Day: July 19, 2011

What was the fuss all about, again? NBA player Ron Artest, who wants to change his name to Metta World Peace, says silly things when he’s not shooting hoops or starting fights on the basketball court. This summer, show business people convinced Artest to launch his own comedy tour. Artest hosted a comedy show two weekends ago at the Hollywood Improv, where, as we see in this footage from the Los Angeles Times, let him off the hook as a stand-up by putting the Improv’s legendary chief Budd Friedman center stage with a mic to pepper Artest with questions (presumably from audience members). Artest, a Queens native, hosted additional shows last weekend at Carolines. And in this clip from TMZ (what, no mainstream media at this gig?), we see the Los Angeles Laker start the show solo, but quickly get distracted by some friends in the audience, whom he stops to hug in between quips about R. Kelly and Celine Dion, and suggesting that he was “on crack” when he chose the name Metta World Peace. Roll...