caper’s professional entry into the entertainment industry was in 1993 when he became an executive at Black Entertainment Television (BET) in Los Angeles. There he was responsible for promoting some of their now iconic programming including Video Soul,

Left to right: Mariah, Dorothy, Mackenzie & Steve Teen Summit, and Rap City. But it was through his informal work with the team behind BET’s Comic View, hosted by DL Hughley, that Capers gained access and insights into the world of comedy.

In 2003, after leaving Comedy Central, Capers began producing comedy events for corporations, non-profit organizations, and colleges & universities. His list of clients included Bowe Bell & Howell, North Carolina A&T University, and Millikin University.

It was in January of 2005, that Capers began strategizing with comedian Damon Williams on how to promote a monthly comedy show - Funny First Saturday - in their hometown of Chicago. Since then, Capers has been an integral part of revitalizing the comedy scene in the city.

Continually looking for ways to innovate and create a larger platform for African American comedians, Capers debuted BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ as part the 7th annual Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest (MVCF) in 2017. The event provided a national platform to showcase the depth and breadth of current and past African American comedians, writers, promoters, club owners, and supporters.

Capers believes his path in entertainment was set as a young boy while watching his Tony Award-winning aunt, Virginia Capers, perform as Lena Younger in Raisin, a musical version of Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun. Certainly, his groundbreaking work has allowed us all to celebrate African American comedic genius, but most importantly it makes us all laugh.

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MARTHASVINEYARDCOMEDYFEST.COM

AMOS ‘N’ ANDY: THE GENIUS, INNOVATION AND INFAMY OF THE COUNTRY’S MOST POPULAR SHOW

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he most listened to radio program in America for over 30 years, and one of the most precedent setting, hilarious, infamous and divisive television shows ever aired. This is the dichotomy that was, and is Amos ‘n’ Andy.

Amos ‘n’ Andy began as a radio comedy series in 1928 and was popular until 1960. Set in Harlem, the program was created, written and voiced by two white actor/ producers, Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, who played most of the characters including the unforgettable Amos Jones and Andrew Hogg Brown. In actuality the show began as Sam ‘n’ Henry on Chicago’s WGN radio, later migrating to WMAQ, Chicago’s NBC affiliate after a dispute with WGN over the creators wishes to craft the first syndication deal. Later the series moved to CBS, which purchased the radio series for $2.5 million in 1948. Unable to retain the name because of their previous contract, the creators said that they named the characters, Amos and Andy, after hearing two elderly African-Americans greet each other by those names in a Chicago elevator.

In 1943, after 4,091 episodes, the radio program went from a 15-minute CBS weekday dramatic serial to an NBC halfhour weekly comedy. While the five times a week show often had a quiet, easygoing feeling, the new version was a full-fledged sitcom in the Hollywood sense, with a regular studio audience and an orchestra.

The television series, starring the all black cast of Alvin Childress as Amos Jones; Spencer Williams as Andrew “Andy” Hogg Brown; Tim Moore as George “Kingfish” Stevens and Ernestine Wade as Sapphire Stevens. The television series was advanced for the time, depicting blacks in a variety of roles including successful business owners and managers, professionals and public officials, in addition to the comic characters at the show’s core. It anticipated and informed many later comedies featuring working-class characters, both black and white, including All in the Family, The Honeymooners and Sanford and Son. The Amos ‘n Andy Show was produced from June 1951 to April 1953 with 78 filmed episodes, sponsored by the Blatz Brewing Company. Produced at the Hal Roach

Studios for CBS, the show was among the first television series to be filmed with a multi-camera setup, four months before I Love Lucy used the technique. It would not be shown to a nationwide audience again until 2012. Yet the number of books, documentaries and commentaries it spawned persist until today.

In his book THE ADVENTURES OF AMOS ‘N’ ANDY: A Social History of an American Phenomenon, Melvin Patrick Ely offers that although the “(television) show was a comedy, its essential appeal seemed to lie somewhere other than in its humor.”

The stereotypical portrayals of Amos Jones and Andy H. Brown were balanced by other attributes. Amos was unquestionably dense and naive, but he was also honest, dedicated and hardworking. And Andy, although lazy, conniving and pretentious was also a good-natured fellow. Moreover, they were depicted in realistic situations with which both whites and blacks could identify. Migration from rural to urban areas was common throughout the nation at the time. The struggle to survive the Depres-

AUGUST 1ST-3RD, 6TH-9TH & 13TH-16TH, 20TH-23RD, 2018 sion was an experience shared by nearly all Americans. And although Amos ‘n’ Andy spoke in a dialect, the creators avoided humor based entirely on race. Ely says they depicted “Afro-American life while minimizing references to race and categorically ruling out scenes that even implied racial unpleasantness.” Amos ‘n’ Andy were called “dumbbells” and “rubes,” for instance, but pointed racial slurs were avoided.

“Amos ‘n’ Andy” also reflected many values common to lower middle-class Americans. White audiences could empathize with the universal aspects of the experiences of the black people depicted on the program -- financial problems, personal relationships, even reactions to contemporary events -- while laughing at their supposed ethnic traits. As. Ely points out, Gosden and Correll walked a tightrope, plying white audiences with traditional racial stereotypes but cleverly muting their harsher overtone. Sometimes taking on the characteristics of a drama, one storyline from the radio program discussed a brutal police interrogation of Amos after he was mistakenly identified as a murder suspect.

Following official protests by the National Association of Chiefs of Police, Correll and Gosden were forced to abandon that storyline, turning the entire sequence into a bad dream, from which Amos gratefully awoke.

The first sustained protest against the (radio) program appeared in the December 1930 issue of Abbott’s Monthly, when Bishop W. J. Walls of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church wrote an article sharply denouncing Amos ‘n’ Andy, singling out the lower-class characterizations and the “crude, repetitious and moronic” dialogue.

