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Comedian Rodney Perry is Oscar winner Mo'Nique's sidekick on BET's 'The Mo'Nique Show.'Before joining the full-figured funny girl on her late-night talk show in 2009, Perry was a comic veteran, having showcased his chops on shows like 'Comic View,' 'Def Comedy Jam,' Jamie Foxx's Laffapalooza,' Bill Bellamy's 'Who's Got Jokes,' 'Chelsea Lately,' 'Comics Unleashed,' 'Martin Lawrence Presents First Amendment Comedy' and TBS's 'Just for Laughs' comedy festival.
On film, the Louisiana-bred stand-up has appeared in the movies 'The Informant,' 'Bushwhacked,' 'Johnson Family Vacation' and 'Chicago Pulaski Jones.'
Perry, who has been married for 13 years and has five children, has partnered up with an Atlanta nonprofit called the Navigation Foundation, which is designed to mentor and assist at-risk teens.
BV Buzz caught up with the comedian and had him take our Buzz Blitz.
Which comics make you laugh?
J.B. Smoove ('Curb Your Enthusiasm') and Tony Roberts ('Comic View'). I love their super energy.
Name a common food that people would be surprised that you don't like.
Don't know how much of a surprise it is, but I don't eat liver for any reason! My mom made us eat it as a child. I think I still have some hidden under my bed from back then.
My wife, because she's a ride-or-die chick. My white friend Ray, so I would have one true alliance. My cell phone, because I can't live without my radio.
Even though you're married, who is your celebrity crush?
Love me some Taraji P. Henson! She has the right mix of gangsta and sexy, plus she is a Virgo. Love the Virgos!
Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan are performing concerts at the same time and you can only go to one, which one would you chose?
No-brainer for me, Patti LaBelle! I've always loved her energy top to bottom, plus
I do not want to mess around and catch Aretha on a bad hat day.Who would you rather cook for you: Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray or Paula Dean?
Paula Dean. You see I'm a little swole, plus she got hit with a frozen turkey while feeding the homeless last year and she kept serving those people like a champ. She cooks like my mommy – with love!
If you weren't a comedian, what would you do professionally?
There has never been a plan B for me. So if I weren't a comedian I'd be a...comedian!
For more information on Rodney Perry, visit him online at http://RodneyPerryLive.ning.com/
For related stories, read: 'Cover Art: J. Anthony Brown Spoofs Erykah Badu's 'Window Seat''
& 'Rickey Smiley: Raising 10 Kids Is No Laughing Matter.'
Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Being funny comes as a natural gift for man – but only the really talented (and really daring) ones have answered the call to make the masses laugh with their comedy. The wild and crazy Tracy Morgan, the much heralded Whoopi Goldberg, the brassy Mo'Nique and the late, great Richard Pryor are just a few of the black, famous and funny people who made us laugh over the last 50 years. There are many more. And they all have stories behind the funny. Check out who they are and what they've done.
Famous, Black & Funny
Martin Lawrence
Started Out: Making an appearance on the national talent show 'Star Search,' which ultimately led to a gig on 'What's Happening Now!' Big Break: Hosting the groundbreaking comedy series 'Def Comedy Jam.' Hometown: Landover, Md. Also Was Seen: In the films 'Do the Right Thing,' 'House Party,' 'Boomerang,' 'Bad Boys,' 'Thin Line Between Love & Hate' and 'Big Momma's House.' In addition, he starred and executive-produced his own Fox sitcom 'Martin' for five seasons. Factoid: In 1989, Lawrence was engaged to 'Saved by the Bell' actress Lark Voorhies.
Famous, Black & Funny
Steve Harvey
Started Out: Began doing stand-up in the mid-1980s and was a finalist in the second annual Johnnie Walker National Comedy Search in 1989. Big Break: Hosting the nationally syndicated TV series 'Showtime at the Apollo.' Hometown: Welch, W. Va. Also Was Seen: On the series 'Me and the Boys' and his eponymous sitcom. Also appeared in the movies 'Love Don't Cost A Thing,' 'The Original Kings of Comedy' and 'The Fighting Temptations.' Factoid: Born in 1957, Harvey (real name: Broderick Steven Harvey) made his literary debut with the New York Times best-selling relationship/advice book 'Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,' in 2009.
