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How do you live with the pain of watching someone you love suffer from addiction? How do you cope with the grief of losing them especially when your job is to make people laugh every day?Comedian Rickey Smiley has dealt with these immensely difficult questions for years - first with his father, then with his son. Both battled drug addictions. Both died from overdoses. Both left Rickey weary and wounded.Far from healed, Rickey has learned how to find moments of peace. He's practicing how to hold the good with the grief, the past gifts with the present heartache, the hope with the hurt. It's the "sideshow" he's living. It's anything but a smooth path, but he's on it, and he's moving forward. And he invites you to come with him.Join a fellow hurting soul as he sits with his trauma, leans into therapy, and relies heavily on his faith and Scripture, which give him solace and strength.
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Comedy legend and entertainment mogul Rickey Smiley brings uproarious laughter to the world through his magnetic and sharp style of humor. As a beloved comedian, television host, actor, and top-rated nationally syndicated radio personality, Rickey has become one of the entertainment industry's most celebrated performers as well as one of the few "clean" comics among the top tier of contemporary comedians. With his distinct ability to take everyday observations and turn them into comedic gold, Rickey has established his capacity to reach a multitude of audiences.
Coming from his humble roots of Birmingham, Alabama, Rickey began rising to superstardom after serving as the opening act for industry titans such as Steve Harvey, George Wallace, and Carl Strong. In 2000, Rickey became the headlining host of BET's "ComicView" and eventually the only comedian who has had the honor of hosting two consecutive successful seasons, catapulting the show to its highest ratings in history. After achieving this milestone, BET signed Rickey to host "The Way We Do It" during the 2001-2002 season, which later became one of the network's top-five shows. During this time, Rickey also delivered unforgettable appearances on "Showtime At The Apollo," "Uptown Comedy Club," HBO's "Def Comedy Jam" and "Snaps."
In 2007, he became the host of the Rickey Smiley Morning Show. Based in Atlanta, in over 61 markets and growing with millions of faithful listeners tuning in every day, the Rickey Smiley Morning Show is a blend of comedy, social issues, and celebrity news. The show is featured in a wildly popular daily entertainment news television program on Dish Nation and is also paired with other nationally syndicated radio personalities, airing weeknights on FOX affiliates. Rickey's down-home Southern charm and philosophy of using insight rather than vulgarity to evoke laugher is one of the reasons why he was able to forge a partnership with Radio One, one of the world's most respected urban broadcasting conglomerates.
As his popularity continued to grow, Rickey joined forces with TV One, a Radio One-owned television network, as the star, executive producer, and namesake of his own top-rated sitcom, "The Rickey Smiley Show." The amusing series features the balancing act of a working comedian with the joys and pains of being a single father of three - a character that parallels Rickey's own life. Having enjoyed meteoric success in radio, in television, and onstage, Rickey catapulted his talents onto the big screen. His major feature film roles in urban classics include "All About The Benjamin's," "Friday After Next," and the hit romantic comedy "Baggage Claim."
Rickey has continued to perform sold-out shows where his diverse audiences are drawn to original characters such as "Bern