The Pittsburgh Courier was the second largest African-American newspaper at the time, and publisher Robert L. Vann expanded Walls’ criticism into a full-fledged crusade during a six-month period in 1931.

Despite protests over the years, many African-Americans were also avid fans of the show.

Ely cites surveys and provides samplings of personal testaments and correspondence illustrating black support. As he shows, black reaction to “Amos ‘n’ Andy” was most accurately

characterized by its disparity and vacillation. When the Pittsburgh Courier began its campaign to remove the show from the air Roy Wilkins (then a journalist and editor) debunked the effort, maintaining that “Amos ‘n’ Andy” had “all the pathos, humor, vanity, glory, problems and solutions that beset ordinary mortals and therein lies its universal appeal.” By 1951, when “Amos ‘n’ Andy” was on television, Wilkins had changed his mind and led a campaign by the N.A.A.C.P. to ban the program.

The NAACP mounted a formal protest almost as soon as the television version began, a primary factor in the show’s cancellation, even though it finished at #13 in the 1951-1952 Nielsen ratings. Blatz was targeted as well, finally discontinuing its advertising support in June 1953. The show was widely repeated in syndicated reruns until 1966 when, in an unprecedented action for network television at that time, CBS finally gave in to pressure from the NAACP and the growing civil rights movement and withdrew the program.

There have been revivals of the series by networks including the defunct Trio Network which brought it back in 2004 for one night and Rejoice Network in Houston

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which began airing the series in 2012.

In the summer of 1968 the premiere episode of a CBS News documentary series, Of Black America, narrated by Bill Cosby, showed brief film clips of Amos ‘n’ Andy in a segment on racial stereotypes in vintage motion pictures and television programing. In 1983, a one-hour documentary film called Amos ‘n’ Andy: Anatomy of a Controversy aired in television syndication. It told a brief history of the franchise from its radio days to the CBS series, and featured interviews with then-surviving cast members, as well as then-popular black television stars such as Redd Foxx and Marla Gibbs reflecting on the show’s impact on their careers. Foxx and Gibbs emphasized the importance of the show featuring black actors in lead roles and expressed disagreement with the NAACP’s objections that had contributed to the program’s downfall.

In 1988, the Amos ‘n’ Andy program was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.

A pair of parallel, one-block streets in west Dallas, Texas are named Amos Street and Andy Street in honor of the television performers.

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MARTHASVINEYARDCOMEDYFEST.COM

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MARCUS

COMBS

arcus Combs is a comedian and writer best known for BET’s Comicview (1992), Def Comedy Jam (1992) and The Bad Boys of Comedy (2005).

Born and raised in Chicago, Marcus has been performing since the age of 5. An accomplished break dancer, Marcus showed-off his dancing skills at huge events such as the “Swatch Watch Fresh Fest.”

Throughout school, Marcus excelled at football, baseball, wrestling, and track. After high school, he was awarded a football scholarship to the University of Langston in Oklahoma, where he pursued a football career and majored in physical therapy.

At the ripe age of 17, this acclaimed “class clown” got his first opportunity to perform standup when HBO’s Def Comedy Jam performed for a homecoming event.

When the host asked if there was anyone funny in the audience, Marcus walked on stage. Nervous, excited, and a little bit buzzed from his first ever adult beverage, Marcus improved a memorable 5-minute set. Event hosts told Marcus if the college thing didn’t work out he could have a stellar career in comedy.

As fate would have it, Marcus was a passenger in a car that got caught up in a high-speed police chase. The car in pursuit crashed right into the car where Marcus was sitting. Hospitalized for three months, Marcus lost his football scholarship and was left contemplating life.

After healing, Marcus performed at an open mic night at a Chicago comedy club and a star was born.

Below, high-octane Marcus answers for some questions for This Week on MV. TW: What is your latest obsession?

Marcus: Right now it is cooking.

TW: What is one of life’s greatest mysteries that puzzles you the most?

Marcus: Religion puzzles me. (Amen! brother) TW: Any advice for US President Donald Trump?

Marcus: Instead of building a wall, build tighter

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ubbed the “Boriqua Beast of Comedy,” Alex Ortiz is undeniably one of the fastest rising stars in the comedy world today. Along with working at various comedy clubs peppered across the world, Alex boasts a number of TV appearances, including HBO’s Bad Boyz Of Comedy, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, and Who Got Jokes.

You also might recognize Alex from TV commercials. There is one for Empire Carpet where Alex portrays a shady carpet salesman. Alex has also appeared in a national commercial for Wrigley’s chewing gum. And, he has unselfishly performed for USO Tours in 15 different countries.

Alex was born in the South Bronx and raised in Chicago’s famous Humboldt Park neighborhood. He served in the Army as a combat medical specialist and Army nurse. He also was a firefighter. Alex is a proud father of five.

Always a laugh a minute, Alex took a few minutes to answer some questions for The MV Comedy Fest:

security at schools for our children.

TW: Digital currencies are the hottest trend. What is the better investment or trade: stocks or crypto coins?

Marcus: Stocks.

TW: Who would you say is your biggest influence in the comedy world?

Marcus: The iconic Bernie Mac. TW: What is one of your more embarrassing memories from childhood?

Marcus: Taking a dildo to school. (you win that one Marcus) TW: What is the funniest name you have actually heard used in the real world?

Marcus: Berthella—for real.

TW: Please share your choice for sexiest and least sexy name.

Marcus: Marcus is the sexiest name and Agnes gets my vote for least sexist.

TW: What sport would be the funniest to add a mandatory amount of alcohol to?

Marcus: Boxing TW: Please name a movie that would be greatly improved if it was made into a musical?

