Special to the AmNews
“Lapacazo, would you like to have breakfast with Larry Wilmore?” asked uber Hollywood publicist Tagan Lee.
I responded, “Is it free and can I bring Art?”
She answered affirmatively, and as I write this, I am putting on my “holiday (fat girl) pants” and getting ready to meet Mr. Larry Wilmore.
Wait? I forgot to ask, “Who is Larry Wilmore?” and “Why would he want to meet?”
Brace yourselves, New York, there is a new Black man poised to make you think and laugh, but mostly laugh—while you’re thinking!
His name is Larry Wilmore, and he already has an Emmy Award. He is also a TV producer, actor, comedian and writer, and he’s been doing it for more than 25 years. Always busy and making thick TV dollars, he helped launch ABC’s “Black-ish,” serving as executive producer.
So the brass at Comedy Central had the good sense to give him his own show. It’s properly titled “The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore,” and it premiered Jan. 19.
It’s fun to note that “The Nightly Show” is being shot in New York City, which is always a great shot in the “money arm,” and it’s so needed because, in case you didn’t know, the city is expensive!
If the face is familiar but you can’t place the name, you might know him from his memorable appearances as the “senior Black correspondent” on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” as well as for hosting his own Showtime town hall-style comedy specials, “Larry Wilmore’s Race, Religion & Sex.” A veteran of funny, he has written for “In Living Color,” “The PJs” (which he co-created), “The Office” (on which he has appeared as Mr. Brown, the diversity consultant) and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”
A blast from the blast, he also served as creator, writer and executive producer of “The Bernie Mac Show,” earning him a 2002 Emmy Award for “Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series” and a 2001 Peabody Award. Plus, he is an author and released his first book, “I’d Rather We Got Casinos and Other Black Thoughts,” in 2009.
Now Wilmore is splitting his time between Los Angeles and New York because the studios for the “The Nightly Show” are on the Upper West Side. Next week, we will share more about the funny late night host. But for now, you know a bit more about Wilmore and that he’s not a cheapie-rich guy. He is treating us to breakfast, so we like him already!