Michael Jr. is a renowned comedian who has appeared on The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Oprah, and has been a keynote speaker for Fortune 500 Companies. He recently shared his views on comedy and the church with A.R. Bernard on ARB TV.
Michael sees his comedy as his ministry that allows him to reach unique places. He believes that his mission is to “make laughter commonplace in uncommon places.”
“What good father doesn’t want to hear his child’s laughter in his house? So, I actually like to show up with comedy to tell these stories and hearts are open,” Michael shared with Bernard. “And I get to tell people about the goodness of Jesus and I’m telling you as a result of this in the last five years there’s been about 82,000 people who have made decisions for Christ.”
Bernard observed that Michael’s style of comedy is unorthodox, focusing on social issues. He questioned why celebrities often shy away from talking about problems that the world faces. Michael opined that “when you are only on stage to get laughs from people that gets empty really really fast.” The comedian went on to say how God shifted his perspective on comedy and that this shift allows him to touch on topics others may not address.
“I [God] want you to go up there and give them an opportunity to laugh,” Michael recalled God saying to him. “This adjustment changed everything because now I’m not looking to take, I’m looking for an opportunity to give. Because you know, when you have a gift your job is to represent the gift.”
Michael recounted how he came to the realization that he was funny. He was nine years old and he, along with his father and uncle, went to visit a family friend who had a dirty home. He knew that it was impolite to ask certain questions so he decided to phrase his question as a joke. “‘Dad, I didn’t know you could have flies in January,’ and they fell out laughing,” the comedian recalled.
The road to success has not been easy for Michael, but he has learned to see laughter as a vehicle and not a destination. Ultimately, his goal is to lead others to Christ.
To watch the full interview, check it out on ARB.TV.