Rickey Smiley is again after greater than a decade away from the stand-up stage. The comedy legend and beloved radio host has returned to the world of stand-up and he’s funnier than ever. His long-awaited new comedy particular, Idiot-ish, will formally debut on Hulu on Might 30, marking Smiley’s first filmed stand-up since 2011’s Open Casket Sharp.
Smiley, the voice behind the No. 1 nationally syndicated “Rickey Smiley Morning Present,” is returning to his roots in a approach that feels each nostalgic and refreshed. Taped on the historic Lyric Theatre in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, Idiot-ish is a vibrant mix of storytelling, character work, and hilarious reflections on life, household, popular culture — and all the pieces in between.
The street to Idiot-ish was no small feat. The particular sparked a bidding conflict amongst networks and platforms earlier than touchdown at Hulu, a serious win for followers desirous to see Smiley again in his comedic ingredient. Directed by famend filmmaker David E. Talbert (Baggage Declare, First Sunday), this marks Talbert’s debut as a comedy particular director — and a reunion of kinds for the 2 creatives who first collaborated on movie initiatives years in the past.
“I knew after over ten years I needed to supply one thing that might fulfill my followers,” Smiley shared. “I’ve been via a variety of transformation and trauma these previous few years, and I used to be decided to get via it. I believe I now have a deeper reference to my viewers from these experiences. We are able to discover humor in a lot of life.”
In traditional Smiley style, Idiot-ish invitations audiences of all generations into his world — from those that keep in mind twisting knobs on an Etch A Sketch, to youngsters raised swiping on iPads. It’s timeless, unfiltered, and actual — precisely what longtime followers have come to like about him.
The particular is govt produced by Talbert alongside Lyn Sisson-Talbert (Golden Lady Inc.), Laura Lizer, Judi Marmel, Matt Beales, and John Bravakis, including much more powerhouse expertise behind the scenes.
Past the laughs, Idiot-ish additionally arrives throughout a deeply private chapter in Smiley’s life. In 2023, he launched his heartfelt memoir, Sideshow: Dwelling with Loss and Shifting Ahead with Religion, which explores the painful lack of his eldest son to a drug overdose. The e book resonated with many, providing vulnerability, therapeutic, and hope — and now, with Idiot-ish, Smiley leans into the therapeutic energy of humor.
Whether or not you already know him from BET’s “Comedian View,” his actuality sequence “Rickey Smiley For Actual,” or his twenty years on the airwaves in Atlanta, this particular is a must-watch for anybody who appreciates good, soulful, Southern-rooted comedy.
Rickey Smiley is represented by Levity Dwell!, Workhouse Media, and UTA.
Catch Idiot-ish when it premieres Might 30 on Hulu — and prepare to snicker, mirror, and possibly even heal just a little within the course of.