Comic Curry bring his ‘equal opportunity offender’ show to Pepperbellys

DC Curry

FAIRFIELD — It’s been a few years since Don “DC” Curry stopped by Pepperbellys to bring his brand of “social analyst” comedy to the area.

That ends this weekend as the comic, who has been featured on BET and HBO, performs five shows. That’s small potatoes, Curry said, of the number of shows sometimes crammed into a three-day period.

“Relatively speaking, it’s not so bad. In my younger days, I did 14 shows a week. For a lot less money,” he said with a chuckle.

Curry, who won the Bay Area Black Comedy Competition 17 years ago, is nearing 30 years in the business.

“I don’t know why you would mention that,” he said, chuckling.

He survived the changes.

“I’ve seen it (the comedy business) go through three cycles, where comedy was hot, then it was down, then hot again. I’m proud to say I’ve maintained my satire through it all,” he said.

Rather than focus on topics du jour, Curry expounds on everyday life. That doesn’t mean he won’t tackle current topics. In fact, he thinks there’s a plethora of material out there.

“History is all but writing the show. They talk about life imitating art. It’s the opposite these days. Art imitates life,” he said.

He even took a jab at recent events involving Gen. David Petraeus.

“I don’t know what the world is coming to when the CIA can’t keep a secret,” he said.

Sticking to his guns saved Curry from having to adapt to the fluctuations.

“I started out in comedy as a social analyst and I stayed there,” he said.

A man of many careers, Curry is looking at some appearances on the new Arsenio Hall show, which is slated to debut next year.

He’s also been offered some acting roles. Curry prefers comedy.

“The main difference between comedy and acting is in comedy you are a character on stage,” he said. “You are responsible. You are the writer, the producer, the actor. You are the one delivering the material. With acting, you are not the writer, not the producer and you don’t have the final say so.”

He never viewed comedy as a launching pad to an acting career.

“When I started in comedy, I wanted to be a professional comic,” Curry said. “That’s the ultimate to me. The rest is gravy.”

Today, Curry get his chuckles from comics like George Wallace.

“Even when he’s not trying to be funny, he’s comical,” Curry said of Wallace.

Chris Rock and D.L. Hughley are also on his list.

“They say something and I laugh at it that moment,” Curry said. “And I still laugh after that.”

Curry estimated he’s been appearing at Pepperbellys for about a decade and said he loves the venue. And the crowds.

Even with a diverse audience, Curry is not one to stifle his opinion.

“I’m an equal opportunity offender,” he said. “The truth is the truth.”

TV viewers may remember him as the grumpy boss on the ABC sitcom “Grace Under Fire” and as Pastor Jones on “The Tracy Morgan Show,” which aired on NBC.

Curry starred as the sadistic gangster in the crime drama “Two Degrees” and also does voice-overs, as well as performing with his R&B band. He and his manager, Tony Spires, worked together on “Tears of a Clown,” a film that showed the rise, fall and redemption of a black stand-up comic.

Amy Maginnis-Honey

Amy Maginnis-Honey joined the staff of the Daily Republic in 1980. She’ll tell you she was only 3 at the time. Over the past three decades she’s done a variety of jobs in the newsroom. Today, she covers arts and entertainment and writes for the Living and news pages.

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