Hollywood A list comedian actor Kevin Hart has broken another record in which he performed in front of an audience of 53,000 people in his hometown of Philadelphia at the Lincoln Financial Field football stadium. The show was filmed as part of Hart’s “What Now?” tour and the show will be released in movie theaters as Hart’s latest stand up comedy film on October 14th.
In speaking to members of the New York press Hart stated about titling the tour and special What Now?:
“The title What Now? is a question that I’ve gotten for a long time. What Now is something that you should always be asked that should always have an answer. That’s the first thing that everyone says to me when I do anything. Man Kev that was crazy well what now, what you gonna do now what’s your plans now especially after Let Me Explain, it was what now. It was dude you did The Garden, you sold out the garden three times what now what you gonna do now. It was I’m gonna perform at a football stadium sell it out then the question comes again what now Kevin that you done that. Well now I’m gonna release it theatrically and the plan is to make history again. Okay then what, what now. Then the goal is thinking about the next special and thinking about what the next special is gonna be. Well what if I go to the UK and perform in their football stadium instead of being 53,000 it would’ve been 75,000 people. It’s just always going up it’s just always wanting more, or attempting to do more. The title What Now? it fits with everything in all realms whether it’s education, business, athletics it’s just something where you should always want to do more.”
Hart went on to explained about what makes the Philadelphia style of comedy unique and different when compared to other areas of the world saying:
“I mean for me what I think is unique for me and my style and I can tie Philadelphia into this as well is it’s real it’s authentic it’s not forced it’s not a façade. What you see is what you get, and I think my city is what made me. Philadelphia is what turned me into the hardworking man that I am today. I think that if you can make it in Philly you can make it anywhere. The reason why is because you know it’s not like we are a hub for entertainment. These hubs are made, these hubs are found and when you’re true to them and when you’re true to that grind in Philadelphia the people are gonna ride with you they’re gonna support you. I noticed that at an early point in my career, and that’s why I make sure that I’m constantly voicing my love for my city my love for Philadelphia and for what it’s done for me because the motivation that comes from within that city to do more and go above and beyond is very hard to find elsewhere. But I can say I found that in Philadelphia and as a comedian I think it’s helped me turn into the man that I am as well as the comedian that I am today.”
Having started out in small local Philly comedy clubs Kevin recalled the places in his hometown that influenced his comedy stating:
“Well I think it’s where I started. I started at the Laff House Comedy Club in Philadelphia. A large amount of influence came from there. Rita Bing was the first stage that I’ve ever stepped on and I think the New Market cabaret. I can go on and on because the thing about Philadelphia is it gives you thick skin. It gives you thick skin because you’re gonna deal with all of the booing all of the shut up all of the come on man you ain’t got it you gonna get it all there and then the question is are you strong enough to deal with that and come back again and I was. I honestly earned the support that I have in Philadelphia. I earned that fan base that I have in Philadelphia I earned that love because it wasn’t always love that starts off as hate and you just got to be strong enough to get through. So those stomping stones that I went through those, the stomping grounds that I went through in Philadelphia helped me develop the style of comedy that I have, but I can honestly say the Laff House, New Market Cabaret a bunch of beef bars and grills and bunch of places that they turned into comedy clubs because we didn’t have that many.”
Despite recently starring in blockbuster Hollywood films like Ride Along 2, Kevin expressed about going back to stand up comedy after filming a string of films:
“For me it was a must I never go away from stand-up comedy. Stand up comedy is always first. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for stand-up comedy. So it’s just about me doing it right. I think I’ve set quite a bar for myself when it comes to me doing my stand up comedy specials from Grown Little Man to Seriously Funny to Laugh at My Pain to Let Me Explain and to now What Now?. The goal is to get better , the goal is to grow and to always reach levels and the time comes in, in me just not being content the material at certain points. It took me about a good a year and a half two years to get the material as solid as it was for me to film What Now?. Once I felt it was A list and once I felt like every joke hit hard , then I said it’s not only time to tour but to film a special.”
In a teaser trailer for What Now?, Kevin takes on a James Bond persona with Halle Berry as his leading lady. Kevin told the press about getting Berry on board for the teaser:
“Halle Berry is a good friend of mine. It was always a dream to work with Halle Berry to do a movie with Halle Berry. I don’t think you can be a young man and say that at one point in time in your life you didn’t crush on Halle Berry. To me within the James bond theme that I wanted to pull off, you need that woman, you need that woman that could be on your side that adds that crazy sexy element to the James bond theme. For me that woman was Halle Berry. So it was asking if she would do it and telling her that she would be protected because it’s funny. But also there’s a little action in it and I wanted to give my fans a wink at what’s to come. Me doing my version of my James Bond like film is definitely something that’s coming in the future and just throwing that little comedy spin to it. My version of Undercover Brother or Get Smart or Austin Powers something in that realm. But the reason why I did the teaser was to show people okay here’s a little glimpse of what’s coming real soon.”
Lastly speaking on what motivates him currently after all of his success Kevin said:
“I think now just seeing me getting closer to the goals of becoming a mogul. I think that’s where a lot of this motivation comes from. I want to become the mogul that I set out to be. I want to be self-owned, I want HartBeat Productions to stand on it’s on. I want HartBeat Digital to do more, I want new generation promotion. I want my network Laugh Out Loud Network to be successful. I still want to go on and do comedy at the highest level. I still want to go on and star in blockbuster movies. I mean it’s just constantly going and doing as much as I possibly can, but the motivation comes in knowing that I can reach that level.”
