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Damon Wayans
Damon Wayans is creator, executive producer and star of THE UNDERGROUND. Known throughout the world for his no-holds-barred comedic genius, Wayans recently wrapped five seasons of the hit ABC series My Wife and Kids, which he co-created and executive produced. Currently in syndication, the series received numerous awards, including the 2002 People's Choice for Favorite New Television Comedy Series, and Favorite Male Performer in a New Television Series for his portrayal as patriarch Michael Kyle.
Wayans is most fondly remembered for his three seasons as writer and co-star on the Emmy® Award-winning series In Living Color. There, he made characters like "Homey the Clown," "Handiman" and "Men on Film" household names. His writing for the series earned him two personal Emmy® nominations.
Additional television credits include the half-hour Fox sitcom Damon, in which he starred and executive produced, and the hour-long drama 413 Hope Street, which was nominated for a People's Choice Award. He served as an executive producer on Waynehead, a Saturday morning animated cartoon for the WB, which featured the voices of his siblings Kim, Marlon and Shawn Wayans.
On the big screen, Wayans starred most recently in Spike Lee's critically acclaimed film Bamboozled. He just completed work on Harlem Aria, an independent film in which he starred and executive produced. Other feature film credits include starring roles in Major Payne, Blankman and Mo Money, which he also wrote and executive produced, The Great White Hype, Celtic Pride, The Last Boy Scout, Earth Girls are Easy, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Colors, Punchline, Hollywood Shuffle, Roxanne and Beverly Hills Cop.
Wayans has also enjoyed tremendous for his success in stand-up. After starting his career in 1982 touring the comedy club circuit, he landed a role as a featured player on the famed NBC series Saturday Night Live. Wayans went on to star in his own critically acclaimed HBO specials, One Night Stand, The Last Stand? and Still Standing.
Wayans is also a talented author. In 1999, he penned "Bootleg," a humorous compilation of his observations on family, children, marriage and politics. The book was a tremendous success and quickly hit the New York Times Bestseller List.
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Will Bowles
Originally from Virginia, Will Bowles attended James Madison University where he was an improv player with the comedy group Cillia. Later, he relocated to Orlando, Florida where he became an ensemble member at the SAK Comedy Lab. While at SAK, he and fellow UNDERGROUND cast mate Josh Flaum co-founded the sketch and improv group THEM, which performed throughout North America.
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Mikey Day
Native Californian Mikey Day began his comedy training in 1999 at the world famous Groundlings comedy troupe in Hollywood; he is currently the youngest member of the company. Day is a series regular on MTV's hip-hop oriented improv show Nick Cannon Presents Wild 'N Out. His television credits include guest roles on Reno 911, Angel and PAX's World Cup Comedy, and as the "Fake PA" in MTV's Faking the Video. Last fall, Day wrapped production on Totally Awesome, an '80s spoof for VH1 Films written and directed by Chappelle Show co-creator Neal Brennan, in which he stars opposite Chris Kattan and Dominique Swain. He will soon be seen in the film Bar Starz, a comedy about club kids. He holds a BA in Theater from UCLA.
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Gabrielle Dennis
Gabrielle Dennis began her professional career on television as co-host of BET's live teen talk show, Teen Summit. While attending a performing arts high school in her hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, Dennis starred in several commercials and films, including a small role opposite Gregory Hines in Rage in Harlem, and two Disney films. Other hosting credits include the magazine talk show Mad Flavor for Comcast, and the street basketball show, BALLIN' for the LTN Network. On the small screen, Dennis' credits include Invisible, produced by Bill Duke, slated to air on BET in 2006. Dennis has spent years on the L.A. comedy circuit doing stand-up at some of the city's top comedy clubs, and even made an appearance on the Pauly Shore series Minding the Store. She holds a BA in Theater from Howard University.
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Josh Flaum
Josh Flaum studied improv at the famed SAK Theater in Orlando, Florida, learning directly from the likes of Wayne Brady, among others. Flaum spent two years as an ensemble performer at Disney's Comedy Wherehouse, and in Los Angeles with acclaimed improv troupes such as Houseful of Honkeys and 3-Man Group. He and UNDERGROUND co-star Will Bowles co-founded THEM, a sketch and improv comedy troupe that performed across North America for over seven years. A native of Toronto, Canada, Flaum was a Marine Biology major at the University of West Florida, ultimately earning his BA in English from the University of Central Florida.
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Vincent Oshana
Vincent Oshana started his comedy career in his family's living room, imitating cartoon characters and TV personalities. After high school, Oshana joined the US Air Force and was promoted to Staff Sergeant, earning medals for his skills in various shooting competitions. Following his tour, Oshana ventured to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming a stand-up comedian. After living in his car for a time, he landed a part on MTV's Yo Momma, and was later discovered at an open mic night by Damon Wayans' niece. Wayans cast him on UNDERGROUND and currently, Oshana writes for and tours with Wayans. Oshana notes that he is a proud Assyrian from Yonkers, New York.
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Edi Patterson
Edi Patterson grew up in Texas City, Texas, and began her improv career right out of college at Austin Theatresports, and later with the critically acclaimed avant garde theatre company Rude Mechanicals. She is currently a Main Company member of the world-famous Groundlings comedy troupe in Los Angeles. After relocating to Los Angeles, Patterson joined L.A. Theatresports, performing in comedy festivals around the world. She was a hit at the famous New York/New York hotel/casino in Las Vegas in the show Boo!, and played "Arwen" and "Legolas" to sold-out crowds in the smash hit play Fellowship! The Musical Parody of the 'Fellowship of the Ring' in Los Angeles. She starred in the independent feature film The Distinct Smell of Red, and on television in guest spots on C.S.I., World Cup Comedy, and Ask Rita. She is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University, holding a BFA in Theatre.
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Aries Spears
Chicago native Aries Spears has been a hit on the comedy scene since his stand-up debut at age 14 at a local comedy club. He toured Chicago clubs throughout his childhood, later appearing on Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam on HBO and Showtime at the Apollo. Most recently, Spears was a series regular for seven seasons on Fox's MAD TV where he created and performed hit characters like Mother Love, The Klump Family and El Diablo Negro, and stole the show with his spot-on impersonations of James Brown, Al Pacino and childhood idol Eddie Murphy. He is noted on the big screen for his turn as Cuba Gooding Jr.'s brother in the blockbuster hit Jerry Maguire. Additional theatrical credits include Out of Sync, Why Do Fools Fall in Love and The Pest. Other television credits include A Different World, South of Sunset and Brisco County Jr., in addition to late-night stand-up appearances. He can regularly be seen on Fox's The Best Damned Sports Show Period.
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Damon Wayans Jr.
The eldest of four, Damon Wayans Jr. was born in Vermont but reared in California. While pursuing his childhood passion for art and animation at Los Angeles' famed Otis College of Art and Design, he landed a gig as a staff writer on his father's hit comedy series, My Wife and Kids. At age 20, Wayans Jr. was the youngest writer on television. A year later, he followed in his famous family's footsteps and hit the stand-up comedy circuit, and now tours across the country as his father's opening act.
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