“Home is where the heart is,” Lavell Crawford said. He thought he would be coming to Chaifetz Arena as part of the latest installment of the Festival of Laughs, which was scheduled to take place on March 20.
“People know that every time I come home, I don’t half-step on that stage,” Crawford said. “I ain’t Hollywood by no means. And I can really let my hair down at the crib.”
The universe had other plans for his latest return. Thanks to the coronavirus global pandemic, Festival of Laughs March visit with Crawford, Sommore, Michael Blackson and others won’t happen until September 26.
With nearly 30 years of a nationally renowned career, Crawford has never been far from his St. Louis roots. He filmed two specials, “Can A Brother Get Some Love” and “Home For The Holidays” here and has made frequent visits – most recently to help fellow St. Louis comic Jessie Taylor celebrate the anniversary of his Laugh Lounge last year.
The delay of his latest visit was disappointing, but his talk about his career and his beloved hometown was worth an immediate share.
With a rich comedy legacy, Crawford feels that St. Louis gave him a competitive edge in the funny business – which started for him at Sanford’s Supper Club.
The once popular spot on the Riverview Circle in Baden is now a part of St. Louis nightlife history. But it can be credited as jumpstarting the careers of some of the biggest names in comedy, locally and nationally. It’s an history he shares with Cedric The Entertainer and Rickey Smiley, successor to the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Smiley would often drive from his native Birmingham, Alabama to St. Louis to perform his slot at Sanford’s – turn right around and make the nearly eight-hour drive back to Birmingham.
“So many people – too many to name – played that club,” Crawford said. “It wasn’t no easy room. If you could make it there, you could make it anywhere.”
It’s a popular sentiment that can also be said of St. Louis comedy audiences in general. He counts it as one of his many blessings that he was baptized by the fire of a crowd that will make you work for their laughter.
“Rudy Ray Moore, the great Dolemite, said something way back when I was a young comic that stuck with me,” Crawford said. “He said, ‘use everything you got to tell your story.”
So, he did. One of his most famous bits is the story about his mother telling him to not let anyone in the house – that includes his grandmother, father or the fire department if the home burns down. Nothing would be worth the consequences of being disobedient to his mother.
“When I’m on that stage I’m gonna make you forget about your problems for 45 minutes,” Crawford said. “You ain’t gonna think about whoopin’ your kids, arguing with your boyfriend or husband.
He considers his ability to make people laugh a gift from God.
“When God gives you a gift, sometimes you have to step out on faith,” Crawford said. “When I stepped out, faith smiled dead in my face. It ain’t always been easy, but it’s always been wonderful.”
He’s been on film, television and toured the world because of that gift – and the fearlessness to let his talent lead the way.
“I’m just a little black boy from Pagedale who went to Pattonville [schools],” Crawford said. “And when I got on stage to do comedy, it took me all the way to the Middle East.”
In addition to being an actor and comedian, Crawford will add author to his list of accomplishments this summer when he publishes “A Comedy Guide to Standup.”
“It’s giving you a layout,” Crawford said. “You can’t read a book to be a comedian – it’s all about getting your butt on stage. You have to go out there and get in it – and you learn from your mistakes, but it gives you ideas.”
Crawford said the book will be an outline and a layout for how to structure a standup performance.
“It ain’t no thick book like the Bible,” Crawford said. “It helps you out from my perspective. Eddie Murphy would write something different. Steve Harvey would write something different.”
He plans to make a few volumes of the book and do comedy seminars across the country.
Fans will have to wait until September to see him at the Chaifetz, but he most certainly will be worth the wait.
“You deserve to laugh. Why not give yourself something that you deserve?” Crawford said. “It’s one of the best things in the world to laugh until boogers come out of your nose and you are about to pee on yourself.
“One thing I know for sure is that laughter is a gift from God. Come out and get your gift – and have a shrimp ‘St. Paul’ waiting on me when I get there.”
The Festival of Laughs will take place at 8 p.m. on September 26 at The Chaifetz Arena. For more information visit www.thechaifetzarena.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