Famous, Black & Funny
Wanda Sykes
Started Out: Began her stand-up career at a Coors Light Super Talent Showcase in Washington, D.C. Big Break: Played multiple roles on Chris Rock's Emmy Award-winning HBO show. Hometown: Portsmouth, Va. Also Was Seen: In the movies 'Monster-in-Law' and 'Pooty Tang' and on the TV shows 'Wanda At Large,' 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' and 'The New Adventures of Old Christine.' Factoid: During a Las Vegas gay rights rally in November 2008, Sykes proclaimed she was "proud to be gay."
Famous, Black & Funny
Jamie Foxx
Started Out: Acting on a dare (from a girlfriend) and competing in an open-mic contest at a comedy club in 1989. Big Break: Playing the comely date-challenged Wanda on 'In Living Color' Hometown: Linden, Texas Also Was Seen: In the films 'Booty Call,' 'The Players Club,' 'Any Given Sunday,' 'Miami Vice,' 'Ali' and 'Ray,' for which he won an Academy Award for best actor in 2005. Also fronted his eponymous sitcom. Factoid: As of 2009, Foxx (real name: Eric Marlon Bishop) has released three music albums: 1994's 'Peep This,' 2005's 'Unpredictable' and 2008's 'Intuition.'
Famous, Black & Funny
Tracy Morgan
Started Out: Appearing on the sitcom 'Martin,' where he played 'Hustle Man.' Big Break: Morgan's claim to fame came in 1996 when he began appearing on 'Saturday Night Live.' Hometown: New York City Also Was Seen: In 'A Thin Line Between Love and Hate,' 'Martin,' 'Half Baked,' 'How High,' 'Head of State,' 'The Tracey Morgan Show,' 'Little Man,' 'First Sunday' and '30 Rock.' Factoid: Andrew Dice Clay inspired Morgan to pursue comedy.
Famous, Black & Funny
Chris Rock
Started Out: Doing stand-up comedy in 1985 in New York City's Catch a Rising Star Comedy Club. Big Break: Was a cast member of the popular sketch comedy series 'Saturday Night Live.' Hometown: New York City Also Was Seen: In the movie 'New Jack City,' where he played a crackhead informant. Factoid: Born in 1965, Rock won a Grammy for best spoken comedy album in 1999 for the project 'Bigger & Blacker.'
Famous, Black & Funny
Mo'Nique
Started Out: Appearing at the downtown Baltimore Comedy Factory Outlet. Big Break: Starred on the hit UPN sitcom 'The Parkers.' Hometown: Baltimore Also Was Seen: In 'Three Can Play That Game,' 'Hair Show' and 'Shadowboxer.' Factoid: Born in 1967, Mo'Nique (real name: Monique Imes) is the author of 'Skinny Women are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World' and the cookbook 'Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted.'
Famous, Black & Funny
Eddie Griffith
Started Out: Griffith began his acting career the 1991 action-thriller 'The Last Boy Scout.' Big Break: In 1996, Griffith showcased his talent on a national scale when he landed the role of Eddie on the TV series 'Malcolm & Eddie.' Hometown: Kansas City, Mo. Also Was Seen: In 'Foolish,' 'Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo' and 'Undercover Brother.' Factoid: Suffered a heart attack in 1996 while taping an episode of 'Malcolm & Eddie' following a scene in which he did the salsa dance.
Famous, Black & Funny
Bill Cosby
Started Out: While in his early twenties, Cosby appeared on various well-known variety programs including 'The Ed Sullivan Show.' Big Break: In 1965, he appeared as Alexander Scott in the Emmy Award-winning flick 'I Spy.' Hometown: Philadelphia Also Was Seen: In 'Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,' 'Uptown Saturday Night,' 'Let's Do it Again,' 'Ghost Dad,' 'The Meteor Man' and the groundbreaking NBC sitcom 'The Cosby Show.' Factoid: Beginning in 1965, Cosby scored the Grammy Award for best comedy album six years in a row.
