communiqué Magazine Special Comedy Edition

communiquĂŠ

NOVEMBER 2020

Special Feature Rodney Perry

The Funny Man is a SURVIVOR

Special COMEDY Edition

Comedian Mic Larry

Michael Colyar

King of Klean

Vicki Barbolak

America's Got Talent Superstar is Truly a laughing Matter!

Richard Pryor Jr.

Singer, Actor, Storyteller & Improv Comedian

Contents Table of

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Letter From The Editor

ACE is funny...

Entertainment is My Business

Comedian Geno Jones

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Laughter is His Best Medicine

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Jus Janell: A Comedian to Always Remember

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Comedian Wavey Crockett

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Comedy Created the SOUL of Chris Harvey

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Laugh Through It to Get Through It

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A Laugh Accompanied By A Beautiful Smile

Vicki Barbolak

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Comedian Mic Larry Reveals All

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I Sing To Heal Souls - FREDDO

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All Hail the Queen

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Richard Pryor, Jr.

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The Happiness of Others Makes Her Soul Sing

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Because I’m Funny, That’s Why!

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communiqué

Letter from the Editor communiqué Magazine is an international publication that celebrates people from around the world.

Everyone has a story. communiqué Magazine takes the message out of the story to deliver quality, relatable articles that inspire, teach, and encourage all readers.

In this edition it is my goal to remind you to use laughter as therapy. I also want to give you a closer look into the lives of some of the world’s greatest comedians in the industry. They are super amazing people, and they are my favorite people in the line of laughter!

We are honored to feature Comedian Michael Colyar as our main cover story along with cover features on MIC Larry, Vicki Barbolak, Richard Pryor, Jr. and Rodney Perry.

Detroit, Michigan native MIC Larry is one of the funniest people I have met, on and off the stage. He has performed for my private family events and he is an accomplished Actor, Radio Show host, and a great family man with a beautiful story of perseverance.

I call her the homegirl of hard laughs, Vicki Barbolak lit up the stage in Sacramento, California with her comedy that sent me into a laughing frenzy throughout the entire show at the Punch Line Comedy Club.

I have our ‘after show photo’ from the Punch Line as her Picture ID under her name in my phone. I first saw Vicki on ‘America’s Got Talent’ television show where she appeared to be a Simon Cowell favorite for sure.

Richard Pryor, Jr. obviously needs little introduction with those two names in front of his Jr. He has an amazing life and is a testimony of resilience on and off the Improv stages that he so often performs on. I am proud to call him my friend, his story resonates with my soul and readers are in for a treat!

Rodney Perry made me laugh so much during the interview, I could barely contain my composure as I rolled with each punch he threw at me. He truly is ‘the funny man’ in comedy. He frequently appears on television, film and always leaves a memorable moment in your mind and heart. He shares a story of survivability….his story.

We have so many more articles of great stories, beautiful words of encouragement, and insight into some of our favorite comedians. This issue is a keepsake for those times that you need to be reminded to smile, laugh, and repeat!

Thank you for taking time to read communiqué Magazine. This issue is dedicated to the late Mrs. Theda Ellis. She was once my neighbor that drove a school bus for nearly 40 years. She refused to purchase a yellow car because it reminded her of the cheddar colored bus she drove for so long. We had fun, although she was 40+ years older than me. She told me many jokes over the years. Her signature “dime in pin – diamond pin” joke was my favorite. Mrs. Ellis made me smile, laugh, and repeat. One day I went to visit my former neighbor. I would visit her every six months or so. When the person that answered the door told me that Mrs. Ellis had died shortly after my previous visit several months earlier, I prayed it was a joke. It was not a joke and it was surely not funny. The woman that made me laugh and listened to me cry so often, with compassion and some humor too, was gone and I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.

Theda Ellis, this one is for you. I can still see your smile. I hope you see mine, too.

With appreciation, C.

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Photographer: Jerr y A Barnes Model: JADA Stylist: JABarnes Photography LLC

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ACE

is funny ...

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Entertainment Has Been My Business

“Entertainment has been my business, anything regarding the visuals in entertainment is where my potential resides. Acting, comedy both on stage and in productions, is where I’ve grown to understand I am in business, I’m an entrepreneur.”

Aaron “Ace” Brown has been in business for twelve years. As a child actor, under Shirley Grant Management, he was introduced to the camera and stage at the age of seven. Auditions for commercials, television and film gave him a love for the natural talent within. “I was able to see how the behind the scenes work produced as it became on the screen entertainment. I got a to see myself on the television, or I could see how my competition took on the part. There was a lesson learned whenever someone performed from a script I once studied. I used each experience to improve my next audition.”

Ace continued his acting throughout his grammar and high school years. College brought on other outlets and put his passion and what would become his future career on hold. “I was told by many that my sense of humor was my real talent. I didn’t know how to get into comedy, so it wasn’t what I immediately pursued. I went to a comedy show to see D.L. Hugley. During the performance, the host announced an “Open Mic” for comedy night. I signed up.”

The journey began in 2008. Starting with the “Open Mic”, shows in small venues, and colleges followed. It was going to Caroline’s Comedy Club in New York which led to other large stages. The Laff House in Philadelphia, Primetime Comedy Club in Sayreville, N.J., The Funnybone in Virginia Beach were the platforms for networking with the likes of Tommy Davidson, D.L. Hugley, Paul Mooney, and others. Meeting and connecting with them Ace was able to increase his visibility and growth. He was the featured opener for Tommy Davidson, Paul Mooney.

actors for film development.”

Hosting several local comedy shows, Ace and his infamous uncle, Apollo’s DJ for Amateur Night, DJ Jess decided to host their own comedy show.

Held monthly at Café’ Z in Union, New Jersey they invited comedians from all over the country to perform. The show attracts a sold-out crowd each month. “This was when I became aware of a business having several streams of income. One’s business must continuously create the means to support itself as well as bring increasing income.

Performances, my productions and having a home for comedy events became the foundation for “Ace Brown Productions”. I changed the name once I had a second child. Before I had children, I was rich…now everything I have and do is for them. I have merchandise that is sold at each venue.

Ace’s future includes owning his own comedy club, developing a production company for movies and theatre entertainment. Today, this rising comedian is in transition, now as an on-air radio personality as well a hosting his podcast “Dad’s Intervention Podcast” he is seeking other outlets for his voice to heard and his talent to be recognized.

Follow him on Instagram/twitter/tik-tok at iamacebrown; facebook; ace brown comedian or email aceisfunny@gmail.com

Comedy competitions were the next level in the business. “Nephew Tommy’s Fifty Comics Deep” was Ace’s first reputable competition.

He finished as a semi-finalist. “I was able to meet more comics and understand that competitions were more about networking than the performance on the stage or winning.”

After a competition held at Caroline’s, Ace won a spot to perform in The Madison Square Garden “Hot 97 April Fool’s Day Comedy Show”.

A few names on the marquee were Shawn and Marlon Wayans, Michael Blackston, and J.B. Smoove. As an opener Ace had five minutes to prove his talent. “I received calls later from audience members who had seen me perform before. I had no idea they were there, but the support was great.” Ramapo College hosted an event with comedian Kevin Hart, Ace once again secured the opening spot.

In 2012, Ace took to the road. Traveling as a comedian brought more exposure and a new attitude about his talent being and becoming a business. He traveled to out of state venues and became more of the Feature or Headline performer. “I realized that it was a business and I needed to get out of my backyard. I started a web-series, co-writing, producing, and acting. I developed Muda Productions, named after my oldest daughter, where I would continue to write scripts, seek other

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Comedian Geno Jones: It is Not All About the Comedy For Him Domestic Violence Isn’t Funny

By Saadia White Born and raised in the late 60s on the Southside of Chicago, Geno Jones overcame the perils of Chicago’s gang and gun violence. With strong influences in his life like his mother and grandparents, it was embedded in him to have a level of “social consciousness” coupled with a sense of “social responsibility.” However, Comedian Geno Jones was still unable to escape one epidemic that exists stronger than ever today…domestic violence.

Growing up the eldest of three children and the only male child, Geno would bear witness to a nightmarish scene that no fouryear-old would ever forget. As he recalled the grueling sight of his pregnant mother beaten by someone he called “man,” you could hear the anger rising in his voice as though he was still in the moment of that occurrence. There was a brief pause when I asked him who was the “man” he was referring to? With a sound of disgust, he finally identified him as his mother’s husband, his stepfather, and the child she was carrying was his.

Not only did Geno not like seeing his mother trying to shield herself from her abuser’s attacks, but he became her defender as early as four and a half years old while trying to save the life of his unborn sister. Before long, Geno would also fall prey to the physical abuse of his mother’s abuser, but his saving grace would come when the abuser relocated his mother and sisters to Michigan and Geno stayed with his grandparents. The separation lasted for several years and was initiated by his grandfather, who caught the abuser plucking Geno in the back of his head. Geno’s grandfather felt his safety was at risk since he was not the abuser’s biological child.

Like so many domestic violence cases, things would only get worse.

Geno shared that he was informed years later of other domestic violence incidents surrounding his mother’s marriage and even incidents of sexual violence. This would be the turning point in his life that helped mold him into the advocate he is today against any form of violence or bullying.

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As a well-known radio personality for Star 99.7, comedian, author, and motivational speaker, Geno Jones chose to use his celebrity platform as a tool to inform and bring awareness to several pressing issues society faces daily. One of his platform tools is The Geno Jones Daily Live Show which airs on YouTube.

The Geno Jones Daily Live Show includes content ranging from humor, political commentary, entertainment, and “socially woke” issues such as coronavirus, domestic violence, voting, and the presidential election. Geno shares how passionate and excited he is about growing the YouTube channel and having total media and content control. His show gives him the opportunity to interview guests that he feels are important and speak very candidly about topics such as abuse, which has garnered so much media attention because of the pandemic.

