Cameron Keys’ perseverance over the past seven years has included pursuit of his comedic dreams and aspirations. It is paying off in more ways than he can imagine, he told The St. Louis American.
“My mission everyday at school was to make people laugh,” Cameron Keys said. “I wasn’t good at anything else—sports, video games, I was okay at school, not super studious.”
The 25-year-old rising comic has hosted and performed on stage with several iconic artists including St. Louis’ own Cedric the Entertainer, Jeremiah ‘J.J.’ Williamson, Rodney Perry, Tony Rock, Dominique, and more.
In a phone interview from Cleveland, Ohio, Keys said he was part of a three-day weekend showcase with actor and comedian, Alex Thomas, popular for his character “Phil” on “The Jamie Foxx Show.”
“It’s a dope experience,” Keys said. “Alex is super friendly. I’ve been talking to him about the business of writing for TV. I learned he wrote for “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air because I didn’t know that.”
Keys’ official headlining showcase is this weekend Oct. 7-8 at The Garage at Helium Comedy Club. While he’s headlined in smaller venues in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Atlanta, he credits this weekend’s lineups as his first headlining honor because “it’s in his hometown and in an actual comedy club.”
“I’m very excited and I plan to put my all into making this event something special,” Keys said. “I’m looking forward to trying out these jokes and people coming to see me.”
Keys says he doesn’t picture himself as a former class clown in school, that was the experience of some of his peers.
“They were more physical with their jokes; they did things like wear their clothes backwards. Boys would wear girl hoodies for attention, and students would hop on the teacher’s desk when they stepped out,” he explained.
However, he was talkative and far from shy. He and his friends hosted lunch rap battles freestyling to see who was the funniest.
“My mission everyday at school was to make people laugh,” Keys said. “I wasn’t good at anything else—sports, video games, I was okay at school, not super studious.”
His grandfather allowed Keys to watch “Chappelle’s Show” with him, which sparked his interest in sketches, films, and short films.
“I was super young watching with my grandpa and then I’d sneak and watch by myself,” Keys said. “I was always intrigued because I thought how is he [Dave Chappelle] making people laugh?’”
His grandpa introduced him to other comics including the greats Flip Wilson, Richard Pryor, and Eddie Murphy. He also learned from his grandpa that he, along with his mother, made videos and comedy sketches of their own.
Like his family, he also tried his hand at writing sketches, but they weren’t to his liking.
“I started writing sketches,” Keys said. “I’ve written a lot of sketches over the years. They started off trash, but I’ve gotten better.”
A talent show at College Bound in 2014 was Keys’ first time stepping foot on stage to tell jokes, where as most comedians do with their first set he bombed.
“I did 13 minutes the first time I was on stage,” Keys said. “I wasn’t good. I was like, ‘I can’t do this standup thing.’”
Fast forward a year, to Keys’ senior year at University City High School. He told his mom and friends he was going to perform standup at the senior assembly. However, showtime jitters got the best of him.
Friends helped him overcome his nervousness, and his set went better than he thought. He talked about the school, his favorite and least favorite teachers and more.
Following graduation, he saw Tony Rock was booked for a show at the Westport Funny Bone. He saw it as a good opportunity to connect with him and seek knowledge. He tweeted Rock and told him he had just graduated high school, was coming to his show that evening and wanted to get some advice about standup. Rock replied and said, ‘Cool, aight bet.’
Keys walked into the Funny Bone’s showroom and saw Rock sitting on the back of a chair. Rock told him to write everyday, read everyday, and find inspiration in anything he sees – even if it’s not immediately funny.
Not long after his family went on a cruise to Mexico, and upon their return he told his mom he was going to give comedy a try.
He officially entered St. Louis’ comedy circuit on July 21, 2015 and he performed at open mics all around town including St. Louis Funny Bone. He was writing everyday, coming up with new jokes to hone his craft, and have tight five minute sets.
“My main goal was to have a tight five to 10 minutes to at least get me in the door to host at a comedy club,” Keys said.
After the Helium Comedy Club in the Saint Louis Galleria Mall was built in 2016, Keys started performing and hosting open mics there. The club’s manager messaged him and asked if he would be interested in hosting a weekend for Ali Saddiq. He agreed, and just like that he had his first hosting weekend.
His second hosting weekend was for Rodney Perry then from there he did hosting for Bruce Bruce, Don ‘D.C.’ Curry, and Karlous Miller.
He started with four minute sets, then worked his way to eight to 10 minutes. Referrals led him doing a show with the late Paul Mooney.
He recalls his father telling him how he was close friends with J.J. Williamson and Cedric the Entertainer. His father had said he wanted him to meet Williamson, but Keys didn’t give it much thought. That changed in 2017 when his dad died.
Although Keys had never met Williamson, the comedian called him and told him how devastated he was about his father’s passing and that they would meet up soon to chat about the industry.
A year later in 2018, the pair finally got the opportunity to meet at the now closed Laugh Lounge. Williamson gave Keys a guest spot in his lineup.
“It was a cool moment to have a guest spot for him because he’s one of my dad’s friends and I got to know him on a more personal level,” Keys said. “It felt like my dad was watching out for me.”
That same year while he was working at a senior living facility he learned Rock was back in town. Since it had been three years since they first met, Keys thought it was a good idea to get to his show and let him know he’s actively doing standup.
He said Rock asked where do I know you from and Keys told him how they met three years ago at the Funny Bone. He confidently explained to Rock how he had been getting consistent standup gigs. Rock was impressed and asked if Keys wanted to host his weekend after the initial host did not show up.
It sounded like a great idea until Keys realized he worked the whole weekend. He skipped work and hosted the shows. That summer he was regularly booked with Williamson, leading some to believe the opportunity was only there because of him and his dad’s friendship.
“I’ve heard in the past a lot of people would say I was only with J.J. because my dad knew him and now he’s looking out for me because my dad passed,” Keys said. That’s not true I wouldn’t be on the road with him if I wasn’t funny.”
Keys’ homegoing show was at Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room in 2018, he said it sold out and was well received. In 2018, he relocated to Atlanta then in 2019 he had the honor of finally meeting another one of his late father’s beloved friends Cedric the Entertainer.
“It was a dope full circle moment for me,” Keys said. “I grew up hearing about these guys from being friends with my dad, it was a cool moment in time.”
Keys has come a long way since his early days of doing comedy. He feels blessed to be booked as consistently he’s been over the last few years.
“It’s been a blessing to get work as much as I have,” Keys said. “This year has been the most consistent I’ve been with gigs.”
In 2020, he acted in “Black Parasite” a parody of “Parasite” alongside Cocoa Brown and Rodney Perry. He plans to eventually relocate to New York since that’s where many “heavy hitters” made a name.
Purchase tickets to see Keys’ shows at 8 p.m. Oct. 7-8 here: https://st-louis.heliumcomedy.com/events/61733.
