James Stephens III
A rapid-fire impressionist who turns a comedy set into a cabaret.
1 special · 1992
Get an email when there's a new special. You'll need a Google account.
James Stephens III treats a standup stage like a one-man variety hour. He rarely stays in his own register for more than a few sentences. He will tell a joke about visiting relatives, and without pausing for a transition, he becomes James Brown or Kermit the Frog. He frequently incorporates a piano and a live band, giving a regular comedy room the feel of a musical cabaret. He controls the rhythm of the show through the speed of his character changes.
Specials
-
Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam — Season 1, Episode 7 with Robin Montague, Tommy Chunn & 1 more
Martin Lawrence hosts four working road comics in a 1992 cable showcase.
HBO · 26 min
On stage
Stephens came up during the 1990s television boom, logging time on Def Comedy Jam and sketch series like The Edge and The Dana Carvey Show. Rather than staying on the traditional standup touring circuit, he stepped off the road to build his own room. He opened the Asher Theatre in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he headlines a variety residency on his own stage.
He builds his act around the volume of his vocal repertoire. He does not use his set to tell long personal stories, preferring instead to bounce from Bernie Mac to Ronald Reagan to Stevie Wonder within a single bit. He treats comedy as a test of momentum, stringing together impressions, piano riffs, and crowd work until his time is up.
At a glance
- Topics