“I want to get those messages out. What I love about having my own show is I can pick and choose what I want to say, how I want to say it, when I want to say it, how long I want to say it, and people can like it or hate it, but I’m going to say it!”

Geno Jones’ media platform has not been the only way he sheds light on controversial topics. His book, Game Recognize Game (written in 2005), gained a lot of recognition from both males and females. Although this book was originally written for women, especially women who grew up without a father or father figure, he wanted to provide women with an inside view into what he calls “the uncut, unvarnished semiraw look through a man’s prism to understand how some men might treat them and why.” He speaks out on toxic masculinity, comparing it to the bullying that our country is living through right now with certain leaders at the helm. He explains that “bullying is not masculine.

Masculinity is about honor, being responsible, and protecting those who are more vulnerable or weaker than you in any way and just providing a sense of protection.”

Being an advocate and speaking out on so many compelling issues has made Geno the protector of all the women in his life today, especially his loving mother, lovely wife, and two beautiful daughters. You can hear the joy in his voice when he speaks about them (especially his two

daughters). Geno shares that being a living example for his daughters has been his focus since the two were born: “Everything that I tell them is reinforced by my actions every day.”

Geno has definitely reinforced those actions by being a “male voice” in the fight to end domestic violence and by working with organizations such as My Sisters House, a temporary recovery home for women substance abusers; Real Men Against Domestic Violence, and the Palmetto Hope Network, an advocacy agency for victims of violent crimes. Geno Jones ended the conversation with an important statement: “Violence against women is not a women’s problem, it’s a man’s problem, and anytime I can stop it or do something to end it, I am!”

And he is doing just that. You can connect with Comedian Geno Jones through these social media handles: Twitter: @GenoJones Instagram: @genojonesshow YouTube: The Geno Jones Daily Live Show Facebook: @GenoJonesLive Email: genojonesshow@gmail.com

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“ iolence against women is not a women’s problem, it’s a man’s problem, and anytime I can stop it or do something to end it,

I am!”

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Jus Janell: A Comedian to Always Remember

A comedian to always remember and one to admire and emulate is Jus Janell, a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native that has an uncompromising love for New York City! We already know her energy is high, and her laugh is contagious because New York is a place for dream activators to live their dreams out loud no matter where they are in the world! So many great success stories derive from there! Jus Janell says New York is her happy place! She has been going to New York every year for her “Girl’s birthday trip” for the past 25 years! She has performed in New York at the Broadway Comedy Club and The Laughing Buddha. Jus Janell says, “The atmosphere is built for success! I feel it every year! I get my energy & Spirit from New York”!

This Pittsburgh comedian performed her first professional act at the Punchline Comedy lounge in Detroit, Michigan. She reflects, “I remember being terrified because I was in a different city and the comedians who performed that night were hilarious, and I remember being intimidated while I sat there and listened. When I got to the stage I tripped, I started laughing and I said I’m already falling for y’all!! The audience started laughing too, I finished with a great set that night and they asked me to come back the next day!!

I brought a bus load from Pittsburgh!! We were already on vacation in the “D”!!!...Some of the people came back the second night to see me again”!

Jus Janell entered into the industry with a bang and loves her place on the stage, however the industry challenges were present. She tells us that it is not easy for a black woman to break into comedy. She says, “The industry is ran by older white men. I have experienced the hardship of not getting booked because I’m a black woman. I have experienced the greatness of being a black woman on stage as well!! The comedy field is full of comedians who are not gonna

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give you a leg up. So, I opened my own comedy club, to give others a chance who may not otherwise get a chance to perform on stage!

I think about when I was there! So, I opened the Giggles & Grub Comedy Club on April 20,2017 and the rest is history! “. The club is located at 7526 Washington Avenue, Swissvale, Pennsylvania.

Post Covid comedy gatherings will surely change. In an industry where facial expressions are used to motivate the audience and the comedians, the masks will be a barrier to see the smiles, laughs, frowns, and jaw dropping expressions. “We have to change everything”, says Jus Janell. “We will need to sanitize mics & wear masks. The audience will have to wear a mask also, it’s not gonna be easy to adjust to. The mask makes it very hard to express yourself through facial expressions. But we will make it funny!” Safety is most important because sickness is ‘no laughing matter’.

I asked Jus Janell to talk to me about her influences from other comedians and to share with us the things that make her laugh.

“My first comedy influence was Lucille Ball, she was so pretty with her curly red hair! She showed a lot of facial expressions, she was very high energy! I believe I emulate her style.

Kids, leggings, & old ladies make me laugh! Children are quite honest and sometimes raw honesty is hilarious. Do I need to say why leggings make me laugh? I shouldn’t wear them, that’s funny to me!! Old ladies keep it a buck! They hold back No-Thing and I love it”!

Jus Janell is proud to be a PG-13 rated Comedian. She says that she doesn’t feel like she has to swear to be funny. “Swear words may be offensive to some people, I don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable during my set. I want everyone tuned in to every word! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy all styles of comedy, especially if it is funny.” Jus Janell says that the most important part of her comedy is that the audience can relate and be teachable. She adds, “I’m always trying to educate them while I make them laugh”.

Life is fun, but so much better with a dedicated partner that is supportive, ever present, and adds value to life. Jus Janell and her husband Darren have nearly four decades together as a beautiful married couple. “We are literally black history”, says Jus Janell!

They are the parents of two sons, Josh and Jay. They also have two beautiful granddaughters, Tamiah and JaVion. “My granddaughters make life worth living Tamiah is 11 and JaVion is 5. They are my worlds!! In fact, they are my biggest fans! Tamiah helps me write

jokes and JaVion helps me tell them!! I have the biggest smile right now just thinking about them”.

Taking it back to childhood, Jus Janell reflects on her hard years that have resulted in a triumphant and successful journey. “The very best part of being me is that I had a rough childhood. I chose to self-medicate for years! I am 25 years clean now and I can talk about what I have been through, in an effort to help another woman. I am better, stronger, & wiser! I’m a 2 times breast cancer Thriver with 10 years in deliverance and I’m grateful to God. I’m very proud that I can get on stage and laugh in the face of adversity”.

“My mother is from Duquesne, Pennsylvania and my dad came from down south Alabama!

My father was sooo funny! He made me laugh all the time, I know that’s where I get my talent!

He passed away when I was 14. I lost my biggest & best friend I was definitely a daddy’s girl. I was special to him because I was the 28th and last child! Yes, my dad had 28 children!! He took great care of all of us until the day he earned his wings!! I miss him more everyday!! I wish he could see me on stage, he would be so proud!

My mother Lois is 76 years young, she loves my comedy!! Although she can’t get to every show, she still gets out once in a while to see me perform. She says I’m hilarious HA!! My mom is tough, she doesn’t think anyone is funny! That’s what makes this so ironic”.

Currently Jus Janell is working on a project with her business partner Al J. They are creating a Video Log for the Giggles and Grub Club, sort of a live show, bi-weekly on YouTube. Good comedy lasts forever. Be sure to connect with Comedian Jus Janell and follow her so you know when and where you can catch her on stage!

Follow Jus Janell on Instagram @janelljus & Jus Janell on Facebook.

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Comedy Created the SOUL of

Chris Harvey and No, His Daddy Isn’t Steve!

Written by Corretta Doctor It was my first time going out for a public event since the Covid19 shutdown and it was my first time attending a show at the Toledo Funny Bone, the premier comedy club located in Perrysburg, Ohio just outside of Toledo. I was ready for a great evening of laughter and I needed the exchange and social interaction of being out with a mature crowd. Comedian Chris Harvey was the opening act, but as far as I am concerned he could have carried the night on his own and stayed on stage as the Main Act. He was just that funny. I knew from the tie he stepped on stage that I wanted to know more about him and although it wasn’t a packed room, due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements, the club was full, and the lines were long leading up to the merchandise tables after the show. I decided to follow Chris on social media and took a chance to reach him through the inevitable “DM”. It worked, he responded and granted me an interview. communiqué Magazine: Where were you born and raised and

where do you reside now?

Chris Harvey: I was born in Louisville, Kentucky but I was only there for two months. Then we moved to Akron Ohio where I lived the majority of my life. I once lived in Odessa, Texas for two years. communiqué Magazine: Where is the first stage you ever appeared on as a professional comedian? What do you remember most about that gig?

Chris Harvey: The Funnystop Comedy Club in Cuyahoga Falls. It was the club I stepped on stage as an amateur and the owner was the first person to Emcee, Feature and Headline me. I’ve had all my firsts there and it will always be my ‘home club’.

communiqué Magazine: What do you think the comedy industry will look like post-Covid19?

Chris Harvey: I’m not sure. I think it will look different, I feel it’s a hard bump to get over. It was already hard to stay consistently working without being a big name, and now with half of the venues open its tough. It’ll be like hunger games in my opinion, only the strong will survive. It’s going to take a lot of hustle and unwillingness to give up.

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communiqué Magazine: Which comedian, (living or dead), is someone that you emulate in your style?

Chris Harvey: I grew up on Gary Owen, Bruce Bruce, Katt Williams, Eddie Griffin, Kevin Hart and Lavell Crawford. Those are all guys I watch and study a lot. I’m not sure if I emulate any of them but I do get compared to a mix of Gary Owen and Lavell Crawford a lot.

communiqué Magazine: Who makes you laugh?

Chris Harvey: My friends and mentor. My mentor is like a brother. He has helped me through comedy. His name is Rob Ward and is one of the best out of Ohio, let alone the Cleveland area. He and I are always laughing and cracking jokes. Then my best friend from when I was 10.

He is one of the only people that our sense of humor is so similar. Things I wouldn’t be able to bring to stage or make a well-crafted joke out of, I take to him for us to laugh at. communiqué Magazine: What type of comedy do you deliver?

