By: Renae Richardson

Creative partnerships in Hollywood seem to be the next step for industry artisans once they have established a media presence. J.B. Smoove—comedian, actor, and entrepreneur—is one of the latest to ink a deal giving him creative reign in developing unscripted content for Fox Entertainment Studios.

From the Clubs to the Screen

Smoove, also known as Jerry Angelo Brooks, was born in North Carolina and began his comedy career in the New York clubs. Per Britannica, a 1992 appearance on Def Comedy Jam marked his formal comedic debut. And almost a decade later, he landed a role in Pootie Tang. Smoove went on to appear on Cedric the Entertainer Presents and, for a short stint, did work on the iconic sketch show Saturday Night Live.

The Breakthrough

J.B. Smoove. Image Source: Loshak PR/Courtesy of Deadline

Those early gigs set the stage. In 2007, he landed a role on Curb Your Enthusiasm, which gave him the boost he needed. A close look at his portfolio over the years leads to one major revelation: Smoove was a master at wearing many hats. His shifts between stand-up, acting, writing, and even serving as spokesperson were positive proof of this. Smoove continued to move around.

Emmy Gold

By 2021, all that juggling paid off when his acting skills were acknowledged. Per Britannica, Smoove took home an Emmy Award for outstanding actor in a short-form comedy or drama series in 2021 for his performance as Chief Billy Bills in the comedy-mystery series Mapleworth Murders (2020). This again was proof that when Smoove found where he fit in, he shone.

The New Deal

Now Smoove is making a new move. It was recently announced that the comedian and actor has signed a multi-year first-look deal with the studio to develop and produce unscripted content across a range of formats and genres through his production company, Alternate Side Productions. Smoove, who ascribes to improv as his bread and butter, is poised to bring viewers something to laugh about. As Smoove is cited

“Unscripted is where the magic really happens. You can’t plan it, you can’t fake it, you just gotta jump in and let it fly. That’s my lane.”

Fox Backs the Play

Smoove is now in the driver’s seat with an opportunity to bring on the laughs. The executive in charge of Unscripted is equally enthused and expecting great things. According to Allison Wallach,

“JB has a sharp eye for original concepts and an ability to connect with audiences in a way that feels fresh, energizing and highly entertaining.”

Smoove is one of the few who have inked deals with Fox Entertainment in hopes of bringing fresh new content to viewers. The time is always right for something new. Only time will tell how this all works out.