"Daaaaaaammmnnnnn!"

Celeb comedian-actor Chris Tucker rushes back to the road after a decade with a stop in Houston

Chris Tucker will perform at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving on November 1.

Photo courtesy of Chris Tucker

Comedian Chris Tucker will make The Bayou Music Center downtown one of the stops on his first major tour in North America since 2011, performing at the venue on Saturday, November 4.

The 30-city Legend Tour 2023 will kick off in Charleston, South Carolina on September 8, continuing through January 12, 2024. In Texas, in addition to the Houston date, Tucker will also perform in Irving outside Dallas on November 1.

"I started my career doing stand-up in comedy clubs and it's stand-up comedy that prepared me for all of my movie roles," said Tucker in a statement. "I'm looking forward to getting back to my roots. I love performing live, there's nothing like the energy of a live crowd and making people laugh."

Tucker’s career began in the early 1990s when he became a favorite on Russell Simmons’ HBO Def Comedy Jam. He is best known for his role in the Rush Hour action-comedy film franchise, as well as Friday and The Fifth Element.

He's been in only a few films since the Rush Hour series ended, but recently had a prominent role opposite Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Viola Davis in Air.

Tickets will be available starting with an artist presale beginning on Thursday, August 10. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Friday, August 11 at 10 am at Ticketmaster.com.

THE LEGEND TOUR DATES:

Fri Sep 08 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Performing Arts Center
Sun Sep 10 – Norfolk, VA – Chrysler Hall
Wed Sep 20 – Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace
Fri Sep 22 – Memphis, TN – The Orpheum Theatre Memphis
Sun Sep 24 – Durham, NC – DPAC
Sat Sep 30 – Oakland, CA – Paramount Theatre-Oakland
Tue Oct 03 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre
Wed Oct 04 – Inglewood, CA – YouTube Theater
Thu Oct 05 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
Sat Oct 07 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Tue Oct 10 – Columbus, OH – Palace Theatre Columbus
Wed Oct 11 – Cincinnati, OH – Aronoff Center
Thu Oct 12 – Cleveland, OH – State Theatre at Playhouse Square
Wed Oct 18 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia
Thu Oct 19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Benedum Center
Sun Oct 22 – Baltimore, MD – Hippodrome at France-Merrick Performing Arts
Thu Oct 26 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
Wed Nov 01 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Sat Nov 04 – Houston – Bayou Music Center
Tue Nov 07 – Oklahoma City, OK – Criterion Theater
Wed Nov 08 – Kansas City, MO – Music Hall Kansas City
Tue Nov 14 – Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts - Moran Theater
Wed Nov 15 – Orlando, FL – Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Fri Nov 17 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
Wed Nov 29 – Chicago, IL – The Chicago Theatre
Sat Dec 02 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
Mon Dec 04 – St. Louis, MO – Stifel Theatre
Thu Dec 07 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
Tue Jan 09 – Toronto, ON – Meridian Hall
Fri Jan 12 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre

comedy performing-arts concerts

Movie Review

Comedian John Early takes on modern foodie culture in Maddie's Secret

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

John Early in Maddie's Secret.

Comedian John Early is one of those “that guy” actors, having appeared in shows and movies like Broad City, Neighbors 2, Portlandia, Late Night, and Search Party without ever being the lead. So he’s taken it upon himself to give himself bigger exposure by writing, directing, and starring in the new film, Maddie’s Secret.

Early plays the titular female character who works as a dishwasher with her best friend Deena (Kate Berlant) at a food video content company called GourMaybe. When a homemade cooking video shot by her boyfriend Jake (Eric Cahill) goes viral, Maddie gets bumped up to on-camera talent, soon becoming the face of the company, much to the chagrin of rival Emily (Claudia O’Doherty).

With that added exposure comes more scrutiny in the form of online comments, many of which point out Maddie’s fuller figure and clear enjoyment of the food she makes. This criticism triggers Maddie’s bulimia, a condition she thought she had under control. Not wanting to lose her coveted spot, Maddie tries to keep her bulimia from everyone around her, something that becomes increasingly difficult to do.

If that sounds like an ABC afternoon special, that’s because that’s the vibe it seems like Early is going for. The film feels like a melodrama, with many of the actors speaking in unnatural cadences to make situations seem more intense than they actually are. That gives the film a natural comedic tilt, although Early makes sure to have everyone play their scenes straight, letting the ridiculousness of the story speak for itself.

Early playing a woman is oddly not part of the joke. According to him, the performance is not him doing drag, and he never plays the role in an over-the-top manner or like he’s making fun of the character. In fact, it’s striking how earnestly he inhabits Maddie, as if he truly was trying to get into the skin of a woman who found herself in such a situation. Anything funny that comes from him is just part of the progression of the story.

Setting the film in the world of food vlogging is the one area where Early seems to actively be going for jokes. Maddie and Emily come up with creations that seem reasonable and off-the-wall at the same time, like a Rotel dip made with French techniques. Characters also frequent real L.A. restaurants with punny names like Naughty Pie Nature, making fun of the food scene as much as they are exalting it.

Early definitely holds the viewer’s gaze in his first lead role, allowing Maddie to become a fully-realized character. His scenes with Berlant and Cahill make the film, as each of the supporting actors commit to their roles and elevate Early’s writing. Other standouts include Connor O’Malley as the boss at GourMaybe, Kirsten Johnston as Maddie’s mom, and Vanessa Bayer in a late-film cameo.

Because Early is not trying to make a full-on comedy, many may come away perplexed by Maddie’s Secret. But the film is clearly made with intention, giving a slight send-up of both 21st century food culture and a loving homage to the cheesy TV movies of the past.

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Maddie's Secret opens in select theaters on July 3.

food tv movie review