Famous Faces on "Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam"
Some of the greatest names in comedy at their wildest & funniest, rocking the house on this stage.....I will also include the famous stars who are in the audience and who are given a brief acknowledgement for being there.....
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- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
1 brother (deceased) - per TV series "UnSung Hollywood - Bill Bellamy" (S3 Ep7)
Recently aired on TVOne as a repeat on 11/16/2016, It's a Documentary show which details archival film footage and personal, revealing interviews, about the lives and careers of some of the world's most highly talented but sometimes forgotten celebrities from the industry. Credits: Gary Anthony Williams (Narrator).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Himself: Show No. 1
(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 3 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Comedian/Host Adele Givens~- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Flex Alexander was born on 15 April 1970 in New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Snakes on a Plane (2006), One on One (2001) and The Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007). He has been married to Shanice since 14 February 2000. They have two children.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Himself: Show No. 3- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Born David Anthony Love in Bronx, New York, Kid Capri was born creatively ambitious, scaling his family's old Zenith stereo system as an attempt to scratch records before he was even ten years old. Kid first inched his way onto the Hip-Hop scene with the grass-roots approach of club gigs and creating mixtapes. Kid is, in fact, the Prime Minister of mixtapes, as he saw their profit potential early in his career. He managed to turn a small business venture into a $2,000 a night, underground empire! Once others caught on to the economic benefits of mixtapes, they soon followed in Kids footsteps and thus began the Kid Capri bandwagon.
Currently, there is no DJ on Earth more recognizable to both Hip-Hop heads and the general public, largely due to Kid's media sense. His face first became a part of the cultural landscape on the wildly popular Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam where he gave much of the world its first taste of live-performance Hip-Hop, as the first DJ to ever perform live on TV as a DJ. From that, Kid became the most heavily demanded entertainment personality by many of the industry's most respected and successful performers. Kid has toured extensively with multi-platinum artists such as Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, L.L. Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Foxy Brown, NAS, Lil' Kim, Mase, Jay-Z, Usher, R-Kelly, Mary J. Blige, Dru Hill, Ginuwine and Aaliyah, in shows like the 1998 Puff Daddy and the Family Tour.
However, beyond the show stopping performer aspect of Kid, sits another side of him, the meticulous studio-scientist working behind the scenes to lend that extra wisdom to some of hip hops hottest, turned classic records. He revels in the challenge of the ever-changing nature that defines the world of rap music. Prime examples of Kid's versatility are his production credits. He has produced music for power players like Foxy Brown, The Lox, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Heavy-D, KRS-ONE, Slick Rick, Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes, The Lost Boys, Brand Nubian, Camron, Noreaga, Big Pun, Da Ranjahz, Big L and Jermaine Dupri. He participated in national campaigns for Nike, Sprite, Bud Light, Pilot Pens, Lugz Clothing, FUBU Clothing and Diadora footwear.
Previously, Kid has guest hosted for numerous popular shows such as MTV's, "Beat Suite," and BET's "Tigger in the Basement." He was featured in the July 2000 issue of GQ Magazine, and was also featured as the DJ/announcer for the 2000 Source Awards. 2003 was a big year for Kid first he delivered an astonishing performance at the BET Awards. . In addition to spinning at the 2003 TJ Martell Foundation Gala alongside Michelle Branch, Mary J. Blige, Mya and Liz Phair Martha Stewart herself made a personal request for him to spin at her Christmas party. NSYNC followed in her footsteps requesting Kid for their own, private, holiday party. In the years to follow Kid Capri appeared on 2004 VH1 Hip Hop Honors alongside Kid Rock and Grand Master Flash as they paid tribute to DJ Kool Herc, returning in 2006 he to pay tribute to Grand Master Flash. August of the same year, per Diddy's request, Kid Capri performed at his official after party for the MTV Video Music Awards.
At the present time Kid is expanding on his formula for success. The latest artist signed to Kid Capri's label NO KIDN Records is Bronx native Budda Early. In the works right now is The Kid Capri DVD entitled The Craziest Kid soon to be available in stores worldwide, which catches the beat-smith himself, off-guard in his own element.
Kid has far exceeded the expectations of his peers, critics and fans. His love for and careful nurturing of his immense talents has enabled him to represent the music industry in general, but Hip-Hop music in particular, with class and individuality and an intensity unmatched in the music industry. The impact Kid Capri has had, and will continue to have, is immeasurable. There is a steadily increasing demand by many of the industry's top performers for Kids guidance and expertise. He is continually touring, selling out shows in 10,000 seat arenas and balancing his heavy schedule with his favorite and most demanding job: fatherhood.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Shows 1, 2 & 3
Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Shows 1, 2 & 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Himself: Shows No. 1, 2 & 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Himself: Shows No. 1, 2 & 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Himself: Shows No. 1, 2 & 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Himself: Shows No. 1, 2 & 3- Actor
- Director
- Soundtrack
A classically-trained actor with a deeply-rooted seed in theatre, Rocky Carroll has solidified his career in cinema, stage and television with varied and impressive performances. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, as Roscoe Carroll, he attended the prestigious School for Creative and Performing Arts, graduating in 1981 at age 18. Pursuing an interest to expand his knowledge in acting, he went on to attend The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University in St. Louis. For his efforts he earned a BFA. Finally he decided to move to New York to test his acting mettle and started out doing Shakespeare. He graduated to television work after proving himself on the stage, appearing in such series as Chicago Hope (1994), Law & Order (1990), The Game (2006), Boston Legal (2004) and The West Wing (1999). It could be said that his most notable and perhaps breakthrough role, however, came when he was cast as Assisant Director Leon Vance on NCIS (2003). It was a role that reunited him with his "Chicago Hope" cast mate Mark Harmon. His character Vance would later be promoted to Director of NCIS after the death of Director Jenny Shepard, played by Lauren Holly. In 2009, he appeared in a spin-off of the series, NCIS: Los Angeles (2009), joining the process of establishing the Los Angeles-based NCIS office.(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 2 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
Dave Chappelle's career started while he was in high school at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC where he studied theatre arts. At the age of 14, he began performing stand-up comedy in nightclubs. Shortly after graduation, he moved to New York City where he quickly established himself as a major young talent. At the age of 19, Chappelle made his film debut in Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993). Chappelle then starred in the short-lived sitcom, Buddies (1996) and had a featured role in The Nutty Professor (1996).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Himself/Host: Show No. 3- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Ellen Cleghorne was born on 29 November 1965 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Armageddon (1998), Little Nicky (2000) and Coyote Ugly (2000).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Herself: Show No. 1- Actor
