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J. B. Smoove

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J. B. Smoove
JB Smoove in February 2024 at the premiere of Curb Your Enthusiasm's 12th season
Smoove in February 2024
Born
Jerry Angelo Brooks

(1965-12-16) December 16, 1965 (age 58)
Plymouth, North Carolina, U.S.
EducationMount Vernon High School
Norfolk State University
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • writer
Years active1991–present
Spouse
Shahidah Omar
​
(m. 2007)​
Children1

Jerry Angelo Brooks[1][2] (born December 16, 1965),[1] commonly known by his stage name J. B. Smoove, is an American actor, comedian and writer. After beginning his career in 1995 on Def Comedy Jam, he was a writer and performer on NBC's Saturday Night Live (2003–06). He is best known for his starring roles on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm (2007–24) and the CBS sitcom The Millers (2013–15). He also portrayed a fictionalized version of himself on the BET improv-comedy reality television parody Real Husbands of Hollywood (2013–16).[3]

Early life, family and education

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Smoove was born in Plymouth, North Carolina, to Elizabeth and Floyd Brooks.[4] From the time he was three years old, he grew up in Mount Vernon, New York.[2][5][6] He spent a significant amount of time with his mother and extended maternal family in the Plymouth area, which he has said inspired much of his pursuit of comedy and comedy style.[7] He resided in the Levister Towers housing projects in Mount Vernon with his two younger brothers. His father died from diabetes when Smoove was 15 years old.[4]

In 1983, Smoove graduated from Mount Vernon High School.[8] He attended Norfolk State University in Virginia, studying engineering and graphic design.[3]

Smoove worked as a perfume formulator and sold fire extinguishers door-to-door.[9]

Career

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Smoove in 2012

He began his show business career in stand-up comedy, which is when he shortened his name, Jerry Brooks, to "J. B." and added "Smoove" as his last name.

Smoove has had recurring roles on Everybody Hates Chris and Saturday Night Live. On SNL, he worked as a writer (and had bit roles in sketches, including playing Jimmy "JJ" Walker in a parody of the 1970s sitcom Good Times) and was a recipient of the 2007 Writers Guild of America award for Best Comedy/Variety Series (Including Talk).[10] He worked on Saturday Night Live for three years.[2]

Smoove was a regular cast member on the HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm beginning in its sixth season in 2007, playing Leon Black. Smoove landed the role after his stint on SNL.[11] Although at that time he lived on the East Coast, he visited Los Angeles for the funeral of his friend, music producer Oji Pierce, enabling him to audition for Curb Your Enthusiasm.[12]

Smoove wrote a book as his Curb Your Enthusiasm character, Leon, which was released on October 10, 2017.[13]

He had a major role for seasons two and three on the FOX network sitcom 'Til Death with Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher. In June 2008, he appeared in several episodes of The Gong Show with Dave Attell as one of the celebrity judges. Smoove was also a cast member on the short-lived sketch comedy program Cedric the Entertainer Presents. He hosted the standup comedy series Russell Simmons Presents: Stand-Up at The El Rey on Comedy Central in July 2010, and also appeared in The Simpsons episode "Angry Dad: The Movie" in February 2011. That same year, he starred in the American Dad! episode "The Worst Stan", and appeared in the episode "Dude, Where's My Wade" in Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil.

In 2012, his first televised comedy special, JB Smoove: That's How I Dooz It, premiered on Comedy Central. The DVD of the special was released April 3, 2012. In 2013, Smoove voiced Hackus in The Smurfs 2. He appeared in Movie 43 in the segment "The Proposition" alongside Anna Faris and Chris Pratt. He was the substitute co-host of the New York City morning talk show Good Day New York with Rosanna Scotto on April 9, 2012. He made a cameo appearance as a gravedigger in "Barney/Never", an episode of Louie. He also played a supporting role in Season 4, Episode 7, "The Vapora Sport" in the American sitcom The League on FX. He plays Wheelchair Guy, with whom the main characters have recurring comedic run-ins. He plays one of the "Replacers" for Call of Duty: Black Ops II. He was in the show Real Husbands of Hollywood, playing a fictionalized version of himself.[3]

Smoove hosts Four Courses With JB Smoove, a talk show on the MSG Network.[5] He provides the voice of Dr. Ray De Angelo Harris, host of the Chakra Attack radio show in the video game Grand Theft Auto V. Smoove appeared in the 2013 film Dealin' with Idiots as Coach Ted. In 2013, he became a regular cast member of the CBS comedy The Millers as Ray.

