COMEDY

SOMMORE

Sommore reigns as the undisputed “Queen of Comedy." With a winning combo of class and sass, she offers audiences a hilarious, yet piercing look at today’s issues from a woman’s perspective. Frank and fearless, she tackles topics ranging from the mundane to the controversial with wit, intelligence and style. Sommore was the first woman to host BET’s ”Comic View” (1994-1995 season), and received the Richard Pryor Award for Comic of the Year in 1995. She has also hosted Russell Simmons’ “Def Comedy Jam,” and “Showtime at the Apollo.” She was part of 2000’s record-breaking “Queens of Comedy” tour which garnered her a wider fan base and placed her in Guinness’ Book of World Records when she performed to an audience of over 50,000 in Atlanta. Never one to rest on her laurels, Sommore was a featured comic in the “Latham Entertainment Presents” tour in 2002, where she was the only woman performer. In 2002, Sommore made her film debut in Friday After Next. She has also been featured in a number of other films including, Family Reunion (2002), Soul Plane (2004), Something New (2006), and Dirty Laundry (2007). Her TV credits include: “The Hughleys” and “The Parkers,” HBO’s “SNAPS” and MTV’s “Wild ‘N Out.”

ARSENIO HALL

It was the success of his Emmy Award-winning late night talk show “The Arsenio Hall Show” that made Arsenio Hall a household name. In 1987, Arsenio was asked to replace Joan Rivers on the Fox Network series “The Late Show.” On the strength of his work as interim host, he was signed to a film and television deal with Paramount Pictures, which subsequently led to the opportunity to co-write and co-star in the hit (Paramount) comedy “Coming to America.” In 1998, Arsenio joined the cast of the CBS dramedy “Martial Law,” playing “Terrell Parker,” a streetwise L.A.P.D. detective, for two years. He followed this up with a two season stint as Host of the new “Star Search” (CBS). And then, taking on his most challenging task to date, he returned to stand-up comedy and toured for the first time in over a decade.

Arsenio was featured as the comical “Carl Cristall” in Exodus Films’ animated feature “Igor,” in 2008. Arsenio appeared in a memorable cameo starring as “Tasty Freeze” in the highly touted feature comedy “Black Dynamite,” an homage to classic blaxploitation films in 2009, which debuted as a new animated series on Adult Swim in July, 2012. In addition, Arsenio was featured in the HBO Sports Documentary “Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals” which premiered in March, 2010, as well as the A&E two-hour documentary special “The Battle For Late Night,” which premiered in April, 2010. He was featured as a “Guest Mentor” on the OWN Network’s “Your OWN Show,” as well as appearing as guest host on the daily talk show “Access Hollywood LIVE!,” CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight” and “The View.” On May 20, 2012, Arsenio was crowned the “Celebrity Apprentice” for Season 5 of Donald Trump’s hit reality show on NBC, where he competed for his charity, The Magic Johnson Foundation. Most recently, he returned to late-night television as executive producer and host of the CBS Television Distribution/Tribune Broadcasting nationally syndicated “The Arsenio Hall Show,” which aired on stations around the country during the 2013 – 2014 season.

ARNEZ J
While working as a flight attendant, comedian Arnez J discovered his comedic calling. He realized that he had the ability to keep the passengers and crew laughing and with encouragement from friends, he made his first attempt at stand-up comedy. After that first night on stage, he knew what he wanted to do. He left his job with the airlines and made the decision to devote all of his time to a career in comedy. Rapidly becoming one of the most talked about comedians, his charisma and physical agility are unforgettable. With the physicality of Jim Carrey, his brand of comedy has dubbed him “the black Jerry Lewis.”

DON D.C. CURRY
Stand up comic, writer, and actor Don D.C. Curry is best known for starring as Craig’s sex-crazed Uncle Elroy Jones in Next Friday and Friday After Next and for his role on the sitcom Grace Under Fire. He was seen most recently in the TV show Black Jesus in the role of City Councilman Bowers. He got his first start on BET’s Comic View and later hosted the show in 2013.

TOMMY DAVIDSON
An exceptional range from stand-up comedy and acting to versatile music ability have earned Tommy Davidson a reputation as an extraordinary performer. Best known as one of the original stars of the hit TV show In Living Color, his reach is built on the show’s and its stars’ groundbreaking and innovative talent. Starting as a stand-up comedian in Washington DC, he earned an ardent following via hard work in various comedy clubs. As one of the cutting-edge, young stand-ups, he was spotted by huge concert promoters, who booked him as the opening act for major touring acts including Patti LaBelle, Kenny G and Luther Vandross. Then he came to Hollywood performing stand-up at numerous clubs, including the Comedy Act Theatre, where he met Robert Townsend which led to his first national TV appearance with a starring role in “Partners in Crime.” This was the conduit to Keenan Ivory Wayans, who proved instrumental in Davidson’s career by offering the opportunity to audition and join the uniquely talented cast of the most adventurous primetime variety show of its day, In Living Color.

MICHAEL BLACKSON
Michael Blackson, aka: ‘The African King of Comedy’, has been entertaining audiences all across the country and around the globe for more than a decade. Born in Ghana, Michael moved to USA in 1987 and began dreaming of being a stand up comic. Having been inspired by the comedy styling of Eddie Murphy, Blackson developed his comedic talent in the unkind comedy clubs of Philadelphia, PA beginning in 1992. Blackson’s comedic appeal grew from his involvement with BET’s ComicView series, HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, Showtime at Harlem, and Live in Hollywood. However, it was in a Los Angeles comedy club where he got his big break when actor/director Ice Cube was at the Comedy Store (to see Mike Epps perform). But after experiencing Blackson’s performance, Ice Cube invited the young comic for a reading… and the rest is a comedic mark in history! Blackson’s outstanding and unforgettable performance in the smash hit comedy, Next Friday, drew praise and a fan following like no other.