J.A.B.: “We have to get healthy, it’s a constant fight but it’s worth it.”
Centerstage: Mr. Brown, you are a comedian; actor, tailor, are you Caribbean?
(J.A.B. Laughs) as he always says in a Caribbean accent in his comedy sketches “Yes, I got tree Jobs.”

J.A.B.: “Dammit, I am going to do it all. There are many people sitting around 80 years old and always wanted to do ‘it’. I will do songs, scripts, whatever it takes. I am not a boss of any one trade but I don’t give up, I just do it.”
"It can be anything, if you have a passion for it, you do it for free.I did Murder the Hits for my man Rico Reed for five years. FREE. (The segment is one where J. Anthony Brown changes the lyrics of popular songs with his comedic wit) The whole segment that I did was free. If you are good enough, they pay to keep you. You have to have a passion, the drive and the belief in what you do. Arsenio Hall (host of nationally syndicated late-night talk show) heard about me and gave me an opportunity. The rest is history.”


Centerstage: You have worked with Mr. 3000 himself (Bernie Mac), Holly Robinson-Pete, Mo’nique and have been on Oprah and that is only a small fragment. How have you stayed so busy in a business where your first movie or cameo can be your last?
J.A.B.: “I do the best that I can, I pray.”

Centerstage: There are always jokes about your divorces I guess it is safe to say that marriage is not in your future?
J.A.B.: “Hell No! A woman and I can date for any length of time but marriage, Oh No. Never again”

Centerstage: Are you sure?
Silence

Centerstage: Watching you cut up people on the Tom Joyner Sky Show is hilarious. Our readers wanted to know if in fact, you can dance?
J.A.B.: “People wonder that, can this big man throw down. I am just having fun. No really, I hate being called, "Big Man". I have issues with that.”

Centerstage: Can the women call you Kat Daddy
J.A.B.: “No! Don’t call me Pa-Pa, don’t’ call me Big man, I hate being called that. Call me Tired of being called all of that. I do have a party time spirit. I like to laugh obviously and make people feel good. I’m an entertainer.”
 “I like to have fun you know. Just recently we did a show and this one young lady had on a gold glitter top, you know the sparkly sequin tops, she was pointed out. I mean we had so much fun, we said she looked like the sun and everyone around her was hot. The sun was just radiating off that woman and her sparkle top. She had her own personal sunshine.”

Centerstage: Speaking of clothes, anything strange in your closet?
J.A.B.: “You know what, I guess so. You know how your kids look at you like you’re crazy although you think you’re sharp. Sometimes children are funny, it’s like “Dad, are you sure you are wearing that.” It is like when you see a whole family of people looking crazy. They are the most comfortable people. They are comfortable in what they have on though.
My mother used to wear this big hat; it was like a turban type thing but a hat. We call them Tams. She had every color Tam you can think of and she would match them up too. If she had on red, she would throw on the red turban. That woman had a whole drawer full of them thangs.”
“For me, I’m sharp. You’ve seen my suits. “

Centerstage: You have the J. Anthony Brown Collection. (His collection was recently showcased at the MAGIC Show at the Las Vegas Convention center and Las Vegas Hilton.
J.A.B.: “Yes, I’m offering a wide variety of jackets, shirts. I went to school for tailoring. I can make a suit now. I draw and sketch them.”

Centerstage: you sketch your own designs, did that come before the Suits. How long have you been doing your art?
J.A.B.: My son told me to do something with my art. I guess he got tired of stepping over ‘em in the basement. “Dad you can make some money out of this, said my son”

Centerstage: Kids always encourage parents to make some money
J.A.B.: “Yes so they can take it.”

Centerstage: Of course
J.A.B.: “Seriously though, my son encouraged me so much. I am just a man doing my thing with help along the way. I have good people in my life. I like to encourage young people. If you have a dream, don’t let anything stop you.”

Centerstage: God has blessed you. You do a little bit of everything and you give back.
(Brown’s contest The Next Big Thing does just that, allowing people to display their talent)

Centerstage: How did you wind up in a radio venue with The Tom Joyner Morning Show?
J.A.B.: “I’ve been doing the show for eleven years now. What got me on the show was working for Arsenio Hall. I was head writer for the show, again it was faith. If you have God and good people around you and stay humble you can’t help but succeed.”

Centerstage: Who are some of your favorite new comics and why?
J.A.B.: “Melanie Comacho- because she is raw.”
“Sexy Marla-because she is really funny and I want to have sex with her.”
”Rodney Perry-reminds me of a young J. Anthony Brown except I wish I was this funny when I was his age.”

Centerstage: What would America be like with J. Anthony Brown as president of the USA?
J.A.B.: “Smoking weed would be legal. You would go to jail if socks didn’t match your shoes except, when you’re high [then] you would be exempt from that law.”

J. Anthony Brown words from a true comedian.

Kamah Alicia Scott
Freelance writer
www.kas.mysite.com
"Kima"
Always ask, somebody might say yes
www.myspace.com/urbanbookwriter

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