- Composer
- Director
Anthony 'Treach' Criss was born on 2 December 1970 in East Orange, New Jersey, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Feast (2005), Juice (1992) and Today You Die (2005). He was previously married to Pepa.(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 1 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~
(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Show No. 1 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~ ”- Actor
- Writer
Mystro Clark was born on 29 December 1966 in Dayton, Ohio, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Men in Black: The Game (1997), Chairman of the Board (1997) and Storm Catcher (1999).Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 2- Producer
- Actress
- Writer
Sandra Denton "Pepa" was born in Kingston, Jamaica on November 7, 1964. Her family moved to Queens, New York, when she was a child. In 1985, while studying nursing at Queens Borough College, she met Cheryl 'Salt' James. They began rapping together. In 1986, they formed Salt-N-Pepa. Sandra made her debut that year, along with Cheryl, on an album called 'Hot, Cool, & Vicious'. In 1988, Spinderella joined Salt-N-Pepa, as their D.J. Sandra, Cheryl and 'Dee Dee' made their second album, 'A Salt with a Deadly Pepa', in 1988. In 1990, Sandra had her first child, named Tyran. Since then, she has made a guest appearance on Ricki Lake (1992), teaching teens the responsibilities of being a teenage mother.(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Show No. 3 : Herself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Comedian/Host Ricky Harris~ ”- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Cedric the Entertainer is an African-American comedian and actor known for being one of the Original Kings of Comedy. He is also known for his roles in the Barbershop trilogy, the Madagascar trilogy, The Steve Harvey Show, Ice Age, Planes, The Soul Man and The Neighborhood. He has had three children with Lorna Wells.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Host: Show No. 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Host: Show No. 2- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Mike Epps was born on 18 November 1970 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), Friday After Next (2002) and The Hangover (2009). He has been married to Kyra Robinson Epps since 23 June 2019. They have two children. He was previously married to Mechelle McCain.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Himself: Show No. 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Himself: Show No. 1- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Eddie Griffin was born on 15 July 1968 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999), John Q (2002) and Norbit (2007).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Himself: Show No. 2- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Broderick Stephen Harvey, Sr. is an American television host, actor, writer, producer, and comedian. He hosts The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Family Feud, Celebrity Family Feud, the Miss Universe competition, Family Feud Africa, and the arbitration-based court comedy Judge Steve Harvey.
Harvey began his career as a comedian. He performed stand-up comedy in the early 1980s and hosted Showtime at the Apollo and The Steve Harvey Show on The WB. He was later featured in The Original Kings of Comedy after starring in the Kings of Comedy Tour. His last stand-up show was in 2012.
Harvey is the host of both Family Feud and Celebrity Family Feud, holding this role since 2010. He also hosted Little Big Shots, Little Big Shots Forever Young, and Steve Harvey's Funderdome. As an author, he has written four books, including his bestseller Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, which was published in March 2009.
In 2017, Harvey founded Steve Harvey Global, an entertainment company that houses his production company East 112 and various other ventures. He launched an African version of Family Feud and also invested in the HDNet takeover along with Anthem Sports and Entertainment. He and his wife Marjorie are the founders of The Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on youth education.
He is a seven-time Daytime Emmy Award winner, two-time Marconi Award winner, and a 14-time NAACP Image Award winner in various categories.Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 1
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Himself/Host: Show No. 2- Producer
- Director
- Actor
Warrington Hudlin was born on 16 July 1952 in East Saint Louis, Illinois, USA. He is a producer and director, known for Cosmic Slop (1994), Boomerang (1992) and House Party (1990).(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 3 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Comedian/Host Adele Givens~- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
L.L. Cool J was born James Todd Smith in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, the son of Ondrea Griffith and James Louis Smith, Jr.
Todd, as he was called, did not have a very happy childhood. At the age of four, he saw his mother and grandfather shot by his own father. After they recovered from their injuries, his mother began to date a young physical therapist she met while in the hospital. The therapist treated Ondrea kindly, but for years he abused Todd physically and verbally, which resulted in Todd becoming a bully himself. It was during this period that he started wearing hats all the time (one of L.L. Cool J's trademarks is the fact that people never see him without a hat on--until recently). Fortunately, Ondrea finally discovered what this man was doing to her son and left him.
As he grew older, Todd found a way to escape the effects of his abuse and his bullying attitude: hip-hop music. He fell in love with it at the age of nine, and by 11 he was writing lyrics and making his own songs with some DJ equipment his grandfather gave him. At 15, he and one of his best friends came up with his present stage name, L.L. Cool J, which means "Ladies Love Cool James."
In 1984, when L.L. was 16, he met Rick Rubin, a student at NYU, who gave him his big break in music. Rick really liked L.L.'s music and decided to try to get him a record deal. Together, they made the single "I Need a Beat" and sent it to an artist manager named Russell Simmons. Simmons loved the single, and, in the same year, Rick and Russell co-founded the famous Def Jam Recordings; L.L.'s debut album, "Radio," released in 1985, after securing a distribution deal for Def Jam with Columbia/CBS Records, was the label's first long-playing release. Even today, L.L. is considered one of Def Jam's most prized possessions.
1985 was also the year L.L. started his acting career. He first appeared in Krush Groove (1985), which is a semi-biographical account of the early days of Def Jam Recordings. L.L. had a cameo appearance in the film. In 1986, L.L. also had a cameo appearance in the movie Wildcats (1986) and also wrote that movie's theme song. After that, L.L. took a break from film and concentrated more on his first love: music. His career took off, and after every one of his albums hit platinum-selling status, he was (and still is) regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time.
After a few years, he had small roles in a few other films, but was still better known for his music. All this changed in 1995. By this time he was a happily married 27-year-old with three children. His first starring film, Out-of-Sync (1995), had also been released. It didn't do very well at the box office, but it got him noticed by executives at NBC-TV, who wanted to give him a part in a sitcom they were going to air. This sitcom was In the House (1995), which showed L.L.'s acting ability; the show stayed on the air until 1999.
He had been offered several films roles during the run of the show and decided to accept a part in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998). Its success resulted in L.L. being cast in bigger and better film roles, and he has acted alongside such stars as Whoopi Goldberg, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Lee Curtis, James Woods, Al Pacino, Omar Epps, Pam Grier, Stanley Tucci, and Dennis Quaid, to name a few.
