House Call: Bill Bellamy set to appear in Chapel
By Tamara Dunn
Arts & Entertainment Editor

Bill Bellamy, the actor and comedian of MTV fame, is at it again. With a new television series debuting on the WB network and a stand-up comedy tour, Bellamy is building his reputation as a multifaceted performer.

Bellamy began his career as a standup comic by touring the New York comedy clubs while attending Rutgers University. With regular gigs at revered venues such as the Comic Strip, Bellamy established a following and notoriety as a rising comedian. This led to his television debut as a guest on Showtime at the Apollo in the early 1990s.

The performance grabbed the attention of Russell Simmons, creator and producer of Def Comedy Jam, and Bellamy earned a spot on the popular HBO comedy series in 1993. Through the show, Bellamy was placed on the same career launching pad as fellow comedians-turned-actors such as Chris Tucker and Martin Lawrence.

His comedic performances were featured as part of the 1993 HBO documentary Mo’ Funny: Black Comedy in America, a look at the progress of black comedy in the Hollywood era. The highlight of his stand-up career was his 1995 one-man special for Showtime, Booty Call, as part of the cable network’s Comedy Superstars series. Bellamy demonstrated how his idols such as Bill Cosby and Eddie Murphy had influenced his act. The special became a highly rated success and earned critical praise.

His increasing fame allowed Bellamy to branch out into other entertainment venues. His appearance on Def Comedy Jam landed Bellamy a veejay audition with MTV. From there, Bellamy became the host of MTV Jams and a correspondent to various segments on the network, ranging from its annual spring break coverage to in-depth interviews.

To Bellamy’s advantage, the MTV job allowed him to venture into feature films, thus avoiding the dismal fate of many veejays before him. The year 1997 brought Bellamy into two films targeted at young, urban audience. In the romantic comedy Love Jones, Bellamy appeared in a supporting role as Hollywood, the skeptical best friend of an aspiring writer. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Bellamy portrayed the cassanova-esque Dré in the comedy Def Jam’s How to Be a Player, a movie laced with racial stereotypes and wisecracks similar to 1970s blaxploitation films. Other films include 1999’s Love Stinks and Any Given Sunday. Last March, Bellamy made a foray into serious comedy in The Brothers as part of an ensemble cast featuring Morris Chestnut, D.L. Hughley and Shemar Moore.

Tonight’s performance at Wait Chapel will mark Bellamy’s return to the form of entertainment he enjoys the most: stand-up comedy. His act includes jovial looks at contemporary issues such as race relations and crime. He might throw in a few “mama” jokes and the occasional sly impression that worked for his voice-over character on the Nickelodeon show Cousin Skeeter.

The show is also a platform for his new sitcom for the WB network, Men, Women and Dogs, a look at dating, gender roles and the difference between dogs and “dawgs.”

The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are still available in Benson 335 and at the door. Student tickets are $15 and can be paid through Deacon Dollars, cash or credit cards.