Even during a pandemic, veteran comic Donnell Rawlings, who is perhaps best known for his appearances on “Chappelle’s Show,” and in particular his character Ashy Larry, is a busy, busy man.
He recently filmed his first stand-up special for Netflix, which was produced by Chappelle and will be streaming sometime this year.
Rawlings will also appear in the upcoming HBO series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” which premieres March 2, and he will take part in the upcoming Netflix Is a Joke Festival at the Hollywood Improv on May 1.
But even before that the comedian is coming to town and telling it like it is when he takes the stage at the Ontario Improv Feb. 4-6 for a five show run.
And like Dave Chappelle, who doesn’t shy away from any material and has been recently criticized for his jokes about the LGBTQ community, Rawlings is promising a show where he won’t hold back on talking about, well whatever he wants to talk about, whether it offends people or not, he said.
The Ontario stop is part of a busy national tour that has the Washington D.C. native performing at more than a dozen cities through the summer.
Rawlings spoke to the Southern California News Group during a phone interview as he headed to San Diego for a stand-up show shortly before coming to town for his Ontario gig. Some of the answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What can people expect when you take the stage in Ontario?
A: People can expect for me to be honest and share my experiences in life. What they should not expect is for me to be politically correct. So if that’s what they’re looking for you might want to wait for the Jeff Foxworthy and the Blue Collar tour to come around. Nowadays people want you to speak their truth and not your truth. I think people are overly sensitive. Stand-up should be an art form where if you engage with someone you go see what their take is on life. So if you’re a person who’s easily offended or super sensitive, this won’t be your show.
Q: Is there anything you stay away from in your routine?
A: Nope, whatever I feel like talking about I’m going to talk about. No subject is off limits to me.
Q: You have your first Netflix special coming up, which was produced by Dave Chappelle. Even though you’re a veteran comic, how big a deal is that for you?
A: I feel like it’s been a long time coming. I’ve been touring for the last 26 years and now this is a platform for people to see what I’ve been doing for the last 26 years.
Q: You recently released your third comedy album called “Y’all, Need to Chill.” Who are you talking to when you say that?
A: The streets, the world, the hood, everybody. Every community, y’all need to chill. Life doesn’t have to be so complicated.
Q: Something I found so interesting about you that I didn’t know is that you were in the Air Force. With your sense of humor how did that go?
A: I was, for four years. I left with an honorable discharge. Whenever I share the story of me in the military people assume that I got kicked out. For my transition from high school to not knowing what I wanted to do it was the perfect fit. The military is good, it gave me some discipline and I traveled the world and I didn’t get into any trouble during that time.
Q: Tell me some other things about yourself that may surprise people?
A: Despite what they think I do use lotion. I’m not the sex symbol that everyone thinks I am and I’m one of the dopest DILFs in the market. And when I say DILF I mean dedicated, involved, loving father. I’m changing the meaning of that acronym.
Q: And speaking of lotion, how did you come up with Ashy Larry?
A: The sketch was written with the guy in boxers and dress shoes. I wanted to put something on the character to make it pop. His name wasn’t Ashy Larry, it was Larry and once I came out in my boxers with baby powder all over the place, Ashy Larry was born.
Q: “Chappelle’s Show” was always a fearless show that didn’t shy away from anything. Do you think that show would survive today’s more sensitive world?
A: Every few years there’s always a show that pushes the envelope that’s kind of risky. I think it would be a little tougher right now but it all depends on who’s behind you. If you got a network that believes in you and the talent to star in it, it could survive but I think it was a lot easier to get with some of the things we talked about then than now.
Q: Who have been some of the comics that have inspired you?
A: There’s five comedians I look up to: Donnell, Donnell, Donnell, Donnell and Donnell.
Donnell Rawlings
When: 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Feb. 4, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Feb. 5, 7 p.m. Feb. 6
Where: Ontario Improv, 4555 Mills Circle, Ontario.
Tickets: $20, plus a two-item minimum. 21 and older only.
COVID-19 protocols: The Improv’s website advises patrons to wear a mask when away from table and stay at least six feet away from anyone outside their party.
Information: improv.com
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