David Alan Grier Returns to Standup (Sort of), "Brainwashed" by Dancing
David Alan Grier
David Alan Grier's name has been associated with dancing more so than anything else this year, with his appearances on Dancing with the Stars and in Dance Flick. But this weekend, DAG is going back to his standup roots. As part of Chicago's Just for Laughs comedy festival, Grier will host the standup special Comedy You Can Believe In with David Alan Grier (Sunday, 10 pm/ET, TBS), featuring a roster of comedians. The emphasis is on the word "host."
"There's nothing worse than a host who does his act," Grier tells TVGuide.com. "My main thing is to keep this thing running, keep it funny, keep it flowing and the focus on these funny comics."
Take a look at Grier over the years
Though he found instant success in standup 18 years ago, Grier hasn't done it as much over the years as he branched out into acting, hosting and, well, dancing. But that's just the way he likes it. "I call standup the icing on the cake of my career," he says. "It's something I can control, as opposed to other areas. I do this when I want."
But don't think you won't get any funny business from Grier on the special. The actor has bits planned for the interludes between sets, which may or may not include mentions of Eminem and Sacha Baron Cohen, he teases. "Our s--- is so together that we could be telling three-week-old jokes."
The bits, however, won't include digs at Dancing, especially after Grier's "press meltdown" in which he said the judges could "kiss his a--" post-elimination.
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"I just state my case. I don't take jabs. Much like the woman who was just released by the Iranians, I was held prisoner by that show. Brainwashed," Grier laughs. "The one great thing about doing a show like that is that it's done. I will be forgotten. ... I don't think there's a lot of money or a future in dancing for a 53-year-old black guy."