Marcus: Poody Tang. (A 2001 comedy written and directed by Louis C.K., Pootie Tang is the ultimate superhero. A cool-walking, smooth-talking lady’s man, Pootie is a hero and a role model to all the kids of the neighborhood. Everybody looks up to Pootie except evil Dick Lecter, CEO of Lecter Corp., a company that makes cigarettes, alcohol and fast food. Pootie shows cool determination and strength to prevail over Lecter and his minions.)

TW: What is your favorite place to hang out in MV? Marcus: Linda Jeans Restaurant on Circuit Ave. in Oak Bluffs.

TW: At what moment did you know you were indeed funny?

Alex: Am I funny?

ers.

TW: What is your motto?

Alex: “I never met a man I didn’t like,” Will Rog-

TW: What three things would you take to a desert island?

Alex: Salma Hayek, Halle Berry and Viagra TW. You are the MV Comedy Fest’s first Hispanic comedian. What do you think about that?

Alex: It’s about f**king time?

TW: What is the number of unread emails you have been avoiding?

Alex: 1,040—for real

TW: What is your favorite event in history and why?

Alex: The election of President Barak Obama because it pissed-off so many racists.

TW. Your most recent phone call was to…?

Alex: My weed dealer (no clarification here on whether he means the funny stuff or the stuff you plant in your front yard)

TW: If you had a vanity license plate, what would it be?

Alex. Spigger

TW: The first app you check in the morning is…?

Alex: Marvel Puzzle Quest TW: Tell us about your most memorable Uber trip…

Alex: F**K Uber (MV cab drivers rejoice!)

TW: MV is an eclectic mix of people and personalities. Please share a funny or favorite interactions you have had while in MV. Alex: I have never been to MV. My hope is not to get arrested while I am there.

ALEX ORTIZ

AUGUST 1ST-3RD, 6TH-9TH & 13TH-16TH, 20TH-23RD, 2018

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owie Bell has been making rounds on the stand-up comedy scene for some 18 years. A native of Detroit, Michigan, this comedian/writer/actor has taken comedy to the next level.

Stand-up special appearances include “Comedy After Dark” (Comedy Central 2013); six seasons of “Comic View” (BET) including the most recent edition “One Mic Stand” hosted by Kevin Hart; “Jamie Foxx’s LAFFAPALOOZA!” (ComedyCentral); two seasons on

HOWIE BELL “ P. Diddy Presents the Bad Boys of Comedy” (HBO); “Byron Allan’s Comics Unleashed”; and two seasons on “Black Men Revealed” (TV 1).

In 2007, Bell was nominated for “Best Comedic Performance” by the NAMIC Awards, for his performance on “Robert Townsend Presents: Partner’s in Crime “The Next Generation”.Recently, Howie hosted Kevin Hart’s “HART of the CITY” taping for a Detroit performance that will air on the second season of the series featured on Comedy Central.

Film credits include, “Busted”, “Hollywon’t”, “Gangsta Rap: The Glockumentary” (ILL VILLE Films), and recent critically acclaimed film “DETROIT UNLEADED”.

As head of “HBz Premier Comedy Agency, ” Howie books stand-up comedy events nationwide. Notable events include the “Latino Laff Blast” featuring two of the Latin Kings of Comedy: Joey Medina, Alex Reymundo, and “Super Comedy Week,” a weeklong comedy festival in Detroit that was an official event of the Super Bowl Host Committee” for Super Bowl XL. Howie is a skilled dancer and it doesn’t take much coaxing to get him to break out his moves. Can we see some fraternity stepping, please?

Following is a This Week on MV Q&A with Howie…

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omedian Marc Henderson stands out for being clever and original.

Because of his Christian values, Marc’s act is free from profanity and shock value proving that it is possible to be extremely funny with a PG-rated routine. Marc’s aim every time he is on stage is to entertain and ignite laughs without being offensive—and he succeeds every time.

Indeed, Marc’s unique spin on topics such as dating, family and crazy job experiences appeal to all audiences. If you were to describe Marc Henderson’s comedy in one word it would be “refreshing.”

Marc has appeared across the country to sold out audiences at various comedy clubs, corporate event, colleges and churches.

Marc stands just 5”4,” but as he likes to say, “Good comedy comes in small packages!”

Here, Marc answers some questions for This Week on MV… TW: What is the most embarrassing thing you have ever worn?

Marc: The Jheri Curl. (The Jheri Curl is a permed hairstyle popular among African Americans in the 1980s. Invented by hairdresser Jheri Redding, the Jheri curl gave the wearer a glossy, loosely curled look.)

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TW: When did you realize you were funny?

Howie: As a kid I made my siblings laugh, but I didn’t realize I could really be funny until I made a packed house of five people laugh and three of the audience members were staff.

TW: Please share a joke you know and love by heart?

Howie: What happened to the fly on the toilet seat? He got pissed off!

TW: What is your idea of a perfect day?

Howie: Doing absolutely NOTHING! TW: What would be the absolute worst name you could give your child?

Howie: Harry Butts TW: What are some fun and interesting alternatives to war that countries could settle their differences with?

Howie: A good “smoke-out” and a “hot dog eating contest” might work for starters...

TW: What would the world be like if it was filled with male and female copies of you?

Howie: Tooooo much fun! We’d have to at least have two more clones...add a little diversity TW: First think of a product. Now, what would be the absolute worst brand name for one of those products?

Howie: Product: potato chips. Brand name: “FunkMunchies” TW: What would be the coolest animal to scale up to the size of a horse?

Howie: That is a scary question, but a big ass butterfly would probably be the safest.

TW: Please tell us the most embarrassing thing you have ever worn?

Howie: I went to Easter dinner at my grandmother’s house and I had on some ripped up jeans, a T-shirt, and a raggedy “acid washed” vest on with fake leather on the shoulder. In front of the whole family at the table right before my grandmother said grace- she called me a “first class hobo” (true story) TW: What mythical creature would improve the world most if it existed?

