Up Close and Personal with Kevin Hart aka "Mr. Seriously Funny"

Kevin Hart, aka “Mr. Seriously Funny,” is on top of the world breaking records with his platinum-selling comedy DVD, “Seriously Funny”, which is maintaining its number one position since it released on July 20.
On his way to becoming one of the most successful comedy moguls of our generation, Hart wears his crown as comedian, father, actor, writer, producer and business man, very well.

Now on tour, his new show “Laugh at My Pain” is guaranteed to make you cry with laughter as he serves fresh material from his life as only he can deliver. It is a must see show that you don’t want to miss, so go ahead and purchase your tickets right now; he’s guaranteed to sell-out any venue and it is definitely worth the money.

Kevin recently visited Zanie’s Comedy Club in Nashville, affording me the opportunity to speak with him about his career upcoming projects, goals, advice and much more. Check out what Kevin wanted you to know:

Stylista KT: What does it feel like to know your Seriously Funny DVD is platinum?

?Kevin Hart: Can I talk into this? (He has his mouth right by the recorder) It feels good yeah, everything right now is definitely moving at a fast pace. It’s like the winds blowing but nobody’s got a kite and I’m just flying myself.

Stylista KT: Tell me about your new sitcom with Comedy Central Odd Couple. What is it about?

Kevin Hart: Ah look at you being well prepared, knowing your stuff.  Researcher!! It’s good, it’s funny it’s me and a comedian named Bill Burr talking about the differences in our style of comedy and at the same time we try to broaden our audience. I convinced him to live in LA and that’s where he needs to be in order to become a star. I convince him to do that with nothing but lies so he comes there and realizes I’m full of sh*t and now he kind of has to get his life together on his own and because I feel guilty I try to help him.
The show is mainly about us scrambling trying to find a way to be comfortable and have a living and at the same time I need to maintain my family life which I created that I fail to tell him about before he came out.

Stylista KT: With your new movie you’re working on Thirty Five and Ticking with Meagan Good what is that about?

Kevin Hart: Look at you who are you?

Stylista KT: I’m Keosha “Stylista KT” (laughing)!

Kevin Hart: Let’s see who’s in the movie with me:  Meagan Good, Mike Epps, Nicole Ari Parker, Keith Robinson, Jill Marie Jones, Tamela Jones, Keith David, Clifton Powell, it’s actually got a good list of actors. Meagan plays my love interest in the movie and I eventually get married too.

Stylista KT: Uhmmm hmmm. How did it feel to marry Meagan?

Kevin Hart: It was fun. I have known Meagan for years. We have never got to play on camera so it was fun. We had a good time.

Stylista KT: Yeah, I saw your behind the scenes YouTube clip are you doing that every day?

Kevin Hart: What did you see?

Stylista KT: The Speedos. You were working it. 

Kevin Hart: Oh in my Speedo scene. I had to come and jump in the pool but I wanted to set myself apart because I’m almost a sex symbol. So I chose more of a Speedo just to show what I’m dealing with. You know I’m ready for nudity when it comes I’m definitely going to accept it because the package is there for showing. I feel like that’s why God gave it to me.

Stylista KT: Alright, work what you got, huh?

Kevin Hart: Yeah.

STYLISTA KT: I just watched your show tonight and I want to know is all of it true?

Kevin Hart: Yes, all of it is true. That’s what makes it a good show. I like to be honest on stage. Did you like the new stuff?

Stylista KT: I did. I enjoyed it!

Kevin Hart: All of it?

Stylista KT: All of it.

Kevin Hart: Were there any parts where you were like come on guy?

Stylista KT: You were talking to me when you talked about the backs of the earrings. I don’t like that it drives me insane.

Kevin Hart: It’s pretty funny. Yeah I actually did do that, take the backs of the earrings. I’m really petty; I’m like a little kid. I’m a grown kid, but I think what makes me funny is all of the real experiences I been thru.  You know, whether it’s positive or negative you find the funny in them. The way you find the funny in them is to go back over time, look at it, and analyze it. I promise you will laugh at something. Personally, that’s why I keep it in and I talk about and share it with the audience. Give you guys something to laugh at.

Stylista KT: What’s next for you? What your main goal right now?

Kevin Hart: I just started a new production company, HartBeat Productions. I want to be my own business and my own entity, I guess so to speak. I want to create, produce, and make my own projects. At some point and time in my career I’m trying to follow a guideline that has already been laid out by people like: Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, and Ice Cube. These are all people who started their own projects and invested their own money into them which made them become bigger and have more money to invest in the future projects, so you know you start off small and eventually you get bigger. Right now that’s where I am at mentally. I want to become a Mogul! The only way to become a Mogul is to take risks.

Stylista KT: So you’re ready to build that empire, huh?

Kevin Hart: I am, and if it don’t go the whole thing with the sex symbol thing I can always sell my ass. (Stylista KT and K. Hart’s friends burst out laughing.)[Soft Break]It’s always money for me in that market. Someone’s always going to pay a good $200 or $300 dollars for a piece of this.