Chris Harvey: I truly can do any style of crowd. I use to be a youth pastor, so I’ve done Christian and clean comedy a lot, I’ve done blue collar crowds mainstream. Young or old. But mostly I’m identified by most as an urban comic. communiqué Magazine: What is the most important part of your career as a comedian?

Chris Harvey: To me it’s image. I believe everything you say or do is super important, from my name being announced to what song I come out to.

The first thing they see is me and what I’m wearing. All of that is super important to building the person I am in a matter of seconds. I think it can change so much. communiqué Magazine: Are you married, have children? IF yes do you want to list them in the article?

Chris Harvey: I am not. I am currently single, but I do wanna be married and I want at least four kids, so hopefully I can make it big in Comedy so I can afford that many! communiqué Magazine: Where is your happy place, and why?

Chris Harvey: The road is. I love to drive. I’ve done 17 hours straight and I love it. I can sing, daydream, envision things, think of jokes, catch up on phone calls. It’s the best. communiqué Magazine: What is the best part about being YOU? Chris Harvey: Being able to show people its ok to be weird. I’m quirky and different than others and I think it’s beautiful. I’m seasoned (lol) and have a lot of personality. I come off obnoxious to some, but energetic to others. I have a gift of gab and I am always able to make people feel comfortable and I think that we need that nowadays.

communiqué Magazine: Do you have siblings, and if yes where are you in the birth order?

Chris Harvey: I have an older brother named John and he is four years older than me. We are complete opposites. He was a straight A student and I dropped out at 15. He’s a super handy man and mechanic, and I barely like to build a sandwich. He is an introvert and I talk to anybody and everyone I can. communiqué Magazine: Tell us about your parents, are they alive? What do/did they think of your Comedy life?

Chris Harvey: My mom and dad are both alive. They divorced when I was like three years old… must’ve been my fault (lol). My dad is the strictest one who kind of was realistic and hesitant with comedy. He wanted to make sure I’d be responsible. My mom is the opposite, she’s very enabling and encouraging, she wanted me to be a comedian since I was a kid. communiqué Magazine:What is the next big thing for you and how can fans and followers reach you?

Chris Harvey: Right now, with everything the way it is I’m not quite sure what is next. I’m currently working on videos, podcasts, and other social media projects so that I can keep creating content.

Fans can connect and follow me @chrisharveycomedy on all social media, Facebook. IG, Onlyfans…. Cash app, Tik Tok, Tinder… whatever they got (lol)!

Chris tells me that comedy created the person that he has become over the years. He is funny, humble and evolving each day. He says, “It’s allowed me to fully live into my potential. I was set as a failure and no one had high hopes for me from the age of 13. I was an ‘at risk’ kid who looked like I had no future. And to come as far as I have has been a blessing and I give all glory to God. Hopefully, you’ll see a lot more of me”.

“I’m quirky and different than others and I think it’s beautiful.”

~Chris Harvey

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Photographer: Jerr y A Barnes Model: JADA Stylist: JABarnes Photography LLC

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Laughter is His Best Medicine: Honoring Stand Up Comedian

Darrell Banks Written by Corretta Doctor

What is comedy? Several variations of the definition all culminate into this basic understanding of the word: professional entertainment consisting of jokes and satirical sketches, intended to make an audience laugh.

What is a comedian? Wait let me rephrase that, who is a really GOOD comedian, one that you would line up to see, waiting for hours in the snow or rain, just to make sure you had a seat in the room? That would be Darrell Banks.

Darrell Banks is a comedian with a story. There is a part of his story that is no laughing matter. Darrell is a massive stroke survivor. He suffered a massive stroke on stage, during a performance, that left the audience thinking that the confusion and sudden illness was a part of the comedy act. Sadly, it was not. Darrell was sick and the stroke left him with some serious, life changing challenges, mainly it impacted his ability to verbally communicate.

Darrell is not only a comedian at heart, but he is also a man with a big heart, and that is why the comedy industry loves him dearly. An outpour of support came his way from fellow comedians near and far. Several of the comedians got together and held a comedy show fundraiser in support of Darrell. Anyone can make you laugh, but few can stir your soul giving you a lasting smile like Darrell Banks can.

Darrell is well loved by those he shared stages with and by those he met from behind the mic. Darrell Banks could fill a room on any given day! Though he is doing well these days, he no longer performs comedy.

Hailing from Toledo, Ohio, Darrell first appeared on stage as a professional, paid comedian in New York on Black Entertainment Television’s (BET) Comic View, where he received a very memorable standing ovation.

Listening to the hands clapping, seeing the faces smiling, and feeling the

energy from the audience was the exact response he wanted and surely it was the response he deserved. Darrell knew at that moment that he was on his way to the top of the industry as a successful comedian….a job that he loved and one that came so naturally to him.

Starting out in his early days as a comedian, and long before he broke fully into the industry, Darrell studied and looked up to many comedians that came before him. He particularly calls out Richard Pryor as the one comedian that he most likely emulates the most in his style. Darrell is widely known in the industry for his raw, ‘straight with no chaser’ type of comedy. Darrell enjoyed his comedic lifestyle traveling the world, working with other great talent, and of course the pay was pretty good!

Every comedian has a natural tendency to make you laugh hysterically. They are gifted with the talent to help you see the lighter side of things. When we wanted to know who makes Darrell laugh, he clearly indicated two very funny comedians: Eddie Murphy and Dave Chappelle.

Darrell reminds us to use laughter as a stress reliever. He says that comedy changed his life. It [comedy] takes him out of stressful situations; laughter is the best medicine.

We continue to wish Darrell well as he strives to improve his health. Married to wife Charlene, he is in a happy place of peace, faith, and gratitude; one that is embellished with a loving family and a strong brother and sisterhood of fellow comedians from near and far.

Visit www.stroke.org to learn more about strokes, life after strokes, help, support, and healthy living. Information is key. Knowing the signs and symptoms can save a life.

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Comedian

Wavey Crockett: Apply Pressure, Remain Humble

We need people in the room. We are fueled by the sounds of laughter.

So, at this point it’s looking like if we aren’t willing to make the switch to internet comic we only have the spring and summer to be on outdoor stages. communiqué Magazine: Which comedian, (living or deceased), is someone that you emulate in your style?

Wavey Crockett: Honestly, I can’t pick just one. My inspirations come from a lot of the greats. So, I won’t say I emulate any, but I’m influenced by Dave Chappelle, George Carlin, Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, Bernie Mac, Richard Pryor, and Eddie Murphy to name just a few.

How many of us can say that 2020 was the start of a great new career, one that you love and is still thriving with a promise of a great continued future? Wavey Crockett raises both hands! communiqué Magazine: What has Comedy done for your life?

Wavey Crockett: Comedy has provided opportunities I never would’ve imagined. My very first time on stage was January 27, 2020. A worldwide pandemic shut everything down in early March. I began to do standup virtual shows. By July I was booked for my first feature. By September I was booked for my first out of town show, and it was in New York which was huge for me. And now I’m opening for national known comics. It almost scared me how fast I’m moving but it motivates me. The level in which others believe in me gives me the motivation necessary to keep going. I’ve met numerous of celebrities and big time comics and most are genuine and have no problem reaching back and giving me advice, and for that I’m thankful. It’s safe to say I see my career going places. communiqué Magazine: Where is the first stage you ever appeared on as a professional comedian? What do you remember most about that gig?

Wavey Crockett: My first paid gig was in New York City in Central Park.

Being a newcomer, being offered that opportunity was truly an experience because I was where the biggest stages for comics are. New York is home to everything stage from Broadway to SNL so being on a stage there was surreal. communiqué Magazine: What do you think the comedy industry will look like post-Covid 19?

Wavey Crockett: Covid certainly took a toll on the entertainment industry as a whole. At this point options for stage time are few so everyone has to adjust. To me it’s hard for internet/social comedians to step on stage. It’s equally as hard for stage comics to make the adjustment to the internet.

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communiqué Magazine: Who makes you laugh?

Wavey Crockett: Aside from the aforementioned comics, my friends and family always provide me with great material. communiqué Magazine: What type of comedy do you deliver- adult, clean, Christian, etc.

Wavey Crockett: I would say I’m definitely an adult comic. As a husband with 7 children it’s pretty hard to keep it clean all the time. communiqué Magazine: What is the most important part of your career as a comedian?

Wavey Crockett: What’s important in my career is to have fun. It was once said that “if you love what you do you will never work a day in your life”. So, it’s always important for me to love the stage and have fun. It makes for better sets when I’m having fun. communiqué Magazine: Are you married, have children?

Wavey Crockett: Yes, I am Happily Married to my wife of 15 years, Jade.

Together we have 6 children and I also have another son. We have the rare chance of being parents to 2 sets of twins. I messed up a lot and we made up a lot. And yes, we had twins back to back. communiqué Magazine: Where is your happy place, and why?

Wavey Crockett: My happy place is with my family and friends. I don’t exactly come from a “model” background. It was actually a time when I hid my pain behind my laughter and silliness. I’ve always been a joker however I wasn’t ready to get on stage until I was able to close some chapters and put some pains in proper prospective. So, going through what I’ve been through, I cherish life and those close to me a lot more. communiqué Magazine: What is the best part about being YOU?

Wavey Crockett: Hey what do you mean?

I’m Wavey!!! What’s there not to love? No, on a serious note the best part about being me is my Love for others. I stay Wavey (blessed) for a reason. I am one who does not mind giving all of myself to others.

Sometimes even perfect strangers. You never know what lesson or blessing is in meeting people. And I kind of feel that being that way keeps me and my family blessed. communiqué Magazine: Where were you born and raised and where do you reside now?

Wavey Crockett: I am Detroit!!! I was born here, been here all my life (with the exception of the military), I am raising my family here, and I own here (and within the city limits, not Metropolitan Detroit) communiqué Magazine: Do you have siblings, and if yes where are you in the birth order?

