Owen Smith Reveals the Comedic Condition
by Ramon Shiloh
For most comedians, the ability to perform in large venues and to have access to any club they wish only comes with being a celebrity. As Owen Smith has found out, it’s hard to break through in the competitive comedic industry. Smith points out comedians such as Larry the Cable Guy spent the entire 1990s working all the markets in order to build the following they have today.
Smith acknowledges that if he wants to achieve the same level of success, it’s about patience and knowing what you’re searching for. “I’ve been told to pursue the industry credits in order to further my career,” Smith explains. “One of the main reasons for my move to Los Angeles was to be a national headliner in the hottest markets.”
And, the move has certainly paid off. In recent years, Smith has landed endorsement deals for General Mills, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Blockbuster and the Illinois Lottery. He has made guest appearances on “Crossing Jordan”, “Monk” and “Gilmore Girls”. He has delivered some of his funniest jokes on “Latino Laugh Festival: The Show”, “HBO Comedy Minutes”, “The Orlando Jones Show”, “National Lampoon’s Funny Money” and BET’s “Comic View”.
Smith has even tried his hand at scriptwriting and voiceovers, playing several characters in the highly-anticipated Orlando Jones animated sketch comedy “BUFU” on BET. In November 2007, he taped his first comedy special, “Anonymous?”, which is slated for release on April 10, and since 2005, he has appeared in multiple roles on Chris Rock’s hit sitcom “Everybody Hates Chris”, including Afro-Centric Man, Moving Man and Radio Announcer.
“Working on [Chris Rock's] show these past few years, I’ve learned many things,” Smith says in a shout-out to the comic on his website. “But, the one lesson I’ll treasure most is: Through hard work, ANYTHING is possible. Chris went from washing dishes at Red Lobster to being called ‘The Funniest Man in America.’ Enough said.” Video: Trailer for Owen Smith's first DVD release Anonymous
Finding a Voice
According to Smith, there has been a shift in the industry that expects comedians to fill seats rather than nurturing up and coming talent. Smith says that while his Hollywood adventures have been fun, he believes it is time to “stop chasing and concentrate on what I want to do and say, in order to find my own audience. My goal is to be able to work all the Top 20 markets.”
That’s one reason he decided to join the Brain Noise Tour with Orny Adams. On March 13 and14, the two comics found themselves in Bellevue, Washington, captivating a young audience at Parlor Live. Smith says Seattle is a great place to tap into a new fan base because it brings an opportunity to develop naturally and to be heard in a diverse, unfamiliar environment.
“There’s a bunch of comedians who love Seattle and I’m a fan of David Cross and he loves Seattle. The beauty behind Seattle is how intelligent people are and I feel it’s one of the last places where a nerd can get laid for being a nerd,” Smith jokes. “What I enjoyed about Seattle was the possibility to give it my all. I find my act in the last two years has gotten a bit more personal, which has helped me accumulate real fans.”
Critics have noted that watching Smith on stage is like watching a conductor command an orchestra. Smith captivates his audiences with unapologetic humor, drawing cleverly upon many of the issues we face today, crossing lines most other comedians don’t dare. Smith recognizes that observations of the comedic art form are educative on two diametrically opposed philosophies – a classy style of humor delivered from a place of love and honor versus the “mean for no reason” school of comedy.
“I pride myself on putting thought behind my observations. I want to provoke my audiences with intelligence, yet hit them hard enough with humor to get them laughing at serious issues,” Smith explains. “I was taught to know more than, or as much as, your audience about the topics you talk about. Whoever is in front of me, I want to relate to them. Richard Pryor did it from a personal space, Bill Cosby did it from a storytelling mindset, George Carlin did it from a language perspective. Back in the day, jokes weren’t segregated like today. Back then, clever social issues were the heart and norm in society.”
Smith says he also draws inspiration from his family. “Hands down, my Aunt Kita is the funniest person I know,” he writes on his website. “She is the first person I ever saw ‘work a room.’ At every family get-together, she’ll have you cracking up.”
