(RED BANK, NJ) -- After 35+ years as a touring stand-up comedian, Lewis Black is parking his tour bus for good next year, marking the end of his legendary world touring career. Lewis brings his Goodbye Yeller Brick Road, The Final Tour to the Count Basie Center for the Arts on Friday, March 8 at 8:00pm.
Black looks forward to writing the next chapter of his career by going back to his roots and focusing on writing a new play, penning a new book, and expanding his podcast, RantCast, to include live recordings. He will also return as the voice of “Anger” in the upcoming Pixar sequel, Inside Out 2.
Lewis on being asked about touring retirement, “For a while now I have been letting folks know that I am going to retire from touring. No one believed me. ‘Why would you retire from touring?’, they asked. This is after years of being asked why I was touring, ‘it must be exhausting.’ So, today I am announcing that I am retiring from touring. It is a life that has given me great joy and opened a world of possibilities for me. I thought the road would go on forever, well I was wrong about that. And the fact is as hard as the road maybe to be on, it’s harder to leave it. I am only retiring from touring. It’s time for me to explore other avenues such as writing, reading your rants, and pitching tv shows that will be rejected. (Which is why I know they are good.) More importantly I can finally give my Fantasy Football team the focus and time it truly needs. And maybe, just maybe I can become the professional golfer I was born to be.”
Lewis Black uses his trademark style of comedic yelling and finger pointing to expose the absurdities of life. His comedic brilliance makes people laugh at life’s hypocrisies and the insanity he sees in the world. He has performed throughout the world and the US, where he performed at Carnegie Hall and had two successful Broadway runs.
Tickets range from $39.50 to $99.50 and are available for purchase online.
In 2015, Black notably voiced the character “Anger” in the Pixar Academy Award-winning film, Inside Out. He can be seen reprising his role in the sequel which just released its trailer.
Black is the longest-running contributor on Comedy Central’s THE DAILY SHOW and his stand-up specials have appeared on HBO, Comedy Central, Showtime and Epix.
The comedian has released eight critically acclaimed comedy albums including the 2007 Grammy Award-Winner, The Carnegie Hall Performance. He won his second Grammy in 2011 for his album, Stark Raving Black, and has a total of 6 Grammys nominations. He has published three bestsellers: Nothing’s Sacred (Simon & Schuster, 2005), Me of Little Faith (Riverhead Books, 2008) and I’m Dreaming of a Black Christmas (Riverhead Books, 2010).
His latest stand up special, Tragically, I Need You, released earlier this year and has already surpassed 1.3 million views on YouTube. The brand-new special explores topics including his ways of coping with the pandemic, his frustrations with the evolving world, and of course his thoughts about the chaos of America these last few years.
In 2020 he released Thanks for Risking Your Life. His other notable films include Universal’s Accepted co-starring Blake Lively and Justin Long, Man Of The Year opposite Robin Williams, Christopher Walken, Laura Linney and Jeff Goldblum and the greatest children’s Christmas movie of all time, Unaccompanied Minors directed by Paul Feig.
A published playwright, he’s written over 40 plays and has found his work performed throughout the country, including at the A.C.T. Theatre, the Magic Theatre, The Williamstown Theatre Festival, and The Public Theatre.
In addition to his professional pursuits, Lewis is dedicated to a number of charitable organizations and entities including the the Luv U Project, The 52nd Street Project, The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library and the National Comedy Center. He’s also deeply committed to supporting our troops. A seasoned USO tour veteran, he’s performed for the troops on three Christmas tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Count Basie Center for the Arts is located at 99 Monmouth Street in Red Bank, New Jersey. It is New Jersey’s premier center for the cultural arts, dedicated to fostering powerful, inclusive artistic experiences and creative exchange of ideas. The Basie mission is to inspire, educate and entertain through its distinct and engaging cultural and artistic offerings embrace and amplify the diversity of the region. As a nonprofit organization, the Basie is committed to enriching the community’s quality of life by generating opportunities for participation in the arts, partnering with schools, collaborating with other mission-based organizations and driving regional economic prosperity.
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