Comedian Benji Brown: Living Life with Laughter and a Purpose

by Cyrus Webb

With all of the problems we are facing there is nothing like a good laugh to keep you going. If you are looking for someone to give you that comic relief and make you think in the process then comedian Benji Brown is someone you should know.

I was introduced to him a little earlier this year, and it was obvious not just from his resume but his outlook on life that he was someone that deserve the spotlight.

"It's been quite a journey," he told me during our conversation. "To me it's more than just comedy. It has enlightened me and through my travels has enlightened others." Benji has been seen on national television as well as traveling the country with his routines that are taken from events of the day. When talking about his audience, he says "they get the feel for some substance that is there because I have really mixed in a message in my comedy. It is my goal to help someone through laughter and life lessons."

What I gleaned from Benji is that he is not only helping others but it is a form of therapy for himself as well. "When I started in this business over a decade ago things were different," he told me. "Comedy has been the outlet for some to get through the day. I have been able to use that to my advantage."

When he reflects on his success Benji thinks that it "reassures and validates" why he does what he does. Real success is in knowing that he is making a difference in the lives of someone else. "You never know what someone is going through," he told me. "Maybe not everyone in the audience will be able to reach out to you. Everytime I do come across that it makes me go the extra mile."

Stay in contact with Benji Brown on Twitter at http://twitter.com/benjibrown1 and his Youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/benjibrownshow.

Comedian Roxy Rich: Showing Being A Woman Is No Laughing Matter

by Sabrina Andrews

In 10th grade she was voted Funniest Person in class. Now an adult Roxy Rich is still making people laugh and doing it her own way.

The spunky comedian and author of the book ROXIE DOES RETAIL stopped by Conversations LIVE radio show in early September of this year and chatted with host Cyrus Webb about the journey and how she has been able to make a name for herself while sticking to her guns in the process.

Webb asked Roxy what it has been like to find her niche in the world and do something that she loves so much. She shared with the host and the radio audience that she has been able to put her own spin on comedy when it comes to how women look at the dating scene. "When I started doing dating material," she said to him, that is when it all clicked. "Going through my life I just found the humor in it, but I also wanted to educate people. It costs a lot to be a girl! You're faced with all these guys calling you a gold digger. I'm like 'Dude, do you know how much it cost to go on a date?! It's not a date. It's a job interview!'"

Roxy soon realized that what she was saying was not just funny but Dating 101. She had audience members (men and women) telling her that they were looking at things differently because of her routine. "It felt good to be actually enlightening people," she told Webb

During the conversation on the radio show Webb asked the comedian what she hoped people thought of her when they heard her name. Roxy joked about the first thing people probably thinking when they heard "Roxy Rich" was 'porn star.' She then said, "I want them to think I'm a talented and funny comedian... A lady who is educated and has something to say."

This response led Webb to ask if she felt as though there was more to prove being a female in the business. "Absolutely," Roxie replied. "As a woman people expect that you are not funny." She went on to say that women don't always get the same amount of stage time as men, and for some women there is a tendency to go vulgar to get the attention. "It's almost like you have to be a shock comic when you're a girl," she explained. This truth led her to take some time to figure out what she wanted to say as a comedian. There was also the question of how an audience would perceive her.

What was the solution for her? She says it took her about 15 years to really figure it out, but now she has definitely discovered her place by speaking for a lot of the female audience. "If I can just stand on this viewpoint that it cost money to be a girl, that's funny. My show is based on that viewpoint, but I do more than that."  She then wen ton to say something profound: "It's not a new idea to find a good provider, but women are criticized for wanting that." It is being rationale while mixing it with a joke or two that is really giving Roxy the platform she wants. The rest is just her being who she is.

"You have to have love for yourself," she told Webb. "I have integrity. I know exactly who I am, and what I want to communicate. I just do what I feel I need to do. If I fall on my face it's on me, and if I make it then I know I did it. I'm not a household name yet, but I'm working on in it."

Success for Roxy Rich has gone from being a cocky 19 year old who thought that by 25 she would be starring in movies opposite Brad Pitt. "Now my idea of success is that I am working and being paid for my work," she told Webb. He assured her that there was still time for Pitt.

When giving her advice for all of us with a dream, Roxy says this: If you are true to yourself you are going to get somewhere." Loving what you do is key. "If you really love what you do no matter what hits you in your face, you can conquer it. "

Stay in contact with Roxy Rich and discover more about her book and her at www.roxyrich.com. You can also follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/comicroxy.