by Brenda Hillegas
He’ll perform as long as he’s not camping out in South Philly that is!
Aries Spears was heading out the door when I called him in April. He was on his way to do some voiceover work for American Dad, one of the animated shows he has lent his voice to over the last decade (others include The Proud Family and Black Dynamite).
Aside from being a voice artist, Spears is most notably a stand-up comedian. Born in NYC and raised in New Jersey, Spears began performing in comedy clubs as a teenager. His first television appearance was on Russell Simmon’s Def Comedy Jam, followed shortly after by a spot on Showtime at the Apollo. He soon became a regular at comedy clubs like The Laugh Factory and also landed a recurring role on the Cosby spin-off, A Different World. Spears then made his way to the big screen, appearing in movies like Malcolm X, The Pest and Jerry Maguire. In 1997, he joined the cast of MADtv, in it’s 3rd season, and stayed there until season 10 in 2005- performing for 198 episodes.
Doing stand-up comedy is what Spears really enjoys. He’s currently on tour and will be making a stop at Helium Comedy Club here in Philadelphia between June 11th and June 14th.
“It’s cliche, it’s corny,” Spears says, “but it’s special, as comics, to make a connection with the audience. [To see] a room full of people in front of you get what you do- it’s a power trip.”
Spears is also working hard this summer, saying right now it’s “full speed ahead” for him. His comedy special for Showtime in 2011, Aries Spears: Hollywood, Look I’m Smiling, was of course a hit so look for another one by the end of September this year. Spears isn’t sure which network yet so keep an eye on his social media profiles. He also hopes to have a new sketch comedy series out soon.
Aries Spears will be doing six shows during his four-night tour stop in Philadelphia. While he’s here, he says you’ll likely find him in between shows with his “sleeping bag over at Pat’s and Geno’s.” Though you may be able catch a glimpse of him in South Philly buying a cheesesteak, it’s best to go purchase your tickets now and laugh along with him at Helium.
In the meantime, he asks that all of his fans check out www.ariesspears.com and follow him @AriesSpears. For sketch comedy and stand-up bits, follow www.youtube.com/user/ariesspears23 or www.pandora.com/aries-spears.
Look for the full article on Aries Spears in our upcoming That Mag print issue. If you’re headed to Helium, be sure to Tweet us @thatmusicmag and tell us your favorite parts of the show!
