San Francisco Comedy Blog

by DNA

Planet Gemini spent the better part of two decades nestled on luxurious Cannery Row in Monterey. After the landlord realized that they could open their own club, Gemini had to find new digs away from downtown. Now located next to an adult bookstore, I was surprised when management asked me to come down and do a “clean set.” I was surprised, because, there was nothing about the two night stint that was remotely clean. My job was to open for James Stephens the Third.

“Who?” you might say.

James Stephens the Third, fool!

You might not have heard of him unless you got a deep grip on your comedy. James is a scholar and graduate of Howard University. He was up for the role of Ray Charles, against Jaime Fox, in Ray. An alumnus of the DC comedy scene, The Improv and The Comedy Store, James Stephens the Third is one hell of a funny mofo.

Both nights I featured for James the audience had more than its fair share of drunk, blue-lipped, white skinned, red-neckish hecklers. Now being the New Jersey ass that I am, I was able to handle the fools for my fifteen minutes. But James had to deal with them for a full hour, and it was inspiring to see. I don’t believe he ever got to his set.

I watched a man who has performed around the world, made a short movie with Cuba Gooding Jr., worked huge corporate events, and who was doing a favor for the owner of Planet Gemini, get interrupted every two minutes by a group of seven drunk Bocce Ball players. I wish you could have seen it; it was a tutorial for handling drunks without attacking them.

Always the professional, James was cool enough to let me interview him before the second show.

You have fun last night?

JS: Yeah, man. I had fun watching you do your thing. I always watch new jacks to see what they got going. You know what I’m saying?

What did you think of the opening act?

JS: Sean Kingston? I forget his name. I call him Sean Kingston, cuz he looks just like Sean Kingston. He was great.

You started out 20 years ago doing stand-up in DC. How was the scene back then?

JS: Early 80s was straight. Headliners were treated like gods back then. They could roll into a town and do anything they want to, because there weren’t that many comics back then. Showtime was bigger than HBO back then as far as comedy was concerned. I was opening for Jerry Seinfeld and all those cats back in the day. Bill Maher, you know, that was comedy man.

Would you say there was more of a community of comics back then?

JS: It’s changed a lot. At that particular time a lot of East Coast comics were coming to San Francisco, because that was the big scene for comedy. The Other Café, Jim Samuels, Holy City Zoo.

Nowadays young comics can see comedy 24/7. They can watch it on their cell phones, YouTube, Comedy Central. In the day you had to buy a comedy album and study it. You think today’s comics have a harder time finding individuality in their act?

JS: Back then, comedians would actually work on becoming individuals. Now it seems like people work on being carbon copies. Then, you knew when Dana Carvey or Robin Williams was on stage that they were doing their own thing, they had their own shtick. Back then “call backs” were the thing. Comics would sit around and be like, “I got 15 call backs,” you know. Mark Schiff was a great comedian, great stand-up. He said I was his good luck charm, because I was with him both times David Letterman asked him to come on the show, I happened to be featuring for him.

Was Eddie Brill booking for Letterman back then?

JS: Oh no, man. Eddie Brill was probably five or six people removed from back then. It was Morty.

How did you end up in Harrah’s with a Vegas style show?

JS: I started off being a monologist. Then it was all about doing monologues. I did no impressions. You probably didn’t know that Dice Clay started off as an impressionist. Like Elvis and John Travolta but then he found his niche with stand-up. I went from straight monology to doing impressions. You do what you can to fit in and when I moved to Hollywood I was told that Mitzi Shore (Comedy Store) liked guys who could do impressions. So to get into the club I put together a comedy style impressions show.

When did your musical talent come in?

JS: Well it followed. I could do Stevie Wonder, Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles and Elvis Presley. I only had seven minutes to audition for her. I did and she said I was in, now I had to create a bigger better show. I met Tommy Davidson who was doing impressions and some similar stuff, but I was able to play music so I expanded. I did all the Improvs and Bud put me on the Ray Charles 50th Anniversary Special. Bud saw me at the Comedy Store and offered me a one hour showcase at The Improv, which was unheard of for a comic. I performed at The Improv at Harrahs in New Orleans and the President of Harrahs saw me and offered me a multi-million dollar deal.

You signed, got your show in New Orleans and 4 months later Katrina shows up.

JS: I hate that bitch.

What’s the deal with your charity?

JS: I give kids scholarships to college and I’ve given 50 scholarships out already.

What’s you advice for new comics?

JS: Study your craft. Pick you poisons and study your craft so your voice is different than everybody else’s and I think it works. Industry is looking for comedy characters to build soap operas around. Even if you’re a monologist think about your character and what you’re talking about.

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