Aries Spears
He reshapes his actual jawline to make an impression land.
2 specials · 2005–2016
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When Aries Spears does an impression, the voice is only half the trick. He physically reconstructs his face. If he is doing Snoop Dogg, his jaw shifts sideways and his eyelids drop. If he is doing Jay-Z, his upper lip stretches outward to change the shape of his mouth. He locks into the physical posture of the target before he ever speaks a word.
Specials
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Aries Spears delivers impressions and direct crowd work in Philadelphia.
Seeso · 60 min
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Mid-2000s observational stand-up driven by aggressive celebrity impressions.
Comedy Central
On stage
He operates as a traditional club comic who still tours heavily. While much of the comedy industry shifted toward vulnerable storytelling, Spears stayed firmly entrenched in a combative, joke-heavy tradition. He co-hosts a podcast with Andy Steinberg where they argue about sports and hip-hop, and that argumentative energy spills directly onto his stage. He likes a little friction in the room.
His act relies on blunt force. He will bait a crowd with a harsh premise about dating or race, wait for the groan, and then double down. When the material connects, he controls the room easily, daring the audience to disagree. The drawback to that aggression is a lack of varied pacing. The volume stays loud and the posture stays defiant, even when a quieter approach might make a punchline land harder.
He built his rhythm early. He debuted on Def Comedy Jam as a teenager in the early nineties, then spent eight seasons anchoring the sketch comedy of MADtv. That sketch background explains the physical control he has over his face, but his timing is entirely forged by three decades in comedy clubs.
Turning points
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Early Breakthrough on Def Comedy Jam
Spears made his national television debut on HBO's Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam as a teenager, serving as his major breakthrough into the national comedy industry.
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1997–2005
Breakout Run as MADtv Regular
Spears joined Fox's sketch show MADtv during its third season, appearing across eight seasons and becoming one of the series' longest-serving cast members with signature impressions like Shaquille O'Neal and Eddie Murphy.
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Dismissal of 2022 Minor Lawsuit
Spears and Tiffany Haddish were sued in August 2022 regarding past comedy skits involving minors, but the accuser filed to dismiss all claims with prejudice the following month.
At a glance
Podcasts
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Spears & Steinberg · co-host
An anti-political correctness podcast featuring unfiltered conversations, pop culture discussions, and comedic debates between Aries Spears and Andy Steinberg.
Also on screen
- South of Sunset
- A Different World
- Jerry Maguire
- C-Bear and Jamal
- 1997–2016
- MADtv
A clip to start with
A clip of Aries Spears