The Laugh Factory in Hollywood will host a tribute to recently-deceased comedy legend Paul Mooney this Thursday at 3 p.m.
Jamie Masada, the club’s owner, told TMZ that comics-actors Eddie Murphy and Kevin Hart have been contacted to appear at the event. Comedienne Tiffany Haddish will not be able to be there in-person, but she will send a video tribute.
According to the report, Mooney’s twin sons, Dwayne and Daryl, also stand-up comedy veterans, will be among those in attendance.
The event honoring Mooney is expected to feature comedy sets from performers, who will additionally share some of their best stories about the late comedian. He was one of the first comedians to perform at The Laugh Factory when it opened in 1979 and made the venue his second home.
Mooney passed away last Wednesday of a massive heart attack at his home in Oakland. In a statement on his official Twitter account, his death was confirmed in a tweet that read, “Thank you all from the bottom of all of our hearts …you’re all are the best!…… Mooney World. The Godfather of Comedy – ONE MOON MANY STARS! .. To all in love with this great man.. many thanks.”
As previously reported, Dave Chappelle — who reintroduced Mooney to a new generation of fans via his 2000s Comedy Central hit Chappelle’s Show — vowed the star of sketches like “Ask a Black Man” and “Negrodamus” would be “sorely missed and wildly remembered. I’ll see to that.”
Read More: How Paul Mooney became a legend by snubbing white Hollywood
Chappelle has not yet been confirmed as a guest at Thursday’s tribute show at The Laugh Factory.
Mooney was born Paul Gladney on August 4, 1941 in Shreveport, Louisiana, and he was primarily raised by his grandmother. He got one of his early starts as a ringmaster at the circus, where he told jokes and got on his path to eventual Black comedy lore.
Legacy.com has created an online guest book for fans to share condolences and share well-wishes with his mourning family.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s “Dear Culture” podcast? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.com today!