Kevin Hart may a household name for comedy fans today, but in early 2011, he was still working his way up in the world of comedy.
That summer, his show "Laugh At My Pain" went on to break records grossing over $2 million and setting a record as the best performing concert series since Martin Lawrence's Live: Runteldat in 2002. By the end of 2011, Kevin Hart was solidified as a top star in comedy.
But on April 2nd 2011, after bring down the house at Edinboro University, performing his then-new "Laugh At Pain" comedy show, Hart sat down (while joking about the tartan couch on which he sat, he sarcastically remarked, "Wow, a plaid couch, this is nice.") and he talked with me and two of my fellow Edinboro students who would also become successful in their own right in the years to come: Andre Roberts and Jessica Kunz.
Here's what he had to say...
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| (L-R Andre Roberts, Kevin Hart, Me) "Make sure y'all make me look tall in the interview." -Kevin Hart |
By: Marvin DeBose & Andre Roberts
Published on EUPSpectator.com April 2011
On April 2nd, 2011, Edinboro University got a when comedian, Kevin
Hart brought his “Laugh At My Pain” comedy tour to a packed crowd at the McComb
Fieldhouse.
Following the show, Hart sat down and spoke with The
Spectator and ETV reporter, Jessica Kunz, discussing his comedic beginnings,
his family, and even his plans for the future.
Hart, a Philadelphia native stated that his early life in
“The City of Brotherly Love” is what made him who he is. “Philadelphia molded me into becoming the man that I am
today,” Hart said. “It’s a tough city
and getting respect from your peers there was a big deal”
It was also in Philadelphia where Hart spent his college
years. He briefly attended Temple University and Community College of
Philadelphia. Not long into his college career, Hart realized that he
should take a different path.
“Anytime you fail a pop quiz in community college… education
might not be the thing for you,” Hart said. “I couldn’t go to school and help
provide so I got a job to help out my mom.”
Consequently, Hart worked as a shoe salesman in sneaker
stores to help pay the bills, he even claimed to be so good at his job that if
it weren’t for comedy, he’d probably be working for Nike.
However, comedy was in his blood, so with the advice of a
few friends, Hart started doing standup comedy at amateur nights throughout the
city and eventually quit his job to assertively pursue a career in comedy.
But apparently, the city of Brotherly Love didn’t have to
much love for a young comedian trying to get into the business, Hart recalled
some of the roughest times he had in Philly when he first got into comedy.
“People have thrown buffalo wings at me at one point,” Hart
said. “I remember one time I got hit in the head with a Lemonhead candy because
this guy was so mad at my jokes.”
Hart also stated that some of his biggest influences were comedians
like Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Redd Foxx, and Sinbad. However, he held one
particular comedian to an even higher standard.
“I think my biggest influence is probably Chris Rock, he’s
probably one of the smartest businessmen out there… he’s a self-made mogul,”
Hart said. “He goes above and beyond the word ‘success’.”
Success is something which Hart would see in his career as he
started work bigger venues and eventually earned movie roles in films like Soul
Plane, Death at a Funeral, and Little Fockers. These days, he’s touring all over the country, is set to
star in multiple films, and even has a pilot for a sitcom.
A great deal of Hart’s comedy revolves around his family.
Like many entertainers, Hart, a father of two, faced the hardships of working
while maintaining a family.
“It’s tough, but you have to understand that you’re doing something
that’s not just for yourself, so many people benefit from my success,” Hart
said. “My kids reap the biggest rewards from [my work] financially, mentally
and emotionally, they have all the support in the world.”
With all of this success, one must wonder how the funnyman
from Philly keeps himself grounded.
“I don’t look at the fame or walk around with the attitude
of ‘I’m famous, you’re not’,” Hart said. “I think once you do that, you’ve made
a transition into the kind of person that people don’t want to win… I try to
stay as humble and levelheaded as I can and treat everybody with respect.”
Many fans wonder if Hart will always do stand-ups, since
many comedians tend to primarily do movie roles.
“Stand up is what feeds me, that’s my drug, that’s what
started everything,” Hart said. “I’m always going to do standup, hopefully
they’ll stay funny if they don’t, I apologize.”
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