Howie: The “Boogeyman,” so he could go get (US President) Trump TW: How do you feel about putting pineapple on pizza?

Howie: Can I throw up in writing?

TW: What are you excited to do and see while you are here on Martha’s Vineyard?

Howie: Get back in the water with the polar bears.

TW: What set of items could you buy that would make a cashier the most uncomfortable?

Marc: Bed bug kits and itching ointment.

TW: What is the funniest joke you know by heart?

Marc: Eddie Murphy’s delirious standup.

TW: The unwritten rules of your work are…?

Marc: Don’t steal jokes.

TW: What is something that you just recently realized that you are embarrassed by?

Marc: Pictures of me with that Jheri Curl TW: What’s the funniest corporate screw up you have heard of?

Marc: Hanes underwear hiring Charlie Sheen.

TW: Please tell us what movie frightened you as a kid?

Marc: Poltergeist. I still refuse to watch that movie.

TW: What used to be considered trashy but now is very classy?

Marc: Trashy but now classy has to be Weed.

TW: If you were arrested with no explanation, what would your friends and family assume you had done?

Marc: I’m guessing they assume I’ve been stealing WiFi. TW: Please share the most ridiculous fact you know?

Marc: The most ridiculous fact I know are that a lot of facts are false.

ON S R E D N E H MARC

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f you think Martini looks familiar it’s probably because you have seen him starring on B.E.T’s Comic View, or on One Mic Stand (Hosted by Kevin Hart), or on Def Comedy Jam. You may have also seen Martini headlining at Comedy Clubs across the United States, such as “The Improv” in Miami, West Palm Beach and Los Angeles. Those gigs landed him his very own half hour special, Partners In Crime-The Next Generation, produced by Robert Townsend and shown on the Black Family Channel.

Martini has toured with Eddie Griffin and Erykah Badu, which opened doors for him to work with other great comedians and artist such as KEM, Chaka Khan, Tommy Davison, Jackie Flynn, Bazile and Mike Epps.

Following those stints, Martini acted in his first motion picture, “CornerStore,” which was shown in AMC Theaters throughout the U.S. A role in the movie “Training Up A Child” followed.

Martini holds the distinction of being the first place winner in the Steve Harvey hosted Miller Genuine Draft Comedy Search for four consecutive years.

Martini slowed down for a few minutes to answer some questions for This Week on MV. TW: What is the funniest name you have actually heard used in the real world?

Martini: Lipshyquet (Lip-Shits) TW: What is the sexiest and least sexy name?

Martini: The sexiest is Martini. The least sexiest is Mildred to?

TW: What sport would be the funniest to add a mandatory amount of alcohol Martini: Kickboxing TW: What movie would be greatly improved if it was made into a musical?

Martini: Scarface TW: What is something that everyone looks stupid doing?

Martini: Running

TW: What is really popular now, but in five years everyone will look back on and be embarrassed by?

Martini: That damn Dab dance. (The Dab dance is simple dance move which a person drops their head into the bent crook of a slanted arm, typically while raising the opposite arm in a parallel direction but out straight; both arms are pointed to the side and at an upward angle. It’s also been used as a gesture of triumph or playfulness. The move looks similar to someone sneezing into the “inside” of their elbow.)

TW: What would be the hat to end all hats?

Martini: Cut off all your hair and get a tattoo of some finger waves.

TW: If animals could talk, which one would be the rudest?

Martini: The Spider Monkey TW: In 40 years, what will people be nostalgic for?

Martini: Their childhood.

TW: What is your favorite MV hangout?

Martini: The stage that I will be performing on this August while on the island. This will be my first time ever in MV and I can’t wait. I am very excited.

MARTINI HARRIS

DJ DOLLA BILL DJ Dolla Bill, a native of Joliet, IL, began his career in Chicago. After being heard at various music and comedy venues, Dolla Bill was asked to participate in DJ competitions across the United States and has held titles as the Nokia Club DJ Battle Winner (2004), Yaris vs. Yaris National DJ Battle Winner (2007), and the Pepsi Superstar DJ Contest National Finalist (2007).

He also held positions at radio stations WHNR-AM Winter Haven, FL. and WPWX-FM Chicago, IL. Also known as the “Human Mix-Tape”, DJ Dolla Bill’s style is such a hybrid of musical fusion and cultures it’s hard to describe it as just unique. Possessing an appetite for many musical genres, Dolla Bill navigates his way through the cool sounds of R&B, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Rock and Reggaeton, while never abandoning the smooth sounds of old school R&B and Pop. It’s a sure bet that he will make the party successful with his innovative mix styles.

With decades of solid experience, Dolla Bill has graced the nation’s top cities and maintains a steady following and reputation for getting any party started. His talent expands further than the typical DJ with an extensive background in performing with celebrity acts, such as Hip Hop Artist Chubb Rock and Dana Dane, Comedian’s J. Anthony Brown and Damon Williams, entertainment power house Latham Entertainment (Kings & Queens of Comedy Search), The Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage DJ Team, Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest, and many more.

Dolla Bill can be heard weekly on the syndicated radio show “Diggin in The Crates” with the legendary Chubb Rock (Atlanta – Majic 107.5/97.5). His talents have been recognized by corporate giants such as The Coca-Cola Company, Reach Media, Nokia, Anheuser-Busch; and some of the hottest radio shows over the airwaves, The Tom Joyner Morning Show (syndicated), WGCI (Chicago), and the former Michael Baisden Show (syndicated).

With his first EP “The Dolla Bill EP”, released April 2014 and his current single “How it Started” available on iTunes and Traxsource, Dolla Bill continues to work the turntables at various industry events, and is a member of the Core DJ’s and Soul Selector DJ organizations.

AUGUST 1ST-3RD, 6TH-9TH & 13TH-16TH, 20TH-23RD, 2018

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unny man Rob Stapleton commands your attention.