But, it was his encounter with an African American funny man that rocked his world enough to open his eyes to see his future path. “When I was nine years old, I saw Eddie Murphy’s Delirious on HBO. I remember yelling at the TV, ‘That’s what I do and that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life!’ While I was watching, I was also thinking clearly, ‘Just not in that outfit!’ and hoped that wasn’t the comedy uniform.”
The Shaping of a Comedian
Born in 1973 in the Bahamas, Smith actually spent his entire childhood in the U.S., moving first to Washington, D.C., then permanently settling in Maryland. Although his family was supportive and loving, Smith says he never felt like he was being heard or taken seriously by his family, friends or even the community that he grew up in.
“I was funny because I never felt like I belonged. For instance, I would be watching a mystery movie with my family and I would say to everyone, ‘The lady in the red hat did it!’ and no one would comment. Twenty minutes later, one of my uncles would come through the room and go, ‘The lady in the red hat did it!’ and everyone would yell ‘Yeah, yeah I was thinking that!’”
Neighborhood kids would tease him, too, for being an islander from the Bahamas. Having a lisp didn’t help. “Even though I’m Black and grew up in a Black neighborhood, I couldn’t identify with the African American experience. Whenever I would play outside, other kids and I might be getting along, but one would approach me and say, ‘You’re not from here. Where you from?’ At a young age, I was forced to defend my heritage because people would clown me. To take pressure off from them teasing me, I would tease myself. I also became really great at teasing others to be funny. That was my power source.”
Being funny allowed Smith to find a way to fit in with his peers at Central High School in Capitol Heights, Maryland, where he won state championships in basketball and track and was even voted Most Likely to Succeed. Still, few knew of his dreams to become a comedian.
“I didn’t tell anybody because I was afraid people were going to tell me I couldn’t be one. I saw a lot of my friends get their dreams crushed because cruel people would say ‘you can’t sing!’ and they would eventually stop. Many examples like that kept me at bay from sharing my dream with others,” explains Smith, who was 19 before he first told anyone.
At a summer job after graduation, he realized how natural his talent seemed to be. “I had everyone cracking up at every lunch break. But, it wasn’t a desperate type of crack-up with simple jokes; it was a natural humor that made these guys fall to pieces.”
That year, Smith made his debut at the Comedy Connection in Greenbelt, Maryland, thanks to the encouragement of his friend, Kevin. Smith says his first open mic – which involved delivering a joke about the Power Rangers – was a surreal moment. “I got some laughs, even though I didn’t know what I was doing! Although it was a scary process, I knew that was what I wanted to do.”
Still, he continued to pursue a degree in financing at Notre Dame while honing his technique. Smith says this period in his life was the first time other Black men had treated him with encouragement and respect, outside of playing ball. With the help of other local comics, during his early 20s, Smith went on to win several comedy competitions, building a name for himself.
“I ended up working the door at the Funny Bone in South Indiana, then became the house MC. That’s how I met every headlining comedian in Chicago,” Smith explains. “I was honored to work with them all. Some of them that took to me kept telling me I should come to Chicago.”
So, in 1996, he took their advice and quit his day job at Prudential Preferred Financial Services to pursue comedy full-time. Smith says his journey in Chicago brought him an understanding of how to survive as a comic, preparing him for the many adventures he encountered when he finally made it to Hollywood. It also finally brought about acceptance within his family over his chosen career.
“My mom was not too enthused with the idea of me doing standup comedy full-time,” Smith recalls on his website. “Then, she saw my performance at Milt Trennier’s in Chicago with Bernie Mac. Afterward, Bernie talked to my mom for a full 45 minutes. To this day, I don’t know what he said, but after that, my mom was my biggest fan.”
“I remember a quote that Bill Maher said about the relationship between comedians. He said, ‘They love each other because they share the dream, but they hate each other because there isn’t enough of it to go around.’ This is a competitive market. I’ve been fortunate to find my place with those who enjoy it.”
Visit Owen Smith’s website to learn more about the comic and his scheduled tour dates.