Wavey Crockett: Yes. I am the youngest and best looking of 7!!! communiqué Magazine: Tell us about your parents, are they alive? What do/did they think of your Comedy life?

Wavey Crockett: Unfortunately, my birth parents both passed away from cancer when I was young. I’m biracial. My mom was white and from rural Ohio. My dad was black and from the Eastside of Detroit.

However, from a baby I was raised by my mom and her 2 sisters. The 3 of them each loved, and continue to love me, as if I were each one of their own child. To be honest my mother is one of the most raw and real people I know. Maybe where I get it from.

She told me “Are you really that funny enough to be a comedian”...I was hurt but I didn’t let it stop or deter me. Once I showed her one of my sets and she was in tears laughing, from then on out she’s been my 9th biggest fan (behind the wife and kids). communiqué Magazine: What is the next big thing for you and how can fans and followers reach you?

Wavey Crockett: Well I’m with the rest of the world, we are kinda all playing it by ear due to Covid. My Facebook is Wavey Crockett and my Instagram is @ waveycrockettcomedy I can also be reached at waveycrockettmgmt@gmail.com I have a saying: Apply Pressure, Remain Humble which basically means work as hard as I can but never lose sight of the humility that got me here.

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Laugh Get

Through It to

22

Through It

Written by Corretta L. Doctor with Portia Perry and Kenneth Taylor, Sr. He is a celebrity who is kind, humble, generous, funny, and very positive all at the same time. Who am I speaking about? It is none other than Mr. Michael Colyar and he is so humorous. During our social-distanced interview meeting, conducted on Zoom, Portia Perry, Kenneth Taylor, Sr., and Corretta Doctor tag teamed Michael Colyar in a hilarious, good ole knee-slapping conversation. We laughed throughout the entire interview.

The jokes just kept coming because that is what he does naturally. When asked if he was the jokester in school he explained that he was always funny, but his original goal was to be in movies. “I was always funny, but I didn’t think I would make money being funny”, he says. He is successful at being funny naturally and being funny to earn a paycheck, now that’s the real win! Michael Colyar is a successful comedian, an accomplished actor, a known philanthropist, and a popular author. He is also a genuine, caring, and compassionate person that loves life and the people that come along with it. Well, at least most of the people anyway (just kidding), Michael is a true people-person, and we see that in everything he does! communiqué Magazine: Michael, are you your brother’s keeper?

Michael Colyar: Yes, I am, and I am my sister’s keeper, too.

We asked Mr. Colyar whether he thought laughter was good for the soul. Michael believes that laughter is not only good for the soul, but it is good for your health. He spoke about Dr. Norman Cousins, an American political journalist, author, professor, and world peace advocate. Dr. Cousins was a longtime editor of the Saturday Review and he is the author of many books, most notable, ‘Anatomy of an Illness: As Perceived by the Patient’.

Mr. Cousins took three steps to improving his health and extending his life after being diagnosed with medical issues that were destined to end his life prematurely. The first of the steps was making some changes with his medical team that included firing his doctor, next he took massive doses of vitamin C, and the third step was as follows: Dr. Cousins obtained a movie projector and a pile of funny movies including the Marx Brothers and ‘Candid Camera’ shows. He spent a great deal of time watching these films and laughing. And he didn’t just laugh. In spite of being in a lot of constant pain he laughed intentionally until his stomach hurt from the laughter. He lived to be 75 years old – many years beyond the prognosis. “If you can laugh through a thingyou can get through a thing”, says Michael.

Michael Colyar is busy and that keeps him relevant and present in our lives! Since the ‘80s Michael has been on our television screens, on the big screens, on many comedy house stages, on the radio airwaves, and for nine years straight, 5 days a week we could catch ‘The

King of Venice Beach’, as he was affectionately titled, on Venice Beach.

Among his numerous appearances other places such as rehabilitation centers, shelters and military bases, along with other stages and comedy houses, Michael Colyar is a long time household name recognizable across the globe. Now with the COVID-19 social distance restrictions Michael is spending a lot of time streaming on social media with his Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Channels. Michael Colyar is best known for his starring roles in Blackish, House Party III, Norbit, The Princess & The Frog, and his role as Mr. Whitaker on the hit television series “Martin”. communiqué Magazine: Has Covid-19 had an impact on your career?

What is the biggest change you have seen to date?

Michael Colyar: “I have been rich three times and broke 14 times. Giving back is very important to me. I suffered drug addiction for 23 years, but I am happy to say that I have been clean now for almost 10 years… as of March 2021. I will not and cannot forget where I came from or where I have been. Covid-19 has caused many of my standup comedy performances to be canceled. One thing that this Covid-19 pandemic has done (in terms of change) is caused us to adjust to our situation and it has reset the world. R-E-S-E-T about health, relationships, relationships with God and finances (and if you haven’t saved your money YOU ARE SCARED). Do not chase money because money is faster than you! The universe curses and blesses is what some say, but the truth is that the universe responds to your vibration”.

Success does not look the same for every success story that is out there. Michael Colyar reflects back to when he won the $100,000.00 Grand Prize Comedy Championship on Star Search in 1990. “They asked me, before I won, what would I do with the money if I won. I said I would donate half of the money to charity. Then I won. So, what did I do? I donated half of the money to the charity.” Michael also shares with us how he remembers the days of hunger and homelessness.

“It’s not about me, it’s about me finding my brother. I am making a living and living a making. I give back because it is both an obligation and a responsibility. When I eat at these upscale expensive restaurants I take half of my meal and give it to a homeless person out here on the streets. People talk about it when you give a homeless person money, but listen, it is not your business what they do with $3”.

Michael tells us that some of his greatest inspiration came from Eddie Murphy. “In 1984, this young 20+ year old was wearing a red leather suit! That’s impressive.

Michael studied Redd Foxx and never stopped perfecting his craft.

Now many of his performances are done on YouTube. To mention a few, “Michael Went on a Crack Diet,” and

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“Drugs Messing up his Blessings,” are a couple that you should check out. Further, Michael does performances on YouTube for children and adults. Several of his puppets are used for the shows.

Mr. Colyar is also a jazzy dresser. When asked if he had someone pick out his clothing for him he said, “No, my father was a tailor, and I got my fashion sense from my brother and him.” Michael said his brother could really dress and he was inspired by his brother’s style of dressing.

He selects his own suits, and everything is not super expensive, and he knows how to match shirts and ties together with his suits. Michael wore suits to high school back in the day. When he was headed to class he would often be stopped by his friends inquiring if he was headed to the office. Michael wears David Ford sunglasses. He said they are stylish, and we could see that; Michael showcased them for us during the interview! He also said they come in a box that look like a casket for midgets, once again, giving way to laughter as we pushed through the interview with smiles and deep belly laughs.

Michael loves his Mother. There are not enough words on the universe to express the love he holds in his heart for his Mother. Mary Lena Smith, Michael’s beloved Mother, left this earth 12 years ago but she never left him. “She lives in my heart and because of that I have never shed a tear”.

Michael Colyar is the one to emulate on and off the stage. Today’s wealth is measured by the soul of a person and not his pockets…although money is nice, too. Michael is the true definition of a caring person that never forgot the bridge that brought him over.

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Be sure to check out Michael Colyar as Mike McCoy in the 2020 romantic BET comedy Holiday Heartbreak. The Christmas film about a hopeless romantic cursed with relationship problems after her chauvinistic father (Michael Colyar) mistreats the wrong woman is sure to be a ‘holiday classic.’ Holiday Heartbreak costars AJ Johnson, LisaRaye McCoy, Kountry Wayne, Maryam Basir and many more.

Visit, bookmark, and follow Michael Colyar at www.therealmichaelcolyar.com

The Michael Colyar Morning Show Daily Prayer 7AM PST IG Live: Michael_Colyar FBLive: Michael Colyar Michael Colyar’s Super Star Interviews Catch Great Interviews Every Wednesday- 6 PM PST IG Live: @Michael_Colyar Mike Reads to the Kids Thursdays – 11:30 AM PST IG Live: @Michael_Colyar

A Laugh Accompanied By A

Beautiful Smile

Simply Shanell made her professional comedian debut at ‘All Jokes Aside’ in Detroit, Michigan and she has been on a roll ever since!

“I was on my way home from work as a Juvenile Detention Specialist, after having a terrible day. A commercial came on the radio with an advertisement for open mic night at the club. I went, signed up, performed, and I won the $50 prize and I still don’t have a clue what I said. I just remember feeling much lighter.”

This is an example of doing what makes you feel good…unapologetically and without remorse. Lately with the uncertainties of the world, the surmounting tragedy, and unprecedented trauma, life can feel short but we can fill our days with laughter, and thanks to comedians like the amazing Simply Shanell, that is what many of us are learning to do.

Simply Shanell was born in Winston Salem, North Carolina however she was raised between North Carolina and Detroit. She went to elementary, middle, and high school in both states. “I come from a large, blended family. I have three brothers (Rob, Emanuel, and Allen), and five sisters, Keely, Tonya, Jahmira, Susan and Sharde).

My older sister Keely died in 2004, so I’m the oldest now”. Simply Shanell talks about her life, “The best part about being me is, I’m an original. There is only one me. I’m Grown, Faithful, Responsible, Respectful, Humble, Honest, and LOYAL. I am the parent of two children. Although they aren’t children anymore; my son Jailin is 25, and my daughter Shelly is 38 and Shelly is recently divorced with 6 children. Yes, I have 6 grandchildren ages 6-19.

“I’ve had VERY Good parents. my mom, Vernell Farris Taylor is a Minister, and she is funny. Both of my dads are no longer here. My birth dad, Robert Farris, was awesome and a lot of fun. Daddy was a big kid. I remember us going to the grocery store and winding up at a boat dealership and daddy buying a boat and us going boating instead. My second dad, Bishop Emanuel Taylor, was the nicest man I ever met. I actually introduced him to my mom when I was 14. Both of my Dads were so proud of me and bragged to all of their friends about me.

