Smiley and friends leave Improv 'howling with laughter'

The last time Rickey Smiley was here in Pittsburgh not many people showed up for his Soldiers and Sailors stand up comedy show.  The Oakland facility did not even meet 50% capacity last February.

“When a show doesn’t sell well it’s usually due to timing and the experience of the promoter,” said Smiley.

The poor turnout did not stop the Alabama comedian, who was in movies like Baggage Claim, First Sunday and Friday After Next, from returning to Pittsburgh. Only this time, he performed at a place that cranks out jokes on a regular basis; the Pittsburgh Improv.

Although Smiley was the headliner, he took sort of a back seat to his Improv shows this past weekend.  He hosted the four shows while one local comedian and Special K, a fellow co-host of the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, each performed their own sets.

The hosting gig did not take away from the non-stop comedy.  The place was howling of laughter and at the end, Rickey Smiley greeted every single fan.

Although we hadn’t seen Mr. Smiley in more than a year, many morning commuters tune in daily to his nationally syndicated radio show, The Rickey Smiley Morning Show.  “I have a great radio show here and I appreciate the support I get from the people here,” said Smiley. WAMO100, the local affiliate for the morning show, acquired the show in February 2012.

Tom Joyner, Steve Harvey, and Power 105’s the Breakfast Club are just a few Black nationally syndicated morning radio shows and with the competition high Rickey Smiley uses simple tactics to set his show apart from all the rest.

“We set out to make sure you are having fun on the way to work or wherever u are going,” said Smiley. The comedian, who’s famous for his prank calls and impersonations like Lil’ Daryl and Bernice Jenkins, said “we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

Smiley has family here in Pittsburgh, as he calls them on the morning show– “a whole bunch of light skinned folk”.  In a Wednesday interview, Smiley dishes that his family is just one of many reasons he adores the Steel City. “I love Pittsburgh, it’s a hard working city and I respect that.  The people are real and down to earth.”