Aries Spears
Quick Facts
Biography
Aries Spears (born April 3, 1975) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer from New Jersey. Spears was a regular on Fox's sketch comedy series MADtv, appearing in 198 episodes, making him the second longest-serving cast member on the show behind Michael McDonald. In 2011, he released a special called Aries Spears: Hollywood, Look I'm Smiling. He is also a two-time co-host for the AVN Awards, in 2018.
Early life
Spears was born in Chicago, Illinois and moved to New York when he was a year or two old. His mother, Doris Spears, is a jazz singer. Spears moved to New Jersey at age 11 and attended Arthur M. Judd Elementary School. He became a comedian at 14, performing stand-up comedy in various comedy clubs in New York City. He was expelled for fighting during his sophomore year in North Brunswick Township High School in North Brunswick Township, at age 17. Spears started doing his own comedy routine around his hometown.
Spears said that his first stand-up comedy was doing impressions at the Uptown Comedy Club in Harlem, and Spears said that he recalls himself doing impressions of James Brown and Jack Nicholson during his first stand-up comedy.
Career
Early film and TV roles
Spears' first television appearance was on Russell Simmons's Def Comedy Jam, followed by It's Showtime at the Apollo (1987). He moved to Los Angeles in 1992, landed a recurring role on A Different World (1993) and became a regular at The Comedy Store, The Improv and The Laugh Factory. Other television credits include Crosstown Traffic, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993) and Soul Train.
At 16, Spears landed a part in the movie Malcolm X. Shortly thereafter, he was cast in a starring role opposite Glenn Frey in South of Sunset (1993). Spears's other movie appearances include Home of Angels (1994), The Pest (1997), Jerry Maguire in which he played Teepee, brother of Rod Tidwell (1996), Out-of-Sync (1995), and The Proud Family (2003).
MADtv
He joined the cast of MADtv during its 3rd season in 1997, and he left at the end of its 10th season in 2005. During his stay, he created characters such as comedian Belma Buttons (co-host of fictional BET show "Reality Check"), Dollar Bill Montgomery (a host of an urban parody of Politically Incorrect called "Real **********ing Talk with Dollar Bill Montgomery"), James Brown Jr. (co-host of Cabana Chat), and controversial rapper Emcee Esher. He is well known for his impressions of celebrities, including rappers Jay-Z, Kanye West, LL Cool J, DMX, and Snoop Dogg actors Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Sylvester Stallone, Denzel Washington, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as fellow comedians Eddie Murphy and Paul Mooney.
Celebrity impressions on MADtv
- 50 Cent
- Flex Alexander
- Wayne Brady
- Bobby Brown
- James Brown (sportscaster)
- Kobe Bryant
- Ray Charles
- Sean "Diddy" Combs
- Bill Cosby
- Sammy Davis Jr.
- Oscar De La Hoya
- DMX
- Snoop Dogg
- Missy Elliott
- Kevin Eubanks
- Louis Farrakhan
- Jamie Foxx
- Redd Foxx
- Stedman Graham
- Bryant Gumbel
- Evander Holyfield
- Allen Iverson
- Jesse Jackson
- Michael Jackson
- Kanye West
- Jay-Z
- Magic Johnson
- Michael Jordan
- Juvenile
- R. Kelly
- Alan Keyes
- Chaka Khan
- Don King
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Queen Latifah
- Martin Lawrence
- Gerald Levert
- Little Richard
- LL Cool J
- Malcolm X
- Mase
- MC Hammer
- Paul Mooney
- Eddie Murphy
- Shaquille O'Neal
- Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
- Al Roker
- Isabel Sanford
- O. J. Simpson
- Sisqó
- Ruben Studdard
- Mike Tyson
- Denzel Washington
- Mother Love
After MADtv
Spears appeared in a 2nd-season episode of Mind of Mencia, which parodied Jamie Foxx's role in Kanye West's music video for "Gold Digger." He also appeared in the 2006 movie Hood of Horror. Spears performed in the TV series The Underground and voiced the character Wizard Kelly in the animated television series The Proud Family.
Spears appeared in two episodes of Frank Caliendo's sketch comedy show Frank TV as Shaquille O'Neal.
He appeared alongside Cedric the Entertainer and other comedians in the All Star Comedy Jam in 2009.
His 2011 stand-up comedy special Aries Spears: Hollywood, Look I'm Smiling was shown on Showtime. According to Deadline Hollywood, Spears was expected to appear in the dark comedy feature film directed by Vladislav Kozlov The Immortalist in 2020, along with Franco Nero, Sherilyn Fenn, Paul Rodriguez, and Jeff DuJardin.
Sexual abuse allegations
Aries and Tiffany Haddish were sued for alleged grooming and sexual abuse of two minors in September 2022. The lawsuit details that the minors were recruited to film comedy skits, and were asked to perform sexually suggestive content. Tiffany Haddish's attorney released a statement denying any activity.
