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Honest John Discusses Performing Urban Comedy On “Pierre’s Panic Room” [Video]

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Tyson Paul
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During a recent appearance on Pierre’s Panic Room, comedy veteran Honest John shared being a white comic in the urban comedy scene and not pandering to black audiences can have it’s challenges.

Honest John: In June of 1987, John Basinger was working as a nurse and heading into a predictable middle age. Maybe it was a mid-life crisis that caused him to take the name Honest John and start running around Los Angeles telling jokes. “I just went anywhere I could get on stage,” he recalls. “Clubs, coffeehouses, bars, restaurants, anywhere I could get up. After a while I was like a fanatic, I just couldn’t do it enough. I knew that this is what I was meant to do.” Then one Thursday night, a comedian named Gerald McQuirter invited him to an open mic at the Comedy Act Theater, one of the foremost black venues in the country. “Actually, he dragged me along with him, just called me up and said, ‘Saddle up, John, we’re going,’ and I got up and slammed.” Soon, Honest John became a fixture on the black circuit in the Los Angeles area. “People would come up to me on the street and ask where I was going to perform next. It blew my mind.” 

Triumphant appearances on BET’s Comicview, HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, and Showtime at the Apollo introduced him to fans all across the country, leading to appearances at clubs and theaters nationwide and a two-year run on the Def Comedy Jam tour. 

He has also done many military tours in places as far away as Korea, Okinawa, and Japan. He has guest starred on The Jamie Foxx Show, The Lyricist Lounge Show, and Showtime in Harlem. He can also be seen in films like The Wash, For da Love of Money, Foolish, and other urban comedies. As for the future, Honest John says he’s working on a comedy special and would like to do more acting.

Pierre Edwards: Pierre appeared on the first year of HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, than starred on BET Comicview. Pierre was also featured on comedy shows: Showtime at the Apollo, Martin Lawrence Presents First Amendment and other late nite TV shows.

He has worked alongside: Oscar Winner “Halle Berry” he played her boyfriend in the movie B.A.P.’s, opposite Bill Bellamy in How to be a Player, and played partner (detective) to actor Leslie Nielsen in the movie 2001: A Space Travesty. After a few small roles in The Wash and The Breaks he wrote, produced, directed and starred in the theatrical urban classic For Da Love of Money.

Pierre has also toured with R&B acts Mary J Blige, Dru Hill, New Edition, Patti Labelle, Frankie Beverly, etc.

The radio world got a chance to experience Pierre with his numerous guest hosting appearances on the Steve Harvey Morning show. His first love is the comedy club stage, where he has headlined: Improv’s (Dallas, Houston), Carolines (NYC), the FunnyBone (Shreveport La, Boise Id, Vicksburg, Ms), Uptown Comedy Corner (Atlanta) and many more. He has also performed at events such as, ‘Damon Williams’ annual ‘New Year’s Eve Comedy Bash’ at Star Plaza’ .

Pierre has performed for the troops home and abroad. He has also performed in comedy festivals overseas: Japan, South Africa, Germany, Amsterdam, England, etc.

Currently Pierre is working on a web series Dating Pierre, Slice Trilogy, and a self-published book “100 Homies and Phonies of Hollywood.

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