One of Kevin Hart’s Plastic Cups Boyz, Spank Horton, stepped out on his own to headline a show at the DC Improv on Sunday, January 8th. Before breaking into comedy, Mr. Horton used to heckle comics he found unfunny. Unlike most, though, Horton put his money where his mouth was and is now an in-demand comic. I’ve had a chance to see Spank numerous times in the past when he opened for Kevin Hart, along with the comedic trope, the Plastic Cup Boyz. OF the four Plastic Cup Boyz, Horton usually leaves a lasting impression.
The night was MCed by a comic whose name escapes me. She began her set with a fake British accent that won the crowd over before. Next was Lawrence Killebrew, who also delivered a robust set with a tremendous knockout joke involving side chicks. The last opener was Shanell Renee, who kicked out her jokes with rapid succession and a social commentary style that would make Moms Mabley proud.
Mr. Horton took the stage around 8:00 pm and delivered joke after joke focusing on everything from COVID to dating in your forties and even his recent divorce for the next seventy minutes. One of the funniest bits involved commentary on the fight that took place in the stands of the Gervonta Davis/Ryan Garcia the night before. Those who have been to the DC Improv know how low the ceiling is. In addition, if you are a fan of Horton, you know how tall he is. A joke like that can write itself, but shockingly Horton never brought it up.
Outside of one joke, in his set, Horton shied away from a ton of material centering on his friendship with comedic superstar Kevin Hart. The two first crossed paths as teens playing basketball while growing up in Philly and later developed their working relationship. I commend Horton for making a path out of Hart’s shadow and straying away from the Plastic Cup Boyz brand. The Plastic Cup Boy’s name originated from their drinking habits while hanging out, but there was never a moment in the show where Horton enjoyed an adult beverage while on stage. Displaying unabashed confidence and never having any jokes that didn’t land, Spank Horton is a comic worth seeing if he’s in your city.
Final Grade: B +
For more on Spank Horton, check out his official website: SpankHorton.com.
It’s hard to believe that an iconic singing competition like American Idol has produced only two Black male winners in its more than two-and-a-half-decade history. Jamal Roberts made history last year when he won the show, following Ruben Studdard’s well-deserved victory in Season Two.
One wonderful aspect of supporting physical media is that I never run short of albums to choose from when deciding what to cover for Second Listen Sunday. Often, I’ll head to the man cave, browse through my CD collection, and an album will pop out at me. This week’s pick is T-Pain’s fourth album, “Revolver.”
One of my favorite singers, Mr. Eric Roberson, is performing this weekend at America’s legendary music venue, The Birchmere. To show Eric some love, I want to highlight something longtime R&B fans have always known: he’s had remarkable songwriting talent.