My mom actually was the one who encouraged me to do clean comedy. She said, “Shanell maybe God got you doing comedy for us church folks, we want to laugh too. We just don’t want to hear all that cussing and talk about sex.” She also booked me for my first church show”.

We all look at back on life but not everyone agrees that their careers have contributed greatly to their personal life. Shanell proudly attributes her good life to her hard work and her comedy career. “Comedy has done so much for my life. The main one being, Freedom. Comedy has allowed me to see the world. I’ve entertained the U.S. Troops in Germany, South Korea, and Japan. I’ve performed in Aspen, Colorado

for HBO and TBS. I’ve been able to make people laugh all across America. Comedy gave me my Happy Place in Life”.

We asked Simply Shanell to tell us her opinion on how the comedy business will endure after COVID-19, and of course we have great anticipation and hope that the fears and loss of COVID-19 will eventually go away.

Her response, “I think the comedy industry will rebound great. However, the comic pay will decrease due to lower attendance which is due to social distance requirements.”

With many businesses fighting to stay above water, we understand that safety is key even if we feel the impact in our paychecks.

Simply Shanell is surrounded by laughter. She has an infectious smile that will capture your heart but beyond that smile, she can bend you in half with laughter when she steps on stage and performs her show. She reflects on her family and those that help keep her smiling, “My brother Robert, he is Stupid!!!!! My mom Vernell, and actually most of my family, has a comedic bone. As far as professional comics, two comedians that always tickle my funny bone are Tony Roberts and Howie Bell.

Simply Shanell’s genre of comedy is “Family Friendly” Comedy. “Some people like to call it Christian comedy or Clean comedy. I prefer to call it Family Friendly Comedy because you can enjoy my comedy from age 15 to 105 years old. The most important part is making sure people feel better leaving my comedy show than they felt coming in.

Laughter releases toxins in the body and I want to make sure my audience laugh”. Some of us pick an exotic island as our happy place, or a special room in the home, but not our friend, here is Simply Shanell’s take on ‘her favorite place’, she says “My happy place is my vehicle. I love driving. I’ve driven from Detroit to North Carolina in eight hours. I love being in my car because I control everything about it; the temperature, music, and speed, LOL”.

Comedians are free flowing spirits that can pretty much control their own destiny. We asked Simply Shanell what’s next for her and her comedy career, “I have a no idea what God has next for me. I’m just waiting for the next opportunity to showcase myself.

However, I am very excited about my upcoming comedy show with Americas largest Black Ski Club in Aspen, Colorado in January 2021”.

Stay connected and follow Simply Shanell on Twitter, FB or you can email her at simplyshanell@yahoo.com.

communiqué Magazine 25

Shekinah Griffin

Photographer: Jerry A. Barnes JABarnes Photography LLC

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Vi c ki Barbolak

Written by Corretta L. Doctor Hold onto your tiger stripes! Vicki Barbolak is a sassy and sexy 62 year… no wait, I mean “sexty-two” year old Comedian that is living the dream as an internationally recognized professional comedian. Vicki started her comedy career just under 25 years ago in California and she really took off after an open Mic night at the La Jolla Comedy Store Club. The legendary, late Mitzi Shore hired Vicki in 1998 as a paid regular.

This was the start of something major in Vicki’s career.

Ranking in the top ten of Season 13 on America’s Got Talent (AGT), NBC’s No. 1 summer show, Vicki instantly became a fan favorite. America’s Got Talent was created by Simon Cowell and is co-produced by Fremantle and Syco Entertainment. Vicki was also featured on the 2019 AGT Champions show and Britain’s Got Talent Champions among a list of other shows and competitions. Vicki reminds us of her most memorable moments on AGT where she placed number six in the top ten, “When Simon said I was the funniest person they’ve ever had on the show, and when Howie said I remind him of Joan Rivers, and when Tyra Banks gave me a big, comforting hug were my three most unforgettable moments of the show.”

Adorned in her favorite pattern….animal print, Vicki always sets the stage ablaze as she gets right to it with her comedy show. She has a ritual that she does before her show. She sends out a blanket of love over the audience! I saw Vicki in Sacramento at the Punch Line Comedy Club a year ago and I am still laughing- she delivers a really good show! I asked Vicki, who makes you laugh? She responded, “Richard Pryor, Phyllis Diller, Chris Rock, and Lily Tomlin all make me laugh!

I named my daughter Lily after Lily Tomlin”. Vicki has two daughters, Lily and Emily, and she is a very proud grandmother of six grandchildren. Vicki makes her home in Oceanside, California.

I asked Vicki about her future in comedy. “I have always loved standup. I always loved comedy. I will never stop performing, I will be propped up on a leopard covered walker still making people laugh. We can all work as long as we take care of ourselves.”

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the comedy industry hard.

There are few opportunities for comedians to go back on

stage right now. Vicki is hoping to soon be able to get back to her full tour schedule and perform at corporate events. She has graced the comedy stages of over 100 clubs.

She also wants to write a book. She says the title will likely be “Your Husband Hates the Sound of Your Voice”.

All jokes aside, Vicki wants readers to know that she is a grateful woman underneath her sexy layers of animal print attire!

She walked away from a family business to live her dream of comedy, and regardless of what others thought, she made it and she is very happy! She left behind bad relationships, and a pile of negative things that could have easily brought her down, but she persevered. Vicki has enjoyed her career and she makes time to give back to her community and to national causes. She is devoted to bringing awareness to Autism. Her grandson Timmy is autistic, and he is a bright young boy that holds a special place in this world and surely in Vicki’s heart!

Vicki encourages readers to get involved. She is an advocate for Suicide Awareness and Prevention and she strongly supports the fight against privatizing the Veterans hospital. She also asks that we support funding for research on health matters that can impact all of us in one way or the other.

Vicki says, “Although I laugh a lot now, and I am really good at making others laugh too, I did not have a happy life. After 20 years of working at my family’s carpet shop and growing up the daughter of a Pro Football player, which came with its own set of drama, I walked away from it all and started living life on my terms”.

Vicki is a testimony of the many battles women face today. She made it. She says, “Humor is healing, and it promotes conversation.” Visit www.vickibarbolakcomedy.com and stay connected to our friend Vicki Barbolak! Be sure to tune in every Thursday to Vicki’s podcast, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’.

Follow Vicki on social media: Twitter: @VickiBarbolak Facebook: @VickiBarbolakComedy Instagram: @VickiBarbolak America’s Got Talent Audition: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=RkCY_KsbZEA&t=2s America’s Got Talent Finals: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Ybxq8nKrCQA Vicki’s promotional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqBK k0XUqds&feature=youtu.be YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCgm1LGiuMM_7E6c6Qin2pLQ

communiqué Magazine 27 communiqué Magazine 27

Comedian Mic Larry Reveals All: Grief, Trauma, and Homelessness

By Saadia White

His voice was so full of good humor and laughter that one could never imagine the loss, grief, and trauma that comedian “Mic Larry” Williams experienced entering adulthood. Comedy is humorous; life is not.

up his family and become a weekend dad. He eventually succumbed to granting her the divorce, leaving her with his children, the house, and one of the vehicles while he took the other vehicle to live out of.

Raised in a two-parent household in a low-income community in Detroit, Michigan and is the oldest of four children, Larry Williams recalls his parents as hard-working disciplinarians who were big on “respect.” Mic Larry attributes his core values, strong beliefs, and family structure to his parents. Tragically, his mother, who never had any health problems, would die unexpectedly from emergency surgery. Her death shifted the role that Mic Larry would play from big brother to part-time caregiver to his younger brother and two sisters while his father worked to support them.

Homeless with no job, no wife, no children, and living out of his car, Comedian Mic Larry was challenged with facing another devastating life situation. Still showing a sense of resiliency and determined to stay active in his children’s lives, he continued to spend time with them. Not even a month after the divorce, his ex-wife shared with him that she would be taking his children and moving out of state. Heartbroken about not being in a financially stable position to fight for his family, he decided to do what was in their best interest which was allowing them to stay with a more stable parent.

Two years after his mother passed right before his scheduled first year at Central Michigan University on a full-ride football scholarship, Mic Larry would come face-to-face with tragedy once again that changed his family dynamics:

However, his ex-wife decided to leave and not take the children with her which meant he would be homeless with his children. Mic Larry, his eight-year-old son, and his four-year-old daughter spent the entire summer living out of his car. They would bathe in gyms and various other places while spending countless hours in the park.

“I remembered lying on the car, looking up saying: ‘Oh man, this might be it.’”

Larry was struck by a drunk driver, pinned in between two vehicles, and almost lost his life. His father, who took the law into his own hands to avenge the near-death of his son, was arrested for assaulting the drunk driver and spent one year in jail.

Now with no mother, a father in jail, and no potential football career, Mic Larry began to feel as though there was nothing left to live for. He sunk into a deep depression, gaining over 100 lbs., and with no motivation. He and his siblings would move in with his grandmother during the time his dad was in prison and he was rehabilitating. Never receiving any professional counseling, Comedian Mic Larry had this to say in a very humorous tone about therapy: “You know, black folks didn’t get therapy back then.

They just ate some sweet tarts and a little potato chips and carried on.

But seriously, I realized a lot of black folks go through trauma and don’t seek counseling and I feel that therapy is so important in our community especially now, with all that’s going on. We all have a story and it may be deeper than one could handle.”

Some say trauma and loss have a way of bringing an individual closer to God and this seemed true for Mic Larry. In the short time that he lived with his grandmother, Larry shared that she nurtured his spiritual side by reintroducing him to the bible. This ultimately helped to lift his spirits and motivate him to reclaim his life.

