Ali Siddiq
BornOctober 17[1]
Houston, Texas, U.S.
MediumStand-up
Years active1997–present
Genres
Subject(s)
Websitewww.alisiddiq.com

Ali Siddiq is an American stand-up comedian, writer and radio host based in Houston, Texas.[2]

In 2013 he was the winner of Comedy Central's Up Next stand-up comedy competition. In 2019 he was a finalist on NBC's competition show Bring the Funny.[3][4]

Early life

Siddiq was born in Houston, Texas.[5] After his parents' separation, Siddiq and his siblings were raised by their mother, living for a time in the projects. He and his siblings also went on to live with other family members.[6] At age 10, Siddiq was almost ran over by a car which then led to his mother and aunt to beat up the driver after she refused to apologize.[7]

Siddiq began selling drugs around age 14 and was sentenced to prison for trafficking in cocaine just four days after he turned age 19.[8][9] He served six years of a 15-year sentence in the Ruben M. Torres Unit in Hondo, Texas.[10][4] He was released from prison on October 21, 1997.[11] After his release he worked at a department store and at a sunglasses shop.[12]

It was during his incarceration, while telling jokes to fellow inmates to lighten the mood, that he discovered his ability to make people laugh.[13] He worked in the prison laundromat, and his workmates were his captive audience.[14] He describes Rodney Dangerfield as an early influence to do stand-up, adding that "he made me see that the comedy game doesn’t have to be a selfish thing." He described watching Def Comedy Jam as giving him "the drive to start" doing stand-up comedy.[15]

Career

1997–2014

Siddiq first performed stand-up comedy at the Just Joking Comedy Club in Houston in December 1997.[16][17][11] His first appearance was during the club's Apollo Night which tended to attract a college crowd. Siddiq recalls that he was booed his first time on stage because he was wearing a suit. He waited two weeks to perform again in jeans and a T-shirt this time. Siddiq became the co-host of the Apollo Night show a month later.[8][12] He resumed wearing suits after he first met Rickey Smiley at the Arena Theatre who recommended he do so to impress audiences.[18]

Siddiq's stand-up comedy tends to be in the storytelling style, versus the more common setup/punch-line style.[19][20] Siddiq's sets involve stories from his personal life, as well his observations on current events, sociopolitics and race.[17][19][21][22]

Siddiq performed on BET's ComicView across four consecutive seasons spanning 2000 to 2003.[7][11] He performed during the finale of HBO's Def Comedy Jam on the 10th episode of the eighth season which aired on March 8, 2008.[14] According to interviews, Siddiq recorded seven or nine albums in the 2000s, the first of which was titled Necessary Therapy, but was not satisfied enough with any of them to release them.[6][12]

Siddiq released his first comedy special Talking Loud Saying Something, first as a digital album on May 22, 2010, before releasing it on CD in December that year.[23][6] The album marked a turning point towards his storytelling style of comedy: "I changed on my first album, which I thought was a lot more in-depth than someone would have known if they had just listened to the album." Siddiq stated that "The way I sounded and the way I delivered, I was like 'this is going to be the blueprint of my transition.'"[6]

On November 18, 2013, Siddiq was voted the winner of Comedy Central's Up Next stand-up comedy competition. Over 300 comedians nationwide performed at "Preliminary" local showcases in September, with 40 comedians qualifying to the "Semi-finals" held at four locations across the country in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale in October. Siddiq performed at Houston Improv before qualifying to perform at Chicago Improv. He was one of nine comedians that qualified to perform at the "Finals" at New York Comedy Festival's Comics to Watch showcase on November 6.[24][25]

2015–present

In 2015 he performed on the Comedy Central television series This Is Not Happening on the second episode of the second season which aired on January 26. The video clip of him recounting his experience during a prison riot where he learned the meaning of the phrase "Mexican got on boots!" went viral on YouTube.[2] Siddiq appeared on Gotham Comedy Live which aired on AXS TV on September 17.[2]

In 2016 he released a half-hour-long special on Comedy Central series The Half Hour.[14]

