Eddie Griffin gets his Vegas on

Despite his residency, the comedian isn’t complacent.


HOW TO GO

Who: Eddie Griffin

Where: Funny Bone Comedy Club, 88 Plum St., The Greene, Beavercreek

When: 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 11-12

Cost: $30-$60

More info: (937) 429-LAFF (5233) or www.daytonfunnybone.com

Artist info: www.eddiegriffin.com

Eddie Griffin has been a stand-up comic since he was 18 years old, but he’d never worked Las Vegas until two years ago. Today, it’s the home base for the 44-year-old Kansas City native, who returns to The Funny Bone Comedy Club in Beavercreek on Friday and Saturday.

Griffin now has a cushy residency at The Rio, which finds audiences coming to him during the week and him venturing out for road dates on select weekends.

“I’ve been at The Rio for one year, and I’ll be there for the next three years,” he said. “Everyday somebody new is flying into town, so there’s always a crowd. On the weekends I travel to all the rest of the world.”

Griffin’s most recent stand-up special, “You Can Tell ’Em I Said It,” aired on Comedy Central in 2011. He’s self-releasing the next one online, following the model of Louis C.K. and other established comedians.

“I’m trying to be wise with the choices,” Griffin said. “I’ll be releasing that straight to the public shortly on EddieGriffin.com. It’s already taped. We shot it at The Rio, and I did what I normally do for a special, but I have the power of the edit. I wouldn’t call it control; it’s about artistic integrity.”

In addition to stand-up, Griffin has appeared in more than two dozen feature films, including “Scary Movie 3” and “Undercover Brother,” in which he played the starring role. He’ll be seen next in “Mucho Dinero,” which will be released in September. In March, Griffin begins filming his next starring role in a still-untitled comedy.

“It’s about a pimp whose father is a preacher,” Griffin said. “His father passes away and leaves him a church. At first he’s in there trying to get as much money as he can, then he actually gets the Holy Ghost and ends becoming a preacher. They brought me in after it was put together, but it’s loosely based on my stand-up.”

About the Author