What’s so “super” about “Byron Allen Presents The Comedy & Music SuperFest”? This weekend, you’ll have a chance to find out. The variety special, taped in February in front of a packed audience at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater, begins airing Monday on theGrio Cable Network.
It may be called the “SuperFest,” but the show’s roster might be more aptly described as spectacular. Boyz II Men, John Legend, Gladys Knight, Toni Braxton, and Earth, Wind & Fire provide the evening’s musical entertainment, led by award-winning musical director Rickey Minor. In between musical sets, comedians Kenan Thompson, Cedric the Entertainer, Tiffany Haddish, Howie Mandel and Gabriel Iglesias join as co-hosts with Byron Allen, the founder/chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group and owner of theGrio.
During the show, comics Tommy Davidson, Gary Owen, Roy Wood, Jr., Jon Lovitz, Jodi Miller and Dane Cook provide additional laughs through a series of mini-sets.
If the format sparks feelings of nostalgia, it should. Classic variety shows inspired Allen to stage the “Comedy & Music SuperFest,” recreating the must-see moments that family and friends regularly used to gather around the television to see. According to Cedric, it was also a welcome gathering backstage.
“This is great because you have a night where all your comrades are here, big comedians. So we’re all backstage having a blast, happy to see each other — because normally, we really don’t have the opportunities to do something like this…. this is great, man,” he told theGrio. “Byron is probably one of the few people that can put this together like this. So, you know, it’s fun.”
As for how Allen assembled such an incredible array of talents, according to Davidson, all he had to do was call.
“You know, Byron calls, and you say, ‘OK, I’ll be there.’ Because every time he does something, it’s big,” he told theGrio.
Having become a breakout star on the sketch comedy series “In Living Color,” Davidson obviously knows a thing or two about the variety show format — and why it’s long overdue for a return to primetime television.
“[It’s] old-school entertainment and everybody craves it. Everybody craves it,” he said. “You know, [whether] it’s all the way back from ‘All That’ or ‘In Living Color,’ or the whole MTV days…It’s just good to see it elevated.”
You don’t have to take their word for it; experience that variety show magic for yourself at 9 p.m. ET on Monday when “Byron Allen Presents The Comedy & Music SuperFest” airs on theGrio Cable Network. A post-show special follows at 11 p.m. ET.
The show will be available for streaming Tuesday on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku and other platforms.
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