In 2000, he was finally rewarded for his acting talent. That year he won a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for the best supporting actor in the action film Deep Blue Sea (1999). Even though his film career has taken off, he hasn't forgotten his love of hip-hop music. In 1998, he was planning to retire from hip-hop and just concentrate on his film career, but he later decided to keep dividing his time between both fields. L.L. is not only known as one of the greatest MCs of all time, but he is also known as a great actor.(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 2 : Himself (uncredited cameo)
~Not acknowledge by anyone but is sitting behind Spike Lee!~- Actor
- Composer
- Writer
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs in hip hop. Rolling Stone ranked his song "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" number 25 on its list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, calling him "a master wordsmith of rap's late-golden age and a huge influence on a generation of MCs".(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 2 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Kid Capri & Martin Lawrence~- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an African-American comedian, producer, writer, director and actor. He is known for his roles in the Bad Boys trilogy, Martin, Def Comedy Jam, Big Momma's House, Open Season, House Party, Boomerang, Wild Hogs, What's Happening Now!!, Nothing to Lose, Life and Blue Streak. He has three daughters.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Host: Show No. 1
Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Host: Show No. 1
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Host: Shows No. 1 & 2
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Host: Shows No. 1 & 2
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Host: Show No. 3- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Spike Lee was born Shelton Jackson Lee on March 20, 1957, in Atlanta, Georgia. At a very young age, he moved from pre-civil rights Georgia, to Brooklyn, New York. Lee came from artistic, education-grounded background; his father was a jazz musician, and his mother, a schoolteacher. He attended school in Morehouse College in Atlanta and developed his film making skills at Clark Atlanta University. After graduating from Morehouse, Lee attended the Tisch School of Arts graduate film program. He made a controversial short, The Answer (1980), a reworking of D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation (1915), a ten-minute film. Lee went on to produce a 45-minute film Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads (1983) which won a student Academy Award. In 1986, Spike Lee made the film, She's Gotta Have It (1986), a comedy about sexual relationships. The movie was made for $175,000, and earned $7 million at the box office, which launched his career and allowed him to found his own production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks. His next movie was School Daze (1988), which was set at a historically black school, focused mostly on the conflict between the school and the Fraternities, of which he was a strong critic, portraying them as materialistic, irresponsible, and uncaring. With his School Daze (1988) profits, Lee went on to make his landmark film, Do the Right Thing (1989), a movie based specifically his own neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. The movie portrayed the racial tensions that emerge in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood on one very hot day. The movie garnered Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay, for Danny Aiello for supporting actor, and sparked a debate on racial relations. Lee went on to produce and direct the jazz biopic Mo' Better Blues (1990), the first of many Spike Lee films to feature Denzel Washington, including the biography of Malcolm X (1992), in which Washington portrayed the civil rights leader. The movie was a success, and garnered an Oscar nomination for Washington. The pair would work together again on He Got Game (1998), an excursion into the collegiate world showing the darker side of college athletic recruiting, as well as the 2006 film Inside Man (2006). Spike Lee's role as a documentarian has expanded over the years, highlighted by his participation in Lumière and Company (1995), the Oscar-nominated 4 Little Girls (1997), to his Peabody Award-winning biographical adaptation of Black Panther leader in A Huey P. Newton Story (2001), through his 2005 Emmy Award-winning examination of post-Katrina New Orleans in When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006) and its follow-up five years later If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise (2010). Through his production company 40 Acres and A Mule Filmworks, Lee continues to create and direct both independent films and projects for major studios, as well as working on story development, creating an internship program for aspiring filmmakers, releasing music, and community outreach and support. He is married to Tonya Lewis Lee, and they have two sons, Satchel and Jackson.(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 2 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~- Actor
- Producer
If you ever wanted a 6' 5", musclebound, broad-shouldered, shaved-head actor to play a terrifying bodyguard, a soldier of fortune or a fearsome gangster, then Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr. was your man. The basketball player turned actor, who notched up appearances in roughly 132 films, first popped up in roles such as a prison guard in Runaway Train (1985), Andy Garcia's bodyguard in 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) and Powers Boothe's bodyguard in Extreme Prejudice (1987). Hardly diminutive, 6' 5" Lister was not just a recognizable figure on screen, but also a highly accomplished actor. Originally a professional wrestler known by the names "Zeus" and "ZGangsta" for the WWE (Formerly WWF), Tiny left wrestling in the mid 1980s to pursue an acting career. He worked with some of the best actors and directors, in a wide net of genres - from thriller to science fiction and drama to comedy.
Tommy "Tiny" Lister grew up in Compton, California, but chose to break the curses of his generation at an early age. He stayed away from gang life, choosing instead to stay at home and watch westerns. He chose religion over wrongdoing, and developed an interest in films and television early. Growing up watching Gary Cooper, Jimmy Stewart, Charlton Heston and Errol Flynn allowed Tiny a chance to dream, and he envisioned his own life on film and television, creating characters on celluloid that transcended gender and color. With his will set in stone, Tiny went out to make it possible. Tiny made his feature film debut in Runaway Train (1985) with Jon Voight, and spent the next few years learning the craft and appearing in films heavy in action and in talent: 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) with Andy Garcia, Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) with Eddie Murphy, and No Holds Barred (1989) with fellow WWE (WWF at the time) wrestler Hulk Hogan.
In the 1990s, Tiny expanded his resume, continuing to make his mark in films with the best in the business. He joined Johnny Depp and the legendary Marlon Brando in the quirky Don Juan DeMarco (1994) and worked with director Quentin Tarantino and actor Andy Garcia in Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995). He would later work again with Tarantino in Jackie Brown (1997). Lister's 1990s career benefited from the decade's surge in African-American filmmaking, beginning with his starring role in Mario Van Peebles's western Posse (1993), in which he was thrilled to star with his childhood idol Woody Strode. In a move that was sure to cement his popularity with young audiences across the country, Tiny went on to star as neighborhood bully "Deebo" opposite Ice Cube in the cult comedy Friday (1995), reprising the role for the successful sequel Next Friday (2000). After appearing in comedian Martin Lawrence's A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996), Lister played a supporting role in Ice Cube's directorial debut The Players Club (1998) and appeared in Master P's I Got the Hook Up (1998). He also starred in a slew of B-horror films including Soulkeeper (2001), Hellborn (2003) and Dracula 3000 (2004).
Tiny continued with his wide, often eclectic range of roles, and expanded on his original "fierce bodyguard" roles to include comedic and rather quirky performances. He played the President in director Luc Besson's science fiction epic The Fifth Element (1997) opposite Bruce Willis and worked with Adam Sandler in Little Nicky (2000), as well as Mike Meyers and Mike Myers in Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002). He joined Dustin Hoffman, Andy Garcia and Rachel Weisz in the crime thriller Confidence (2003). Tiny worked with some of the greatest directors (Quentin Tarantino, Luc Besson, John Frankenheimer), many of our most noted actors (Marlon Brando, Samuel L. Jackson, Johnny Depp, Peter O'Toole) and a good share of the top talent in wrestling and rap (Hulk Hogan, 50 Cent and Tupac Shakur, respectively). His wrestling exploits can be seen on Summerslam (1989), Survivor Series (1989) and WWF Superstars (1986).
However, it was Tiny's devotion to ministry and public speaking that made the biggest impression. Along with his wife Felicia, Tiny ministered across the country, reaching out to troubled youth, and sharing his powerful testimony and inspiration in churches and schools.
