Showing Out

Lavell Crawford is a big ol’ barrel of laughs. Known for his stand-up routines that mercilessly poke fun at his big ‘n tall status, Lavell has made a huge name for himself on the comedy circuit, with a career that already has a healthy number of milestones. Over the past decade and change, Lavell has appeared on Def Comedy Jam and The Jamie Foxx Show, with one of his biggest career highlights coming when he placed second to Jon Reep on Last Comic Standing. Though he may not be a household name just yet, Lavell has earned his stripes as an industry vet since he came in the game, winning over audiences with his blunt yet absurdly hilarious reflections on his lifestyle and of culture.

Most recently, Lavell hit another milestone with an appearance on All-Star Comedy Jam: Live from South Beach, a special presented by the legendary Shaquille O’Neal and hosted by D.L. Hughley. The show, shot in front of a live audience at South Beach’s Jackie Gleason Theater, featured routines from Earthquake, Melanie Comarcho, Arnez J and Lavell, an evening which now can be purchased on DVD (purchase it here) for your at-home viewing pleasure. In honor of the DVD’s release, Lavell spoke with Showing Out about how it was a huge honor to be asked to do his routine during the show, what’s the craziest thing he’s seen during a routine, what it was like to meet Shaq, what he’s got in the works and why he was up for the title role of Precious - and clearly lost out.

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Most actors will never get a chance to work with legendary director Martin Scorcese, but Curtiss Cook isn’t like most actors. The thespian, who has a role as an orderly in Scorcese’s upcoming thriller Shutter Island (starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo), isn’t just another actor in one of his films – he considers him a buddy (he even calls him “Marty,” after the famed visionary demanded that he address him as such).

Cook might be a friend of Scorcese, but that’s just a footnote in his burgeoning career. The actor has has an extensive resume under his belt, having made numerous appearances on both the small and big screen. On TV, Curtiss has appeared on Rescue Me, The Good Wife, Law & Order and more, while he’s appeared in films like The Interpreter and the upcoming flicks City Island (co-starring Andy Garcia) and Breaking Point (co-starring Tom Berenger and Busta Rhymes).

But it’s Shutter Island that’s going to put this rising star on the map, with the hype machine already kicked into full gear. Taking some time out of his day to chat, Curtiss spoke with Showing Out about what it was like auditioning for Scorcese, whether or not there were any ghost run-ins on the set (it was shot in an abandoned asylum), what we can expect in his upcoming HBO series How to Make It in America (brought to you by the team behind Entourage) and more. Hit the jump to read our exclusive interview.

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You might know actor Frankie Faison as one of the most recognizable faces in modern cinema, but the Montclair, New Jersey resident is more than just a screen actor. During his decades-spanning career, the legendary actor has done everything from performing in some of Hollywood’s biggest films to starring in the HBO cult hit series The Wire to earning Tony nominations for his Broadway appearances. His resume, which starts with an appearance in the 1974 New York Shakespeare Festival production of King Lear (alongside James Earl Jones), is as diverse as it is impressive, a testament to his remarkable abilities as a presence in any performance medium.

So it’s no surprise that his latest role takes him back to the silver screen in 20th Century Fox’s Adam, hitting theaters July 29, 2009 on limited release. In the film, Faison plays Harlan, a family friend to protagonist Adam (Hugh Dancy) who’s afflicted with Asperger’s Syndrome and is forced to come to terms with reality in the wake of his father’s death. It’s a relatively softball performance for Faison, who counts roles alongside Richard Gere in Sommersby and Norah Jones in My Blueberry Nights as some of his heaviest and demanding parts. But with nothing immediately in store for the seasoned actor, Faison is currently taking it easy ahead of his most recent film’s release, reclining in a chair in a conference room of FOX News Headquarters in New York City. Chatting with Showing Out, Frankie discussed what it was like working on the set of Adam, why there may or may not be a silver screen adaptation of The Wire, what it was like working on the upcoming film The Vampire’s Assistant (originally titled Cirque du Freak), how he chooses his roles and what’s next on the docket for the veteran actor.

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