In 2017 he began production on his one-hour special It's Bigger Than These Bars, which was filmed at the Bell County Jail in Belton, Texas.[2][4] Released on Comedy Central on February 23, 2018, Siddiq can be seen performing in front of a group of inmates interspersed with scenes of him sitting down with smaller groups of incarcerated men and women in their cells, as well as with prison administrators.[4]

In 2018, Siddiq appeared on Desus & Mero which aired on February 21 on Viceland, and on The Opposition with Jordan Klepper which aired on February 22 on Comedy Central.[3]

In 2019 Siddiq appeared on the Comedy Central series This Week at the Comedy Cellar which aired on August 2, and was a guest on D.L. Hughley's late night talk show The D.L. Hughley Show on TV One which aired on September 5.[26] He was a finalist on the NBC comedy competition series Bring the Funny.[3]

In 2020, Siddiq headlined the 11th episode of the second season of Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks which aired on January 17.[27]

In January 2021, Siddiq joined the Funky Larry Jones afternoon drive show on KMJQ (102.1 FM) in Houston.[28]

In 2022, Siddiq performed an hour-long special on Epix's Unprotected Sets on the fourth episode of the third season which aired on February 25.[29]

In 2022, Siddiq appeared on Pause with Sam Jay on the second episode of the third season which aired on HBO on June 3, and guest-starred on Flatbush Misdemeanors on the second episode of the second season which aired on Showtime on June 26.

In 2023, he appeared on documentary series Inside Story by Vice News and The Marshall Project on its seventh episode, "The Rise of Life-Without-Parole Sentences", which was released on March 16.[30][31]

Stand-up specials and albums

Title Release date Debut medium
Talking Loud Saying Something May 22, 2010 Audio streaming
Freedom of Speech August 5, 2013 Audio CD
Enjoy Your Life August 18, 2013 Audio CD
Damaged Goods September 16, 2016 Audio CD
The Half Hour September 16, 2016 Television (Comedy Central)
It's Bigger Than These Bars February 23, 2018 Television (Comedy Central)
The Prison Manual September 20, 2019 Audio CD
Unprotected Sets February 25, 2022 Television (Epix)
The Domino Effect May 19, 2022 Streaming television
The Domino Effect II: Loss June 4,2023 Streaming television

Philanthropy

Source:[32]

Since 2009 Siddiq has hosted the annual Jive Turkeys Comedy Show to raise money for the Houston Food Bank. The show is performed each November close to Thanksgiving.[5][8]

In 2017 he organized and performed at a benefit for Houstonians affected by Hurricane Harvey.[5] In 2018 Siddiq also performed at an annual benefit held by Saba Homes, an orphanage organization created to help orphans of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake in Pakistan.[33]

