It’s 4:05PM in Tuscaloosa, Alabama when my cell rings. Steve Brown is in the foyer of my office building. I glance over to my Media Director and we share a brief laugh; he’s only 3 hours and 15 minutes late.
I greet Mr. Brown at the door to my office .He walks in confidently, head held high. His face was adorned with mirrored, tinted, aviator shades, which compliment his features and completion. Once he settles in he notices the photography equipment. The look on his face is priceless. His ensemble of shorts, running shoes and a generously cut-off T-Shirt that does little to hide the pride that he has for his fraternal brotherhood is a dead giveaway that he has just left the gym. The Omega brand on his right arm is accompanied by the plethora of other symbols of his passions; including the Thespian Comedy/Tragedy Masks on his forearm commemorating his love of the stage.
Before he settles into the mahogany leather, high-back chair, opposite my desk, he flashes a shy but cocky smile. At this moment I realize that he has paid little attention to my follow up email informing Mr. Brown that this would be a filmed and photographed interview. To which I inquire, “You didn’t read my email?” Without missing a beat he leans slightly forward and proclaims, “I sure did… most of it.” [Laugh] This is the first I have heard of his signature voice, that wasn’t amplified by phone or microphone.
The ice was broken and the fun began. The tension is eased. He is a natural to the camera. Brown (45) quickly becomes and ‘old friend’. He laughs easily, compliments often and is equally
competitive in spirit. He figures out early on that we share a birth month, and takes the floor to tell ‘me’ all about Leo women.
The interview, that has yet to start, has taken a weird turn, but hey, it’s Steve Brown – what did I expect?
Mr. Brown decided to continue on with the interview hidden behind the aviators. So with most of his expressive features hidden I had to make sure to be meticulous in my questioning. We spoke briefly about an upcoming event that I was hosting to kick start the magazine’s breast health series and his local comedy show, Second Saved Sunday’s.
It is now 4:18p, the recording device is on, and I assumed that we would remain in this tranquil state for the remainder of the interview. Wrong again! As soon as the recording device was on the table Steve promptly went on record stating that he was in fault for the mix-up in time. And then goes on to give himself an introduction and suggestions how I should conduct the interview. I see that this comedian is going to be a hand full.
Transitions Magazine: So, who is Steve Brown?
SB: Comedian. Actor. Philanthropist. Uhm, I am just a man that loves life and loves to see people happy, in life.”
TM: At what point did you say, ‘Hey, I want to make people laugh for a living.”?
SB: Actually, I have been doing it [comedy] all my life, for free. [Laugh] But, actually it’s been crazy because I just knew I was going to play football. I went down to Troy State, which is now Troy University, and walked on [to their football team]. That didn’t work out because, I ended up with a plate and six pins in my right ankle. So yeah, that kind of killed football. I transferred to Stillman [College] where I graduated. I was hosting a lot of talent shows, just trying stuff out; just being funny. And a well-known comedian, Rickey Smiley, came to one of the shows. He actually is the one who in instrumental in me starting comedy. He saw me, was impressed and said, ‘Dude, you should try and do standup.’ And so, that’s what I did!
He took me on the road with him. For a year or so I was doing it for free. I say that because, some