Make no mistake. Corey Holcomb will tell you like it is.
Corey Holcomb doesn’t care who he offends or shocks. The veteran comic actor’s interviews are just like his visceral performances.
Holcomb, (“Think Like a Man Too” and “The Wedding Ringer”) who will appear this weekend at Goodnights, airs it out during a lengthy chat. Holcomb, 50, trashes President Barack Obama, reveals what Kevin Hart is really like and spills the secret married men hide.
Q: You go way back with Kevin Hart before he hit the top of the Hollywood echelon. What’s Hart like?
A: Kevin is a little energy bug. He fascinates me because he doesn’t need much sleep. He will lay down for a couple hours and boom, he’s on. I’m so proud of that guy. He’s blown up but he’s worked for everything. He’s earned it. You never know what comic is going to blow up.
Q: It could still happen to you. Rodney Dangerfield and Redd Foxx blew up in middle age.
A: It’s true. Look at Rodney Dangerfield. He was not the most handsome guy in the world but he was hilarious.
Q: Jim Norton once said to me during an interview that comics almost without fail aren’t attractive. He says being not so aesthetically pleasing is a plus since you develop your personality and sense of humor. Do you agree or disagree?
A: I agree for the most part. In the world of comedy, it’s one place where you don’t have to be a beautiful girl. There are so many perks of being cute in this society but not in comedy. That’s not essential.
Q: What is essential for a comic?
A: For me and a lot of guys I really like, it’s being genuine. It’s being honest. People are fascinated by the struggle. It doesn’t matter what your race or gender is. Your story, your view is what matters.
Q: So many of your contemporaries lionize Obama. However, you have a different view. What do you have against Obama?
A: Obama was put in office since he was willing to do what was needed to be done at the time. There were a lot of laws passed while Obama was in office. One day people are going to wake up and say, ‘When did this crap happen?’ It was when Obama was President.
Q: But you’re not a political comedian.
A: No. I’m not a political comedian. You have to be a special comic to pull that off. Bill Maher is so good at putting together an hour on politics. That’s not me.
Q: Your specialty is relationships. What aspect of relationships will you riff on at Goodnights?
A: The side-chick. I’ll be emphasizing the girls outside of the primary relationship. They exist. They aren’t part of society. They don’t get the glory.
Q: How many married men have side-chicks?
A: Most guys have them. Without a doubt it’s the majority of married men. Guys have a hunger for another woman. It’s instinctual. The problem with society is that we’re taught that’s wrong. But it goes against a guy’s instinct. The reality is that most men have another woman and it gets complicated. I’ll be talking a lot about that when I get to Raleigh.
Q: You’re from Chicago. You’re direct and honest. How do you deal living in a city, which is full of desperate people who are ready to please?
A: (laughs). You’re right. LA stands for Lie A-lot. I’m here because of the industry and I love this weather. I’m not naive. If you come to LA and someone speaks with you, you think, ‘This could be a potential friend.’ That doesn’t work that way. In Raleigh you can make friends but not out here.
Details
Who: Corey Holcomb
When: Aug. 3-5. Show times are 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Goodnights, 861 W. Morgan St., Raleigh
Tickets: $28 and $38.
Info: 919-828-5233, goodnightscomedy.com
This story was originally published August 3, 2018 at 7:00 AM.