Comedian Bellamy reveals how he broke MTVSSRqs VJ curse

By John Benson

Once upon a time in the early ’90s, Bill Bellamy was the hot, new VJ on MTV.

However, unlike others who filled this high-profile position only to eventually fall into obscurity (think Jesse Camp, Downtown Julie Brown, Adam Curry, Martha Quinn and Kennedy), this New Jersey native actually found new life as a stand-up comedian, actor and television host.

“You know how I think I was able to overcome the MTV curse? You put a whole lot of butter on your body and you get slippery so they can’t grab you and pull you down into this abyss,” said Bellamy, calling from Los Angeles. “I worked very hard to make sure that wasn’t going to happen because I feel like I have a lot of talent. And for me, it was movies, commercials and TV that was the opportunity that I needed.”

One of those first opportunities Bellamy was given to show off his stand-up comedy talents came from Eddie Levert. The popular Canton-born singer pegged Bellamy as his opening act in the early ’90s. Since then, the funnyman has performed in feature films (“Fled,” “Love Jones,” “How to Be a Player” and “Any Given Sunday”), as well as starred in Fox-TV’s “Fastlane.” He also hosted TV One’s “Bill Bellamy’s Who’s Got Jokes?” and multiple seasons of NBC-TV’s “Last Comic Standing” on NBC.

Bellamy said even though he may dabble in all facets of entertainment, stand-up comedy is his first love. Dominating his current set is of course the inauguration of President Barack Obama, which Bellamy planned on attending before coming back to Cleveland for shows tonight through Sunday at Hilarities 4th Street Theatre.

“Oh my God, Barack Obama,” Bellamy laughed. “As a matter of fact, I’m talking about George W. Bush because I’m going down to Washington, D.C., to help him get out of the White House for free. I’m giving him my volunteered time. Pack it up. I’ve got the U-Haul ready, I’ve got cardboard boxes and I’m taping them up. Let’s go, player.

“It’s time to go. We’re going to repaint the house beige. It’s going to be the beige house. We’re about to freak it.”

Bellamy talked about the importance of Obama’s election for not only blacks but also the country as a whole.

“I think it’s a dream fulfilled in so many ways,” Bellamy said. “For black people, it is a dream fulfilled after Martin Luther King Jr. started the flame. I was too young to know the real impact of Martin Luther King, to feel the civil rights movement. Obviously I understand it and have seen it on tape, but I didn’t live it like that. So Barack is my generation. And to see when you go from the fire hose and all of the separation in our country at that time to uniting and embracing this brother, I just say, ‘Wow.’

“Dreams do come true and it truly is an American dream. It’s one of those things where they say in America, anything is possible. It really truly is and I think it’s such a positive message to our kids, to the new generation. It’s just amazing. I was in Times Square when he won, and everybody was there. It was like the rainbow coalition.”