Sinbad returns to Resorts for a stand-up show on Saturday
On Saturday, Oct. 4, Resorts Atlantic City welcomes back comedian Sinbad. Any star like Sinbad, whose career has been long and varied, has experienced both ups and downs in show business. For Sinbad, the ups have included hit movies, TV shows and stand-up specials. Recently, Sinbad was in the news for disputing certain facts connected with a visit to U.S. Troops in Bosnia with Sen. Hillary Clinton back in the '90s. He's also had the good fortune to live through an Internet rumor of his death.
Still a busy man on TV and in the movies, Sinbad took time to speak with AC Weekly.
Allow me to thank you for A Different World.
That was a great experience. For years we were in the top-10 [as far as] TV ratings. More importantly we worked with some great young actors. [Even] more importantly, we encouraged young people to go to college. When the show was on NBC I would meet people who said A Different World made them want to go to college. ... It's great to be forever connected with something like that.
I also loved The Sinbad Show. During its run [1993-94], you exposed America to the importance of adopting siblings and keeping those families intact as much as possible.
You got it! The network did not get it. Listen, there was a time when I wouldn't even discuss it I was so frustrated. I had a five-year plan for the show, but the network didn't or wouldn't understand. We wanted to show how [the characters] David [Sinbad], LJ [Ray J. Norwood] and Zana [Erin Davis] grew together and how that situation changed our lives. For instance, I had to explain to the network that a single man would have problems trying to do a little girl's hair. The network wanted her to have her hair straightened and done automatically, but the show was about how these little things getting resolved over time can make a family closer. Many people have come to me and appreciate what we were doing. I love Martin Lawrence, but Fox wanted my show to be another Martin and when it wasn't they pulled the plug.
Speaking of Ray J, have you seen the sex tape?
Yes I have. Back in the day, porno used to be underground. [You] had to ask a couple of people and look under some stuff to find it. But porno is almost mainstream now. You have porno stars with series on VH1 now. I think people enjoyed the adventure of having to find porn.
How did the rumor start that Sinbad was dead?
People I hadn't heard from in five years were calling me. "Oh man, we heard you were dead. Are you alright?" ... With the Internet today though, all of us who have been around for more than a couple of years are going to "die" in some Internet incident before we're really dead anyway.
Will you be discussing that during Saturday's show at Resorts?
Yes, I discuss all that. [And] whatever's in the news, I talk about it.
Who does Sinbad find funny?
I haven't had the chance to do the comedy clubs for a while, but I want to start going again if only to watch. We need a fresh face. I love Chris Rock and what he's doing right now, but it's been more than 10 years since his first HBO special. We need that next guy to come up and be the man or woman in comedy to change the game like he has.
“I became obsessed [with comedy],” she adds. ”What is a joke? What makes people laugh? What’s the persona? How do you develop a routine?”
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