If you asked anyone with a true understanding of pop culture who the most impactful comedian has been over the last 30 years, I doubt many would suggest anyone besides Martin Lawrence. We’ve all seen stars hit that kismet where they can do no wrong and opportunities open for them in various channels, but few stars have come close to impacting the culture the way Martin Lawrence has and continues to through reruns of his syndicated series “Martin.” The syndicated series has been a viewer favorite consistently over the last 20 years, since its 1992 debut on FOX. Martin changed language, it changed the possibilities available to comedians, and even changed the way we defined relationships. (I don’t know how many times I’ve heard someone reference Martin (Martin Lawrence) and Gina (Tisha Campbell) as their example of the ideal relationship.) Whether it is quotes like “You go boy!” or “You so crazy” or even “What had happened was …” or unforgettable scenes from showcasing his comedic genius as characters in Boomerang, House Party or Bad Boys, Lawrence was undeniably one of the top influencers on urban culture in the ’90s.
After a noticeable hiatus from the spotlight, Martin Lawrence returned to the stand-up stage in August with a tour titled “Doin’ Time.” While the title could suggest Lawrence was less than enthusiastic about his return to the stage; his performances on Oct. 2-3 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta suggested the opposite. The set began with a compilation of hilarious scenes from “Martin” along with several of Lawrence’s most memorable movie roles. It was a visual reminder of the 30-plus years of comedy that Lawrence has delivered through skits, stand-up, cameo appearances, television and movies. Lawrence started the night by addressing current topics, such as racism and made a few references to POTUS and the first black family in the White House, Tiger Woods, and then even took a few careful digs at his disgraced mentor, Bill Cosby. Eventually, to the audience’s delight, Lawrence was off and running with his signature male vs. female relationship set.
At 50, Lawrence has returned to sold-out venues with many cities adding second shows as a result of the demand in ticket sales and great reviews on his performance. BET also recently added a #MartinOnBET campaign for social media engagement with the series. It remains to be seen if the tour will result in a resurgence in Lawrence’s career. What is certain is that it will remind audiences who are quick to move on to the next “hot” thing where much of their comedic sayings come from. Aside from Richard Pryor’s lewdly hilarious anecdotes; few comedians have been quoted as much by their peers as Lawrence. Working with Russell Simmons, he helped create a bridge in “Def Comedy Jam” that many of today’s comedians (Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, etc.) were able to use to catapult to success. If he never starred in another comedy series or accepted another movie role, Lawrence’s legacy has been sealed in history; however, it would be great to see if he would be willing to share any more gems with a public that is obviously hungry for more Martin.
