Arts Garage Launches New Comedy Series with Jimmie 'JJ' Walker

Arts Garage is always filled with explosive talent but never more so than when "Mr. Dyn-o-mite!" himself shows up to tickle and delight his many fans of every age.

On Thursday, January 6, Arts Garage launches an hysterical new comedy series The Art of Laughter, kicking off with TV, Film and Comedy Club superstar Jimmie "JJ" Walker. The new series will run quarterly on First Thursdays and will feature some of the best touring comedians from South Florida and beyond.

The inaugural The Art of Laughter event will be hosted by and feature comedian Mariza Brussolo, along with guest comedian Mark Christopher.

"We are so excited to add this series to our successful monthly First Tuesday Comedy Open Mics," says Marjorie Waldo, President & CEO of Arts Garage. "I can't imagine needing more laughter more than we do after the last year and a half. I grew up watching JJ Walker, so having him headline the first event in this series is fantastic!"

Tickets to these general admission comedy shows are only $30 and are available for purchase by calling the Arts Garage Box Office at 561.450.6357 or going online to www.ArtsGarage.org.

Jimmie "JJ" Walker

Rising from the streets of New York's ghettos to television superstardom, Jimmie Walker personifies the great American success story. His catch phrase "Dyn-o-mite!" is part of the modern vernacular, and he became such a major celebrity in the 1970s that Time Magazine named him "Comedian of the Decade."

Along with working as the main attraction in all of the top comedy clubs at the time, Walker landed the role of the broadly strutting, wisecracking J.J. Evans in the hit television series, Good Times. Enjoying a six year run, Walker's fame grew exponentially. He was the first winner of the NAACP Image Award, and won a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He appeared on The Mac Davis Show, Donny and Marie, The John Davidson Show, The Merv Griffin Show, Dinah, The Mike Douglas Show, The Hollywood Squares, and the Match Game. Clothing, tee-shirts and even a talking doll that blurted out his signature catch phrase were soon on store shelves everywhere.

Even with his demanding schedule, Jimmie continued to appear as the headliner at top comedy clubs, including the world famous Comedy Store in Los Angeles. His joke writing team included a young David Letterman, Jay Leno and Byron Allen.

Walker's television work would lead to movie roles, like boxer Bootney Farnsworth in Let's Do It Again, co-starring with entertainment luminaries Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby. Jimmie also released a smash comedy album, Dyn-o-mite! that went gold. When Good Times ended in 1979, Aaron Spelling offered Walker a starring role in the short-lived B.A.D. Cats, and returned to cast him again in 1983 in At Ease, an ABC series about a bunch of United States Army misfits. He also landed choice roles in films like Airplane! and Airport '79, and was a regular on television shows like The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. In recent years he's made scene-stealing appearances on The George Lopez Show, Everybody Hates Chris with Chris Rock, and Scrubs. In his spare time, Walker writes scripts for TV and movies, and continues to enjoy a comedy career now approaching five decades.

Also Coming to Arts Garage in January

Tuesday, January 25, at 7 pm

Leslie Gold: Lessons for Our Future Selves

"The Radio Chick" is the on-air name for Leslie Gold who has spent her career as a top rated, major market on-air media talent, and successful entrepreneur. Her current passion is the acclaimed A Life's Story Podcast series, the resultant work creating personal audio documentaries of the life stories of parents and grandparents for families; and speaking to groups on the subject of "Rethinking Aging."

Tickets: $15

Fridays, January 28 & February 25, at 8 pm

Garage Queens

Back by Delicious and Divine Demand, the Fierce, Fabulous and Fascinating Garage Queens on the last Friday of every month in 2022. These jaw-dropping, crowd-tickling, glitter-glowing shows will be hosted by the inimitably exquisite "Diva, Icon and Legend" Ariel Rimm, and will feature some of South Florida's most electrifying drag entertainers: Adelaide, Citris, and Angie Ovahness Pryce, along with special surprise guests, all stunningly coiffed and bedecked.

Tickets: $35 & $40

For more information, please call 561.450.6357 or visit www.artsgarage.org.

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