Indeed, from his witty observations to his hilarious takes on relationships, Rob’s quick wit and lively banter is guaranteed to keep you in stitches.

Born and raised in the Bronx, Rob’s hilarious comedy brand is in huge demand. He has been seen on some of TV’s hottest stand -up comedy shows, including his classic performance on “P - Diddy’s Bad Boys of Comedy” and Showtime’s “Live at The Nokia with Mike Epps.” Rob has also starred in his own “Comedy Central Presents.. Half Hour special.”

Rob recently wrapped his first feature film titled ‘The Stuff,’ in which he not only starred, but also executive produced. In 2017, Rob toured the country with the explosive comedy package, “The NY Kings Comedy Tour.”

Rob is back again this year to participate in The MV Comedy Fest and he kindly answered some tenacious questions for The MV Comedy Fest…

TW: What is the number of unread emails in your inbox?

Rob: Ten (This Week on MV will attest to the fact that Rob very gratefully returned our emails promptly) TW: When was your last and most recent phone call?

Rob: 15 minutes ago TW: What is the first app you check in the morning?

Rob: IG. (A free trading app and the world’s No. 1 spread betting provider) TW: Please tell us about your most memorable Uber trip?

Rob: It was a ride in Baltimore where my wife and I almost got in an accident with a crazy driver TW: When did you know you were funny?

Rob: In my early teens TW: What is your motto ?

Rob: Surround yourself with good people who care about their business and good things will continue to happen.

TW: What is your favorite event in history?

Rob: The freedom of slaves.

JOHNSON

ary “G-Thang” Johnson is an actor, writer and comedian know for big screen movies including Moneyball, Flashfoward and Disaster Movies. Gary has also been featured in the TV shows Blackish, Uncle Buck, CSI, The Shield, Girlfriends, The Game and more.

Still, Gary is perhaps best known for his hilarious standup routines.

Last year, Gary spent nearly 3 hours with former President Barack Obama while both where on the Vineyard. The two were photographed together on a popular Vineyard golf course. Gary said the two traded jokes, adding that the former president had more jokes than anyone.

Gary takes the stage at 2018 The MV Comedy Fest to much anticipation.

This very funny man obligingly answered some questions for This Week on MV… TW: Two books stacked on your coffee table are?

Gary: Unsuccessful Thug by Mike EPPS, and the Bible.

TW: What three things would you take to a desert island?

Rob: Laptop, cellphone, and my wife

TW: People in the comedy field you admire are?

Gary: Bernie Mac and Robin Harris

TW: If you had a vanity license plate, what would it be?

Rob: The Stuff

STAPLETON

TW: MV is an eclectic mix of people and personalities. Please share a funny or favorite interaction you have had while in MV. Rob: I love the interaction I have back at the villa with the group of people I cook, drink and laugh with.

B O R

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GARY g thang

TW: People you most often FaceTime?

Gary: My girls TW: What cities listed in your weather app are?

Gary: St. Louis; California; New York; Houston TW: Favorite emoji Gary:

TW: Please share one of your shortcomings?

Gary: I have no patience for bullshit.

TW: Please finish: “I have often said that…?”

Gary: I have often said that?

TW: What are you tuned into right now?

Gary: Beast. A series about a small island community (hmm) where, a troubled young woman falls for a mysterious outsider who empowers her to escape her oppressive family. When he comes under suspicion for a series of murders, she defends him at all costs.

TW: Nothing is more valuable than…?

Gary: God and family! (Amen to that!)

TW: What do you think everyone should own?

Gary: A house and at least one G-Thang Comedy Album TW: If you were to poke some clean fun at MV—what would that be?

Gary: Here you expect to find things like bowling and dominoes tournaments and a weekly twister contest. Also, people here play Hide and Go See. You know me, I love some type of ghetto around the House.

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MARTHASVINEYARDCOMEDYFEST.COM

M

yra J is a triple threat. She is an outstanding comedienne, actress, and writer.

This very funny lady worked as a writer on the hit sitcoms, “Martin,” Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,” “Good News,” Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne,” “Meet the Browns,” and TV One’s “The Rickey Smiley Show.” She also co-created and was a writer for the hit soap opera radio show, “It’s Your World.”

In 2011, Myra J. was recognized as an NAACP Image Awards Nominee for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series. In 2010, she was a Humanitas Award Finalist in the “Writing and Directing - 30 Minute Category.”

Affectionately known as the “poster child for single moms,” Myra J. was a featured cast member on The Tom Joyner Morning Show, one of the nation’s most famous syndicated radio program.

A native Chicagoan, Myra J. began her comedy career some two decades ago.

Her comedic reflections and joke telling have led to appearances in the blockbuster motion picture, “The Gospel” as well as other films including, “Indecent Proposal” (starring Demi Moore), “House Party” (Kid –n- Play), “Bulworth” (starring Halle Berry and Warren Beatty), and “Hollywood Shuffle” (starring Robert Townsend). Myra J. has also made a guest appearance on the UPN top-rated comedy show, “Eve.” If you haven’t seen Myra J, you may have heard her on “The Proud Family,” and as the voice of the evil Dorothea in “Bebe’s Kids.”

Myra J. has traveled the U.S. hosting, volunteering, and fundraising at various events sponsored by non-profit groups, social organizations, and women’s empowerment seminars.

In 2016, Myra J. was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for National and Community Service from President Barack Obama.

This gifted and versatile performer took time to answer some questions for This Week on MV. TW: What would be the worst “buy one get one free” sale of all time?

Myra J: Penile implants TW: Is a hotdog a sandwich?

Myra J: No! A hot dog is a broke down polish sausage hoping for a come up. A sandwich is two pieces of bread that can be mashed with your palm.

