Comic Jerrod Carmichael headlines HBO special

Bursting onto the comedy scene in 2008, Jerrod Carmichael has had a meteoric rise in the world of stand-up. Just three years in, in 2011, Variety named him “one of the top 10 comics to watch,” and that same year he performed on the New Faces show at annual industry festival, Just For Laughs in Montreal.

Hollywood has definitely taken notice. Earlier this spring, Carmichael appeared in the film Neighbors opposite Seth Rogen and Zac Efron, and a television pilot is in the works with NBC. Of the pilot, Carmichael says, “It’s coming along really, really great. I believe you’ll see it sometime soon.”

Originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Carmichael began his stand-up career when a close friend kept pushing him to do it, he says.

“She refused to speak to me until I got on stage,” he recalls.

But he rebelled against doing it because he wanted to do stand-up in New York and in Los Angeles. Jerrod ended up doing just that when he moved to L.A. and performed stand-up for the first time in the 150-seat Belly room of Hollywood’s legendary The Comedy Store.

Since then, life has truly come full circle for Carmichael. He is set to star in his first comedy special, titled Jerrod Carmichael: Love at the Store, on HBO this Saturday, October 4. Directed by Spike Lee and produced by Funny or Die, the special was taped at (you guessed it) The Comedy Store in May of this year. The hour-long special features Carmichael’s unique perspective on such topics as poverty, wealth, race, crime, and female empowerment.

Arriving in Boston for a stand-up gig at Johnny D.’s Uptown Restaurant & Music Club in Somerville this past Sunday, Carmichael spoke to the Banner by phone about the special, Spike Lee and performing at The Comedy Store.

How did the special come about with HBO, and how did Spike Lee get involved?

Jerrod Carmichael: HBO was open to doing some new specials and I was considering recording one and so we met right there in the middle. Regarding Spike, I called him and he said “yes”.

Were you involved in the look and feel of the special or was that something that Spike Lee was more in control of?

JC: I had a lot of it packaged already. We [Jerrod and his producer, Andrew Themeles] wanted to shoot in that room and we wanted to shoot at The Comedy Store. Spike took it home and added a lot of integrity.

Watching the special, you’re standing on the stage where some of the comedy greats like Robin Williams, Richard Pryor and Sam Kinison performed. Did you feel any pressure while filming the special?

JC: It’s the same amount of pressure on any given night in that room. Automatically, being there and knowing the history, there is a certain amount of pressure and that’s what fun for me. It forces you to be more authentic, more honest, and have more integrity.

At this point in your career, is there any material that you won’t touch?

JC: I don’t think of it in those terms. For me, it’s whatever subject comes up. For me it’s an honest thought, honest feeling. It’s a creative way to discuss it. I don’t do anything for shock value. [Comedy] shouldn’t be mindless. It should make you think and should challenge you.

With everything going on in your world, have you received any piece of advice that has helped you during this crazy time?

JC: I watched Eddie Murphy’s interview on [Inside] the Actor’s Studio where he said, “The best advice is not to take any advice.”

HBO airs the one-hour special, Jerrod Carmichael: Love at the Store this Saturday, October 4 at 10 p.m.