| J Anthony Brown | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | James Anthony Brown |
| Born | Columbia, South Carolina [1] |
| Nationality | American |
James Anthony Brown (born in Columbia, South Carolina) is an American comedian, actor and radio personality. He received the Peabody Award and the NAACP Image Award.
Contents |
Brown started his career in Atlanta, Georgia after relocating there from his home in South Carolina almost thirty years ago. A tailor by trade, Brown aspired to be a clothing designer before stitching together a comedy routine after entering a local 'gong show' contest in a local nightclub, Mr. V's Figure Eight. Invited back to host on a regular basis, Brown became a fixture at the hot spot, performing there for the next two years.
He left Atlanta for Los Angeles, California in 1989 to pursue work in television, quickly landing a prime gig as a staff writer for the nationally-syndicated, late-night talk show, The Arsenio Hall Show. After that five-year stint ended, Brown racked up other writing assignments for such sitcoms as The Parenthood and Me and the Boys.
He has performed on Vibe, Def Jam, It's Showtime at the Apollo, An Evening at the Improv and The Oprah Winfrey Show, and landed recurring roles on Moesha, Living Single and The Parenthood, as well as guest spots on The Parkers and Sparks. His motion picture work includes roles in Def Jam's How to Be a Player, Pay the Price, Drumline and Mr. 3000. He also won gigs warming up audiences at the tapings of Martin, Sister, Sister, Roc and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper.
Brown is currently a radio personality on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, a nationwide radio show aired out of Dallas, Texas.
Brown was awarded a NAACP Image Award and Peabody Award in 1993 for his contribution in reconstruction after the 1992 LA uprising.
Brown was initiated into Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, Eta Beta Sigma alumni chapter in Nashville. Additionally, he is the owner of the J. Anthony Brown Collection, The J. Spot Clothing Store, and The J. Anthony Brown Comedy Store in Los Angeles, California.[1][2]
Brown lost both of his parents to diabetes.