M Pire Magazine November 2013 Issue | Page 29

M EET:Lil Rel Milton "Lil Rel" Howery takes you inside his world of growing up on Chicago's West Side when he hits the stage. Introducing characters from his mother, father, uncle and of course your favorite neighborhood "hoodrat," his character style comedy leaves audiences in stitches. He currently tours the country leaving pieces of himself and his life on every stage and city he touches. Lil Rel is perhaps best known as a semi-finalist on NBC's Last Comic Standing and from his show stopping performances on Comedy Central's Russell Simmons Presents Stand-Up at The El Rey, Martin Lawrence 1st Amendment on Starz, and HBO’s Diddy's Bad Boys of Comedy. He also recently appeared as a round table guest on E’s Chelsea Lately and has performed at some of the most prestigious comedy festivals in the world including the Just For Laughs Festivals in both Montreal and Chicago, the South Africa Comedy Festival and NBC’s Diversity Showcase, which he is returning to host this year. Lil Rel was also cast in the reboot of the Fox series In Living Color spearheaded by the original creator Keenen Ivory Wayans. His new CD, "I Know You Hear Me, But Are You Listening" is available on iTunes. With all of this already under his belt, it is no surprise that Lil Rel was also named by Variety as one of 2012 Top 10 Comics to Watch. Additionally, he has also just taped his Comedy Central Half Hour which airs Spring 2013 and currently developing a sketch series for Comedy Central. 29