“Scriptures that she poured into me helped me then and are helping me till this day, like the 91st Psalms.”

As he was healing, Mic Larry became involved with a young woman whom he eventually married and bore two children with (a boy and girl). Though the marriage lasted ten years, he admits it was a very toxic relationship: “We were both young and it just didn’t work out.”

When he lost his job and entered the beginning stages of comedy, unfortunately marital problems would arise which led to divorce. With 28 hardcore family values embedded in him, Mic Larry did not want to break

“My daughter did not know we were homeless and this became one of my running jokes. We spent the whole day in the park and, when we woke up in the car the next day at the park, my daughter was so happy and she said: ‘Dad, you’re the best dad. We’re at the park again!’”

Mic Larry’s life began to look hopeful after he met and fell in love with his current wife, NaKesha. NaKesha opened her home to him and his two children while they were homeless. They would later marry and become a blended family with six children between them. It was with his wife that he would begin to see the fruits of his labor and his comedic life skyrocket along with his acting career. He was blessed to be the host for seven years of his clean comedy show, Bless the Mic, where he showcased a lot of his personal family moments.

Mic Larry’s love of fatherhood and struggle as a single homeless father prompted him to create a program called 100% Real Fathers. He created that program due to the adversities he was challenged with while homeless with his two children. In conjunction with his first program, he created 100% Real Mothers which provides resources to single mothers. He has also become an advocate for the homeless and hungry communities and is a role model and mentor for many of the inner-city youth. Administering feed programs in many of the impoverished areas of Detroit, Michigan, he has an annual show which he has produced called Laughter and Food for the Soul. This is a comedy show that provides food and shelter for the homeless in Detroit, Michigan.

Withstanding loss, grief, trauma, and homelessness as a single parent, Mic Larry has triumphed through life and has overcome the stereotypes that Black American fathers are often labeled with.

“Sometimes I wanted to give up. I was at a breaking point at one time but just don’t give up. Keep God first and keep praying.”

You can follow Comedian Mic Larry at ComedianMicLarry.com and on the following social media channels: Facebook and Instagram: @ComedianMicLarry Twitter: @MicLarryComedy YouTube: Just Us Web series, youtu.be/NOc1XdEwFu0.

“I remembered lying on the car, looking up saying: ‘Oh man, this might be it.’”

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I SING TO HEAL SOULS -FREDDO

BY BARIDIDUM LEEMA Nigeria, Africa

This is no doubt the dream and aspiration of an upcoming artist in the south -south region of Nigeria , a 29 year old Fred Zuguru who is better known by his stage name as FREDDO. Born on the 8th of January in a rural community known as Opuoko in the Ogoni region of Niger Delta in 1990, this young talented dance party sensation who idolizes in Nigeria music super star Wizkid, started his education at Methodist nursery and primary school at Bori in 1994, where he acquired his first School Leaving Certificate (SLC) in 2001.

The music and entertainment industry in Nigeria is a lucrative venture that has provided the platform for some notable and famous musicians such as Wizkid, DAVIDO, and Burna Boy to turn it to their goldmine.

These three Nigerian music icons have taken the name of the country to the world map in the music and entertainment industry.

To buttress this assertion, Burna Boy was a nominee for the American Grammy award last year, while the duo of DAVIDO and WIZKID have both won several music awards at the international scene on many occasion.

Their genre of music, which is regarded as Afro HIP HOP, (that is African HIP HOP), is the toast of the young generation in Nigeria and Africa by extension.

No wonder upcoming artists in Nigeria take the trio as role models and aspire to attain their level of affluence with the mindset of acquiring mansions and flashy cars and live a luxurious and flamboyant lifestyle.

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He thereafter proceeded to attend community secondary school (high school) in Buako rural community in the year 2002 and graduated in 2007.

Freddo started his music career in 2015 with his debut single known as SHALEWA, which means sexy girl in Yoruba slangs, a major language spoken by a large and dominant ethnic group in Nigeria.

Presently, his major hit single titled ‘Daddy Chocolate’ is already receiving air plays on both TV and radio stations in the city of Port Harcourt, headquarters of Rivers state in southern Nigeria, which is making him gain popularity in his local and rural community.

Incidentally, FREDDO who is nurturing the ambition to hit the stardom in the nearest future and take his music career to the international scene, was the star performer at a concert organized recently to mark and commemorate the Ogoni Martyrs day held annually on November 10.

Ogoni Martyrs day is a day set aside by Ogonis, a minority ethnic group in south-south region of Nigeria to remember their fallen heroes who died in course of the Ogoni agitation for environmental justice in Nigeria and FREDDO mesmerized the audience with his musical prowess.

In fact, the moment the MC of the occasion mentioned his name as the next artist to perform on the occasion, the audience mostly dressed in black outfits with the image of late human right hero, Ken Saro Wiwa and eight other Ogoni martyrs boldly drawn on their t-shirts began to holla FREDDO to announce his arrival on stage.

And the young lad made sure the audience, especially his fans, got more than what they bargained for as he stole the show and upstaged them with his sterling performance in an event COVID 19 protocol was ignored.

However, communiqué Magazine cornered him for an interview after his performance on stage and he was full of excitement and gratitude to grant the request.

Hear him: “It was a great moment for me to perform on the Ogonis Martyrs day. To me it’s a milestone achievement in my music career because Ogoni Martyrs day is a day all Ogonis all over the world come together and remember our fallen heroes. I use my music to heal the soul of the depressed and oppressed. If you are depressed and sad, the moment you are able to listen to my music, you will get solace and become happy. That is what I owe my fans. Doing music gives me joy and it is my mission is to use my music to make the society a place of haven and tranquility”, he said with finality.

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All Hail the Queen; Queen C-O-O-K-I-E That Is!

Written by Corretta Doctor Queen Cookie, a Toledo, Ohio native, wasted no time letting me know how amazing she is.

It was in her hospitality, her smile, and her heart. She revealed her passion for life, and we spoke candidly about how life has been wonderful for her, although it has taken her on one big, harsh, emotional ride: the unexpected death of her grandson, Ajane ‘AJ’ Xavier Jamal Burt, who took his own life. We sat for a down to earth discussion in her home, and may I add how breathtaking beautiful her home is! That three hour chat culminated into the substance of this article.

This amazing woman is a spiritual soul that finds serenity in her understanding of life.

She is a cultural and ever evolving traditional spirit that loves everything about her roots.

Queen is a Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Sister, Aunt, Cousin, and a Friend to the End. At age 63 Earlean Mack-Belcher, “Queen Cookie”, started her comedy career.

Today, at age 71, she makes no apology for her greatness. She is confident in all that she does and her journey to the Comedy industry is awe inspiring. Let’s take a deeper look.

She is happily married to Dennison Belcher and they have decades of love under their belt! Queen is confident and filled with character! They both like comedy and although sitting in the audience is a great date night for the couple, Queen knew she could spark some interest from the other side of the comedy stage. While sitting in a comedy show one night several years ago,

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watching Comedian and Actress Mo’Nique on the big stage, Queen got her chance to shine in a big way. She was given eight minutes to open the next nights show for Mo’Nique and since then she has been making her way in the industry and leaving a trail of laughter everywhere she goes. Queen’s ‘Menopause’ show keeps you in laughter! Queen Cookie loves to sing, dance, party, travel to many countries, interior and landscape design, prepare delicious meals, and play her alto saxophone. She is eager to return to the comedy stage after COVID-19.

Among all of the things that Queen does to make her life happy and complete, she will never forget the shocking pain that came with the death of her son’s first born child, her grandson AJ. Ajane ‘AJ’ Xavier Jamal Burt took his life by suicide on February 18, 2017. Queen says that AJ’s death came to her in a premonition before it happened. AJ’s mother committed suicide 13 years prior to him taking his life.

Queen credits her husband’s love and support for helping her get through the grieving process. Queen took her pain and turned it into productivity. She produced a documentary film called, ‘A Cry For Help, The Ajane’ Burt Story’. The show is streaming now on Amazon Prime, Vudu, iTunes, Google

Play, Apple TV, and MOBFI-TV. It is a film that is changing Queen’s life for the better, and she hopes it is also changing the lives of others. “As long as I am breathing there is always hope. I also have learned to accept the things I cannot change and change the things I can”, says Queen Cookie.

Suicide leaves family and friends hurting and searching for understanding. Queen Cookie understands the need to support those that have lost loved ones and she is active in her efforts to help other families that are grieving. She participates in Community walks and she organizes her own efforts to bring awareness to the signs of suicide and to offer help to those that need a shoulder to lean on during such a devastating time. If you are struggling with the loss of a loved one to suicide, Queen encourages you to get counseling and find a support group. Laughter is good for the heart and soul and Queen Cookie reminds us that you can do anything you put your mind to, even heal.

Visit www.AFSP.org and learn how the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention can help. Follow Queen Cookie on social media: Instagram: @queen_cookie_805 and Facebook: @QueenCookieProductions communiqué Magazine 33

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Photographer: Jerry A Barnes Model: Amanda Warrior Styled by: JABarnes Photography LLC HMUA: Amanda Warrior

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Richard. That’s it. Richard.

Written by Corretta L. Doctor

Since 2006 Harlem, New York has been the home to Richard Pryor, Jr. New York is energetic and full of heartbeat. The city, and those in it, do not care who your famous parents are or aren’t. If you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere and you will do it on your own accord! Richard sets the tone for the interview, “I am not trying to be my Father, and I do have a Mother that many people fail to ever ask me about”. He would soon come to see that this interview would strike a bond between the two of us that neither of us could have imagined. I get it, I do.

