Eddie Griffin

Eddie Griffin

Photos by Nikki Artale

There is a Third King in the Kings Room in the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas and that is the King of Comedy Eddie Griffin. Eddie has been booked for a six month engagement and from the first day, long lines have formed outside the Kings Room with sold out performances. Eddie Griffin show is like the old days of Las Vegas when the entertainers drank and smoked on stage, living in the moment, and it made you feel like you were in their living room telling stories. Eddie’s stories are hysterical about the First Ladies and a certain religious group that come knocking on your door at 7:00 in the morning while you are still sleeping. http://www.eddiegriffin.com/

Eddie Griffin

Eddie recalled at age five, playing an elf and a dancing Robot in a school play and the audience went bananas. His stand up comedy career started in 1988 when on a dare, his cousin bet him $50.00 to go on stage. He won the bet and that was the start of his career.

Eddie has stared in over 47 movies, T.V. shows and his own reality show, which was filmed 12 hours a day. When they asked him to do the show he said “Are you sure you want to film this because my family is crazy”. It was too real for them and they edited out things they could not show.

Eddie loves his mom Doris Thomas, who was a hands on mother in the 60’s when it was an Us and We generation, not like today where it is a Me generation. He has a great time on stage and it is a moment in time when people of all nationalities can come together and have fun. He calls it an Eddie Griffin experience. He knows how to entertain everyone; after all he ranks number 67 as the greatest stand up comic.

Richard Pryor was his Idol and a father figure and Eddie had a great relationship with him for 17 years. Richard Pryor called him Jr and Eddie called him Pop. Eddie said that kids are the most important to him and he is the proud father of nine children.

Richard Pryor

Another love in his life is his beautiful wife Nia-Shawpri Griffin who proudly sits in the audience while Eddie shares his outrageous, no holds barred, and real life observations. Eddie says he creates from an elastic brain that stretches and then snaps back to sanity. He is outrageous on stage and tells it like it is. I loved talking to Eddie backstage and found him to be a very kind person and so good to all the people around him. I am usually backstage with my show the 2 Kings and Eddie Griffin comes on to do his show following the 2 Kings and I have had the opportunity to see and talk to him nightly. From first hand experience, he is a great man and extremely funny. Everyone loves and admires him.

Eddie Griffin & Nia-Shawpri Griffin

Charlie Franks & Eddie Griffin

Hosting the show is a young up and coming comic Twist, who calls Eddie his Idol and owes his success to Eddie and is grateful for his first chance of success. Twist realized he could do stand up comedy because everyone loved to hear him talk and listen to his stories. All of his jokes come from his family and his personal experiences and how he perceives them. He loves to make people laugh.

Twist

Also opening the show was Antoine Blackman who held the audience attention and was very funny. Antoine looked relaxed and at ease in telling his funny stories of life.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Antoine-Blackman/60269569239

Antoine Blackman

Warming up the crowd for Eddie Griffin was Kasper Nelson whose personality came through in his funny outrageous jokes. He lit up the room and everyone responded to Kasper on and off the stage. Actually everyone from the comics to the personal security that is around Eddie Griffin is kind, loving and sociable and great to be around. Kasper made Dana Burton feel comfortable as she collected the entry tickets to the show.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Antoine-Blackman/60269569239#!/profile.php?id=1476734697

Dana Burton & Kasper Nelson

Eddie Griffin is a must see show that will keep a smile on your face and 90 minutes of outrageous humor that will keep you laughing hours later when you recall the show.