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In the world of standup comedy, there has only been a select few funny men who could captivate an audience with limitless laughter yet still remain within the boundaries of decency, tastefulness and tact. It almost seems to be a by-gone era for comics like Bill Cosby, Flip Wilson and Sinbad who kept crowds engaged in their dialogue and free of any foul language. But the ferociously funny, multi-talented nonconformist Jonathan Slocumb has been bringing fun back to the family for more than a decade now.
In just a few short years, he went from tearing up clubs across the map to hosting award shows for prestigious organizations like NAACP and Urban League and writing for BET. For the past five years in a row, he has been the host for the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. And he does it all without using any profanity.
A devout Christian, Slocumb adopted this strict moral code as early as he could remember as a young child growing up in Atlanta’s Eagan Homes projects. Raised in a stable, two-parent household, he was always taught right from wrong.
After graduating from Atlanta’s Frederick Douglass High School, he miraculously enrolled in Oakwood College in Huntsville, Ala, majored in broadcasting and worked part time as a radio personality on the campus radio station WOCG. After college, he returned home to Atlanta and with his radio experience. He landed gig as a radio personality at country western country station WBIE. And from there, he worked on-air for almost every format on the radio dial you can think of- big band, nostalgia, jazz and rock station. You name it and Slocumb did it.
When he decided to leave radio behind and pursue other avenues, he dabbled into sales as an AT&T representative. But because of his popularity as a choir director, he would be called to host gospel concerts on the weekends. He kept the shows clean and always had audiences bouncing in the pews with laughter. As one promoter told another who told another about Slocumb’s performances, his name grew amongst the gospel circuit in no time at all. While his one-time side job on stage was quickly gaining steam, it wasn’t until one faithful night after a show in Chicago with gospel/ jazz group Take 6 that Jonathan realized his true calling.
Jonathan hasn’t missed a step in his career. He has been trotting the globe spreading his clean, gut-busting humor in sold-out concerts as well as hosting prestigious events such as the NAACP Image Awards, Black Lawyers Association, The Stellar Awards, national alumni events for traditionally black colleges and fortune 500 corporations.
His squeaky clean act has landed him a five-album recording contract with Warner Bros. Records in 1997 and released his comedic relief album Laugh Yourself to Life that same year. Unfortunately, though, the gospel division to which Slocumb was signed folded soon after and he was released from the contract.
Shortly after, however, he secured a role on The Steve Harvey Show. And for the next five years, he played “Clyde,” a member of Steve’s funk group the High Tops. Other bullets on his resume include performances on Jamie Foxx Presents Laffapalooza for Comedy Central and played the part of the pastor on Tyler Perry’s full-length movie Meet the Browns. And most recently he is credited with creating, hosting, and producing The Gospel Music Channel’s original comedy series Ha! Standing Up For Clean Comedy. A fan commented on Slocumb’s impeccable style of dress and penned him The Couture Comic. The title stuck and now a new campaign is in the works to rebrand this in-demand comedian- where fashion meets funny. Not only is he smart, handsome, well dressed and funny but Jonathan Slocumb brings a level of class like no one else. And he does it all through his faith in God. |
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