Magic City Radar Alert: Summer 2016

Posted by: Ted D. Davis

An uncharacteristic dark, overcast early spring has surrendered to a bright, electric late March, a foreshadowing to what we think will be an electric summer of entertainment in Birmingham. Lester Bibbs was expected to bring his I Don’t Feel Safe Tour to the Comedy Club Stardome this summer in highly anticipated shows that promised to be festive, profane, oozing with swagger, and funny.

Known throughout the industry as “Memphis Redd”, Bibbs career began thirty-one years ago in Memphis when he was discovered by comedy mogul Steve Harvey while doing standup comedy. Harvey told him that he had the potential for greatness and immediately took him on tour. He turned that experience into what is a highly successful stand-up career and a guest spot on Super Boy (WB network) which aired from 1988-1992, chronicling Super Man during his college years at fictional Shuster University. It is our hope he will perform for us at a later date possibly the second weekend in August.

With a style that calls to mind 1990’s era R&B balladeer (think Miles Jay of I’ve Been A Fool For You and Let’s Start Over fame), the tall, nattily dressed Bibbs thrills audiences with side splitting stories about childhood friends, among them “Moose” (so named because he literally sounds like Bullwinkle the Moose; Bibbs is spot on in his impersonation), our responsibility as it relates to oral sex, and his own dating standards. These and other stories serve as lessons to learn from and share with others for their own laughs and frame of reference. And all great comedy should, among other things, teach.

The Comedy Club also looks forward to a visit this summer from actor, comedian, voice-over artist, and writer Charlie Murphy, the older brother of Eddie Murphy (Saturday Night Live, 48 Hours, Boomerang, The Nutty Professor, and Norbit among other comedic hit movies). Murphy’s first major role came in 1993’s CB4 alongside heavyweight Chris Rock, in which he played Gusto. In 2005 he played gay ex-con Herb in King’s Ransom alongside Jay Mohr and Anthony Anderson. In it, he is hired by Anderson to fake his kidnapping.

His biggest claim to fame however is his contributions as recurring writer and performer on award winning sketch comedy show Chappelle’s Show, the brainchild of comedy superstar Dave Chappelle. In particular, his sketch Charlie Murphy’s True Hollywood Stories, in which he recounts his misadventures as a part of brother Eddie’s entourage, including partying with R&B supermen Prince and Rick James, is the stuff of legend. And, his voiceover work is wonderfully diverse, having covered Budweiser radio commercials, the voice of Iraq war veteran/criminal Ed Wuncler III on Cartoon Network’s The Boondocks, the voice of the pimp J-Bizzy in Rockstar Games’ Grandtheft Auto: San Andreas video game, and the voice of the dog in Eddie’s hit movie Norbit. He currently provides the voice of Vic on the Adult Swim live action show Black Jesus.

The Birmingham Barons are excited to announce their promotional schedule for the 2016 season, with a countdown to opening night on April 12, 2016 at Regions Field against the Tennessee Smokies. Daily promotions and variety of new attractions will come alongside established favorites to make 2016 spectacular for all ages including Salute to Armed Forces presented by NAPA and Home Depot, YP Monday presented by Yellow Pages YP.com, 50-cent hot dog night, Thirsty Thursday presented by Miller Lite, Woodbridge, and Buffalo Wild Wings, Friday Fireworks presented by Hibbett Sports, Alabama Power, and Coca Cola, and the Saturday Entertainment Series presented by Red Diamond Coffee and WIAT-42. For more information on games and events see www.milb.com.