‘Rickey Smiley and Friends’ Tour Hits Raleigh, N.C.

[Raleigh, NC] – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced today that Rickey Smiley is bringing his tour to Raleigh for the Comedy Show hosted by the 2007 MEAC Basketball Tournament. The Rickey Smiley and Friends tour was a success across the country in 2006 and will now appear at the Progress Energy Center for the first time, on Saturday, March 10th.

“Rickey is the perfect headliner for this year’s comedy show,” said MEAC Commissioner, Dr. Dennis Thomas. “The comedy show is always one of the most well-attended events of the tournament, and this year the array of talent and celebrity Rickey has pulled together will draw an even bigger crowd.”

No stranger to the limelight, Smiley hosted BET’s Comic View in 2000 and led the show to its highest ratings jump in its 10-year history. Smiley also played a lead role in Ice Cube’s Friday After Next (2002), and has been featured on shows such as Showtime at the Apollo, and HBO’s Def Comedy Jam.

Known for his clean southern humor, Smiley currently hosts his own morning show on KBFB 97.9 “The Beat” based out of Dallas, Texas. To date, he has released five comedy albums based on his famous “prank phone calls” routine.

The Rickey Smiley and Friends tour is made up of Smiley, along with comedians Kenn Coxx, Prescott and host Darryl Banks.

For updates regarding the Comedy Show, the 2007 tournament and ticket information, please visit www.meachoops.com.

About the “Friends”:
Kenn Coxx: Known as the “Christian Comedian”, and the “Minister of Comedy,” Coxx is more than a funny man. He is also a motivational speaker, a gospel-recording artist and an author. Appearing on behalf of the Ronald McDonald Foundation, the American Heart Association, the University of Texas, Spelman and Morehouse Colleges, Coxx is noted for his ability to motivate and educate his audiences. Coxx has toured with Sinbad, Martin Lawrence, Brian McKnight, Ashford and Simpson and has appeared on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, BET’s Comic View, Showtime at the Apollo, Vibe and Insights.

Prescott: Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Prescott was infamous for being the class clown in school. While his comedic efforts may not have fared well in the classroom, they ultimately landed him appearances on BET’s ComicView, Def Comedy Jam, the Bad Boys of Comedy, and the DVD Cedric Presents the Starting Lineup.

Darryl Banks: Banks is most widely known as one of the few African-American comic book artists. He has worked with DC Comics on the Legion of Superheroes and was a co-creator of the new Green Lantern. Recently, Banks teamed with writer Mark Ellis to revamp the Justice League of America series for two publishers. Banks also dabbles in promotional art, animation storyboards and logo designs for various businesses. Banks hosted the 2006 Rickey Smiley and Friends Tour.

About the MEAC Basketball Tournament
The MEAC Basketball Tournament involves 11 Division I historically black colleges and universities located across the Atlantic coastline: Bethune-Cookman College, Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, and South Carolina State University.
The tournament is played in Raleigh (Wake County) through 2008. Both the men’s and women’s tournament champion receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Tickets are available at www.meachoops.com, through Ticketmaster outlets nationwide, at MEAC School Box Offices and at the RBC Center Box Office.
Jim Tobin
Brogan & Partners
919 719-8982
jtobin@brogan.com

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