Jermaine Fowler

Comedian Jermaine Fowler rose quickly from popular standup and television sketch comedy performer to executive producer of two series, including a semi-autobiographic sitcom for ABC, all before reaching the age of 30. Born in Washington, D.C., Fowler began performing standup at talent contests and local establishments while still a high schooler in Hyattsville, Maryland. In 2006, he relocated to New York City, and began performing at comedy clubs while also landing appearances in television commercials for McDonald's and Sports Illustrated, among other companies. In less than a decade's time, Fowler was a regular on comedy series like the alternative talk program "The Eric Andre Show" (Adult Swim, 2012-) and MTV's "Guy Code (2011-14). He also enjoyed viral stardom through appearances on sites like College Humor, as well as his own work with fellow comic Kevin Barnett in the duo BodegaCat Sanchez. The latter team-up produced a series of critically praised shorts called "Homo Thugs," in which Fowler and Barnett lampooned issues of race and sexuality by playing two stereotypical "gangstas" whose braggadocio and homophobia was a thin veil for the "gay" elements in their own behavior. By 2012, Fowler was performing in the New Faces Showcase at the 2012 Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, and had been selected by Keenan Ivory Wayans as a cast member for a proposed revival of "In Living Color" (Fox, 1990-94). Though the latter series never got off the ground, Fowler and several of the other comics slated to appear on the new "Living Color" reteamed to create their own sketch comedy series, "Friends of the People" (2014-15), for TruTV. The following year, attempted to move into the mainstream comedy scene with his own series, "Dolores & Jermaine" (ABC, 2015-), serving as both star and executive producer. The sitcom, based in part on his own experiences, concerned a college dropout (Fowler) who lives with his estranged grandmother (Whoopi Goldberg), a former Washington, D.C.-area police officer, but was not picked up after a pilot was produced. Fowler next appeared opposite Judd Hirsch in "Superior Donuts" (CBS 2017-), a sitcom based on the play by Tracy Letts. Prior to the start of the show's second season, Fowler served as the announcer on the 2017 Emmy Awards, where his animated delivery was one of the evening's more talked-about elements.