Tommy "Tiny" Lister may not have been an A list star, but he was certainly one of Hollywood's most instantly recognizable and busiest character actors, until his death on December 10, 2020, in Marina del Rey, California. He was 62.*Guest in the audience*
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Show No. 1 : Himself (cameo)
~Made Fun of by comedian Mike Epps who was making a joke of a "dead eye" man and Lister jumps on stage to grab Epps!~- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Langston Faizon Santisima is an African-American actor and comedian from Santiago de Cuba known for Wanda from Elf, Big Worm from Friday, Sean "Sweet" Johnson from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Jahmal Abdul Jackson from The Replacements, Bruce the Bear from Zookeeper, Robin Harris from Bébé's Kids and Maurice from The Meteor Man.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Himself: Show No. 2
*Guest in the audience*
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Show No. 2 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Cedric the Entertainer~- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Bernard Jeffrey McCollough was born in 1957 in Chicago, the son of Mary McCullough and Jeffery Harrison. He grew up in the city, in a rougher neighborhood than most others, with a large family living under one roof. This situation provided him with a great insight into his comedy, as his family, and the situations surrounding them would be what dominated his comedy. Mac worked in the Regal Theater, and performed in Chicago parks in his younger days. He became a professional comedian in 1977, at the age of 19. He refused to change his image for television and films, and therefore was not very well known for most of the eighties. In 1992 he made his film debut with a small part with Mo' Money (1992). This started a plethora of small parts in a string of movies, mostly comedies, including Who's the Man? (1993), House Party 3 (1994) and The Walking Dead (1995). 1995 proved to be a turning point in his career. He did an HBO Special called Midnight Mac (1995), and took a part as Pastor Clever in the Chris Tucker comedy Friday (1995). Bernie Mac developed a cult following due to the film. In 1996. he starred in the memorable Spike Lee movie Get on the Bus (1996), and was very funny in Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996). About this time he had a recurring role in the TV series Moesha (1996). Bernie Mac's star was slowly rising from this point. His next couple of movie parts were more substantial, including How to Be a Player (1997) and The Players Club (1998). In 1999 Bernie Mac got his most high profile part up to that point in the film Life (1999) starring Eddie Murphy.
The new century started a new era for the brash Chicago comedian. He was a featured comedian in The Original Kings of Comedy (2000). This performance made him more of a household name, and led to many more major parts. In 2001 he played Martin Lawrence's uncle in What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001) and later that year, was in the star studded remake of Ocean's Eleven (2001). However his biggest success was The Bernie Mac Show (2001), which debuted in 2001 to instant acclaim. However, soon after the series ended, Mac's health took a turn for the worse. He developed sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease which causes inflammation in the lungs. On August 9, 2008, after weeks of unsuccessful treatments, Bernie Mac died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He was 50.
Bernie Mac was a comedian who refused to change his image for Hollywood and said that his life in Chicago was who he was, and there was nothing that could change that. He was a mature comedian who was very intelligent and engaging in his television, film and stand-up appearances.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 1- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Tisha Michelle Campbell was born on October 13, 1968 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma & raised in Newark, New Jersey. Her first TV appearance was at the age of 8 on episode #006 of the PBS show, The Big Blue Marble (1974). The show featured stories on the life and culture of children from around the world. In her segment, Tisha was shown playing with her brother, going to school with her mother who was also her voice coach, and singing at a jazz concert in New York's Greenwich Village.*Guest in the audience*
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Show No. 3 : Herself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~- Writer
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Paul Mooney was born on 4 August 1941 in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for Bamboozled (2000), Brewster's Millions (1985) and Pryor's Place (1984). He was married to Yvonne Mooney. He died on 19 May 2021 in Oakland, California, USA.Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 2- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Mo'Nique received a standing ovation when she stepped on stage for the first time in her hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, giving her confidence to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian. After numerous stand-up performances, she took a leap forward with one of the starring roles in The Parkers (1999).
Mo'Nique's huge international breakthrough came with her performance in the independent feature film Precious (2009), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and over 30 other major awards for best acting including the most important ones like the Golden Globe, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, the New York Film Critics Circle Award, the Chicago Film Critics Association Award, the Independent Spirit Award, the Screen Actors Guild Award, the National Society of Film Critics Award, the BAFTA Film Award and Sundance Film Festival's Special Jury Prize.Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Herself: Show No. 2- Casting Director
- Producer
- Casting Department
(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 1 : Herself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Craig Robinson is an African-American actor, singer, musician and comedian who is known for portraying Darryl Philbin from The Office, LeVar Brown from The Cleveland Show, Doug Judy from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Cookie from Shrek Forever After, himself from This Is The End, and Nick Webber-Agnew from Hot Tub Time Machine. He also worked in several films that starred Seth Rogen including Sausage Party and Pineapple Express.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Himself: Show No. 2- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Christopher Julius Rock was born in Andrews, South Carolina and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. He is the son of Rosalie (Tingman), a teacher and social worker for the mentally handicapped, and Julius Rock, a truck driver and newspaper deliveryman, whose own father was a preacher.
Rock has been in stand-up comedy for several decades. He made his big screen debut in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) and spent three years on the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975). He does commercials for 1-800 Collect and Nike and covered the presidential campaign for the show Politically Incorrect (1993). He lives in Alpine, New Jersey.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Host: Show No. 2- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Russell Simmons was born on 4 October 1957 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for The Nutty Professor (1996), Dude, Where's My Car? (2000) and It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010). He was previously married to Kimora Lee Simmons.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Shows 1, 2, & 3
Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Shows 1, 2 & 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Himself: Shows No. 1, 2 & 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Himself: Shows No. 1, 2 & 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Himself: Shows No. 1, 2 & 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Himself: Shows No. 1, 2 & 3- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Chicago native Aries Spears discovered his comedic abilities at the young age of 14, when he started doing his own comedy routine around his hometown. By the age of 17, he landed a part in the movie Home of Angels (1995), starring Abe Vigoda, Sherman Hemsley and Joe Frazier. Spears' additional film credits include The Pest (1997) opposite John Leguizamo, Jerry Maguire (1996), Out-of-Sync (1995), Malcolm X (1992) and Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998).
Spears' first television appearance was cable's Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam (1992), followed by Showtime at the Apollo (1987).
He moved to Los Angeles in 1992, landed a recurring role on A Different World (1987) and became a regular at The Comedy Store, The Improv and The Laugh Factory.
