[MADtv] Aries Spears

[MysterE]

Originally posted by cartman2002
I watched a very odd special on VH1 about black culture on VH1 that features Aries as a commentator

http://search.tv.yahoo.com/tvtitlesearch?p=%2b{Race-O-Rama}+%2blineup%3aOR36458d+%2butn%3a1109202186/1110411786&s=-$s,utn&lineup=us_OR36458d&range=14&title=Race-O-Rama&lineup_tz=America/Los_Angeles&sort=score&srch=true

[MysterE]

Jacko, Kobe, O.J. all guilty - comic
Former MADtv regular has theory about legally troubled celebrities

By STEVE TILLEY, EDMONTON SUN


Aries Spears is at the Comic Strip in West Edmonton Mall tonight through Sunday.
Michael Jackson? Guilty. O.J. Simpson? Totally guilty. Ear-biting, face-tattooed convicted rapist and perhaps future porn star Mike Tyson? Not guilty.

So believes MADtv alumnus Aries Spears, who's portrayed each of the legally troubled celebs at one time or another - and not necessarily in the most flattering manner - on Fox's long-running sketch comedy show.

"I think Michael, to a lot of black people, he's kind of like that bad kid in your house. You knew he did it, but you had to stick up for him," said Spears, who brings his standup act to the Comic Strip in West Edmonton Mall for six shows, tonight through Sunday.

"But I think he's guilty as hell. Him, Kobe (Bryant) and O.J.

"I think Mike Tyson was the innocent one."

Interesting, considering the former heavyweight champ, who famously bit off part of Evander Holyfield's ear during a bout, is the only one of the four who was actually convicted of the charges against him. In his case, the 1991 rape of a Rhode Island beauty pageant winner.

"If you know anything about Mike Tyson, you know he's a straight shooter," said Spears.

"So he pretty much tells women what he wants, he doesn't beat around the bush."

Though Spears played dozens of newsmaking characters in his eight years on MADtv - this past season was his final one on the show - Tyson is one of the few he's actually run into in real life, while both were guesting on Fox's The Best Damn Sports Show Period.

"That was a little bit of a scary moment, because he actually knew who I was," said Spears. "But he thought some of (the MADtv stuff) was funny. So I didn't exactly pee my pants.

"This was after the bite. I think pre-bite I might have been in trouble."

Spears did get into a little bit of a dust-up with another comic last month on a Sacramento radio show, though. The comedian, Mike E. Winfield, had been fired as an opener from one of Spears's gigs, and demanded to know why.

Spears said it was because he already had one black opening act, and felt the show would work better with a white comedian as the second opener, so he let Winfield go. During a commercial break on a morning radio show that both were appearing on, words - and more - were exchanged.

"I believe there is a certain boundary as a man that you have to respect. And if you cross that line with me, you're gonna get the real me, not the celebrity me.

"So he crossed that line, and I had to put him back in his place. I slapped the s--t out of him."

The 30-year-old Chicago-born, New Jersey-raised comic has done the odd movie - his greatest exposure was as the brother of Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character in Jerry Maguire - but MADtv has been his bread and butter for eight years.

Spears says he left the show before he could be asked to leave, though he has nothing but fond memories of it. And yeah, that includes Edmonton's own Ron Pederson, who is a cast member on the show.

"I bummed a lot of cigarettes from him," said Spears. "Ron's a good kid, he's extremely funny, he's got a lot of talent and I had a lot of fun with him."

Now Spears is touring comedy clubs, promoting his standup/prank call CD I Ain't Scared (for sale on his website at www.ariesspears.com) and keeping his options open.

In his standup act, "I try to mix in a little bit of everything. Some impressions, some characters, stuff people expect to see," Spears said. "And then some stuff they may not expect to see, whether it's my material based on race, observations about everyday life, stuff about family, friends.

"I think you gotta make people a little bit uncomfortable. If everyone stays within their comfort zone, what kind of show is that?"

Spears plays the Comic Strip on West Edmonton Mall's Bourbon Street tonight through Sunday, with tickets $18 for tonight and Sunday and $25 for tomorrow and Saturday's two nightly shows. For showtimes or more ticket information, call the club at (780) 483-5999

http://www.edmontonsun.com/Entertain...68350-sun.html

[Scorpiogrrl4405]

I found this in the Richmond, Va, Times Dispatch.


