Patrice O'Neal: Difference between revisions
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Oneal first began performing stand-up at the age of 22, and eventually developed a caustic, confrontational style, reflecting attitudes that Patrice himself describes as [[racism|racist]], [[sexism|sexist]], and [[misogyny|misogynistic]]. Despite this, he has never been considered a [[shock humor|shock comic]], instead taking a thoughtful, intellectual approach to these subjects, and engaging his audience in debate, encouraging them to call out or [[heckle]] at times. |
Oneal first began performing stand-up at the age of 22, and eventually developed a caustic, confrontational style, reflecting attitudes that Patrice himself describes as [[racism|racist]], [[sexism|sexist]], and [[misogyny|misogynistic]]. Despite this, he has never been considered a [[shock humor|shock comic]], instead taking a thoughtful, intellectual approach to these subjects, and engaging his audience in debate, encouraging them to call out or [[heckle]] at times. |
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Patrice had little success in his early career, through the late 1990s, during which time he moved to [[Los Angeles]] to attempt to break into film and television. In an interview with [[Ron Bennington]] on February 23, 2008, Patrice described this time of his life as miserable, because he was trying so hard to "play the game" and achieve success. "If had a gun then, I'm telling you I would have shot myself," Patrice candidly recalled. It was after this time that Oneal decide he would prefer to become a "cult figure." |
Patrice had little success in his early career, through the late 1990s, during which time he moved to [[Los Angeles]] to attempt to break into film and television. In an interview with [[Ron Bennington]] on February 23, 2008, Patrice described this time of his life as miserable, because he was trying so hard to "play the game" and achieve success. "If I had a gun then, I'm telling you I would have shot myself," Patrice candidly recalled. It was after this time that Oneal decide he would prefer to become a "cult figure." |
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Unwilling to compromise his act, Patrice found it difficult to find work at comedy clubs in the United States, so he relocated to the [[United Kingdom]] to work on his comedy there, where clubs were more permissive. Oneal fought hard to gain the respect of comics that often view American humor as coarse or sophomoric, eventually gaining the accolades of such personalities as [[Ricky Gervais]], who mentions him as his favorite working American comic. |
Unwilling to compromise his act, Patrice found it difficult to find work at comedy clubs in the United States, so he relocated to the [[United Kingdom]] to work on his comedy there, where clubs were more permissive. Oneal fought hard to gain the respect of comics that often view American humor as coarse or sophomoric, eventually gaining the accolades of such personalities as [[Ricky Gervais]], who mentions him as his favorite working American comic. |
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Revision as of 16:46, 12 February 2009
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2007) |
| Patrice Oneal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | December 7, 1969 Boston, Massachusetts, USA |
| Medium | Stand-Up, Television, Radio |
| Nationality | American |
| Years active | 1992 – Present |
| Genres | Black Humor, Observational Humor, Satire |
| Subject(s) | human sexuality, racism, race relations, American politics |
| Notable works and roles | The Opie & Anthony Show, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn |
| Website | www.patriceoneal.com |
Patrice Lumumba Malcolm Oneal (born December 7, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, radio personality, and actor. He is considered to be a "comedian's comedian," known for his cutting, often confrontational crowd work during which he frequently plays couples against each other. He presently lives in New Jersey. He is sometimes credited as Patrice O'Neal.
Biography
Early life
He was born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised in the very tough Roxbury neighborhood by a single mother. Oneal was named after the first Prime Minister of the Congo, Patrice Lumumba, and suffers from diabetes. A star high school football player, he was recruited to play for the Northeastern University football team, but Oneal quit football to study theatre arts and pursue stand-up comedy. He graduated from Northeastern with a Bachelor's.
Stand-up
Stand-up comedy has been the cornerstone of Oneal's career, and his first priority. He tours across the country performing stand-up comedy. He has had half-hour specials on Showtime, HBO (One Night Stand, Def Comedy Jam), and Comedy Central Presents, although he has never recorded an album or DVD of his own, preferring instead that fans attend his live show.
Oneal first began performing stand-up at the age of 22, and eventually developed a caustic, confrontational style, reflecting attitudes that Patrice himself describes as racist, sexist, and misogynistic. Despite this, he has never been considered a shock comic, instead taking a thoughtful, intellectual approach to these subjects, and engaging his audience in debate, encouraging them to call out or heckle at times.
Patrice had little success in his early career, through the late 1990s, during which time he moved to Los Angeles to attempt to break into film and television. In an interview with Ron Bennington on February 23, 2008, Patrice described this time of his life as miserable, because he was trying so hard to "play the game" and achieve success. "If I had a gun then, I'm telling you I would have shot myself," Patrice candidly recalled. It was after this time that Oneal decide he would prefer to become a "cult figure."
