The logo you see above this is the new show that I’ll be taping tomorrow (SAT 25AUG12) in Atlanta for #BounceTV … a new network … My Homeboy Rodney Perry is this 2nd seasons Host!!! (He wont really say it but I know he had something to do with getting his Potna on the show with him!!!) Good looking R-Pizzel.  This week I’ve been doing the audience warm-up for a new show that B.E.T. is developing … I cant tell you about it … I cant tweet or Facebook about it … so all I’m gonna say is when I can … I’ll be able to tell you!!! My September and October are filled like a crazy person … I know that every year most people don’t want to be inside during the summer so JUNE-AUG is always just OKAY …but after that it all picks up again!  Plus I’ve been diligently working on the Toni and ‘GRIFF” Show …check our website out that we launched this week: www.toniandgriff.com … so much more news and awesome things happening but like I was saying with this pastor the other day … Its ‘Harvest Time’ and if I don’t believe it then it won’t be one!!! OH and I’m walking and running like I WAS IN The Olympics!  Shout out to Lance Armstrong for getting his 7 Tour De France Titles stripped from him … (the bad part is his MAMA just started following me on twitter) SMH … Alright then y’all … the family is well, the kids are better and the wife is happy … in THAT order … Stay Blessed!!!

Love, Your ‘EARTH ANGEL’

07AUG12 - Not even gonna lie … had me an AWESOME DAY today with the family (smile) …You need that in your life, well I do…cause I’m a LIBRA for one (so I need the balance) but because I love my family for TWO!  We went to 6 Flags over Georgia and it was Jamisens first time at that park, the only other place she’s been to is Universal Studios and DisneyWorld in Orlando, Florida…so it was cool to see her get on a small roller coaster and FREAK OUT! Kicking and Crying and then when it pulled back up to the platform calmly saying … “that wasn’t too bad.” LOL It was cool just taking all the girls to the park, last time I REALLY think I went, Branden got hit by Heat Stroke … (crazy day) but I remember clearly Marcus making fun of him talking about …’You wasn’t saying that when you were all NURPING and spitting everywhere earlier’ LOL

Tomorrow I’m starting my first night in Atlanta in years! I really haven’t wanted to do anything in the city …cause this is where I live but as I travel I notice that all of the new comedians don’t know how to do a clean set, and right now in this economy CLEAN is IN! I don’t care what anybody says …maybe you’re getting yours ‘OFF’ at Uptown comedy corner but you’ll never know what its like to do a church or a conference with clean content …Not only ‘not cussing’ but being able to relate with a different aged crowd (all ages basically) I go by the ‘Secular Saint’ because I actually enjoy my non perfect side … everybody tries to fight it but its the way GOD made us…there was only ONE perfect one…and I aint him LOL …anywayyyyyy so if you’re not doing anything tomorrow come check that out …its gonna be crazy!!!

I just want you to know LORD that I’ve been listening and I’ve been staying obedient to your word!  Thank you for not ever giving up on ME!  Even when at sometimes, even though I might not show it … I might eternally give up on myself!  Thank you JESUS for The Holy Spirit for being the best guide that a human being can have … I listen …LORD, I listen!!! (smile)

Love, “All Ears” …

19JULY12 - That cartoon that you’re looking at RIGHT NOW is the revamped character and product of mastermind Nick Wilson.  He’s been working on this cartoon called ‘My Child’ for the last probably 6/7 years in his head but has made it a complete REALITY about 3 years ago … I don’t even remember how the first draft of D-22 looks but this one is crazy.  I’m putting this picture up on everything … Nick has given me one of the most memorable opportunities to date before radio…EVERYBODY has said ‘You have a voice that should be on cartoons’ …and now I’m about to.  WOW … just looking at the picture is … Man … who would have thought at 40 everything would come together??? LIFE IS AWESOME!!!

Signed,

‘Me and my MaMa KNEW…thats who!’

11JULY12 – What can I say? I love the animals LOL (smile) That picture is going to be cool years down in my life.  So let me tell you the story about the Iguanas real quick.  They’re everywhere on The Virgin Islands … especially around the resorts … they’re like pigeons actually.  But they’re still kinda scary looking … So my man, Chef John (from Island Paradise in St. Thomas) tells me that if you give them a piece of lettuce they’ll come towards you.  My first thought was ‘thats all I need … to be one of those people that get bit by some Exotic animal on tape’ LOL so at first I was reluctant but then I was like ‘You can’t be a girl forever’ … So I started feeding the big one then SIX came out of no where (I PROMISE YOU) I don’t know if they SEE well or they SMELL better but all I know is within minutes they were coming out of the water and the rocks straight to me.  I threw the remainder piece of lettuce down and I got out of there cause that was a lot ‘SHOES’ in front of me! Couldn’t even do it no more …HA!

