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College Comedy Hosting Stand-Up

Tommy Davidson

Tommy Davidson’s exceptional range – from stand-up comedy and acting to versatile music accomplishments – have earned him a reputation as an extraordinary performer who delivers no matter the arena. Best known as one of the stars of the hit television show In Living Color, Davidson’s visibility has allowed him to become a household name known for his innovative talent.

Davidson started his career as a standup comedian in Washington DC, earning an ardent following. Spotted by major concert promoters, he was first booked as the opening act for Patti LaBelle, Kenny G and Luther Vandross. It wasn’t long before he came to Hollywood and was headlining the biggest rooms and met Robert Townsend. This led to his first national tv appearance and starring role in Partners in Crime, the conduit to Keenan Ivory Wayans, who proved instrumental in Davidson’s career by offering him an opportunity to audition.

Davidson starred in Disney Channel’s beloved animated series The Proud Family (2001-05) and recently returned to topline their new hit, “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” (Disney +) to rave reviews. Other 2022 guest starring credits include CBS comedy series The Neighborhood; standout roles on VH1’s hit A Black Lady Sketch Show; the Nick Cannon-directed TV movie Miracles Across 125th Street, BET+’s The Ms. Pat Show and the Netflix special Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine.

The multihyphenate is perhaps best known for starring in the groundbreaking sketch comedy series In Living Color and becoming a standout with his impressions of Sammy Davis Jr., Michael Jackson and other entertainment icons. His performance on the series resulted in three Showtime specials: On Strength of New York, Illin’ in Philly, and Takin’ it to DC. Davidson also hosted and starred in the network’s Chocolate Sundaes Comedy Show, as well as three seasons of ABC’s Vacation Creation.

Davidson voiced the series regular role of Cream Corn in the Adult Swim action-comedy spoof Black Dynamite, and has also made multiple guest appearances on shows like MTV’s Wild ‘N Out, BET’s Real Husbands of Hollywood and ABC’s Celebrity Wife Swap. He also recently headlined The Off Color Comedy Tour with Keenan Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans and David Alan Grier, and co-headlines with Katt Williams, Mike Epps and Martin Lawrence to sell out large venue audiences.

Davidson’s feature credits include Spike Lee’s Bamboozled, Morgan Creek’s Juwanna Mann, Ace Ventura II: When Nature Calls opposite Jim Carrey, and Strictly Business opposite Halle Berry among others. He also recently starred in the feature documentaries I Am Comic opposite Tim Allen and Lewis Black, and Dying Laughing alongside Jamie Foxx, Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer and Sarah Silverman.

His most recent critically lauded music duets include Sweet Reunion with multi-Grammy winner Dave Koz and I Know with A-list saxophonist, Richard Elliot.

Kensington Books published Davidson’s memoir Living in Color: What’s Funny about Me, recounting his personal triumphs after having been abandoned as in infant in 2020 achieving historic sales.

Categories
Comedy Hosting Stand-Up

Jinkx Monsoon

As an “internationally tolerated” comedienne and (the only) two-time winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Jinkx Monsoon has become the reigning queen of stand-up, roasts, and celebrity impressions. Her hilarious and studied impressions of Judy Garland, Natasha Lyonne and Little Edie put her on the map as a RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant like no other, and her roasting and stand-up acts prove she’s one of the greatest queer comedians of our time. Jinkx is the creator, writer and star of the soon-to-be smash hit sketch comedy series, Sketchy Queens coming to WOW Presents Plus this fall and she’s the co-writer and co-star of The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special on Hulu (BenDeLaCreme Presents). She has appeared in numerous films (Happiest Season, Drag Becomes Him, The Queen) and TV (AJ and the Queen, Blame the Hero). Jinkx will reunite with her best friend and fellow Drag Race alum BenDeLaCreme for their annual comedy theatre tour, “The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show” in November.