Unwilling to compromise his act, Patrice found it difficult to find work at comedy clubs in the United States, so he relocated to the United Kingdom to work on his comedy there, where clubs were more permissive. Oneal fought hard to gain the respect of comics that often view American humor as coarse or sophomoric, eventually gaining the accolades of such personalities as Ricky Gervais, who mentions him as his favorite working American comic.
When Patrice Oneal was offered a half-hour comedy special on the Showtime Network in 2002, he returned to America, settling instead in the New York area. In the years that followed, Patrice would record several more television specials and other appearances, and has since become a successful headline act around the United States.
Still living in the New York area, he rarely makes public appearances. The exception being Comix Comedy Club. Patrice has also been a part of Opie and Anthony's Traveling Virus Comedy Tour with other comedians in 2006 and 2007. He has made appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Late Show with David Letterman, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Television
For two years, he was one of five regular guests on Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn. During Tough Crowd's run, he was also featured in Contest Searchlight along with fellow Boston comedians Denis Leary and Lenny Clarke.
Starting in January 2006, Oneal hosted VH1's Web Junk 20 for two seasons. He left the show voluntarily due to creative differences. On the Opie and Anthony show, he elaborated that he was unhappy that they wouldn't let him make a race-based joke about Connie Chung. Oneal also had a very brief stint as a script writer for the World Wrestling Federation on both of their major shows Monday Night RAW and SmackDown! in 2000.
Oneal was a regular on FOX's short-lived series The Jury. He also guest starred on an episode of NBC's Ed.
In 2004, he starred in the Comedy Central animated stand-up comedy program Shorties Watching Shorties, with Nick DiPaolo. He also supplies the voice of Harold Jenkins on the animated program O'Grady.
Oneal appeared on Chappelle Show as Pit Bull during the Player Hater's Ball skit.
Oneal currently has a recurring role as Lonny on the Emmy Award-winning The Office. He has guest starred as T-Bone on an episode of Arrested Development.
He also makes occasional appearances on various Fox News shows like Hannity and Colmes to discuss issues regarding both race and censorship. Patrice was featured on Fox News Channel's "The Big Story with John Gibson," with a representative of The National Organization of Women (N.O.W.)to discuss the suspension of radio personalities Opie & Anthony for an off-color joke about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and First Lady Laura Bush. Oneal suggested that no topic should be off-limits, and that humor can be found in any subject matter. At that point, the N.O.W. repesentative, Sonia Ossorio, tried to describe one of his joke's subject matter that she saw him perform at a women's benefit show. The joke was also cited in The Daily News prior to this broadcast. Patrice corrected her at her explanation of the material, resulting in laughter from the off-camera stage crew and the show's host.[2] The following day, John Gibson apologized for the broadcast. Patrice has not been seen on Fox News since.
Radio
Oneal is a regular visitor to the Opie and Anthony program on XM Satellite Radio's Channel 202, The Virus. He sits in as the program's third-mic when Jimmy Norton is away. Oneal guest hosted in November 2008 with Dante Nero.
Beginning in March 2006, Oneal began hosting a relationship advice show on XM Satellite Radio. He hosts the program on select Saturday nights when he is not performing stand-up. The three-hour program became known as "The Black Philip Show", in a parody of Dr. Phil's show. The show runs on XM's The Virus. Dante Nero co-hosts, and a rotating cast of female comedians have played third mic.
Although he has recorded numerous specials for TV he has never recorded an album or DVD, hoping that word of mouth will bring people to his shows. Oneal has professed his fear of success multiple times on the Opie and Anthony show, citing that he fears success (and the threat of losing that success) might be used to control him in ways he doesn't want.
Internet TV Show and Podcast
Patrice Oneal has started a web series and podcast called "The Patrice Oneal Show - Coming Soon!"[3] showing various episodes as of May 15, 2007. Updated weekly, the show draws many viewers to watch uncensored sketch comedy. He is performing with a five-person group -- Bryan Kennedy, Dante Nero, Vondecarlo Brown, Harris Stanton and Wil Sylvince -- touching on many fictional scenarios. The show is produced by For Your Imagination[4] and can be found on Oneal's web site.
Oneal's Internet TV Show is also available on DVD it contains the first thirteen episodes from the first season, as well as audio commentary by Oneal and other bonus material.
Patrice has also guest-starred in another For Your Imagination-produced show, called Break a Leg, playing Adult-Sized Gary Coleman.
Video Games
Oneal voiced in a game Grand Theft Auto IV, on an in-game radio show, Fizz!. As one of three hosts of the show.