Shortly thereafter, Spears was cast in a starring role opposite Glenn Frey in South of Sunset (1993). His additional television credits include _"Crosstown Traffic" (1995) (TV Movie)_, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993) and Soul Train (1971). Spears also lent his voice to the animated series C-Bear and Jamal (1996)Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Himself: Show No. 1
* was 16yrs old when he made this appearance!*- Alex Thomas Jr. is an American Actor and stand-up comedian who was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. Thomas first broke into the entertainment business as a teenage dancer on the hit long running TV show Soul Train. While on Soul Train he became great friends with one of the stars of the show, Rosie Perez. After High school Rosie Perez became the choreographer on the hit TV show In Living Color. Alex soon after became her Asst. choreographer for the first two seasons of the show. While working on the show Alex met Keenan Ivory Wayans and his brother Damon Wayans who were the producers of the show. The brothers talked Thomas into doing stand-up comedy and the rest was history. After being influenced by the brothers, two years later Thomas began to appear on every comedy show on TV. These shows included: BET's Comic View, Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, An evening at the Improv, The Arsenio Hall Show, The Jay Leno Show and eventually the star of his own one hour comedy special on Showtime entitled "Straight Clownin". His comedy special had a plethora of guest stars including Tyra Banks, Jamie Foxx, Will Smith, Shaquille O'Neal and Dr. Dre. In 1994 Will Smith, star of the hit TV show: The Fresh Prince of Bel Air found Thomas as an amateur comedian at the world famous Laugh Factory in Hollywood, California and added him to the hit sitcoms writing staff. As a member of the staff, Alex wrote on the sitcom for its remaining last three seasons. While touring around the country as a successful stand-up comedian opening up for stars like Daman Wayans, Mark Curry and Bill Cosby, Thomas also starred in several motion pictures such as: Don't be a menace to South Central While drinking your juice in the Hood, BAPS, The Players Club, Two can Play that Game, The Wash, Just Married, Women Thou art Loosed, Why do Fools fall in Love and several other films. With film being his passion, Thomas was no stranger to TV. He did several guest appearances on shows such as: Moesha, Martin, The Parkers, All of Us, Hangin with Mr. Cooper and then finally got his own shot as a series regular on The Jamie Foxx show, where he played the role of "Phil" aka "Phino". Alex was also a reoccurring character on the hit show, Family Guy, as well as other popular animated series including: Batman and Beyond, King of the Hill and The Cleveland Show. In 2001 Alex Hosted the biggest Tour in hip hop history. This legendary tour was the "Up in Smoke Tour". The tour was with artist such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Eminem. On this tour Thomas hosted in all 49cities as a stand-up comedian. In 2009-10 Alex was voted "College comic of the year", with this Alex performed at over 100 colleges in that period of time. Today Thomas is one of the stars of Mr. Box Office on the CW Network. The show also stars Bill Bellamy, Jon Lovitz, Tim Meadows, Viveca Fox, Essence Atkins, Rick Fox, Tony Roberts and Gary Busey.
He has four brothers: Jelani, Omari, Shomar and Iman. Alex was raised by his parents Mary and Alex Sr. His mother Mary was a classical pianist and his father was an accomplished R&B musician and producer with the famous band Earth Wind & Fire in the early days of the band. As a child Alex went to an all-white private school called Berkeley Hall in Beverly Hills. His parents bused him out of the tough South Central neighborhood so that he wouldn't get caught up into the gang lifestyle and the streets. One of Alex's first jokes as a stand-up comedian was "By 13 I had been to more Bar Mitzvahs than Bar-B-Q's!!" Alex graduated from Fairfax High school in Los Angeles. He gave college a shot at Santa Monica College and Cal State Northridge, but the college life just didn't work out for him. Thomas dropped out of college after one year and pursued a career in entertainment.
Alex has a pediatric cancer foundation called "The Alex Thomas Foundation". Thomas does a huge golf tournament every summer in Los Angeles called "The Alex Thomas celebrity Classic". This tournament goes directly to benefiting pediatric cancer research. Alex is an avid 15 handicap golfer and has played courses all over the world including St. Andrews, Scotland, Pebble Beach, California and Beth Page in New York. Alex is known as "The ghetto Tiger Woods" and he is called "Inglewood's".Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Himself: Show No. 2 - Music Department
- Actor
- Composer
Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born Jonathan William Davis better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American rapper, record producer, singer, and DJ. Nicknamed The Abstract, he is noted for his innovative jazz-influenced style of hip hop production and his philosophical, esoteric and introspective lyrical themes. He embarked on his music career in the late 1980s, as an MC and main producer of the influential alternative hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. In the mid-1990s, he co-founded the production team The Ummah, followed by the release of his gold-certified solo debut Amplified in 1999. In the following decade, he released the Grammy Award-nominated album The Renaissance (2008) and the experimental album Kamaal the Abstract (2009).(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Show No. 1 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~ ”- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Joe Torry was born on 28 September 1965 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Poetic Justice (1993), Tales from the Hood (1995) and NCIS (2003). He has been married to Crystal Torry since 2001. They have three children.Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Host: Show No. 2
Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Host: Show No. 3- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
At one point in time, Chris Tucker was the highest-paid actor in Hollywood.
Tucker was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to Mary Louise (Bryant) and Norris Tucker, who owned a janitorial service. After graduating from high school, Tucker made a change to move to Hollywood from Georgia to pursue a career in show business. He found himself a frequent guest on the Def Comedy Jam (1992). Tucker was noted for doing exceptionally "clean", non-vulgar stand-up comedy routines. Tucker states his inspirations for comedy are Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor.
Tucker made his film debut in House Party 3 (1994), along side stars such as Bernie Mac, Marques Houston, and Khandi Alexander. In 1995 Tucker appeared in one of his most notable and hilarious films, Friday (1995), alongside Ice Cube. Tucker's character, Smokey, was a drug addict who was an energetic and outlandish person. Films such as Friday (1995) showed Tucker's television-comedy styling was very different from his stand-up. In 1995, Tucker also appeared in in another film, Dead Presidents (1995).
In 1997 was the busiest year of Tucker's career. He starred in three hit movies all in the same year: The Fifth Element (1997), Money Talks (1997), and Jackie Brown (1997).
In 1998, Tucker got a role to star along-side Jackie Chan. The movie was Rush Hour (1998) and it grossed more than $200 million worldwide. This resulted in two additional sequels, Rush Hour 2 (2001) and Rush Hour 3 (2007). In 2006, Tucker got a deal on his Rush Hour 3 (2007) contract that paid $25 million, making him the highest-paid actor in Hollywood at that time.