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College Comedy Hosting Stand-Up

BenDeLaCreme

Drag icon, BenDeLaCreme, is a global performer, director, writer, and producing powerhouse who rose to international acclaim following superstar runs on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6 (2014) and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 3 (2018) during which she broke multiple series records and earned a spot among the show’s “15 Fan Favorites of All Time.”

Harnessing that energy, BenDeLaCreme took her career where no queen has gone before, founding her own production company, BenDeLaCreme Presents, under which she went on to write, produce and direct multiple sold-out international tours of “The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show” as well as her critically acclaimed, award winning solo works “Terminally Delightful”, “Cosmos”, “Inferno A Go-Go”, and “Ready To Be Committed,” countless plays and variety shows, and the cult classic holiday film, The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Special. She has worked as a producer in film and television, and written and directed for some of your favorite drag artists. She is known for her quick wit and sharp mind, as well as her work as a puppeteer, live singer, choreographer, production and costume designer, and ravishing beauty.

Harnessing the fun and beauty of drag entertainment DeLa strives to make politics, philosophy, science and literature all more accessible through entertainment. Forbes says that “Keeping you entertained while making you think about your place in the world is all a part of the BenDeLaCreme experience” while Billboard says DeLa “soars past entertainment and into the realm of theatrical art”. TheaterMania calls her work “Spectacular… helping to redefine what cabaret can be: an intoxicating cocktail of high, low, topical, and timeless” and The New York Times has hailed her as “self-possessed and chameleonic.”

In 2023, BenDeLaCreme continued to utilize her massive platform to fight back against anti-LGBTQ+ hatred and legislation sweeping the U.S. With appearances at The Daily Show, MSNBC, NPR, and a heartfelt essay penned for Out Magazine, DeLa educated audiences on how politics and dangerous rhetoric negatively impact the queer and trans community on a global scale, as well as offered a message of hope to keep fighting. She continues to use her voice and platform as an activist both in and outside of her work.

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College Comedy Hosting

Cheech Marin

Primarily known as an actor, director, and performer, Cheech Marin has developed the finest private collection of Chicano art in the United States. Much of it formed the core of his blockbuster exhibition “Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge,” which broke attendance records during its groundbreaking 12-city tour during 2001-2007 to major art museums across the United States. Some of these paintings were also shown in Los Angelenos/Chicano Painters of L.A.: Selections from the Cheech Marin Collection, which was on view at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), June 15 to November 2, 2008. Currently touring is “Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection {size doesn’t matter}.”

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College Comedy Hosting

Teresa Topnotch

Teresa’s first professional acting gig was in a dramatic role on BET’s “Tales.” Since then, she has worked consistently appearing in BounceTV’s “Last Call,” in MTV’s “Wild N’ Out,” and in the Universal Feature “How High 2” opposite Mike Epps. She can next be seen in the recurring role of Brandy on Bentley Evans’ “Family Time.” Teresa has also gained popularity with her comedic rants on Instagram (#Topnotchworldd) garnering over 1 million followers.

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College Comedy Hosting

Pretty Ricki

Ms Pretty Ricki is a hilarious and multitalented rising star. Embarking upon a comedy career only a few short years ago, she has already gained a passionate following across the country and online. She’s a regular talent on Kevin Hart’s LOL and appeared on such TV showcases as BET’s Comic View and Magic Johnson’s “We Got Next,” and performed live at Carolines on Broadway and the legendary Los Angeles Comedy Store. Ricki is also an accomplished singer and actress. She features on the road for Donnell Rawlings, Faizon Love, Kountry Wayne, Michael Blackson, Guy Torry and numerous other major comics, where she makes new fans every weekend.

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Comedy Hosting

Keraun Harris

Keraun (aka King Keraun) is an actor, writer, host, and influencer who originally rose to prominence through his comedy sketches on Instagram, where he has over 2.1 million followers. He can currently be seen as THE SPOKESPLAYER in the new Madden Campaign for EA Sports as well as the host of his own show on FuseTV, That White People Shit, which is now in its second season. He had notable roles on HBO’s Insecure as well as on ABC’s Blackish and he just wrapped production on season one of the new UMC comedy Millennials, where he plays the lead role of Jaheem.