In the summer of 2014, Smoove hosted the eighth season of the NBC reality series Last Comic Standing.[14] Smoove appeared on comedian Jerry Seinfeld's web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee in July 2016.[6][15] Smoove played Santa Claus in Sia's 2017 music video, "Santa's Coming for Us".[16]

Smoove attended the final dinner service of Hell's Kitchen's eighteenth season Hell's Kitchen: Rookies vs. Veterans in 2019 as a chef's table guest in the blue kitchen that was run by runner-up Mia Castro. He appeared as a guest judge on the first season of the FOX reality singing competition The Masked Singer.[17] He voiced Frank in Harley Quinn beginning in 2019. He played Julius Dell in the Marvel Studios feature film Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and its sequel Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).[18][19]

In 2020, Smoove starred in Mapleworth Murders opposite Paula Pell (another former writer for Saturday Night Live) and John Lutz for Quibi, which was produced by, among others, Lorne Michaels and Seth Meyers of SNL.[20] Smoove won the 2021 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for his role.[21]

Smoove and Miles Grose co-host and created May I Elaborate? Daily Wisdom from JB Smoove, a podcast that debuted in April 2021 on the Team Coco podcast network.[22][23] Beginning in the fall of 2021, Smoove had a recurring role as the titular Caesar in multiple commercials for the Caesars Sportsbook mobile app, appearing alongside Patton Oswalt, Halle Berry, Vince Vaughn, and the Manning family.

Volunteering

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Smoove serves on the board of directors of the Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon, New York. On November 7, 2017, he emceed the Boys and Girls Clubs Future Leaders Gala at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.[24]

Personal life

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In 2007, Smoove married singer Shahidah Omar.[24] They reside in Los Angeles.[4] He has an adult daughter named Jerrica from a previous relationship.[25]

He is a fan of the New York Knicks,[26] New York Yankees and the New York Jets.[27]

In 2019, Smoove played for the "Home" roster during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at the Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The roster was made up of celebrities with Carolina roots.[28]

He has been vegan since 2018.[29]

Comedy specials

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  • JB Smoove: That's How I Dooz It (2012)[30]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Lesser Prophets Chucky
1998 Tomorrow Night Mel the Mailman
2001 Pootie Tang Trucky
2002 Mr. Deeds Reuben
2003 With or Without You Darnell
2003 The Watermelon Heist Numbers
2004 Gas Ignatius
2009 Frankenhood Leon
2009 Hurricane Season Team Bus Driver
2010 Date Night Cabbie
2011 Hall Pass Flats
2011 We Bought a Zoo Mr. Stevens
2011 The Sitter Julio
2012 Think Like a Man Bartender
2012 The Dictator Funeral Usher
2013 Movie 43 Larry Segment: "The Proposition"
2013 A Haunted House Kisha's Dad
2013 Dealin' with Idiots Coach Ted
2013 The Smurfs 2 Hackus Voice
2013 Clear History Jaspar
2014 Search Party Berk
2014 Top Five Silk
2015 Hell and Back Sal the Demon Voice
2016 Barbershop: The Next Cut One-Stop
2016 Almost Christmas Lonnie
2017 The Polka King Ron Edwards
2018 Uncle Drew Angelo
2019 Spider-Man: Far From Home Julius Dell
2019 The Jesus Rolls The Mechanic
2021 On the Count of Three Lyndell
2021 Spider-Man: No Way Home Julius Dell
2023 Back on the Strip Amos
2024 Música Anwar