That’s why your palm is about the same size of a slice of bread.

TW: What secret conspiracy would you like to start?

Myra J: The government pays people to go out every morning with the sole purpose of screwing up traffic.

TW: What would be the worst thing for the government to make illegal?

Myra J: Potato salad TW: Which body part do you wish you could detach and why?

Myra J: My stomach. Since it is ignoring my wishes to be flat, it needs to go on and live a life on its own.

TW: What’s the weirdest thing a guest has done at your house?

Myra J: Got the belt loop of their pants caught on the doorknob and ripped their pants just to pull their jeans off to make it to the bathroom in time… Oh, wait, that was me.

TW: What is invisible but you wish people could see?

Myra J: The mystery substance that keeps that magic carpet from flying off (US President Donald) Trump’s head.

TW: What are some fun and interesting alternatives to war that countries could settle their differences with?

Myra J: A game of bid whist--Rise and Fly. [Bid whist is a partnership trick-taking variant of the classic card game whist. As indicated by the name, bid whist adds a bidding element to the game that is not present in classic whist. It is generally accepted that the game of bridge came from the game of whist.]

MYRA J

TW: What would the world be like if it was filled with male and female copies of you?

Myra J: Funny, fat, and lactose intolerant TW: What is the funniest joke you know by heart?

Myra J: Every woman loves a man who knows how to do that four letter word that ends in a “K.”…Work.

TW: What cracks you up about MV? Myra J: The fact that it’s so safe in MV. It makes me nervous.

MAIJA

AUGUST 1ST-3RD, 6TH-9TH & 13TH-16TH, 20TH-23RD, 2018

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a few question for This Week on MV. TW: What is something everyone looks stupid doing?

Maija: Trying to make a grown man stop crying.

TW: Tell us something that is really popular right now, but in five years everyone will look back on and be embarrassed by?

Maija: Re-living 80’s fashion AGAIN. TW: What could you wear on your head that would make people stop what they are doing and stare in awe and amazement?

Maija: A “Michelle Obama for President 2020” hat.

TW: If animals could talk, which one would be the rudest?

Maija: The Weiner Dog. TW: In 40 years, what will people be nostalgic for?

Maija: True talent TW: Is there an object you wish you could eliminate from existence?

Maija: The Spork—a confusing utensil, that in theory, has the scooping and liquid-holding properties of a spoon, combined with the food-stabbing features of a fork.

TW: What is one thing that is okay to do occasionally, but definitely not okay to do every day?

Maija: Eating ribs.

M

aija is widely celebrated as one of the most spectacular comediennes to come along in the past decade.

Maija has performed at hundreds of the world’s top comedy clubs, as well as at legendary venues, including The Beacon Theater and the Apollo. TV credits include HBO’s “Sex & The City,” “Def Comedy Jam,” and Fox’s “Laughs.” Maija made her mark in radio when she co-hosted “The Hot 97 Morning Show with Ed and Maija” in New York City. During her tenure at the station, their show was the number one radio station in the country.

Maija has performed with a plethora of industry standouts, including Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Dane Cook, Wanda Skyes, Jim Norton, Bill Burr, Jeff Ross, Louis CK, Mike Epps, and Tracy Morgan. She also directed the film “Bitter Jester,” featuring interviews with George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Kevin James, Phyllis Diller, Whoppi Goldberg, and others. Both The New York Times and Variety gave the film glowing reviews.

This multifaceted and vastly talented comedienne slowed down to answer

S

teve Brown is memorable.

One of the hottest comics in the industry today, Steve’s highpitched voice and high-energy physical antics leave a lasting impression.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Steve was raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and that Southern city is where a lot of his comedic material emanates from. Raised in the church by his grandparents, Steve continues to show his love for church congregations on stage.

This very funny man launched his career during his freshman year at his alma mater, Stillman College. There, he mastered his craft. After the completion of his Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Communications, Steve began pursuing a professional career in comedy.

Steve’s comedic acumen landed him numerous appearances on nationally televised shows. He has also worked alongside R&B artists, as well as some of the top Hip Hop artists during concerts and music videos.

Not one to sit down for any length of time, Steve took a seat long enough to answer some questions for This Week on MV. TW: How many chickens would it take to kill an elephant?

Steve: It would take 3 chickens to kill an elephant. 1 to drive and 2 to shoot...

TW: What would be the worst “buy one get one free” sale of all time?

Steve: Buy one earring and get the other one absolutely FREE. TW: Is a hot dog a sandwich?

Steve: Yes, anything between two pieces of bread is a sandwich.

TW: What secret conspiracy would you like to start?

Steve: If I told you it wouldn’t be a secret... Shhhhhhhh!

TW: The worst thing for the government to make illegal is…?

Steve: Bad credit.

TW: Please share the weirdest thing you have seen in someone else’s home?

Maija: A lone mannequin in a single man’s basement TW: Who do you know that really reminds you of a character in a TV show or movie?

Maija: Comedian Jeff Ross. He looks like Dick Dastardly.

TW: How do you feel about putting pineapple on pizza?

Maija: I am half Italian so I HATE it. I know Hawaiians like it, but they also eat Spam.

TW: You are a mad scientist. What scientific experiment would you run if money and ethics were not an issue?

Maija: One where I could clone my dachshund TW: What do you love about MV?

Maija: I’m not there enough to answer that honestly

TW: Which body part do you wish you could detach and why?

Steve: It would have to be my “crown jewels.” That way I can send it to my wife when I’m on the road for long periods of time. She would have to send it back when she’s done so I could use the restroom.

TW: What is invisible but you wish people could see?

Steve: I don’t know because I can’t see it either.. Duh!!!

TW: If you were held at gunpoint and told if you didn’t impress your captors with your dance moves you would be killed, what dance moves would you bust out?

Steve: I would definitely be breakdancing and pop locking.

