Dwayne Kennedy

Thursday July 31st, 2008 - Lake Villa, IL

I was very happy to learn today that my good friend Dwayne Kennedy will be appearing on the David Letterman show tomorrow night. Dwayne is one of my all time favorites for many reasons and I couldn’t be any more thrilled for him. I send all good vibes his way.

Dwayne and I are about the same age and we’ve known each other 20 years or more. He and I just hit it off immediately way back when and those who really know comedy know that he is one of THE most brilliant comics working. Period. His skills take a back seat to nobody onstage but off stage he, much like me, has had some difficulty with the business.

I completely respect Dwayne’s talent and like him very much personally and I can feel a reciprocation from him too. Hearing him laugh from the back of the room at Zanies is the validation that something I’m doing is really funny and it always makes me feel fantastic.

There are a few comics in every town that have been around a long time but for various reasons have not ‘made it’ as big as many people thought they should. ‘Making it’ has all kinds of definitions but usually it’s notoriety or media exposure. Talent isn’t always what pushes someone over the top in that department unfortunately and that’s just how it is.

There is a list of Chicago based comics who people say that should have been bigger for whatever reason and Dwayne and I are both on it. I call that list the ‘funny but’ list. ‘He’s very funny…BUT…’ and no matter what the ‘but’ is it’s always the kiss of career death.

Dwayne is very much like me in that he doesn’t want to deal with idiots. He knows very well what he’s doing and if people around him would just shut up and let him be he’ll get the job done and done very well. He has a great mind and loves to explore all the angles.

This will be his second appearance on the show. I saw the first one and it was very well done. I was happy for him but sad that it didn’t really do much for his career. I don’t have a clue as to what would ‘pop’ somebody today and if it’s not a Letterman shot then what?

I really think part of Dwayne’s problem is he’s too smart for the masses. He happens to be black but doesn’t do a typical black comic’s act. He does a FUNNY act and that’s the important part or at least I think it should be. But it isn’t. It never was. It’s all about what will sell to the masses, at least for getting TV exposure. Dwayne is way above the curve.

We don’t see each other that often but when we do we have good conversations about a lot of this kind of stuff. We both realize that that’s how it is and we also don’t want to sell ourselves short doing things we don’t think are funny just to try to impress the TV ‘suits‘.

Warts and all we’re true to ourselves but I’m thrilled for his TV shot. He deserves to get some recognition for his years of hard work and also for his heaping helping of talent that he was blessed with. The guy is just wickedly funny and always makes me laugh out loud. No jealousy at all from me on this one. If there’s ever a guy who deserves it it’s Dwayne.