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 Def Comedy Jam Himself Also writer
1998 Law & Order Levon Episode: "Bait"
2002–2003 Cedric the Entertainer Presents Various Main role
2003 Ed Alvin Episode: "Second Chances"
2003–2006 Saturday Night Live Various Also writer
2004–2013 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Himself Recurring role
2005 Ego Trip's Race-O-Rama Documentary
2007–2008 Everybody Hates Chris Manny Recurring role
2007–2011 Comics Unleashed Himself 3 episodes
2007–2024 Curb Your Enthusiasm Leon Black Recurring role (seasons 6–8)
Main (seasons 9–12)
2008 Carpoolers Parking Attendant Episode: "Wheel of Fortune"
2008 The Gong Show with Dave Attell Himself 4 episodes
2008 Talkshow with Spike Feresten Episode: "J. B. Smoove"
2008–2010 'Til Death Kenny Westchester Main role
2008–2013 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Himself Recurring role
2009 The Wanda Sykes Show 1 episode
2009 Castle Norman Jessup Episode: "Love Me Dead"
2009–2021 American Dad! Airport Security Guard, Radio Station Security Guard, Guy #1, Tracey Bryant Voice, 6 episodes
2010 America's Next Top Model Himself Episode: "America's Next Top Vampire"
2010 Glenn Martin DDS Curtis, Uncle Dexter Voice, episode: "Step Brother"
2010 The Bonnie Hunt Show Himself 1 episode
2010 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 1 episode
2010 Lopez Tonight 1 episode
2011 The Marriage Ref Episode: "Rachael Ray, Larry Miller, J. B. Smoove"
2011 The Simpsons DJ Kwanzaa Voice, episode: "Angry Dad: The Movie"
2011 In the Flow with Affion Crockett iDaddy Episode: "Put the Kids to Bed"
2011–2013 Funny as Hell — Writer
2 episodes
2011–2017 Conan Himself Recurring role
2012–2014 Last Call with Carson Daly 2 episodes
2012 Watch What Happens: Live Episode: "J. B. Smoove and Shannon Elizabeth"
2012 Black Dynamite That Frog Kurtis, That Bastard Kurtis Voice, 2 episodes
2012 Bent Clem Main role
2012 Louie Gravedigger #2 Episode: "Barney/Never"
2012 Robot Chicken B.A. Baracus, Satan Voice, episode: "Crushed by a Steamroller on My 53rd Birthday"
2012 The League DeRon Episode: "The Vapora Sport"
2012–2013 The Burn with Jeff Ross Himself 2 episodes
2012–2015 The Wendy Williams Show 4 episodes
2013 Four Courses with JB Smoove Himself (host)
2013 Kroll Show Basketball Player Episode: "Dine & Dash"
2013 Chicago Fire Sergeant Pruit Episode: "Let Her Go"
2013 The Arsenio Hall Show Himself 2 episodes
2013 The Talk Episode: "The Cast of "The Millers"/Sunny Anderson"
2013 Katie Episode: "Exclusives with Real Husbands of Hollywood/Nelly Performs"
2013–2015 The Millers Ray Main role
2013–2016, 2022 Real Husbands of Hollywood Himself Main role
2014 Chicago P.D. Sergeant Pruit Episode: "Stepping Stone"
2014 Last Comic Standing Himself (host) Main role
2014–2016 Talking Dead Himself 2 episodes
2014–2017 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Anton Zeck / Bebop Voice, main role
2015 The Soul Man Terrell Episode: "Oh Snow You Didn't"
2015–2016 Fresh Off the Boat Barry 2 episodes
2016 Epic Rap Battles of History Frederick Douglass Episode: "Frederick Douglass vs Thomas Jefferson"
2016 Match Game Himself 2 episodes
2016 Transparent Porter Episode: "Elizah"
2016–2017 Life in Pieces Darryl 2 episodes
2016 Chopped Junior Himself Episode: "Dinner Is Served"
2018 Desus & Mero 1 episode
2018 New Girl Van Bishop Episode: "Godparents"
2018–2019 3Below: Tales of Arcadia Phil Voice, 10 episodes
2019 Hell's Kitchen Himself Episode: "The Grand Finale"
2019 The Masked Singer Episode: "All Together Now"
2019–present Harley Quinn Frank the Plant Voice, main role
2020 The Last O.G. Carl 4 episodes
2020 Mapleworth Murders Chief Billy Bills 9 episodes
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
2020–2022 Woke Marker Voice, 16 episodes
2021 Mr. Mayor TikTok Voice Voice, episode: "#PalmTreeReform"
2021 Crank Yankers Philip Johnson Voice, 2 episodes
2021–2022 Fairfax Quattro the Pigeon Voice, 15 episodes
2022 Pivoting The Fig Voice, episode: "The Giving Tree"
2022 Beat Bobby Flay Himself; guest host Episode: "Smoove Moves"
2022 Teen Titans Go! Black Manta Voice, 2 episodes
2022 Blockbuster Percy Scott Recurring role; 8 episodes
2023 History of the World, Part II Luke 4 episodes
2024 Good Times: Black Again Reggie Voice, 10 episodes
2024 Kite Man: Hell Yeah! Frank the Plant Voice, episode: "Just Right, Hell Yeah!"