TW: Is there a secret conspiracy would you like to start?

Steve: If I told you it wouldn’t be a conspiracy now would it?

STEVE BROWN

TW: What do you find funny about MV? Steve: I don’t know. I tried to Google that but I have viruses on my phone.

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MARTHASVINEYARDCOMEDYFEST.COM TW: Where was your most recent Uber trip to?

Damon: I don’t use Uber due to the fact that the first time I tried was actually on the Vineyard and the guy pulled off and cancelled us while I was standing in the doorway. You drive a BLUE JEEP CHEROKEE. You know who you are!!!!

TW: What is your favorite emoji?

Damon:

If you don’t get it ask your kid.

TW: Do you have a favorite Instagram photo?

Damon: Currently it is the picture of the headline “ROSEANNE CANNED!! For Racist Rant.” Bye Felicia!

TW: Please share your favorite autocorrect mishap?

Damon: It is not actually mine. It happened to fellow comedian Melanie Comarcho. She tells her man to bring that “DUCK” home.

TW: I think everyone should own…?

Damon: A toothbrush and use it accordingly. There is lots of bad breath in the world.

TW: Who would you most like to work with?

Damon: EDDIE MURPHY on a film and then encourage him to do more stand up. He could use his old jokes and I’d still laugh.

TW: I have often said…?

Damon: “Laugh tonight. Be serious tomorrow.” It’s my moto. Laugh more people; life is short.

D

DAMON WILLIAMS

amon Williams is a widely accomplished writer, actor, and comedian. He has appeared on Comedy Central and BET’s “Comicview.” In 1999, Damon took over hosting “Showtime at the Apollo” from Steve Harvey. He also became the opening act on the “Kings of Comedy” tour.

Known for his acclaimed appearances in films such as 2012’s “Why Do Men Cheat? The Movie” and 2016’s “Not Another Black Movie,” Damon is a crowd pleaser and sought after comedian.

The Chicago-based funny man, a 25-year veteran of stand-up comedy, has traveled the world working with some of the biggest names in comedy and music. Currently, Damon can be heard every Friday on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, as well as every Tuesday with Seriously Ignorant News.

2018 marks Damon’s 8th year as host of the MV Comedy Fest.

Damon has been involved from the start and was instrumental in bringing The Fest to the Vineyard with co-founder Steve Capers of Knock-Knock Productions.

“Damon and I operate on different ends of the spectrum,” Capers said. “But we nicely complement each other, and together, we successfully pulled-off and grew The Fest. Initially, we walked up and down Circuit Ave, and we walked around the Inkwell shaking hands and kissing babies. We trust each other and we work well together. You could call it a “bromance.” What we do involves a great deal of time and talent. I am the behind the scenes guy. And without question, Damon is the talented part of this venture.”

The very talented Damon stopped for a few minutes to answer some questions for This Week on MV’s.

TW: How many unread emails do you have?

Damon: I have 100s if not 1000s of irrelevant unread emails. This is partially due to the fact that I still have my AOL account, so I have the original spammers still hitting me.

TW: Who was your most recent phone call to or from?

Damon: My most recent phone call was from my wife. She called me from the car while sitting in the driveway. She could’ve just yelled.

TW: The first app you check in the morning is…?

Damon: My Chase banking app. With all the fraud out here I need to know my balance daily (Haha). Actually Instagram is the honest answer

TW: MV is an eclectic mix of people and personalities. Please share a funny or favorite interaction you have had while in MV. Damon: Last year at Lola’s I had a random chat with Bill Murray—yes that Bill Murray.

AUGUST 1ST-3RD, 6TH-9TH & 13TH-16TH, 20TH-23RD, 2018

TONY ROBERTS

D

ubbed the “comedian’s comedian,” Tony T. Roberts’ eclectic, energetic, and frank style has shot him to the upper echelon of comedy increasingly competitive circuit.

However, it was a straight road to the apex…

Tony spent his early years in Detroit, Michigan. He then served a decade in the US Army. The military stint is apropos as many refer to Tony as the “Sergeant of Comedy.”

Tony’s illustrious comedy career began as a challenge. A friend dared Tony to get up on stage and try his hand at stand-up. Tony’s debut was anything but a slam-dunk, yet that initial performance at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, Michigan gave birth to a comedic star.

Indeed, turns include performances at all the major night clubs in the US. And, Tony garnered global acclaim in 2009, when he received a UK nomination for the Best International Comic.

Among Tony’s numerous television appearances are features on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, BET Comic View, and Showtime at the Apollo. In 2010, Tony hosted a one-hour comedy special on Showtime.

This very busy and very funny man lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children. Tony’s answers to some questions for This Week on MV are below.

TW: What life mystery puzzles you the most?

Tony: If man evolved from monkeys, why do we still have monkeys???

TW: This question follows the first with no association, but do you have any advice for US President Donald Trump?

Tony: He should shave his head, wear an ascot, and tell people who he really is: “Lex Luthor” (a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, though on occasions he has established himself as an antihero).

TW:. Who influences you in the comedy world?

Tony: My landlord. Nothing motivates me to be funnier than when the rent is due.

TW: What is your most embarrassing childhood memory?

Tony: When my Mom came to my school wearing a housecoat, moon boots, and her wig that was on crooked. She looked like a hungover Storm Trooper from “Star Wars.” I wanted to kill myself.

TW: What is the funniest name you have ever heard in real life?

Tony: SanDu...my Indian friend...I laugh every time I say it. “If anyone Can Do, its SanDu” TW: What sport that would be the funniest to add alcohol to?

Tony: Jacks--just watch drunks stab their hands trying to scoop ‘em up.

TW: What three things would you bring if you knew you were going to be stranded on an island?

Tony: A gun, a fire starter, and a laptop full of porn.

TW: What movie would be improved as a musical?

