Roy Wood Jr: Obstacles To Opportunities, The Value of A Second Chance.

Roy Wood Jr. is a man who made a mistake early in his life. He knows first hand that believing in people even after a mistake can be life changing. As a comedian and philanthropist, Roy Wood Jr. has learned not to dismiss anyone. He has used his platform to provide entertainment,  to promote awareness in many areas, and to lend a helping hand to those in need. 

Roy is not a runner but has a profound love of baseball. He also has overcome obstacles to make it to his finish line. He is a world -renowned comedian and producer of documentaries and TV shows. His story is one of inspiration and provides that everyone desires a second chance for greatness. Our conversation covers his unique journey.

Episode Highlights:  

How Roy discovered his talent for comedy Roy in college balancing  his career in comedy and education Early years as a standup comedian Dealing with failing at a comedy show Getting into radio The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Roy’s college mishap and how a probation officer and other comedians still believed in him. Roy as a philanthropist  The future for Roy Wood Jr.

Guest Bio:

Roy Wood Jr. joined The Best News Team in 2015 as a correspondent on Comedy Central’s Emmy-nominated The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. In 2021, Comedy Central continued its long-standing relationship with the talented comedian and actor collaborating on two podcasts–Roy’s Job Fair and Beyond the Scenes–as well as his third hour-long stand-up special, Imperfect Messenger, which is now streaming on Paramount. As an Executive Producer, his credits include the PBS documentary The Neutral Ground, an HBO Max project 1% Happy and an untitled medical field comedy for NBC. Wood will executive produce, write, and star in an untitled single-camera comedy about the National Guard in the works at FOX. Wood will also star alongside Jon Hamm in the long-awaited Fletch remake, Confess.

 

Wood’s first Comedy Central one-hour stand-up special, Father Figure, debuted in 2017, the same year he was named the new host of Comedy Central’s storytelling series, This is Not Happening. His second Comedy Central one-hour stand-up special, Roy Wood Jr.: No One Loves You, which debuted in 2019, remains the network’s highest-rated original stand-up premiere. Wood has entertained millions across stage, television, and radio. Forbes declared he is “One of comedy’s best journalists,” Entertainment Weekly has described his thought-provoking comedy as “. . . charismatic crankiness. . .” and Variety Magazine named him “One of 10 Comics to Watch in 2016.” Before The Daily Show, Roy co-starred for three seasons on TBS’s Sullivan & Son, and he remains a regular guest on various ESPN shows and the MLB Network. Wood began his comedy career in 1998 at the age of 19 while attending Florida A&M University. In 2006, he debuted on network television on The Late Show with David Letterman. In 2008, he appeared on HBO’s historic Def Comedy Jam and was selected by America as one of the top three finalists on Last Comic Standing on NBC. He has appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyer, Conan, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He also performed on numerous USO Tours for our Troops stationed everywhere from Guam to Iraq to the Philippines. 

Throughout the global pandemic, Roy  spent time raising money for the displaced staff of comedy clubs through tipyourwaitstaff.com and Laugh Aid. In his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, his philanthropic endeavors include supporting Workshops, Inc., which enriches lives by helping people with disabilities and other employment barriers achieve their vocational potential. The DUBS Baseball Academy is an investment in sports to change lives. STAIR of Birmingham, where tutoring empowers students to read better and dream bigger. Also, I See Me, Inc., where the mission is to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline by increasing the literacy rates in children of color by engaging them in literature that reflects their culture and image.

 

Connect with Roy Wood Jr.

Roy Wood JR  site

Connect with Roy on Instagram

Connect with Roy on  Facebook

Listen to Roy on his Podcasts Roy’s Job fair  andThe Daily Show’s Beyond the Scenes

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