Video games

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Year Title Role
2013 Grand Theft Auto V Dr. Ray De Angelo Harris
2016 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Portal Power Bebop
2022 High On Life Gus

References

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  1. ^ a b "Jerry Angelo Brooks North Carolina Birth Index". FamilySearch. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Itzkoff, Dave (27 January 2008). "JB Smoove – Curb Your Enthusiasm – Television". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Maron, Marc (9 July 2012). "Episode 295 – JB Smoove". WTF with Marc Maron. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Myers, Marc (2 June 2015). "JB Smoove's Childhood Moves". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  5. ^ a b Kramer, Peter D. (23 February 2015). "JB Smoove on Mt. Vernon, high school and more". The Journal News. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  6. ^ a b Seinfeld, Jerry; Smoove, JB (7 July 2016). "JB Smoove: 'Everybody Respects A Bloody Nose'". Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Season 8. Episode 4. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  7. ^ Marsh, Steven P. "J.B. Smoove: 'Curb' comic back in Westchester". The Journal News. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  8. ^ Malone, Michael (January 2014). "Talking With Curb Your Enthusiasm's JB Smoove". Westchester Magazine. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee S08 E04 J B Smoove Everybody Respects a Bloody Nose". Dailymotion.com. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  10. ^ "Previous Nominees & Winners: 2007 Award Winners". Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  11. ^ Nesbitt, Andy (30 January 2014). "JB Smoove dishes on how he got his role on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' Richard Sherman's passion, and his Super Bowl prediction". Fox Sports. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  12. ^ Miller, Gerri (28 February 2011). "Q&A: Comedian and Actor JB Smoove". BET.com. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  13. ^ Black, Leon; Smoove, JB; Bahr, Iris (10 October 2017). The Book of Leon: Philosophy of a Fool. Gallery Books. ISBN 978-1-5011-8072-9.
  14. ^ Bibel, Sara (20 March 2014). "'Last Comic Standing' Season 8 to Premiere Thursday, May 22 on NBC With Judges Roseanne Barr, Keenen Ivory Wayans & Russell Peters". TV by the Numbers (Press release). Archived from the original on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  15. ^ Dry, Jude (16 June 2016). "Why JB Smoove Thinks Larry David Is A 'Different Animal' Than Jerry Seinfeld". Indiewire.com. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  16. ^ Reed, Ryan (22 November 2017). "Watch Sia's 'Santa's Coming for Us' Video With Kristen Bell, J.B. Smoove". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  17. ^ Frank, Priscilla (2019-02-20). "How 'The Masked Singer' Became 2019's Must-See 'Car Crash TV'". HuffPost. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
  18. ^ "Spider-Man: JB Smoove's Far From Home Role Revealed". CBR.com. 2019-05-10. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  19. ^ "Spider-Man's JB Smoove Confirms He's in No Way Home". comicbook.com. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  20. ^ Porter, Rick (December 3, 2019). "Lorne Michaels' Quibi Murder Mystery Lines Up All-Star Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  21. ^ "2021 Emmy Nominations: The Complete List". Entertainment Tonight. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  22. ^ "'May I Elaborate? Daily Wisdom From JB Smoove' Is Out Now". TeamCoco.com. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  23. ^ "Team Coco Podcasts". TeamCoco.com. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  24. ^ a b "JB Smoove". bgcmvny.org. Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  25. ^ "Monay has running joke with her famous dad thanks to 'Claim to Fame'". Entertainment Weekly.
  26. ^ "JB Smoove Explains the Perfect Shoes to Rock When Cheating & More While Sneaker Shopping". highsnobiety.com.
  27. ^ "Comedian JB Smoove Talks HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm & More in Studio". The Rich Eisen Show. 8 November 2017. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  28. ^ "ESPN and NBA announce celebrity rosters and coaches for 2019 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by Ruffles exclusively on ESPN". NBA.com (Press release). Retrieved 2019-02-11.
  29. ^ Starostinetskaya, Anna. "Curb Your Enthusiasm's J.B. Smoove Voices Just's First Vegan Egg Commercial". VegNews.com. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  30. ^ JB Smoove: That's How I Dooz It TV special at IMDb Retrieved February 22, 2022.
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