"and MadTV's Aries Spears performs Wednesday-Sept. 4 ($14-$16) at Funny Bone Comedy Club and Restaurant, 11800 W. Broad St. in Short Pump Town Center. 521-8900 or www.richmondfunnybone.com."

[Hikikomorian]

Last week they repeated the "Real ******ing Talk with Dollar Bill Montgomery" episode with Flava Flav as "Tree Frog" Watson. That was the only time I remember Aries breaking up during one of those. If you recall, Flav was dressed in a purple suit, with a green/yellow shirt - Barney the Dinosaur's color scheme. As Flav stumbled through his lines, bug-eyed and mugging for the camera during an awkward pause, Aries ad-libbed:
"Damn! Barney was havin' a stroke!".

Later, in describing Flav, Aries said:
"This muthaf**ka so black, he look like Daffy Duck without the bill."

Two of my favorite lines from last season.

Good work, Dollar Bill.

[MysterE]

Comedian and impersonator Arie Spears, star of Fox's SNL clone Mad TV, went off on WBGG-Big 105.9 morning jocks Paul Castronovo and Ron Brewer on the air early Thursday. Spears, who's at The Improv in Coconut Grove through the weekend, told the jocks he heard them trash him on his car radio after a promotional appearance in their studio, and returned to confront them. Listeners were treated to nearly 10 minutes of peacock posturing from both sides, with Spears promising to whoop Castronovo's "fat behind" and Castronovo calling security. What set him off? Castronovo didn't find him funny and told his listeners so. "When you come on our show, better be funny," Castronovo said. No one was hurt, except some sensitive ears as several bad words slipped out...

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/celebri.../0909jose.html

[cartman2002]

I'm beginning to worry about Aries and his behaviour.

I think Aries should not do interviews on "Zoo"-type Morning radio shows ever again unless Aries knows the DJ's or people who work there.

Also, I think Aries should go to anger management program whenever possible.

[elscorcho]

Originally posted by cartman2002
I think Aries should not do interviews on "Zoo"-type Morning radio shows ever again unless Aries knows the DJ's or people who work there.

Also, I think Aries should go to anger management program whenever possible.

I agree, Cartman.

Lack of talent and arrogance just don't work together.

[Viper]

Originally posted by cartman2002
I think Aries should go to anger management program whenever possible.

or maybe....

[cartman2002]

Originally posted by Viper



or maybe....

That would be a better idea!

[smithduke]

Originally posted by Scorpiogrrl4405
I found this in the Richmond, Va, Times Dispatch.


"and MadTV's Aries Spears performs Wednesday-Sept. 4 ($14-$16) at Funny Bone Comedy Club and Restaurant, 11800 W. Broad St. in Short Pump Town Center. 521-8900 or www.richmondfunnybone.com."

Is doing stand-up better than being on MADtv????

[MysterE]

This was sent in to us by a visitor....

http://myspace.com/ariesspears

[elscorcho]

Yeah I posted about it a while back in the myspace thread in the rumor mill after I got a friend request from him.

[MysterE]

Spears takes pride in straight stand-up
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
By Rachael Recker
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS -- Comedian Aries Spears said he believes his former television persona speaks for itself.

The 30-year-old Chicago native, provided a national spotlight eight years ago when he was a "MadTV" cast member, headed out on his own in 2004.

"It was great, but, you know, it's just time to move on," Spears said from a New York tour stop.

And moving on means moving back to his comedic origins: the comedy-club circuit.

"(I'm) just working on my stand-up right now," said Spears. He said local audiences this weekend can expect to see what he's already given them on the tube.

"I mean, I just always say people (who) are familiar with me from 'MadTV' generally will get what they've been seeing on the show."

For those who aren't familiar with the multi-genre comedian from that show or his appearances on HBO's "Def Comedy Jam" and Fox's "Best Damn Sports Show Period" -- or his film credits such as "Jerry Maguire," "Why Do Fools Fall In Love," "Josie and the Pussycats" and "Jiminy Glick in Lalawood" -- it's worthwhile to note Spears enjoys exploring comedy "that people can relate to" via everyday experiences, drawn from his personal life.

He also taps "stuff in the news, politics."

Spears -- whose first name coincidentally aligns with his zodiac sign -- began comedy at age 14. He said he "always had a good time being funny, liking the attention."

Ultimately pursuing a career that has resulted in two CDs, Spears said the most enjoyable aspect of stand-up is his relationship with the audience.

