Through a series of twisted hallways through the arts side of the Staller Arts Center lays the green room. Normally, this pale-green painted room is reserved for actors or musicians while they wait to take the Main Staller Stage. Tonight, however, it is dimly lit, the only major light coming from the hallway and the TV provides white light. There is a certain energy in the room as comedian Kevin Hart, the latest act for the Stony Brook Concert Series, sits at the table that has been set up in the middle of the room and laughs with the other comedians that also performed at the night’s event. A cameraman walks around filming Hart’s life for his upcoming documentary about the tour. The Statesman’s Megan Spicer got the exclusive interview after the show.
Megan Spicer: You’ve been performing places that pack out at 3,000 – 4,000 people. You have the ability to say no to certain places. With that in mind, why did you say yes to Stony Brook?
Kevin Hart: I love performing at colleges. These kids are the absolute best. They grow up with you and are loyal to you for four years and before and after. It’s cool to be able to talk to them.
MS: After your divorce and other rough patches in your life, how does comedy help you overcome everything?
KH: Comedy helps in so many ways. It’s my therapy. This gets me through everything in my life.
MS: If you weren’t doing comedy, what would you be doing in life?
KH: If I wasn’t doing this I would have nothing. Though, I love sneakers and would want work for Nike. Like, higher up in the corporation.
MS: What is something you’ve learned from doing comedy?
KH: I’ve been doing comedy for 15 years, and the first 10 or 11 years were awful. It took me a long time to realize that I had to stop doing what everyone wanted me to do and to perform what I wanted to do. I have to perform for myself and not for everyone else.
MS: What was it like doing a commercial with Dwayne Wade considering his height and your lack of height? (Hart is just about 5’3”)
KH: Yeah, that commercial was great. The dude is like 6’6”. He’s as tall as I’m supposed to be.
MS: What is the worst joke you’ve ever heard?
KH: Worst joke? ‘How do you make a tissue dance? Put a little boogie in it.’
MS: That’s not that bad of a joke.
KH: No, that’s a horrible joke.
MS: This show was part of the Stony Brook Concert Series that has featured such people like Jimi Hendrix and The Who and Jefferson Airplane up to last year when Bruno Mars performed. How do you feel knowing that you join the list of greats?
KH: That’s great! I don’t want to think about it and let it go to my head.
MS: During your show, you spoke about how you loved to lie. Does lying help your comedy?
KH: Me lying is helping me be a better comedian. It forces me to be honest with myself about my lying.
MS: When all is said and done with your comedy career what do you want to do?
KH: I want to be with my kids so whatever location puts me in that I’ll be happy with it. When I’m done as long as I’m remembered as someone who did great things and accomplished great things as a comedian and puts me in the same conversation with Pryre and Murphy and Cosby, then I’ve reached my goal.
MS: What is the funniest thing that’s happened to you?
KH: I got hit in the face with a buffalo wing while I was on stage. It was years ago, before I was a big deal. If that happened now it would be pretty embarrassing.