In 2001, Tucker also was in a music video with friend, pop legend Michael Jackson, in the music video, "You Rock My World."Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 1- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
George Wallace was born on 21 July 1952 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Batman Forever (1995), The Ladykillers (2004) and The Wash (2001).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Host: Show No. 1- Visual Effects
Xueping Li is known for The Trough (2018).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Himself: Show No. 3- After attending San Jose State University in California, she began her entertainment career as a stand up comic, touring the comedy club circuit. One of her first on-screen appearances was as a recurring member of the cast of the short lived sitcom Thea. Yvette went on to land more on screen roles including Def Comedy Jam, the films House Party 3 and Poetic Justice among many others. Her most noted role was that of Andell Wilkerson on the UPN sitcom Moesha and its spin-off The Parkers. In recent years she managed a record label Fat Daddy Records and worked in real estate. Yvette died at the age of 48, after battling cervical cancer and kidney failure.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Herself: Show No. 2 - Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affiliate Cappadonna later became an official member. Wu-Tang Clan are regarded as a highly influential group in hip hop, helping to popularize and develop the East Coast hip hop and hardcore hip hop styles.(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Show No. 3 : Themselves (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Comedian/Host Ricky Harris~ ”- Arceneaux & Mitchell is known for The Uptown Comedy Club (1992), Def Comedy Jam (1992) and Comic Justice (1993).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Themselves: Show No. 2
(Comedians:Curtis Arsenal and Norman Mitchell) - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Nathaniel Martin Stroman (born May 29,1963), best known as "Earthquake", is an American stand-up comedian, actor, voice artist and radio personality. He presently hosts a radio show entitled, Quakeshouse for SiriusXM and Kevin Hart's Laugh Out Loud Network. Earthquake performed a half-hour HBO special as part of the series One Night Stand, which first aired on August 26, 2005. His collection of comedy specials are lauded fan collectibles and are the stuff of legends. His film credits include a small role in Kevin Smith's cult classic film Clerks II (2006), and a supporting role in the film, The Longshots (2008). He has made numerous television appearances including a recurring role on CBS sitcom The Neighborhood (2018-2021) starring Cedric The Entertainer, cameos on South Side (2019), In the Cut (2017), and more. Earthquake's additional television credits include a recurring role as Chris' Uncle Mike, on Everybody Hates Chris. He voiced Root the Rooster in the 2006 CGI film, Barnyard and in the video game of the same title, and continues to do so on the TV series spin-off, Back at the Barnyard.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Himself: Show No. 3- Actor
- Writer
Greer Barnes is known for Joker (2019), For Love of the Game (1999) and The Jungle of Accounting (2020).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Himself: Show No. 1- Darcel Blagmon was a writer, known for Martin (1992) and Def Comedy Jam (1992). He died on 6 January 2020 in Richmond, Virginia, USA.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Himself: Show No. 2
(as "The Fat Doc") - Actor
- Art Department
- Writer
Mike Bonner is known for GWAR: Dawn of the Day of the Night of the Penguins (1998), GWAR: Rendezvous with Ragnarok (1997) and GWAR: Live from Antarctica (1990).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 3- Doo-Doo Brown is known for All the Devils Are Here (2014), Detroit 1-8-7 (2010) and Riding Big: The Movie (2016).Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 1 - Actress
- Soundtrack
Olivia Brown was born on 10 April 1960 in Livonia, Michigan, USA. She is an actress, known for Throw Momma from the Train (1987), 48 Hrs. (1982) and Miami Vice (1984). She is married to James Okonkwo. They have two children. She was previously married to Mykelti Williamson.(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 2 : Herself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~- Tony Brown was born on 17 August 1953 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Florida College Comedy Tour on Fire, Blink of an Eye (2008) and Def Comedy Jam (1992). He died on 21 October 2021 in Detroit, Michigan, USA.Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 3 - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
A native of Chicago, Michael Colyar made his mark as "The King of Venice Beach." For nine years, he performed five shows a day, leaving a positive imprint on the crowd with his thought-provoking humor. As his hard work begun paying off and with his comedic star on the rise, he was honored by the city of Venice by placing his shoe and hand prints as well as his money grabber in cement of the new Venice Boardwalk.
Colyar gained national attention after capturing the Grand Prize Comedy championship and $100,000 on the popular television show "Star Search." He donated half of his winnings to homeless charities in the Los Angeles area. And continues to give back to this day.
As "The Original Host" of "BET Live From LA", his point blank delivery and razor-sharp insight deeply connected to its over 55 million viewers coast to coast.
Over the past 15 years, he has built his television & film career working with such luminaries as John Singleton, Eddie Murphy, Bernie Mac & Oprah Winfrey.
In 2011, he was the voice of Buford the frog in Disney's 1st Black animated film "The Princess and the Frog." He is also a voice on the "Cleveland Show."
Encouraged by motivational speaker Les Brown, Colyar has began his own "Motivational Speaking"...telling his incredible story of struggle and triumph to his audiences around the world while writing his soon to be released book "Michael Goes Motivational." As well as Poetry Book for Adult Children "Miss Innocent Goes To Kool Skool and Other Silly Stuff."
In 2012, his passion project "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the White House, I Knocked on the Door and a Black Man Answered" will be released. It is a cutting edge documentary Mr. Colyar created, stars and produced about the historical importance, current success and the irrefutable cause for re-election of the President Obama administration.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Himself: Show No. 3- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Don 'D.C.' Curry was born on 7 September 1961 in Forth Worth, Texas, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Next Friday (2000), Friday After Next (2002) and Two Degrees (2001).Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Himself: Show No. 1- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Writer
A class clown since his earliest years, Mark quickly learned that a wild sense of humor could take him places. While working at a drugstore after quitting college he honed and polished a comedy act that he regularly practiced on customers. It was these customers, as well as his family and friends, who finally encouraged Mark to try his stand-up routine at area comedy clubs. With legendary comedian Richard Pryor as his inspiration, Mark made his debut in Oakland and eventually became the city's most sought-after stand-up comic. His success there paved the way for comedy-club bookings all over the worldDef Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Host: Show No. 1- Sonya D. is known for BET's Comicview (1992), Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 11 (1999) and VH1 Goes Inside (2003).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Herself: Show No. 3 - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Dean Edwards was born on 30 July 1970 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Spider-Man 3 (2007), Top Five (2014) and Goyband (2008).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Himself: Show No. 3- Actor
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Aaron Hall was born on 10 August 1964 in Bronx, New York, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Juice (1992), Boomerang (1992) and Alpha Dog (2006).(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 2 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~
*His brother and fellow member of "Guy", Damion Hall is also there*- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Maija DiGiorgio is a comedian, filmmaker. Maija's special "Maija Pinion" is now available now on Amazon Prime & AppleTV, it's already receiving rave reviews. Maija just recently recorded her first hour length special for Comedy Dynamics, "Maija! Maija! Maija!" as part of the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC. Her one woman show IncogNegro was part of the summer series at the prestigious Here theater in SoHo. She is in the process of recording her first comedy album with 800 Pound Gorilla Records.
Since her impressive start in comedy, Maija has taken her talents to countless prestigious venues worldwide-including the Beacon Theater, the New Orleans Essence Festival, and Scotland's Edinburgh Festival-as well as TV performances across most major networks including HBO's Def Comedy Jam, NBC's comics unleashed, Fox's Laughs, Uncontrolled Comedy Hour, Bet's Comic View, and Showtime's Michael Vick Comedy Explosion. Through her work, she has had the opportunity to perform alongside many industry standouts-including Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Bill Burr, Dane Cook, Wanda Sykes, Louis CK, Mike Epps, and Tracy Morgan. Maija has been described as Fantastic by Dave Chappelle and been referred to her as A star! by Bill Burr and Fred Silverman. Maija's comedy explicitly examines the complexities of what it means to be a mixed race, multicultural woman. Through the context of trivial topics like dating, family, and daily observations, her witty nature and playful charisma, she is able to dissect heavy subject matter in a way that's hilarious, entertaining, and in a dialect that any culture can understand.
