Martin Lawrence presents 1st Amendment Stand-Up on Starz

The first episode, debuting tonight at 10 p.m. on Starz, has host Doug Williams with DC Curry and Rickey Smiley. Williams opens the half-hour show with a long bit comparing a relationship to football, where the woman is the head coach and the man is the starting quarterback. Wasn’t Doug Williams a quarterback? Oh, different Williams. This is the guy who Jamie Foxx roasted during a roast (NSFW). Moving on. Martin Lawrence is executive producer. Do we get to see him? Sort of. He’s up in a balcony. Biz Markie is the show’s DJ. They say he’s just a friend. They say he’s just a friend. Oh. Baby. It’s fresh enough that Curry jokes about the new New York governor apologizing for anything and everything. I wonder why, though, this is billed as "Martin Lawrence Presents First Amendment Stand-Up," only because there’s nothing here to suggest this is a special expression of the rights to free speech. And it’s not quite Def Jam. I don’t mean that in a bad way. That is to say, that’s not to say there’s no funny to be found here.

Here is a promo clip for the series:

The Starz show promises 40 comics and 10 shows. Next week: Bruce Bruce, Rodney Perry, Deon Cole. The full schedule also includes…Lavell Crawford, Joe Torry, MoZan, Kym Whitley, Ray Lipowski, Steve Brown, Jay Phillips, Rudy Rush, Gary Owen, Carmen Barton, Darryl Brunson, Eddie Bryant, Teddy Carpenter, Joe Clair, Ron G., Raymond Grady, Red Grant, Angelo Lozada, Luenell, Joey Medina, Lester Bibbs, Meshelle, Jay Phillips, B-Phlat, Will E. Robo, Rodman, Roz, Shang, Jamie Teat, Joey Wells, A.G. White. If you have a favorite, you can go here and grab yourself a widget to put on your site.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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