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Interview
with Comedian Michael Colyar
By Eugenia Wright, Freelance Writer
 Michael
Colyar is a seasoned comedian who keeps getting funnier and
funnier with time. Known for his long-standing appearances
on BET, Michael speaks candidly about the essential ingredients
for good comedy, those who have influenced him and the key
that propels him. I caught Michael live recently at The Big
Black Comedy taping and he was phenomenal. Smooth and fluid
on stage, Michael Colyar is a maestro of the comedic arts.
He also kept me in stitches with his flattering remarks during
the Q & A's and I almost forgot who was doing the interviewing
Q.
You are amazing. You are a veteran of comedy. How
do you make it last?
A.
(Flattering comment) Ooo, I didn’t know it was still
lasting. I was wondering if it was still lasting after my
show tonight. I do my work all the time. I study and try to
read and see what is current. I’m hooked up with God
so I just follow my spirit and go out and have a good time
with it. I’m having a great time.
Q.
They say comedians are really always crying on the
inside. Is there truth to that?
A.
I’ve never been that artist. I ain’t
got no bunch of sad sh$% in the background why I am a great
comic. No, I love life. I think life is fabulous. I think
reality is the funniest sh*&; in the world. Things that
actually happen. I didn’t get to some of the material
I wanted to tonight. Flying in coach and being in first class,
which is just natural daily funny stuff, I didn’t talk
about the airport. It used to be fun to fly now it’s
a pain in the ass. I think the workers are scared but they
also got an attitude, because they know you can’t talk
back to them now since 911. You say anything out of line and
they call the police. So they talk to you any kinda damn way.
So I just try observe the things in my life that are normal
and then add a little comedic feel to it. Sometimes I’m
funny and sometimes I’m not.
Q.
You are so fluid. I was watching you tonight, you
used the entire stage, you’re running from one end to
the other. What prepared you to be a stand-up and to use the
entire stage to your benefit?
A.
(Flattering comment) Well I am an actor. I was an
actor before I was a comedian. I learned to do comedy in the
street and people would pay me an awful lot of money to stand
there and do jokes. But acting is what I like to do so I try
and encapsulate the spirit of a performance. I’m not
just going to walk through the joke, I’m going to live
the joke, I’m going to be the joke. I try to make it
the hottest thing I can.
I know
this is my life. This is what I do. I wouldn’t do anything
else. In fact they don’t even pay me to do comedy. They
pay me for my time. I’ll do comedy for free but they’ve
got to pay me for showing up. They got to pay me for X amount
of minutes on the stage. It’s what I love. I think that’s
what we are supposed to do.
If we
follow what is in our hearts and God is our supply. We don’t
have to worry about money. Money will be there. But most people
are afraid to follow what is in their heart. They do secondary
things. They are nervous. Do ordinary jobs so they can keep
the cable on. If you do what is in your heart, you’ll
see doors open that you didn’t know where there. Opportunity
that will blow your mind. My heart is humor and comedy and
meeting people and touching people. And hopefully making people
leave feeling a little better about where we are on this planet.
Comedy is healing, I keep telling people heal thyself. Right
now when people are scared and money is low and creating wars,
people are nervous. The only thing that stands between man
and the highest goal is fear. Usually we are the things that
stand in our way. So fear get out of the way. We’re
going to be awright.
Q.
Do you encourage young people to train and study
theatre since you have a theatre background?
A.
I try to get them to study Comedy. I’m getting ready
to do a masters course for comedians who really want to hone
there craft and make it tight. I taught it once at UCLA. Theatre
part does help with comedy a lot. If you watch Rodney Perry.
Rodney Perry is full of theatrics. It makes the joke bigger.
Q.
Would you be interested in having a dramatic part
like Jamie Foxx in Ray?
A Oh sure. I would love one day to have a
part like that. I’m an actor. That’s an ideal
role. He is incredible. Did you see the movie? If you watch
the whole movie and you won’t find Jamie in it anywhere.
You can look for four hours. Jamie is excellent.
Q.
Who inspired you?
A.
My queen, my wife. She is my strength, my fuel. She
is my inspiration my all. She handles my personal appearances,
my business and my life. I always say if you can hire your
wife, hire your wife. Cuz you know even when they steal the
money, the money is still in the family. She is my supporter.
I’ve
had classic comedians that I’ve studied with coming
up. Of course Lenny Bruce was the first I was really knocked
out by. Lenny Bruce said things we weren’t allowed to
say on stage. He didn’t mind getting arrested time and
time again about it because he was determined to make it where
comedians could go on stage and say what they wanted to say.
And because of him, when Richard Pryor came along and wanted
to do his stories about his life, he was able to do them because
he could use the words that he needed to, to tell his jokes
and prior to either of those two was Redd Foxx who was a master
at crafting jokes. He knew his way around a joke. He was brilliant
with jokes (cites an Oh John joke). He did 75 albums that’s
a whole lot of humor in a lifetime.
Now Eddie
Murphy inspired me to do comedy. I was acting at the time
and Eddie Murphy was on Saturday Night Live. Here was young
intelligent, handsome Black man doing what the fu^% he wanted
to do on network TV. He was in film, in concert. People was
kissing his ass and paying him and respecting him and I was
like sh*&; I need to coordinate it and do it as a career.
So it was Eddie Murphy.
(More
flattery) End of Interview
If you wish to write Eugenia, you can send your correspondence
to
kleogirl117@yahoo.com
Eugenia
Wright is also President/Founder of ISA Public Relations in
Los Angeles
Photos Courtesy of ISA PR and Vinni Ratcliff |