Richard Pryor, Jr. is the son of the late Patricia Price and the first born son to the famed Comedian Richard Pryor, who died in 2005. Richard Pryor Jr. is an American director, writer, singer, and actor. Richard is starring in a new television series, ‘The D.O.C.’ scheduled to begin production in 2021. The series will be about Rose Ross, a former combat veteran discovers her sister. She decides to risk it all and become a correctional officer in the same prison, to take them down the culprits responsible. Richard worked production on The Color Purple (1985), Bustin’ Loose (1981) and Figure. Richard has one son, Randise Pryor, that is turning 30 years old this December. Richard is also a grandfather to four little ones: two grandsons and two granddaughters!

Richard is a celebrity and a celebrity son, and even with all of the lights that shine on celebrities, Richard never forgot the bond he shared with his dad, even in the later years shortly before his dad’s death. That is important and is a key attribute to the strength of the father-son bond he holds with Randise. Both of them live in New York so it gives them plenty of opportunities to spend quality time together. Richard tells us that his relationship with his son differs greatly than that between him and his own father and he is prayerfully gracious for the life he has with his son.

I asked Richard to tell me what his “today” story looks like, to shed light on what his life looks and feels like for him today. “Today is a mixture of a lot of things. On one hand you have what you do professionally and what you like to do, and then you get to a point of what “can” you do at this point because all of the city is shut down? With the COVID-19 situation it impacted my work. Work changed for me and many of my industry friends, so I decided to go to work in a hospital. I saw a need and I had the ability to do the job, so I went to work in a hospital doing housekeeping work. Everybody there was so surprised that it was actually me…Richard Pryor, Jr. …they were surprised that I would be working in a hospital and more surprised that I would be doing cleaning and janitorial work. The

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staff were constantly looking me up on the internet and whispering about me being me. Finally, one day one of my colleagues came to me and asked me why am I working in housekeeping, and I quickly answered, why not? One supervisor even told me that he was watching a movie and saw me on the screen! The way I see it, hospitals are extremely short of staff.

There is a need, and I was able to fill it.

I am working my job at the hospital and waiting on things to open back up. New York was brought to its knees and the hustle and bustle stopped. I wanted to do what I know I needed to do”.

Living in New York, the initial deadly epicenter of the Covid-19 virus, has to be one of the most unprecedented places to be during this pandemic. Out of every bad situation, people strive to decipher something good. I asked Richard if he learned any good lessons out of this situation? “I got a closer look at self-love because I am isolated and not seeing anyone. It is like going through therapy. It is like going on vacation by yourself. Then, when you start seeing the city shutdown and the curfews in place and all you have is a phone and a television, it is then that you start feeling the effects of being socially distanced. That is when you have to start to check yourself and learn who you are as a person”.

Richard continues, “There was nothing that I didn’t know [about myself] but there were things I did refuse to look at. Like, I know I can be opinionated, but I never looked at myself like that. I did realize that I always wanted to have the last word. There is a part of me that is really nice and kind, but I have a temper. That is also something I learned about myself. I had to learn that not everyone is going to like me. I have a real big problem with that, and I am still working on that one. I am a nice guy.

You just have to learn and accept that not everyone is going to get with you and click with you and want to like you and be around you. I think the things that I have gone through in my life are things that were helping me, and I didn’t know they were helping me”.

Looking past the media articles out there, the countless interviews, and opinion editorials, I want to understand how Richard is doing today.

Too often the media focuses on the celebrity and not the substance of a person. Richard deserves a voice of consolation and we are proud to give it to him. Without a stutter or stammer, he proudly says, “I am extremely happy today. I am very happy. There are things that I want in my life, and things that I think I deserve in my life because of what I am doing and what I want and what I desire, but I am happy. I used to love to just be by myself, but I am noticing now that the older I get, the more I don’t find that fulfilling anymore. I have to learn to ‘unlearn’ a lot of things that

were programmed in my mind and I had to let things go and learn to trust people. I used to sit back in corners and just watch people because I didn’t trust people. I am learning to trust more as time goes on”.

When someone goes through as much as Richard has, all you ever want for them is to know that they are happy. Richard’s book, ‘In a Pryor Life’, written by Richard with Ron Brawer, details much of the hard life this man endured. Again, it is heartwarming to know that Richard’s ‘today’ story entails his happiness. ‘In a Pryor Life’ is a seriously good read that holds nothing back; here is the Amazon summary: “When I was born, I weighed two pounds, three ounces. The doctor who examined me told my mother, “Congratulations, Mrs. Pryor, you have a boy! No, wait, it’s a girl! No, it is a boy!”

Mom cried, “What did I have? A freak?”

Yes and No. My freakish life parallels my father’s in many ways: a Peoria whorehouse, abuse, alcohol and drug addiction, and frequent bad decisions.

But I survived. And that’s what my book is about, a real-life story of overcoming obstacles, surviving, and thriving”. -Richard Pryor, Jr. Richard is looking forward to going back into the comedy world.

“I think a lot of things that we took for granted in the comedy industry will be different. Auditions and call backs are on zoom now. It is weird.

I can’t wait to be able to go back to the stage and sing again and get back to acting in the plays that I had been working on prior to everything closing down”.

Comedy is not just a healing tool for the audience, comedy helps the comedian, too.

“Comedy can be really healing but the unfortunate thing with comedy is that you have to be so politically correct now. If you look back at old TV shows such as All in the Family and The Jefferson’s a lot of those shows couldn’t be on today. A lot of things Redd Foxx, and my Dad, said on stage just couldn’t be said today. Laughter is so healing and therapeutic. Back in the day the worse thing you had to think about in a comedy club is if the comedian was going to pick on what you were wearing, but you knew when you got up and walked out of the club, that is where it stayed. Today the fear in a comedy club is whether someone is going to record you and pick apart everything you say in the opposite of the context of which it was intended. That is just wrong because all the comedian is doing is trying to get you to smile and laugh”.

If you are wondering why you don’t see Richard on the comedy tours doing stand-up, stop wondering. He explains, “I don’t do stand-up anymore, but I did it years ago and I will never do it again. With my name being Richard Pryor, Jr. it was too brutal. It wasn’t the crowd, it was the other comics. The other comics were brutal. They thought if I told stories of my life, they would say I was trying to be my father. My father’s life and mine were very similar so the stories were automatically parallel. If I told jokes a different way and not like my father they’d say I wasn’t good enough to be like my father so I could never really be myself. It was a no-

win situation. I will do improv and I also do cabaret’s. They are like a one man show. I sing and I do storytelling. I take the audience on the journey of my life. I will then break out into song. My cabaret, ‘Life, Love, and a Little Laughter’ is a MAC Award nominee for outstanding performance in a Musical Comedy. My latest project is going to be great, I am currently working on a one man show based off my book where I portray ALL of the characters”.

Richard rounds out our discussion with a strong sentiment of peace. “My life is always a journey.

I didn’t always look at it that way. The first relationship I ever had was with a Man. Prior to that I was forcibly abused by a male. I had a nervous breakdown in high school because I was fearful of who I was and dealing with rejection. Then, trying to conform to what society expected, I got married to a woman. Prior to me being married, I lived my life as a gay man and I even did female impersonating because I loved to lip sync and all of that.

I went through a lot of abuse and although I didn’t know it then, I see how much I have been taken advantage of throughout my life.

My ex-wife is a good friend of mine and I attend her church here in New York”.

Because of his teaching and learnings, he started feeling convictions about living the gay lifestyle. When he told his last male partner about his true thoughts and feelings, although his partner understood, the relationship ended.

They are still friends today, but the relationship ended. Never say never.

You don’t know what roads and twists and turns your life is going to take. “I’m just living my life the way I am living it today. I can’t say what tomorrow is going to bring, I just live for today and that is the way it is. I don’t want to use labels but today, I no longer identify, or live my life as an openly gay man”.

If life were a color for Richard, it would be red. “Red represents so many things and it can be viewed as positive and negative. I see it as a circus color, big red clown shoes, the big red flower on the clown’s lapel that squirts water, and everyone is laughing.

Red… in that scene… is making everyone happy with the laughing”!

It is refreshing to see people living a life that they want to live without shame, discontent, or regret. Richard Pryor, Jr. is striving to show people that no matter where you are in life, and certainly no matter where life has taken you, the best thing you can do is live life today on your own terms and free of any fear. Forgive, forget and be free. Use laughter and let laughter use you! BE yourself. Richard is just Richard. That’s it. Richard.

He has his own life, and he loves it. What you see is what you get.

Richard tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and is still battling with the symptoms although he is no longer contagious. It has been a tough road, but Richard sends warm thoughts for a happy holiday season to everyone!

Visit Richard’s website at https://inapryorlife.com/ and stay connected.

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The Happiness of Others Makes Her Soul Sing: A Discussion with

Model Amanda Warrior Written by Corretta L. Doctor

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I don’t think my life is just one color.

I feel as though it’s like a rainbow.

Some days my life is blue, calming and relaxing and others it could be pink, fun and exciting. I’ve had red days where it’s hectic and all over the place.

Honestly, I think life would be boring if it was just one color. Being able to experience all the colors is what makes us who we are… I think.

To see someone’s eyes through the lens of a camera and witness the interior of their being is both revealing and magical. When Photographer Jerry A. Barnes presented the photos of Amanda Warrior to me, I saw a story that Amanda never told me. I read her emotions and knew she needed to be heard. She needed a place to share the beauty of things such as what brings her peace and what creativity does for her. We can all learn from the thoughts of a mind filled with wonder and truth. Enjoy the amazing photography and the silent voice behind the model.

communiqué Magazine: What makes your soul sing, what is your happy spot in life?

The happiness of others make my soul sing. I’ve always been drawn to helping others and seeing them happy fulfills my soul; how their face lights up or a huge smile comes across their face. To know that I was able to create that happiness for them even if it’s just for a moment just does something to me on the inside. My happy spots are my children and love of my life! If things aren’t going well or I’m having a rough time I can look at their pictures and everything changes to know that everything that I’m doing is for them. Not everyone is or can be blessed like I am with kids and someone who loves me communiqué Magazine: What is your Soul Story? What do for me, and I cherish that! Just the thought of them changes your pictures tell us that words cannot say? my whole mood.

