Comedians Pave the Way on Apollo Legends Walk of Fame

By Jeffrey Tam

In commemoration of its rich history, the Apollo Theater debuted the its Walk of Fame in 2010, and Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Louis Armstrong, Michael Jackson and others have their own tiles. A fair share of comedians have also graced the Apollo stage and now they are being honored for the first time.

On October 1st, the walkway in front of the theater welcomed three non-musical talents: Richard Pryor, Moms Mabley, and Redd Foxx — all comedians who had performed at the theater.

Apollo administrators believe the time is right. “We started with music because when most people think about the Apollo, they think about music,” says Mikki Shepard, executive producer of the Apollo. “Our vision is much larger. It’s dance, it’s theater…but we always wanted to do comedy because that was also a very rich part of our legacy and history.”

Billy Mitchell, otherwise known as “Mr. Apollo,” has seen many aspiring stars come and go during his fifty years working there. “To become a legend, you have to put in work,” says Mitchell. “It’s not about being the flavor of the day. It’s about consistency. Those three pleased the masses for decades.”

During his tenure at the Apollo, Mitchell has been fortunate enough to either watch or hear stories about Pryor, Mabley and Foxx. “Moms Mabley was one of the very first black performers making good money,” says Mitchell. “She told adult jokes without the use of profanity and I remember as a kid, we would listen to her recordings when our parents left the house. She wore a floppy hat and took out her fake teeth purposely in order to play her character. She was one of the first female performers ever. Without Moms, there is no Joan Rivers or Amy Schumer.”

Foxx, Mitchell recalls, balanced street savvy with popular appeal. “He used to sell out the Apollo every night,” says Mitchell. “Common people, gangsters, politicians; they all used to come out and see him. He would have the whole room in stitches with a glass of scotch in one hand and a cigar in the other.”

Pryor patterned himself after his idol, Foxx. “He could paint a picture and do a character like no one else,” says Mitchell. “He was the first comedian to use the ’N’ word openly. We were shocked at first but still laughed our asses off. There would be no Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, or Mike Epps without Richard Pryor. They all wanted to be like him; he was their idol.”

The night was capped off with the opening of the “Apollo Comedy Club,”a new showcase for up-and-coming comedians. The same rowdy crowds who once came to the Apollo to see names such as Mabley, Foxx, and Pryor filed in to watch future stars follow in their footsteps.

Apollo: https://www.apollotheater.org/

Apollo Comedy Club tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.com/Apollo-Comedy-Club-tickets/artist/2160547