Siddiq has also volunteered for Harris County's Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Ali Siddiq: THE DOMINO EFFECT part 2 LOSS [FULL Comedy Standup Special], retrieved 2023-07-08
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Ali Siddiq returns to jail for his first one-hour special "Ali Siddiq: It's Bigger Than These Bars" premiering February 23 at 11:00 P.M. ET/PT on Comedy Central" (Press release). New York: Comedy Central. February 1, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Patton, Rebecca (September 17, 2019). "Will 'Bring The Funny' Return For Season 2? Here's How To Support The Finalists After The Show Ends". Bustle. New York City, New York. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Hagerty, Michael (August 28, 2019). "Comedian Ali Siddiq Spent Six Years In Prison And My Stepdad Was His Guard". Houston Public Media. Houston, Texas: University of Houston. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Vognar, Chris (August 28, 2019). "Houston comedian Ali Siddiq makes it to semi-finals on 'Bring The Funny'". Houston Chronicle. Houston, Texas. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Spohn, Morgan (March 22, 2018). "Ali Siddiq talks comedy, life lessons with the Daily Cardinal". The Daily Cardinal. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Ali Siddiq: Houston Legend". comedysceneinhouston.com. September 18, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 Johnson, Seth (November 21, 2018). "Ali Siddiq's Road from Prison to Comedy". NUVO. Indianapolis. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  9. ↑ Faires, Robert (April 19, 2018). "Moontower Comedy 2018: Ali Siddiq". The Austin Chronicle. Austin, Texas. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  10. ↑ Gaston, Gina (February 10, 2018). "Convict turned comedian, Ali Siddiq working to put Houston on the comedy map". KTRK-TV. Houston. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  11. 1 2 3 https://app.podscribe.ai/episode/91367303
  12. 1 2 3 https://web.archive.org/web/20150403233639/https://freepresshouston.com/stand-deliver-everything-starts-barbershop/
  13. ↑ Castleberry, Tony (March 7, 2018). "Ali Siddiq 'extremely proud' of Comedy Central special he filmed in jail". WECT. Wilmington, North Carolina. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  14. 1 2 3 Kozell, Isaac (September 16, 2016). "No Crowd Is Too Tough for Ali Siddiq". Vulture. New York, New York: New York magazine. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  15. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20160502065739/https://www.firstorderhistorians.com/2016/01/20/7-questions-with-ali-siddiq/
  16. ↑ "Ali Siddiq interview". comedy.co.uk. October 18, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  17. 1 2 Wilcox, David (January 14, 2016). "Comedian to record Auburn set for Comedy Central's consideration". The Citizen. Auburn, New York. p. D3. Retrieved November 29, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Ali Siddiq On Going From Street Pharmaceutical Rep To Successful Stand-Up Comic". May 19, 2022.
  19. 1 2 MacPherson, Guy (March 5, 2018). "Tom Papa, Ali Siddiq, and Beth Stelling craft standout laughs at JFL NorthWest comedy festival". The Georgia Straight. Vancouver, British Columbia. Retrieved November 29, 2019. He's definitely in the storyteller vein, but even without the obvious jokes, he was hilarious.
  20. ↑ Buss, Andrew (February 23, 2018). "Ali Siddiq talks, "It's Bigger Than These Bars"". The Laugh Button. Retrieved November 29, 2019. The moment Ali Siddiq steps out onstage, you know this isn't going to be your ordinary comedian telling jokes. This goes beyond what you've come to expect. This is pure story telling, pulling back the curtain, and letting you inside.
  21. ↑ Logan, Brian (October 30, 2018). "Ali Siddiq review – charisma and hard-won authenticity from an ex-con". The Guardian. London, United Kingdom. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  22. ↑ Almaula, Mirali (October 11, 2016). "Ali Siddiq Damaged Goods". Exclaim!. Toronto, Ontario. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  23. ↑ https://soundcloud.com/alisiddiqofficial/sets/talking-loud-saying-something
  24. ↑ "Ali Siddiq Named Grand Prize Winner of Comedy Central's "Up Next" CC: Certified Talent Search". Blavity. November 19, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Ali Siddiq wins Comedy Central's "Up Next" contest". thecomicscomic.com. November 19, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Guest: Ali Siddiq". The DL Hughley Show. Season 1. Episode 93. September 5, 2019. TV One. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  27. ↑ "Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks: Season 2, Episode 11 - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  28. ↑ "Houston Adds Comedian Ali Siddiq To The 'Funky Larry Jones' Show In PM Drive". AllAccess.com. All Access Music Group. KMJQ. January 12, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  29. ↑ "EPIX's Provocative Late Night Stand-Up Series Unprotected Sets Returns for a Third Season Premiering February 4, 2022". The Futon Critic. February 1, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  30. ↑ "The Rise of Life-Without-Parole Sentences". The Marshall Project. March 16, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  31. ↑ "Howard University to Host Screening of The Marshall Project and VICE News' Inside Story Series Analyzing Criminal Justice System". March 2, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  32. ↑ Ali Siddiq: THE DOMINO EFFECT part 2 LOSS [FULL Comedy Standup Special], retrieved 2023-07-08
  33. ↑ Blume, Liam (December 21, 2018). "Helping Orphans Through All–Star Comedy and Falafels". OC Weekly. Fountain Valley, California. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
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