"When you're good at doing it, it's just a connection you make with the audience. It's pretty cool."

That connection directly relates to the bond-building qualities of humor; the comedian said he does not have "a particular style" or concerted stage presence but knows how to hit a funny bone or two.

"I think, at the end of the day, comedy is comedy (and) stand-up is stand-up to me."

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/g...040.xml&coll=6

[Dartanian]

Originally posted by MysterE
"When you're good at doing it, it's just a connection you make with the audience."

... and when you're not, you get booed out of comedy clubs and thrown out of radio stations. Kidding!

...

[MysterE]

Originally posted by Dartanian
... and when you're not, you get booed out of comedy clubs and thrown out of radio stations. Kidding!

...

ROFL!

[Caitlinnn]

I met Aries once; he was pretty cool. I was never really a very big fan of him, though... But he was pretty funny at times.

[MysterE]

Though he left his spot on the cast of ``MAD TV'' last year, Aries Spears is a busy man.

The comedian is trying to sell his comedy CD ``I Ain't Scared,'' is working on getting his next film gig, and is getting ready to fly out to Gary Fields' Comedy Club in Kalamazoo, where he'll be Friday and Saturday.

The life of Spears is ``a lot of hysteria,'' he said via a cell-phone connection that kept breaking up as he drove around the Hollywood hills. What he's excited about is a part in the horror/comedy spoof ``Urban Sprawl,'' starring Snoop Dogg. He had just left a lunch meeting on it. ``We hope it'll be out this spring.''

Anything else for Spears? ``That's about it right now. I can only handle so much at one time.''

For his stand-up act, ``I like to try to give people what they watch and what they ask for, what they like on the show (``MAD TV''), and maybe some things that they may not expect.''

Spears, 30, began in the clubs at a tender age of 14. He played around his home state of New Jersey and the New York area. He was spotted by the producers of HBO's ``Def Comedy Jam,'' on which he made his debut at 16. From there he landed spots on ``A Different World,'' ``Brisco County Jr.'' and many others. In film Spears has been in ``The Pest'' and was Cuba Gooding Jr.'s brother in ``Jerry Maguire.''

On ``MAD TV'' since 1997, he's noted for being ``El Diablo Negro,'' ``Mother Love,'' the center of the ``Talkin' American'' sketch, and for impressions of Bill Cosby, Al Pacino, Michael Jackson and a crowd of others.

In his stage act he may star as Cosby and Eddie Murphy fighting over the last unappetizing piece of meat in the disaster/cannibal movie ``Alive,'' do dirty jokes as Redd Foxx, or speculate on why ``white women always trip'' in horror movies.

Spears doesn't hold back on the ``white people are like this, but black people are like this'' type of comedy.

``There's always something from the race card, because that's a part of life,'' he said. ``We reinvented the book a little bit on some of that material. Of course Richard Pryor wrote it, but then he invented it. You just try to put an interesting spin on what has been done before, and will continue to be done.''

Spears' is adult humor and messes with racial topics, but he doesn't try to be controversial -- not too controversial, anyway. A review of his CD on comedy-gags-jokes.com begins: ```I Ain't Scared' is a good comedy CD with a very offensive cover.''

So, why did Spears picture himself about to be lynched by hooded KKK members on his CD?

It seemed like a good idea -- he just doesn't understand why some get upset over it. ``Yeah, I don't know why,'' he said. ``You see the cover, and that's all you see, so you think that's where it begins and ends. Actually, if you turn to the back of the CD, that's where the comedy is, the contrast. Because the back picture kind of has the answer to that.''

On the back, the klansmen have dropped their hoods and their rope and are smiling along with Spears, apparently since they've just been joined by scantily clad women in the woods. ``White babes,'' Spears pointed out.

That's the kind of world Spears wants, free of hate and full of buxom women. ``It'd be a lot more interesting place, wouldn't it?''

[JJ McC]

I never liked Aries, other than a few (and I mean a few) of his impressions. He just wasn't funny, seemed arrogant, often stole a scene that he didn't belong in. Just plain annoying.

[Karmacoma]

Aries' homepage is finally updated and now it looks like a real home site, not just crappy fanbased site you've done using Notepad. http://www.ariesspears.com/

[Dartanian]

Aries continues to spread his comedic wings with the development of feature film projects, which he is currently involved in writing. He is presently developing a feature project based on an original character that he created on Mad TV, as well as a thriller about a young black man immersed in hip-hop culture.