He’s the nephew of a famous comedian, civil rights leader and activist.
“If you know I’m Dick Gregory’s nephew, fine,” says Mark Gregory. “But I like to think I’m funny enough that you can enjoy my work even without that knowledge.”
Growing up in Dayton, Ohio, Mark Gregory admits he was the class clown. “I found school boring so I was always thinking about things like ‘What if.’ And once I did the ‘What if,’ I soon found out. I always got into trouble.”
These days, he manages to keep himself out of trouble. In fact, he’s making quite a name for himself, and will be appearing at the Helium Comedy Club on Sept. 27.
Gregory went to college for awhile on a track scholarship, excelling in track and majoring in criminal justice. But he soon discovered college wasn’t for him. “So I began wondering what I could do with the rest of my life,”’ he remembers. ”And then one day I was reading my uncle Dick’s autobiography. I found out he also ran track during his college days. And that got me thinking since there were other similarities, too.”
Not only were there similarities, but Mark Gregory insists his uncle was a “really great guy and a really great uncle. And he always gave me great advice, like be patient and be yourself. If you work hard enough, eventually you’ll get what you want.”
And he was right, his nephew says. Over the years, Mark Gregory followed that advice, worked very hard, and has been able to carve out a career all his own.
He’s appeared on Aspire TV’s “We Got Next,” Fox TV’s “One Mic Stand,” the world famous Apollo Theater, and TBS “Just for Laughs Comedy Special,” among others.
In 2015, he won the “Search for The One” comedy competition, recorded a comedy special, and began a national tour with Uncle Dick that lasted until 2017 when Dick Gregory passed away.
Mark Gregory recently recorded a comedy special titled “Run with It” that is available on Amazon and other streaming services.
Discussing the world of comedy, Gregory believes that the essence of comedy has remained the same over the years with one exception. ”I think what has changed is the way we must deal with political correctness today. What was acceptable back in the 90s is no longer acceptable in 2022. I think we’ve become super-sensitive about certain things and are no longer able to discuss them.”
But that change hasn’t seemed to affect Gregory’s material, which he says is “mostly biographical. I have a 12-year-old son and an 11-year-old daughter, so I talk a lot about what it’s like to be a parent.”
Currently, along with doing his stand up, Gregory is also writing a sitcom that he’d eventually like to star in. “I’d also like to provide opportunities for young comics, who may not have access to people in the business, to be seen and heard.
“I think it’s imperative to give back to the community,” Gregory concludes. “It’s not enough to have a good career of your own, but it’s important to help others achieve their dreams as well.”
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