© 3/23/2009
by Ramon Shiloh
For most comedians, the ability to perform in large venues and to have access to any club they wish only comes with being a celebrity. As Owen Smith has found out, it’s hard to break through in the competitive comedic industry. Smith points out comedians such as Larry the Cable Guy spent the entire 1990s working all the markets in order to build the following they have today.
Smith acknowledges that if he wants to achieve the same level of success, it’s about patience and knowing what you’re searching for. “I’ve been told to pursue the industry credits in order to further my career,” Smith explains. “One of the main reasons for my move to Los Angeles was to be a national headliner in the hottest markets.”
And, the move has certainly paid off. In recent years, Smith has landed endorsement deals for General Mills, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Blockbuster and the Illinois Lottery. He has made guest appearances on “Crossing Jordan”, “Monk” and “Gilmore Girls”. He has delivered some of his funniest jokes on “Latino Laugh Festival: The Show”, “HBO Comedy Minutes”, “The Orlando Jones Show”, “National Lampoon’s Funny Money” and BET’s “Comic View”.
Smith has even tried his hand at scriptwriting and voiceovers, playing several characters in the highly-anticipated Orlando Jones animated sketch comedy “BUFU” on BET. In November 2007, he taped his first comedy special, “Anonymous?”, which is slated for release on April 10, and since 2005, he has appeared in multiple roles on Chris Rock’s hit sitcom “Everybody Hates Chris”, including Afro-Centric Man, Moving Man and Radio Announcer.
“Working on [Chris Rock's] show these past few years, I’ve learned many things,” Smith says in a shout-out to the comic on his website. “But, the one lesson I’ll treasure most is: Through hard work, ANYTHING is possible. Chris went from washing dishes at Red Lobster to being called ‘The Funniest Man in America.’ Enough said.” Video: Trailer for Owen Smith's first DVD release Anonymous
Finding a Voice
According to Smith, there has been a shift in the industry that expects comedians to fill seats rather than nurturing up and coming talent. Smith says that while his Hollywood adventures have been fun, he believes it is time to “stop chasing and concentrate on what I want to do and say, in order to find my own audience. My goal is to be able to work all the Top 20 markets.”
That’s one reason he decided to join the Brain Noise Tour with Orny Adams. On March 13 and14, the two comics found themselves in Bellevue, Washington, captivating a young audience at Parlor Live. Smith says Seattle is a great place to tap into a new fan base because it brings an opportunity to develop naturally and to be heard in a diverse, unfamiliar environment.
“There’s a bunch of comedians who love Seattle and I’m a fan of David Cross and he loves Seattle. The beauty behind Seattle is how intelligent people are and I feel it’s one of the last places where a nerd can get laid for being a nerd,” Smith jokes. “What I enjoyed about Seattle was the possibility to give it my all. I find my act in the last two years has gotten a bit more personal, which has helped me accumulate real fans.”
Critics have noted that watching Smith on stage is like watching a conductor command an orchestra. Smith captivates his audiences with unapologetic humor, drawing cleverly upon many of the issues we face today, crossing lines most other comedians don’t dare. Smith recognizes that observations of the comedic art form are educative on two diametrically opposed philosophies – a classy style of humor delivered from a place of love and honor versus the “mean for no reason” school of comedy.
“I pride myself on putting thought behind my observations. I want to provoke my audiences with intelligence, yet hit them hard enough with humor to get them laughing at serious issues,” Smith explains. “I was taught to know more than, or as much as, your audience about the topics you talk about. Whoever is in front of me, I want to relate to them. Richard Pryor did it from a personal space, Bill Cosby did it from a storytelling mindset, George Carlin did it from a language perspective. Back in the day, jokes weren’t segregated like today. Back then, clever social issues were the heart and norm in society.”
Smith says he also draws inspiration from his family. “Hands down, my Aunt Kita is the funniest person I know,” he writes on his website. “She is the first person I ever saw ‘work a room.’ At every family get-together, she’ll have you cracking up.”
