I had the pleasure of taking pictures and getting to know the legendary Dick Gregory over the weekend as he headlined at Atlanta’s Uptown Comedy Club. It’s a rare opportunity that we get a chance to connect with real life legends and I jumped at the opportunity to take pictures for Mr. Gregory and the good peeps over at Atlanta’s Uptown Comedy Club. The 85 year old Dick Gregory gave five unfiltered performance at the night club for 3 nights. If you are a fan of Dick Gregory or never heard of him you will definitely want to check out the details after the break.
Richard Claxton “Dick” Gregory was born October 12, 1932 and he is man of many talents he is best known as an unfiltered African American comedian who tells it like it is but he’s also an American civil rights activist, social critic, author, entrepreneur, and politician. I was stoked when the good peeps over at Uptown Comedy Club offered me the opportunity to capture images and follow the legend around the ATL as he prepared for his ATL Dick Gregory Live.
I casually mentioned the opportunity to my mom and some of my relatives and they instantly told me that this was an opportunity of a life time. Dick Gregory has lived a dynamic life that took him from the poverty stricken days of the Great Depression to the heights of fame and success. He was the first African American to perform and sit down on the Tonight Show. He helped finance and support the Civil Rights Movements of the 1960’s.
Dick Gregory is known for being brutally honest in his comedy and his social/political commentary. Dick Gregory was one of the first African American comedians to break the tradition of minstrel comedy along with the likes of Bill Cosby, Redd Foxx, and others. Dick Gregory helped millions of people get control of their health and lifestyle by showing people how to lose weight when he started Health Enterprises, Inc., a company that distributed weight loss products. Dick Gregory made huge strides with his “Slim-Safe Bahamian Diet” that helped people focus on health and wellness. Never compromising his voice and commitment to the African American community; Dick Gregory is a champion for our rights, our voice, and our future.
Atlanta fans were given the opportunity to check out the comedian five times at the Uptown Comedy Club where each performance was different and unique. Did I mention Dick Gregory is 85 years old? He was candid and fun and some of Atlanta’s hottest stars made their way to Uptown Comedy Club to hear Dick Gregory including,
Killer Mike
Mario Van Peebles
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Dick Gregory shared with each audience that we have the ability to effect change in our lives. What I found most dynamic about Dick Gregory was that between laughs and fun he share gems of knowledge everything from politics, to managing your health, and to taking care of your finances. I will be honest that I knew very little about the man and the legend Dick Gregory but after this weekend I walked away knowing a dope individual and becoming a life long fan. Atlanta showed out for Dick Gregory in a major way; each show was full to capacity and everyone had the opportunity to shake hands, take pics, and chat with Mr. Greogry.
I had a great time working with Dick Gregory’s team and my fam over at Atlanta’s Uptown Comedy Club. I invite you to check out the photos below.
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