My soul story is someone who has seen a lot of pain in her life but also a fighter no matter the situation. She’s never allowed the pain to change her as a person but to better herself. She hasn’t allowed it to make her a bitter person but more understanding towards people. Even though she’s been through so much she remains humble and forgiving and still sees good in others.

communiqué Magazine: Where is the place you go to find peace?

Peace, for me, is sitting by a body of water such as a river, lake, beach, or even finding a little watering hole when walking through the woods. To be able to close your eyes and hear the water; it has a calming effect. When I get a chance to go to the beach and smell the salt in the water, those things bring communiqué Magazine: What does creativity mean to you me peace. It’s a spot that I like to go to in my hometown of and how does it apply to your life?

Columbus, GA and it’s off the Riverwalk. You have to go off the trail to get to it and all it is, really, is a bunch of rocks that Creativity for me is freedom. Creativity is fun and not sit by the water and along the white water rafting route. I’ll go conforming to a box. Creativity allows you to express your down there from time to time just to get away and get a peace inner feelings. Creativity applies to my life by allowing me to of mind. Hearing the water hitting the rocks and watching the live how I want to. I encourage my kids to be able to express rapids going crazy is calming. It’s like when I’m down there themselves without judgment and creativity allows that. It time slows down, and I imagine all my worries or negative opens up a whole new world that I feel like everyone should things in my life being taken away by the rapids. It’s funny be able to experience at least once in a lifetime. because my dad would always say when I was growing up that I should’ve been a fish the way I’m so attracted to water. communiqué Magazine: If your life were a color, what would it be? communiqué Magazine 41

Because I’m Funny, That’s Why! Written by Corretta L. Doctor

Rodney Perry is THE funny man. He is a comedian, actor, writer, and published author of the recent book, ‘Moments on My Journey’, a chronical of significant moments in his life. Rodney dedicated the book to his wife, his six children, his siblings and his parents.

Unless you are blind, deaf, and living on Mars, you have likely heard or seen Rodney Perry on radio, television, or film. If you are one of the world’s comedy lovers then likely you have seen him a time or two, or maybe even a few occasions in person on a comedy stage somewhere between the borders of the earth. Due to the current restrictions of COVID-19 social distancing requirements you will have to see Rodney through your phone screen or computer monitors. His social media presence on Instagram is huge….and it is safe for him and you. Although he is color-blind, he can see a bright future ahead of him as he is continuing in an upward spiral in all of his endeavors.

Rodney Perry survived the Coronavirus Disease (COVId-19). He contracted the virus and remained hospitalized for 14 days fighting to get better. “I went to the Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital because I am a veteran and they tested me, and I tested positive. I had flu symptoms. It is different for everybody. I never had loss of taste or smell. I had chills, fever, and diarrhea, good gracious, I had diarrhea. The virus had really done a number on my lungs. It diminished my lung capacity and when I

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was released from the hospital and I got home, I could barely walk across the living room without getting winded. It took me 3-4 weeks just to feel comfortable again.” With the good news of Rodney’s recovery, he sends a message to everyone: “This thing is real, and it is not a game.” Rodney says if he doesn’t have to go anywhere he just does not go. “I do everything the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tells us to do, I wear a mask and social distance. I stopped smoking. When you have issues with your lungs, the last thing you need to do is put smoke in them. I quit cigars. I exercise a lot more, I bought me a Peloton bike. If you make the same mistake more than once, you’re stupid”, says Rodney.

Rodney is healthy again and says that there is nothing like performing comedy while being in the room with people. “I am getting back on the road; the long and the short of it is that you must keep your hands clean and hold your breath when you’re taking pictures. Comedians lighten the collective burden, so we are essential workers. I think the future of comedy will become a hybrid of sparse crowds and a pay per view type broadcast show.

Comedy from the perspective of business: I asked Rodney to tell me who he gleaned insight from. He says, “The most insight came from Mo’Nique.”

Mo’Nique is a comedian and an Academy Award Winning actress. She was known in her early days of comedy from The Queens of Comedy tour

and since has been featured on television and film and has graced many comedy stages making the building shake with laughter. “She educated me on how to negotiate, how to maximize the money you are worth, and to understand your worth. John Alston gave me the formula to being able to establish what I wanted to be paid. John was my mentor when I was just starting out in the comedy industry. He told me, you should be charging people ¼ of what it takes for you to live every month. If it takes you 10k to care for your family, then you need to be paid $2,500 per show.

Four gigs should cover you for a month”.

In most cases, no matter what job you do, there is a person that you look up to. Rodney has several, really too many to name, but here are a few.

“I am a product of so many people. Let me start with Michael Colyar – NOBODY is better at selling merchandise post-show than Michael Colyar. After watching him I changed my whole approach to that. I wasn’t taking that as serious. The business of putting a piece of you in a person hands, well Michael Colyar showed me that. Also, people like Cedric the Entertainer who I watched negotiate television deals and Steve Harvey, he has his hand in so many things! I got many chances to be a fly on the wall and learn from Steve while he showed us how to do a lot of things in the business.

I asked Rodney, when you think about going forward in comedy, what do you think the biggest risk on the stage is? He replied, “The biggest risk/challenge is that people can record you and take your comedy out of context. You can say a joke nowadays and you can get cancelled. We can’t operate under a veil of fear, so if you have to consider every word that comes out your mouth then it can create a bubble where it is hard to operate.” Rodney is accurate. We live in a period where ‘cancel culture’ is becoming a habit. Cancel culture is defined in a recent New York Post article as promoting the “canceling” of people, brands and even shows and movies due to what some consider to be offensive or problematic remarks or ideologies. It is easy to see why this can be of great concern to comedians. Rodney continues, “I don’t have a ‘no touch zone’ when it comes to comedy topics, but I try not to say anything that I am not willing to say or hear again. I have a pretty good gauge of people and as a

comedian I can say things that regular people can’t say because I’m funny.

I try not to say anything hurtful, but you don’t always have a gauge of what can hurt a person’s feelings. Even with social media, as I develop my social media presence, I always remember that there are people, human beings, on the other side of every joke. If you can respect that then you can exist for a long time like I have”.

Rodney says being ultra-competitive has made him successful. “I have a healthy idea of what my job is. My job as a comedian is to lighten the collective burden. When people are going through whatever they are going through, and they come see Rodney Perry, for a few minutes they get to depart from that. My goal has always been to let people leave my show a little lighter.”

Rodney says we can look out for a Sirius XM deal coming down the pipe, it is called “That Jokers Wild”, and his role is that of a comedy DJ. Rodney shares, “I will be in Coming 2 America with Eddie Murphy and that is a big deal! I auditioned it for it and the working title was ‘The Quest’. I went and I auditioned for it and my agent called to say, Rodney you booked The Quest….and I was like, oh ok. She said it again and I was like, OK, The Quest. Then she said, Rodney, The Quest is ‘Coming 2 America’ and that is when I stopped in my tracks. I stood in my kitchen and told my wife and at that point, I was excited with tears”. Rodney Perry is character, ‘Cousin Rodney’, in Coming 2 America, an upcoming film directed by Craig Brewer from a screenplay by David Sheffield, Barry W.. Blaustein, and Kenya Barris based on characters created by Eddie Murphy. The film is a sequel to the original Coming To America film that debuted in 1988.

The new installment to the series, Coming 2 America stars Eddie Murphy, Jermaine Fowler, Arsenio Hall, John Amos, James Earl Jones and many more.

Rodney Perry is many things to many people and with all of the accolades and accomplishments he has, I would like to call out this special tribute and thank Rodney for his service as a United Service Navy Veteran.

Happy Veteran’s Day November 2020.

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Guthrie BonnĂŠtt (#ATOC)

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credits

Michael Colyar Cover Image and Pages 22-24 Photographer: Gregory McKinnon Table of Contents Watermark Images and Pages 40-41 Model: Amanda Warrior Hair/MUA: Amanda Warrior Wardrobe/Stylist: JABarnes Photography LLC IG: @its_mzsummers FB: Manda Summers Photographer: Jerry A. Barnes JABarnes Photography, LLC www.jerryabarnes.com IG: @jaybarnesphotography Page 12 Model: Octavia Hike Photographer: Jeffrey B. Martin Styling and Set Design: Jeffrey B. Martin SkyLoft F, Baltimore, Maryland Martin Studio Photography www.martinstudiophotography.com Pages 13, 15 Photographer: Mike Peeler Photography

Pages 32-33 Photo Credit: Morgan McNiven Page 36 Photographer: Mike McGregor www.mikemcgregor.com Page 37 Photographer: Julia Schell

Page 39 Model: Mayralee Gonzalez Photographer: Jeffrey B. Martin Styling and Set Design: Jeffrey B. Martin SkyLoft F, Baltimore, Maryland Martin Studio Photography www.martinstudiophotography.com Pages 42-43 and BACK COVER Photo Credit: Richard ‘Ryche Rych’ Howard www.rycherych.com IG: @rycherych

Pages 16-17 Photographer: Kellie Marie Photography

Page 44 and Watermark Image for CREDITS Page: Model: Guthrie Bonnétt (#ATOC) Photographer: Gaby Abboud (Chicago, Il)

Page 20 Photography: Authentic Media Group

Front Cover Design Kiva Ferreira

Page 27 Center Image Photo Credit: Kieko

Back Cover Design Lead Designer/Layout Kimberly Doctor, Graphic Artist

communiqué Magazine does not take credit for any Photographs provided by the interviewees. All images are used with the permission granted by the subjects of the articles or by the Photographers listed on the credits page. Any errors or omissions will be corrected on the magazine’s website or in the subsequent issue.

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Rodney Perry

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