Warren Thomas
Encyclopedia
Warren Thomas was an African-American comedian. His greatest fame came during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when he was a major figure in the San Francisco comedy scene and began appearing on HBO comedy specials. He won the San Francisco International Comedy Competition
in 1987. According to Margaret Cho
, Thomas was cited as the funniest comedian alive by Greg Proops
. Because of its speed, rhythm and flow, his comedy was often compared to jazz
music. His other television appearances included Comedy Central
's Comics Come Home special, The Dennis Miller Show, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien
. He also worked as a writer on In Living Color
. Prior to his death in 2005, Thomas was working as a writer for Air America Radio
, and was a frequent guest at Rocky Sullivan's
"Satire for Sanity" show. He also was working on a project with Jamie Foxx
.
Upon Thomas's death, memorials were held in his honor in New York City
, where he had been living and working, in Los Angeles
, and in his hometown of San Francisco. Mourners included many comedians who were close friends of Thomas's. Among them were Robin Williams
, Barry Crimmins, A. Whitney Brown
, Janeane Garofalo
, Greg Proops
, Will Durst
, Bob Rubin, Sue Murphy
, Tom Rhodes
, Randy Kagan, Kurt Weitzmann
, David Feldman
, Charles Ezell, Barry Lank
, Martin Olsen
, and Barry Sobel
. On the April 9, 2010 episode of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher
, comedian Chris Rock
paid tribute to Thomas in the form of a rhetorical question, "Who was funnier than Warren Thomas?"
Thomas was an athlete and basketball player in high school as well as a lifelong San Francisco Giants baseball fan.
San Francisco International Comedy Competition
The San Francisco International Comedy Competition is a stand-up comedy contest held each September in San Francisco, California, and neighboring areas of Northern California....
in 1987. According to Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho is an American comedian, fashion designer, actress, author, and recording artist. Cho is best known for her stand-up routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially those pertaining to race and sexuality. She has also directed and appeared in music...
, Thomas was cited as the funniest comedian alive by Greg Proops
Greg Proops
Gregory Everett "Greg" Proops is an American actor, stand-up comedian and television host. He is widely known for his work as an improvisational comedian on the UK and U.S. versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?...
. Because of its speed, rhythm and flow, his comedy was often compared to jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music. His other television appearances included Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
's Comics Come Home special, The Dennis Miller Show, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
. He also worked as a writer on In Living Color
In Living Color
In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century...
. Prior to his death in 2005, Thomas was working as a writer for Air America Radio
Air America Radio
Air America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
, and was a frequent guest at Rocky Sullivan's
Rocky Sullivan's
Rocky Sullivan's is a New York City Irish style pub opened in 1996 by musician Chris Byrne and journalist Patrick Farrelly ....
"Satire for Sanity" show. He also was working on a project with Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
.
Upon Thomas's death, memorials were held in his honor in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he had been living and working, in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and in his hometown of San Francisco. Mourners included many comedians who were close friends of Thomas's. Among them were Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
, Barry Crimmins, A. Whitney Brown
A. Whitney Brown
Alan Whitney Brown is an Emmy Award-winning writer and comedian probably best known for his recurring appearances on Saturday Night Live in the 1980s opposite Dennis Miller in a biting satirical...
, Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Garofalo is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist and writer. She is the former co-host on the now defunct Air America Radio's The Majority Report. Garofalo continues to circulate regularly within New York City's local comedy and performance art scene.-Early...
, Greg Proops
Greg Proops
Gregory Everett "Greg" Proops is an American actor, stand-up comedian and television host. He is widely known for his work as an improvisational comedian on the UK and U.S. versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?...
, Will Durst
Will Durst
Will Durst is an American political satirist; he considers himself a modern mix of Mort Sahl and Will Rogers....
, Bob Rubin, Sue Murphy
Sue Murphy
Sue Murphy is a stand-up comedian who has worked on such shows as Short Attention Span Theater, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Comedy Central Presents and Wanda Does It. Shes has also been a producer and writer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Class and Wanda at Large and appeared in the movie Nine Months...
, Tom Rhodes
Tom Rhodes
Tom Rhodes is an American comedian, actor, and host. He starred in the NBC sitcom Mr. Rhodes and was the host of The Kevin Masters Show starring Tom Rhodes and Yorin Travel on the Dutch television station Yorin.When the Yorin shows came to an end, Rhodes returned to the United States and...
, Randy Kagan, Kurt Weitzmann
Kurt Weitzmann
Kurt Weitzmann was born in Klein Almerode Germany on May 7, 1904 and died in Princeton, New Jersey on June 7, 1993. He was a highly influential art historian who studied Byzantine and medieval art. He attended the universities of Münster, Würzburg and Vienna before moving to Princeton in 1935, due...
, David Feldman
David Feldman
David Feldman may refer to:*David Feldman *David Feldman , author of the Imponderables series*David Feldman , Irish philatelist and chairman of Swiss philatelic auction company, David Feldman SA...
, Charles Ezell, Barry Lank
Barry Lank
Barry Lank is a comedian, journalist, and former writer at Air America Radio.Lank was born in Diamond Bar, California in June, 1960, the first person born there after the area converted from cattle ranchland to a residential development...
, Martin Olsen
Martin Olsen
Martin Carl Sofus Olsen was a Danish boxer who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics.He was born in Sundby, Copenhagen and died in Copenhagen....
, and Barry Sobel
Barry Sobel
Barry Sobel is an American actor and comedian.-Life and career:Sobel grew up in New York City. During the 1980s, he toured the comedy circuit heavily. His routine centered around rapping in a Beastie Boys style....
. On the April 9, 2010 episode of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher
Real Time with Bill Maher
Real Time with Bill Maher is a talk show that airs weekly on HBO, hosted by comedian and political satirist Bill Maher. Much like his previous show, Politically Incorrect on ABC , Real Time features a panel of guests that discuss current events in politics and the media...
, comedian Chris Rock
Chris Rock
Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
paid tribute to Thomas in the form of a rhetorical question, "Who was funnier than Warren Thomas?"
Thomas was an athlete and basketball player in high school as well as a lifelong San Francisco Giants baseball fan.