But, it was his encounter with an African American funny man that rocked his world enough to open his eyes to see his future path. “When I was nine years old, I saw Eddie Murphy’s Delirious on HBO. I remember yelling at the TV, ‘That’s what I do and that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life!’ While I was watching, I was also thinking clearly, ‘Just not in that outfit!’ and hoped that wasn’t the comedy uniform.”
The Shaping of a Comedian
Born in 1973 in the Bahamas, Smith actually spent his entire childhood in the U.S., moving first to Washington, D.C., then permanently settling in Maryland. Although his family was supportive and loving, Smith says he never felt like he was being heard or taken seriously by his family, friends or even the community that he grew up in.
“I was funny because I never felt like I belonged. For instance, I would be watching a mystery movie with my family and I would say to everyone, ‘The lady in the red hat did it!’ and no one would comment. Twenty minutes later, one of my uncles would come through the room and go, ‘The lady in the red hat did it!’ and everyone would yell ‘Yeah, yeah I was thinking that!’”
Neighborhood kids would tease him, too, for being an islander from the Bahamas. Having a lisp didn’t help. “Even though I’m Black and grew up in a Black neighborhood, I couldn’t identify with the African American experience. Whenever I would play outside, other kids and I might be getting along, but one would approach me and say, ‘You’re not from here. Where you from?’ At a young age, I was forced to defend my heritage because people would clown me. To take pressure off from them teasing me, I would tease myself. I also became really great at teasing others to be funny. That was my power source.”
Being funny allowed Smith to find a way to fit in with his peers at Central High School in Capitol Heights, Maryland, where he won state championships in basketball and track and was even voted Most Likely to Succeed. Still, few knew of his dreams to become a comedian.
“I didn’t tell anybody because I was afraid people were going to tell me I couldn’t be one. I saw a lot of my friends get their dreams crushed because cruel people would say ‘you can’t sing!’ and they would eventually stop. Many examples like that kept me at bay from sharing my dream with others,” explains Smith, who was 19 before he first told anyone.
At a summer job after graduation, he realized how natural his talent seemed to be. “I had everyone cracking up at every lunch break. But, it wasn’t a desperate type of crack-up with simple jokes; it was a natural humor that made these guys fall to pieces.”
That year, Smith made his debut at the Comedy Connection in Greenbelt, Maryland, thanks to the encouragement of his friend, Kevin. Smith says his first open mic – which involved delivering a joke about the Power Rangers – was a surreal moment. “I got some laughs, even though I didn’t know what I was doing! Although it was a scary process, I knew that was what I wanted to do.”
Still, he continued to pursue a degree in financing at Notre Dame while honing his technique. Smith says this period in his life was the first time other Black men had treated him with encouragement and respect, outside of playing ball. With the help of other local comics, during his early 20s, Smith went on to win several comedy competitions, building a name for himself.
“I ended up working the door at the Funny Bone in South Indiana, then became the house MC. That’s how I met every headlining comedian in Chicago,” Smith explains. “I was honored to work with them all. Some of them that took to me kept telling me I should come to Chicago.”
So, in 1996, he took their advice and quit his day job at Prudential Preferred Financial Services to pursue comedy full-time. Smith says his journey in Chicago brought him an understanding of how to survive as a comic, preparing him for the many adventures he encountered when he finally made it to Hollywood. It also finally brought about acceptance within his family over his chosen career.
“My mom was not too enthused with the idea of me doing standup comedy full-time,” Smith recalls on his website. “Then, she saw my performance at Milt Trennier’s in Chicago with Bernie Mac. Afterward, Bernie talked to my mom for a full 45 minutes. To this day, I don’t know what he said, but after that, my mom was my biggest fan.”
“I remember a quote that Bill Maher said about the relationship between comedians. He said, ‘They love each other because they share the dream, but they hate each other because there isn’t enough of it to go around.’ This is a competitive market. I’ve been fortunate to find my place with those who enjoy it.”
Visit Owen Smith’s website to learn more about the comic and his scheduled tour dates.
© 3/23/2009
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