Discography
- I Ain't Scared! Aries Spears [2 Discs] 2005
Filmography
Film/Movie
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | Home of Angels | Gang Leader | |
1995 | Out-of-Sync | Frank | |
Crosstown Traffic | Eddie | TV Movie | |
1996 | Jerry Maguire | Tee Pee | |
1997 | The Pest | Chubby | |
1998 | Why Do Fools Fall in Love | Redd Foxx | |
2001 | Josie and the Pussycats | The Other Carson Daly | |
Higher Ed | Lil' Bud | ||
2003 | Love Chronicles | Playa | |
The Night B4 Christmas | Elvin (voice) | TV Movie | |
2004 | Jiminy Glick in Lalawood | Gunnar "MC GUN" Jorge | |
2005 | The Proud Family Movie | Wizard Kelly / Board Member (Voice) | TV Movie |
2006 | Hood of Horror | Quon | |
The Boo Crew | Money/Jay-Z/Africans (voice) | TV Movie | |
2010 | Chocolate Sundaes Comedy Show: Live on Sunset Strip! | Himself | Video |
2011 | Ladies and Gentlemen, Jordan Rock | Himself | Documentary |
Phunny Business: A Black Comedy | Himself | Documentary | |
2015 | Promoted | Homothug | |
2016 | The D | Pops | TV Movie |
2017 | Kings | Keith | |
2019 | Chase | Miles | |
2020 | The 420 Movie: Mary & Jane | Patrolman Watkins | |
2021 | Immortalist | Doctor Olivier Johnson |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | Def Comedy Jam | Himself | Episode: "#2.9" |
1993 | A Different World | Ty | Episode: "Mind Your Own Business" & "Dancing Machines" |
South of Sunset | Ziggy Duane | Main Cast | |
Soul Train | Himself/Guest Host | 2 Episodes | |
1994 | The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. | Bobby Swan | Episode: "Stagecoach" |
1996 | C Bear and Jamal | Big Chill/Kwame (voice) | Main Cast |
1997 | Def Comedy Jam | Himself | Episode: "#7.12" |
1997–05 | MADtv | Himself/Cast Member | Main Cast: Season 3-10 |
2001 | The Test | Himself/Panelist | Episode: "The Roommate Test" |
2001–03 | The Proud Family | Wizard Kelly/Sir-Paid-A-Lot/Li'l Wiz Jr. (voice) | Supporting Cast |
2002 | Late Friday | Himself | Episode: "#2.8" |
2005 | Lilo & Stitch | Wizard Kelly (voice) | Episode: "Spats: Experiment 397" |
Ego Trip's Race-O-Rama | Himself | TV Series documentary | |
Comedy Central Presents | Himself | Episode: "Aries Spears" | |
2006 | The Underground | Various | Main Cast |
Mind of Mencia | Himself/Guest Host | Episode: "#2.1" | |
2007 | CSI: Miami | Oscar Monahan | Episode: "Inside Out" & "Chain Reaction" |
2009 | All Star Comedy Jam | Himself | TV Special documentary |
Black to the Future | Himself | TV Series | |
CH Live: LA | Himself | TV Series short | |
Just for Laughs | Himself | Episode: "Gerry Dee" | |
2010 | The Boondocks | Lord Rufus Crabmiser (voice) | Episode: "Stinkmeaner 3: The Hateocracy" |
Supreme Court of Comedy | Himself | Episode: "Aries Spears vs. Paul Mooney" | |
2012 | Black Dynamite | Mr. T/O. J. Simpson (voice) | 2 Episodes |
Big Morning Buzz Live | Himself/Panelist | Episode: "Ne-Yo/Justin Timberlake/Ed Sheeran/Katie Lee" | |
2013 | Who Gets the Last Laugh? | Himself | Episode: "Aries Spears/Natasha Leggero/Andy Dick" |
2015 | Turbo FAST | Mr. Tinfoil (voice) | Episode: Tough as Snails/C.O.N.S.P.I.R.A.C.Y. |
Gotham Comedy Live | Himself/Host | TV Series documentary | |
2016 | MADtv | Himself | Episode: "Episode #15.3" |
American Dad! | Shaquille O'Neal (voice) | Episode: Criss-Cross Applesauce: The Ballad of Billy Jesusworth | |
TripTank | Cracks Leader/Narrator/Pimp/Caller (voice) | Supporting Cast: Season 2 | |
The 5th Quarter | Young Shaq | Episode: I'm So Mean | |
2018 | Family Guy | Shaquille O'Neal/Eddie Murphy (voice) | Episode: "Pal Stewie" & "Regarding Carter" |
2018 & 20 | AVN Awards | Himself/Master of Ceremonies | TV Special |
2020 | Gentefied | Chef Michael | Episode: Unemployed AF |
2022 | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | Wizard Kelly (voice) | Supporting Cast |
Comedy releases
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2011 | Aries Spears: Hollywood, Look I'm Smiling | Special |
2016 | Aries Spears: Comedy Blueprint | Special |