Stylista KT: Who were some of your comedic inspirations as you were growing up?

Kevin Hart: I’m a huge Chris Rock fan now; like I said I admire his work ethic and what the man has achieved. What he’s done. I’m a big, big, huge, huge fan of Chapelle, Seinfeld, George Carlin, Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, and the list goes on and on. They’re basically a lot of people who have opened up doors for people like me who are coming up in comedy and are looking for a way or direction. These guys have given it to us. It’s up to me to work hard and kind of follow the path that they have already built. Push further.

Stylista KT: So, I’m curious now you’re on top of the movies...

Kevin Hart: (Chimes in) I’m 6 feet 7 inches. Ah, I thought you wanted to know how tall I was.

Stylista KT: (Laughing hard) You’re into the movies and dominating the movie scene. You got the comedy you know with the series. So why still do the comedy clubs?

Kevin Hart: Why do stand-up? Well stand-up comedy is my reason for doing everything.  You know, you take stand-up comedy away and I don’t have movies, I don’t have a television show that’s in production. I don’t have the outlets to meet the people I met. Stand-up comedy has put me in that place. You take that away I don’t have it. And it’s a different form of communication for me. It’s my self-expression. These are my fans. People that come out to see me are genuine Kevin Hart fans when you come see a movie you want to see it because it’s going to be good, the cast of the movie is going to be good or it looks like a good premise. You’re not just supporting one person until you get to the place where you’re [a] Will Smith or Tom Cruise. You know, up until then it’s ensemble project. I like that fact with comedy I’m in charge of it and I’m my own boss and the people that support me honestly are Kevin Hart fans. I don’t think it’s a feeling like that to have people support you and what you do best is the best!

Stylista KT: Okay now this is a question for the people: like what’s your favorite role you have played in a movie and why?

Kevin Hart: Well I did porn when I was 15. The roles of black don’t crack unless it’s on your back. Wayne where were we at? Brazil. I‘m just joking! My favorite movie role would be “Paper Soldiers.” The reason why I was new, I knew nothing about acting. Damon Dash, Jay-Z they took a chance on me. Let me star in a project when I was young and I doing that they kind of just let me go. I had free range to do what I wanted to do when they said hey I want you to be funny and comfortable. I think that kind of put me at the point when I was like “Oh my God, I love it.” I love acting, I want to do this. I love what it has presented, like this is it for me. Paper Soldiers was my introduction to acting. That’s what made me fall in love with it.

Stylista KT: Now I saw on Twitter you have a new tour coming out called “Laugh at My Pain” are you going to come back to Nashville and deliver that? Did we get a piece of that tonight?

Kevin Hart: Believe it or not you saw the show tonight minus the ending. I need to work on my close. I don’t really have a closer yet. I’ve been battling with that. Pretty much I used you guys like okay, like you guys are my air to see how it’s going, granted you paid to see me put on a show. So I know within my show it’s tight and my ideas are good, but there are certain things I want to filter out, so I take a year while I’m touring until I get my shows to an hour how I want it where I’m most comfortable with it, that’s when I put it out for them to see on television. Did you feel like you laughed at my pain tonight?

Stylista KT: I was crying laughing.

Kevin Hart: Do you get why it’s called “Laugh at My Pain”?

Stylista KT: It’s your pain within your family.

Kevin Hart: Strong J!!! (clapping)

Stylista KT: I feel you from a personal stand point, because my grandma fought breast cancer.

Kevin Hart: Wow. Okay yeah.

Stylista KT: So that hit home for me.

Kevin Hart: My mother too. So you can see how serious I am about it. I’m honest girl!

Stylista KT: I appreciate that, but you know I had to ask if your show was true because the people want to know. What advice would you give someone out there who aspires to be a comedian or wants to be involved with entertainment as far as acting and things of that nature?

Kevin Hart: I would simply tell them do what you want to do. Be honest about it and give it your all. You know there’s no sense in trying to do, or making an attempt to do something that you feel you could do or be successful at. If you don’t try it, give your all, or put 100% effort into something you will never know. I’m still trying to get to a certain place, so my advice isn’t great advice yet because I’m not where I want to be. I’m still striving to get to my ultimate goal, which is of course becoming a Mogul and a business man myself and the only way for me to continue to do that is to work as hard as I can and put 100% into it. I would say follow a pattern and pick a person that’s doing what you love and look at their success level. See how they got there and try to achieve the same things. I’m pretty good with talking. The thing about my education I’m just you know... (Starts laughing)

Stylista KT: Thank you for your time I appreciate you Kevin.

Kevin Hart: Thank you, sweetheart!

**For more information on Kevin Hart and upcoming shows visit his website here. To stay up on the latest thoughts and words of Mr. Seriously Funny you must follow him on Twitter @KevinHart4real. If you want more funny clips subscribe to his channel here.

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