Maija has developed her reputation as an enthralling comedic performer because, outside of standup, she is a notably well-rounded entertainer. Influenced by her mother Sylvia Copeland-renowned concert vocalist and piano prodigy-and Uncle Henry Le Tang-Tony Award Winning choreographer-Maija has always channeled her work through a variety of artistic mediums. She's applied her Meisner acting training towards performing her one-woman, Shakespearean play "Rats!" from New York to California. She's directed the film "Bitter Jester", receiving rave reviews from Variety and The New York Times. She's also established herself as a radio personality co-hosting Hot 97's "The Morning Show with Ed and Maija". It is clear, whether she be telling jokes, acting in plays, making movies, delivering radio, creating sketches, playing drums, singing jazz, or committing to any outlet of her choosing, Maija is clearly an elite performer through and through. Presently, Maija is currently working on her upcoming comedy special "IncogNegro".Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Herself: Show No. 3- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Adele Givens was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is known for The Players Club (1998), Beauty Shop (2005) and Martin (1992).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Host: Show No. 3- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Ricky Harris was born October 5, 1965 in Long Beach, California as Richard George Harris II. He was an actor known for roles in Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009), Bones (2001), Moesha (1996-2001), Poetic Justice (1993), and Dope (2015). He gained fame after appearing on HBO's Def Comedy Jam in the 1990s. Harris was the voice of various skits on Snoop Dogg albums, Characters such as DJ EZ DICC, Saul-T-Nutz, and Taadow. He was married to former television personality and rapper Dee Barnes with whom he had two children with. Harris Died on December 26, 2016 of a heart attack.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Host: Show No. 3- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
DJ Hurricane was born in Queens, New York, USA. He is known for 30 Minutes or Less (2011), Shrek Forever After (2010) and True Blood (2008).(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 3 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Comedian/Host Adele Givens~- Actor
- Writer
Arnez J. is known for The Stuff (2018), Up Against the 8 Ball (2004) and Eazy-E: Real Muthaphuckkin G's (1993).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Himself: Show No. 1
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Himself: Show No. 2- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Cheryl R. 'Salt' James was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 28, 1966. While attending Queens Borough Colege, she met Sandra 'Pepa' Denton. She and Sandra were both studying nursing. Together, they formed Salt-N-Pepa, a rap group, in 1986. In 1988, Deidre 'Spinderella' Roper joined the group. Cheryl made her debut in acting, along with Sandra and Deidre, in Stay Tuned (1992). Cheryl has also made guest appearances, some with Salt-N-Pepa, on shows like Ricki Lake (1992) and Hollywood Squares (1998).(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Show No. 3 : Herself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Comedian/Host Ricky Harris~ ”- Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Himself: Show No. 2 - Alonzo 'Hamburger' Jones is known for Def Comedy Jam (1992), Showtime at the Apollo (1987) and Comics Unleashed (2006).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 1
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Himself: Show No. 3 - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Gerald Kelly was born in the Bronx, New York, the eldest of four and raised by a single mom. As a youngster, his point of view about life made him a class favorite.
Kelly would often captivate the students and teachers by telling stories, spontaneously poking fun at anyone who dared to challenge his comic ability. He even impersonated teachers' voices on the P.A. "This is a fire drill!!" All hell would break loose and he'd disappear into the school crowd without getting caught. Actually, he would be the first to stand near his teacher outside the school, "Are they going to send us home? Are we going to be safe?" One of his teachers looked down at him one day and said, "Young man, you should be a comedian."
Gerald attended Dewitt Clinton High School, starting in the ninth grade. He excelled in football, basketball and boxing, lettering in all and was "All City" in football. His passion became sports and ladies. He worked an after school job in the off seasons and saved money to buy clothing. Only out of school, did Gerald continue his comedic antics. It never left him.
After High School, Gerald married his high school sweetheart. Within a few months, she was pregnant with Isiah, his son, and Gerald needed to provide immediately for his family. He enlisted in the Navy.
Home from the Navy, to a second child, his daughter, Yazmine, Gerald knew he needed to make a living and fast. Although his passion was comedy, he took security guard job and started writing jokes at night.
Today, Gerald has a multi dimensional career. He's been on stage in Japan, Puerto Rico and all the major clubs across the United States. He's appeared on TV on HBO's Def Comedy Jam, Showtime at the Apollo, Conan O'Brien, and BET Comic View. His movies include, "The Other Brother" and "Death of a Dynasty." His DVD "Comedy In The Hood," has been a big seller. He's also been on Radio 107.5 WBLS as a morning host and presently resides with the co-host-hat in Hartford, Connecticut at WZMX. His passion is for his kids, Isiah and Yazmine, his wife, Charaya, who he married October 12, 2002, his comedy, sports and Robin Williams.
In his life, he's struggled to survive; he's been through divorce, life and death, and he's always taken tragic situations and put them into comedy.
Gerald is now living in California and is on radio three times a week on WZMX via California where he resides with his family.Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 2- Additional Crew
- Producer
Robert Lawrence is known for Bad Boys (1995), A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) and Martin (1992).(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 1 : Himself (cameo)
*Martin's Brother*
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~- Actress
- Writer
- Podcaster
Leighann Lord is a veteran stand-up comedian who has been seen on Comedy Central, HBO, The View, and in the Netflix Def Comedy Jam 25th Anniversary Special. In addition to performing for the troops in the Middle East, she was named one of the 35 Most Hilarious Comedians of Diversity, a national finalist in the American Black Film Festival-HBO Comedy Wings Competition, and she received the American Humanist Association's Humanist Arts Award. Leighann can be seen in Showtime's Even More Funny Women of a Certain Age and her Dry Bar Comedy special, I Mean Business, has had over one million views.