Tony: “Friday the 13th.” Jason singing and killing would be Dope!!

TW: What do you think the sexiest name is?

Tony: Peaches.

TW: And the non- sexiest name?

Tony: Pookie TW: Where/what is your favorite place to hang out in MV.?

Tony: The Ink Well...

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seasoned veteran of the professional comedy circuit, Rudy Rush has run the gamut from touring colleges and clubs to becoming the youngest host of the longest-running African-American syndicated show, Showtime at the Apollo.

Riding on his acclaimed Apollo success, Rudy scored a number of major projects with Dave Chappelle and Martin Lawrence, while also appearing on shows including Def Comedy Jam, Jamie Foxx’s Laff-A-Palooza, and Premium Blend.

Rudy has been featured in his own half-hour special on Comedy Central and was the comedic strength on the long-running, nationally syndicated radio show, The Doug Banks Morning Show.

In the mid-2000s, Rudy headlined the nationwide McDonald’s Kids Tour, sponsored by Sears and American Airlines. In 2005, Rudy was TNT’s Retreat featured guest. He has performed in New York City’s famed Central Park, and at corporate functions for Fortune 500 companies including Pepsi and McDonald’s.

On the horizon are more film and TV credits, along with syndicated specials.

Fans call him one of the “funniest guys around” and their “favorite comedian.”

This Week on MV got Rudy to slow down for a quick Q&A. TW: If you die and find out that everyone gets to choose a twelve-foot by twelve-foot square to stay in alone for eternity without being able to influence or contact the living world, what twelve-foot by twelve-foot square would you choose?

Rudy: My Mt. Morris Park/Harlem. (Designated a historic district in 1971

by New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, the area is an enclave of exclusive brownstones.)

TW: The best type of cheese is…?

Rudy: Lactose-free.

TW: What kind of cult would you like to start?

Rudy: I would like to start a Kind Cult.

TW: In one sentence, how would you sum up the internet?

Rudy: The internet is a Cheat Sheet, even better than Cliff Notes.

TW: First think of a product. Now, what would be the absolute worst brand name for one of those products?

Rudy: Slim Fast: The Human Moving Company TW: If the all the states in the USA were represented by food, what food would each state be represented by?

Rudy: 50 Shades of Grapes TW: What are some of the nicknames you have for coworkers?

Rudy: Haters (remember the Kind Cult I want to start) TW: What are some fun and interesting alternatives to war that countries could settle their differences with?

Rudy: Naked Dodgeball TW: If the world was filled with male and female copies of you, what would it be like ?

Rudy: Beautiful and loving---like my beautiful and loving daughters TW: Your favorite MV hang-outs are…?

Rudy: The Inkwell and Biscuits (an Oak Bluffs staple that serves great breakfasts.

RUDY RUSH

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MARTHASVINEYARDCOMEDYFEST.COM

BLACK COMEDY MONTH

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A CELEBRATION A CENTURY IN THE MAKING

black comedian walks into a club in Martha’s Vineyard and BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ (BCM) is born. It’s not a joke, rather it’s a long overdue celebration of how Black comedy has contributed to the cultural canon.

BLACK COMEDY MONTH™, celebrated annually each August, was created to provide a historical perspective on the place Black comedy and comedians hold in the entertainment industry; celebrate African American comedic genius; provide a showcase for both new and established comics to hone and share their craft, and most importantly to make us laugh.

BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ will be a vehicle to promote comedy across the country and include tours, shows, movies, plays, and club dates highlighting not just African Americans comedians, but also celebrating those who make comedy the multi-billion-dollar industry it is today. That includes promoters, club owners, writers, actors and of course fans. BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ will have a particular focus on live events in cities across the country including Chicago and Indianapolis.

Through the use of digital and social media, the team behind BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ will facilitate a conversation about African American comedy, that includes exploring its history and where the genre is going. Each generation has had a unique experience with Black comedy beginning with the vaudeville and minstrel shows of the early 20th century with Bert Fields; to the advent of silent films with characters like Stephin Fetchit; to the Harlem Renaissance with comedians like Nipsy Russell; to early variety television with “Amos and Andy and the Beulah Show; to liberated comedy from Red Foxx; to liberation comedy from Dick Gregory; to Richard Pryor, Whoopi Goldberg, the Wayans Brothers, Robert Townsend, Chris Rock to Dave Chappelle to Kevin Hart. Each generation of comics has captured the zeitgeist of the time to entertain and inform. BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ will provide the insights behind the laughs.

In his book Black Comedians on Black Comedy: How African-Americans Taught Us to Laugh, Darryl J. Littleton, explores the history of African American comedy and how it is always “pushing the envelope, elevating the conversation, messaging inspiration, and increasing the discussion.” BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ will create opportunities for this type of boundary shattering conversation as well as belly laughs, guffaws and side-splitting laughter.

BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ debuted as part the 7th annual Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest™ (MVCF) on August 7, 2017. The brainchild of MVCF Managing Partner Steve Capers, and nationally renowned comedian Damon Williams, the festival found a home in Martha’s Vineyard, the enclave that each summer draws high-profile African-American professionals, politicians, actors, writers, athletes, business owners and good folks who congregate to en-

joy galleries, live music, films, theater, dance, speaker series and, of course, comedy in a wonderfully vibrant and casual environment.

Now the dynamic team behind MVCF is ready to take BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ on the road and opened 2018 by hosting a “Best of the MVCF” in their hometown of Chicago.

Entertainment and media giants like BET and HBO have been longtime supporters of the Martha Vineyard’s Comedy Festival and have expressed interest in continuing the celebration by supporting BLACK COMEDY MONTH™.

Forums for Black comedy are in no short supply in this country, but a national platform to explore and preserve the history of Black Comedy and discuss its future was. No longer, BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ is here. Join us for the celebration and for the laughs.

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