Comedian James Davis to Bring Stand Up to Kean University

Comedian James Davis, star of Comedy Central's Hood Adjacent with James Davis, will bring his stand-up act to Kean University's Wilkins Theatre in Union, N.J., on Wednesday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m.

Davis grew up just blocks from the "hood," the South Central area of Los Angeles known for its violence and gangs. Although he had many black friends, some who were recruited into gangs, his life "adjacent" to the hood was quite different. His mother sent him to a mostly white private school and paid for him to take golf lessons at an exclusive country club. Instead of hanging out with the neighborhood kids, he spent his time after school and on weekends practicing at the golf course.

"I wanted to be a professional golfer," he said.

When he realized he wasn't going to make the cut, Davis enrolled in college as an English major, but eventually left to pursue an acting career.

"I wasn't getting a lot of auditions, so I went to an open mic night," he said. "A lot of actors have a comedic background, so I figured I had nothing to lose, and it went well. At least well enough to do it again."

He gained some attention portraying President Obama in a parody video that led to work with Funny or Die. He worked with Chris Rock on The Real Husbands of Hollywood and MTV's Wild n' Out, and also wrote for The Late Late Show With James Corden. But it was his Snapchat series for Comedy Central, Swag-A-Saurus With James Davis, that led to Hood Adjacent.

Davis cites as his influences Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, Bill Burr, Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby. Hood Adjacent has been compared by many to Chappelle's Show, a sketch comedy show that parodied race and culture. In his own show, Davis discusses the merits of going to college, what the proper way to protest is, and how the current obsession with big booties dehumanizes black women. No matter the subject, he covers it with a comedic spin.

"I like to showcase another image of a young black man that the TV audience is not privy to," he said. "I talk about myself, my upbringing and parts of my life that I think are funny. It's really unique to be able to make a show that is honest, smart and refreshing, and to share my point of view. I think I'm making a difference. I feel like that's my purpose here on Earth."

In December, Davis began hosting a game show on Facebook Watch called Do or Dare. In the show, celebrities such as Usher, Lebron James and Tony Hale go head-to-head completing crazy dares, such as crawling through a maze of mousetraps, getting in the ring with a sumo wrestler or getting waxed. An interactive component allows viewers to donate to the celebrities' chosen charities while they watch. He is also taping a one-hour special for Comedy Central. He was recently cast as the co-lead of NBC's comedy pilot Friends-in-Law, from The McCarthys creator Brian Gallivan and Warner Bros TV.

James Davis' performance, co-sponsored by Kean Stage and Kean University's Student Organization, will be on Wednesday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Wilkins Theatre, 1000 Morris Ave. in Union. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the Kean Stage Box Office in Wilkins Theatre, by phone at (908) 737-7469? or online at www.keanstage.com.

ABOUT KEAN UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1855, Kean University has become one of the largest metropolitan institutions of higher education in the region, with a richly diverse student, faculty and staff population. Kean continues to play a key role in the training of teachers and is a hub of educational, technological and cultural enrichment serving nearly 16,000 students. The University's five undergraduate colleges offer more than 50 undergraduate degrees over a full range of academic subjects. The Nathan Weiss Graduate College offers five doctoral degree programs and more than 60 options for graduate study leading to master's degrees, professional diplomas or certifications. With campuses in Union and Toms River, New Jersey, and Wenzhou, China, Kean University furthers its mission by providing an affordable and accessible world-class education. Visit www.kean.edu.

ABOUT KEAN STAGE
Kean Stage at Kean University educates, entertains and challenges audiences by presenting high-quality programs that reflect the diversity of the region and of the arts. These cultural offerings complement the intellectual life of the classroom for our students, increase opportunities for community engagement, and provide affordable access to the arts for New Jersey residents. Audiences of all ages are invited to enjoy a wide range of professional theatre, Broadway tours, dance performances, concerts, international films and family-friendly shows. In addition, Kean Stage encourages University students to attend events, and provides several options to explore the performing arts through master classes, workshops, lectures, employment opportunities as ushers, backstage technicians and box office staff. Visit ?www.keanstage.com?.

Photo: James Davis, star of Comedy Central's Hood Adjacent with James Davis, will bring his stand-up act to Kean University's Wilkins Theatre in Union, on April 4.

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