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College Comedy Hosting

Justina Valentine

Justina Valentine, is an (Italian) American TV Star known as the quick witted fan favorite from Nick Cannon’s Wild N Out and most recently VH1’s FUHGEDDABOUT CHRiSTMAS, a feature film Justina wrote, executive produced, directed, and starred in (playing multiple roles). The movie was acquired by MTV Entertainment and premiered on VH1 in December 2022. A social media influencer with millions of followers, bright red locks, and an infectious personality, Justina Valentine is an entertainer who acts, hosts, writes, sings, raps and is widely known for her freestyling ability. Also passionate about helping animals, Valentine was nominated for a PETA Hero Award in honor of her campaign.

Justina began dropping mixtapes and joined the Vans Warped Tour in 2012 to kick off her professional career. She has since been featured on a series of McDonald’s commercials and did a powerful campaign in 2019 with Mountain Dew that received a Shorty Award nomination. Valentine has hosted / co-hosted many other popular MTV shows such as TRL, Singled Out, The Jersey Shore Reunion, The Challenge Reunion, Ex on the Beach Reunion, Ridiculousness, Double Shot At Love Reunion, “How Far is Tattoo Far?” and Basic to Bougie. Valentine was also a cast member on MTV’S number one show The Challenge. Justina stars in her own MTV shows, Justina Makes Over Your Man , Lip Locked, and The Justina Valentine Show. She recently wrapped filming her 13th season of MTV’S Wild N Out as the longest running female cast mate. She also made special guest appearances on MTV’s Revenge Prank with Jersey Shore stars DJ Pauly D & Vinny.

Justina’s original music has been featured on NBC, VH1, MTV, Oxygen, CW and national TV commercials for brands such as Maybelline. Justina made hip hop history on popular radio show Sway in the Morning becoming the first female to freestyle off the top on Sway’s famous “5 Fingers of Death”. Valentine’s latest musical release Fuhgeddabout Christmas is the original soundtrack to her movie released December 2022. The project has received millions of streams. Her previous albums Infrared and Favorite Vibe both debuted in the top 5 on Itunes charts. Valentine is an entertainer who offers 100+ million social media impressions which grows daily. She continues to bust down barriers as a powerful female presence with a strong pulse on multiple areas of the industry and an army of fans following her journey.

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Comedy Hosting

Josh McDermitt

Good humored, multi-faceted, and tenacious are all words that could describe Josh McDermitt. As a well-known name in the comedy scene, Josh is showcasing not only his skill in comedy, but in dramatic roles as well. Josh is currently a Series Regular on AMC’s record breaking hit “The Walking Dead” playing the role of ‘Dr. Eugene Porter.’ The drama, developed by Frank Darabont, is based off the comic book series of the same name and follows a group of survivors finding their way through a post-apocalyptic world dominated by zombies. Josh also recurred on the final season of Matthew Weiner’s “Mad Men” (also AMC) on which he had a dramatically different role.

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College Comedy Hosting

Jordan Doll

Jordan Doll is a standup comedian, actor and writer from Denver, Colorado where he is a regular at the world famous Comedy Works. If he looks familiar it might be because you saw him on Viceland’s Flophouse, or the Comedy Central snapchat channel, or dressed up like a potato skin in that one TGIFriday’s commercial. Or maybe you caught him performing at Just for Laughs Montreal, or the High plains comedy festival, or San Francisco Sketch Fest; opening for the likes of TJ Miller, Bryan Posehn and Rory Scovel. Jordan’s outlandish standup has been featured on Seeso, TruTV, and Comedy Central’s Comic’s to Watch, so if he looks familiar that’s probably why. Or maybe it’s something else. He does kind of have one of those faces.