Leighann is the author of several humor books including Dict Jokes: Alternate Definitions for Words You've Probably Never Heard of But Will Definitely Never Forget and Real Women Do It Standing Up: Stories from the Career of a Very Funny Lady available on Amazon. She is a former co-host of the Emmy-nominated StarTalk with Neil D. Tyson. Leighann is also the creator of the People with Parents podcast where she talks about the role reversal between adult children and aging parents. The Wall Street Journal called it one of the 10 Podcasts for Older Adults That Promise to Entertain-and Enlighten.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Herself: Show No. 1- Actor
- Writer
Reggie McFadden is known for Little Nicky (2000), Jacob's Ladder (1990) and Minor Adjustments (1995).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Himself: Show No. 2- Actor
- Writer
J'Vonne Pearson is known for Myra's Angel (2014), White Men Can't Rap (2005) and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Himself : Show No. 1- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Matty Rich Bio
Matty Rich - Producer/Writer/ Director/Actor
Born and raised in the Red Hook housing projects in Brooklyn, NY, Matty Rich, became highly regarded as the pioneer of Black Filmmakers. Rich made his way onto the Hollywood scene in the early 90's. He gained major recognition as, 19 year-old acclaimed writer/director/producer with his award winning film, "Straight out of Brooklyn". After winning the Sundance Film Festival Award, Samuel Goldwyn Films distributed the movie. The film would go on to sweep the award season winning the prestigious Independent Spirit Award, the NAACP Image Award, The CEBA Award, The Big Apple Award, The Producer's Guild's "Most Promising Film Producer" award and the Nova Award. The movie, which was made for a mere $77,000, and became a worldwide box office success and a favorite that continues to play on television to this day!
Matty then landed a three-picture movie deal with Tri Star studios under the helm of studio chief Mike Medavoy. While at Tri Star, Matty developed the First Black Organize Crime family film "Forty Theives" and "Sunset Park" with stars such as Danny and others.
Next, Matty was headed for Disney studios where he was given a three picture deal from studio chief Jeffrey Katzenberg. Matty soon directed the summer splash movie, The Inkwell! for Touchstone Pictures. The star studded cast members of the Inkwell included Jada Pinkett-Smith, Larenz Tate, Joe Morton, Morris Chestnut and many other notable names. The Inkwell was made for on a modest $4 million budget and became a summer splash hit in the U.S box office.
After The Inkwell's success, Matty developed/produced and directed and developed several television and film projects, "Red Hook" as creator/producer/director of the drama series for Warner Brothers TV/Fox Network, the Tupac Shakur bio picture project for HBO, "Subway Scholar" with Whitney Houston as producer for Showtime Networks.
"Tommy Morris vs Ray Mercer" Matty produced, directed the boxing documentary pieces for HBO pay per view, "Free At Last" feature film screenplay for the Weinstein Company and Edmonds Entertainment, "The Kool Moe Dee" Variety Show" for Buena Vista/Disney television.
Matty soon headed for Paris, France where he served as Creative Director and Artistic director for the video game, 187 Ride or Die. Matty lead a team of over 100 artists, game designers and programmers. Matty also wrote/directed the 187 Ride or Die 3D animation game cinematics overseeing an animation team in Hong Kong, China.
After the release of 187 Ride or Die, Matty formed Matty Rich Games, a Los Angeles based gaming development company that creates games for Apple and Android mobile phones and tablets.
Matty hasn't forgotten his filmmaking roots, he is now developing film and television properties that will also feature games under his Matty Rich Games brand.
Matty has been a featured speaker in Hollywood's most prominent Video Games conferences; The Ayzenberg A-List Gaming Summit (2011-13).Variety Magazine's 3D Entertainment Summit (2011-2013) Variety Magazine's 3D Gaming Summit (2010-2013). Matty was also the official host for the AT &T gaming & technology exhibition during the 2014 BET Awards Fan Fest weekend in Los Angeles.(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 2 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~- Actor
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Vin Rock was born on 17 September 1970 in East Orange, New Jersey, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Juice (1992), Nothing to Lose (1997) and Now You See Me 2 (2016).(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 1 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~- Kivi Rogers is known for Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), V.I.P. (1998) and The Amati Girls (2000).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Himself: Show No. 1 - Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Born on August 3, 1970, Deidre 'Spinderella' Roper spent her childhood in New York City. At age 16, she met Sandra 'Pepa' Denton and Cheryl 'Salt' James. Deidre became a DJ for them in Salt-N-Pepa. At age 20, after 4 years of rapping, she made her movie debut, along with Cheryl and Sandra, in Stay Tuned (1992). Deidre also made a cameo in 1996 in Kazaam (1996). She has also made guest appearances on Ricki Lake (1992) and Hollywood Squares (1998). Today, she continues to rap and DJ for Salt-N-Pepa.(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Show No. 3 : Herself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Comedian/Host Ricky Harris~ ”- Ajai Sanders was born on 24 April 1967 in North Trenton, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress, known for A Different World (1987), Jack Frost (1998) and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990). She was previously married to Michael Brownlee.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Herself: Show No. 3 - Actor
- Composer
- Director
M.C. Serch was born on 6 May 1967 in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Zebrahead (1992), Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure (2005) and Gladiator (1992). He has been married to Chantel Berrin since 1992. They have three children.(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 1 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~- Editorial Department
- Editor
- Additional Crew
Daniel J. Simmons is known for S1m0ne (2002), Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999).(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 2 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~ ”
*Russell Simmons brother*- Actress
- Writer
Wanda Smith is known for Madea Goes to Jail (2009), Madea's Witness Protection (2012) and The Drone That Saved Christmas (2023).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Herself: Show No. 3- Meldrick Taylor was born on 19 October 1966 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 1 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Comedian J'vonne Pearson~ - Montana Taylor is known for Big Ain't Bad (2002), A Good Will's Hunting (2008) and An Evening at the Improv (1981).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Herself: Show No. 3 - Writer
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Warren Thomas was born on 5 June 1957 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for The Waiter (1993), In Living Color (1990) and Martians Go Home (1989). He died on 2 September 2005 in Manhattan, New York, USA.Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 1- Lenny Varnedoe is known for Lost Money (2003) and Showtime at the Apollo (1987).Def Comedy Jam: More All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 1 - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Rich Vos was born on 30 June 1957 in Plainfield, New Jersey, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The King of Staten Island (2020), Rock Bottom (2002) and Chappelle's Show (2003). He has been married to Bonnie McFarlane since 17 September 2005. They have one child. He was previously married to Kelly.Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 7
Himself: Show No. 2
*Made history on Def Jam as being the 1st White comedian on there!*- Actor
- Writer
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 2
Himself: Show No. 3
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Himself: Show No. 1- Actress
- Soundtrack
Alyson Williams was born in New York City, New York, USA. She is known for Less Than Zero (1987), Livin' Large! (1991) and Black Nativity (2013).(Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 2 : Herself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Jayson Williams was born on 22 February 1968 in Ritter, South Carolina, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for City Teacher (2007), 90 Days Past Due and Spin City (1996).*Guest in the audience*
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 8
Show No. 3 : Himself (cameo)
~Acknowledged by Martin Lawrence~- Tony X is known for The Toy Train (2012).Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 6
Himself: Show No. 3 - (Guest in the audience)
Def Comedy Jam: All Stars Vol. 3
Show No. 1 : Herself as "Ma Dukes"(cameo)
~Acknowledged by Russell Simmons!~