By Erica Wright
The Birmingham Times
Comedian D.L. Hughley is always on the run which has nothing to do with the title of his upcoming book “How Not To Get Shot” which is set for a June release by HarperCollins.
Hughley stays busy with his nationally syndicated radio show “The DL Hughley Show”, writing books, podcasts, tours, specials on cable television and his stand-up act which he will perform March 23-25 at the Stardome Comedy Club in Hoover.
“I’m excited to get there because it’s one of my favorite places to play,” said Hughley, who spent four years as the co-creator, star and executive producer of his own sitcom “The Hughleys.”
During a recent telephone interview, he explained the title of his upcoming book.
“Almost every time there’s a shooting of any type, white people will always tell you how to avoid it,” he said. “Every time police shoot somebody, every time somebody gets shot, they always try to tell you ‘he didn’t comply’ or if they weren’t playing their music or selling cigars they would be alright, so it’s kind of a takeoff of everything.”
Hughley has been a member of the Comedy Get Down Tour, which features Cedric the Entertainer, George Lopez, and Eddie Griffin. The tour also featured the late Charlie Murphy, who passed in April of last year.
“It’s like working with my brothers, it’s like hanging out with your friends but getting a lot of work done,” he said. “Without Charlie, it’s like missing one of your brothers. Charlie was kind of the glue and it’s a difficult adjustment and we miss him, but we get to spend time together and make people laugh and comedy is our first love so it makes it easier.”
He films his 10th stand up special on May 11 in Philadelphia. Comedy allows him to address societal issues. That is why he named his new special, “Contrarian.”
“I think comedians have always been able to point out the ironies and hypocrisies and I think that society in general pretends to not see them,” he said. “I think the only reason comedy only ever existed is to kind of hold a mirror to it . . . that’s what comedy has always done for me so that’s what my special is about, just all the stuff that’s been going on.
His podcast, “The Hughley Truth,” gives him a chance to focus on topics he does not talk about on his radio show.
“It’s me talking to news makers, or entertainers or politicians and we get to talk more in depth without worrying about radio sponsors and stuff like that,” he said.
Hughley also created and starred in the satirical documentary special for Comedy Central. DL Hughley: The Endangered List, in 2012, which premiered to rave reviews. The special was honored with the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award.
With all that he does Hughley’s first love will always be stand-up comedy, he said. “From the minute I first walked onstage and picked up a microphone. I knew that it was what I was meant to do,” he said.
This post was updated at 12:48 p.m. on March 26, 2018 to correct the imprint that will publish D.L. Hughley’s book.