So as you read I’m in the Virgin Islands … I did a Show here with Bruce Bruce and Zooman  on Saturday, the 7th .. Toni came and everything it was AWESOME! The Show was at The MCM Center at The Antilles School.  It was very professional … I’ve been here since Friday (its Wednesday now) straight being bumped off flights but its all good, I’m staying with a Senator and his family here so I wish I could say I was slumming it LOL (but I’m NOT) I Thank GOD for everything that is set up for my life … I don’t try to act like its me… its ALL GOD! I’m so BLESSED to be a vessel… Get your VESSEL ON (smile) … I’ll hit y’all in a bit! Stay Blessed

‘Not Afraid of The Babylon’ (you have to be Caribbean to understand)

28JUNE12 - This is EXACTLY how I want to remember Little Leah Felix …The last time I saw this little girl, she was on the side of Campbellton Road and I can’t shake that image out of my head … So this is the story, … I was having an AWESOME day as usual …had some people come over that I’ve known for a long time to talk to me about hosting something at their venue … suddenly Toni comes downstairs and says ‘theres been an accident & she wants me to go to her sisters house (.05 miles from ours) to be there with her daughter until she gets there.’  I said ‘Lets go’ we say bye to our company and then we go up the street … theres only one police car there in the middle of the road telling people to go around … we see the sister holding little Leah on the side of the road we pull over and I look at Toni as to tell her ‘Hold it together.’  As we walk up the female police officer asks us ‘who we are’ and I tell her that the mother just called Toni and told her to be here.  There are about 4 men standing around, one who’s shirt would say he was a mechanic, one who worked for the city with a light green fluorescent vest on, one who I met at one of the Sundays Best Tapings & one who was from the neighborhood CLEARLY shook.  I called Leah’s mom to find out how far away they were … she said ’7 mins’ … as I made that call the firetruck came with the ambulance behind them running to the side of the street where Leah and Quisha (Leah’s Aunt, the lady who lived at the house) (think thats how you spell it) were … They worked on CPR (I was told that one of the guys that was there did too) … They put her on the gurney and said ‘GRADY!’ … I called the mother again ‘Where are you guys?’ … “Passing Ben Hill” (while all this was going on I looked at Toni comforting Quisha) she kept saying over and over ‘They just hit and her and kept going Toni, They just hit and her and kept going… like a dog” Kids were starting to walk down the street to get a closer look and they were being waved away from cops .. now Sheriffs were coming about 3 cars .. .They saw the little girl on the gurney and started to make a perimeter around the North and South ends of the street… Called her again ‘How far are you away?’ … ’2 mins!’ … The Ambulance driver said ‘were leaving they’re gonna have to meet us at Grady’ … we urged them to just wait because the next car coming down the street would be them … two cars came … then a black SUV came speeding through the barricade …they tried to slow them down … I said ‘Thats them!” … both Leah’s Father and Step Mother jumped out the car … he was screaming ‘Wheres my little girl … where is she’ … Her step mother went to look inside the ambulance first, then turned around in a daze that I’ll never forget for the rest of my life shaking her head, not crying as to say ‘I cant do this right now.’ (but she was clearly in SHOCK) …the dad turned around after they shut the ambulance door and fell to the ground saying ‘My Baby!’ … He wanted to ride with her in the ambulance and they wouldn’t let him… he went off …swearing and daring anyone to not let him get into that ambulance … I’m not sure who was driving this next truck …but one of the Firetruck Chief drivers or the ambulance something or another told him ‘you can ride with me’ … Toni took Leah’s mom and I drove her dads truck to the hospital with Quisha (the aunt) in it … it was a horrible ride to the hospital.  I knew that little girl was already with CHRIST, I felt it deep in my Spirit but I had to keep this woman encouraged before she just jumped out of this moving truck I was driving.  As we jumped in I realized he didn’t have ANY gas … so I asked the cops could I make a right out of the driveway to go to my house to get my truck ….and they said ‘Naw man, this is a crime scene now.’

So we go up the street to get gas at the Citgo right on the corner of Campbellton and BoatRock (I see the barbers from the shop on County line Road next to the Dollar Store and tell them what happened as I filled up) … got gas pulled out, because I didn’t know his truck well, I was cool on speeding but got to the hospital as soon as I could … dropped her off at The Emergency Room and went to look for parking … Toni called me because she did the same thing and was telling me where to park and to meet her by that McDonalds right in front of Grady.  When I saw her she was a wreck…in tears and shaking her head, I was crying now because the sister was out of my car.  Both Toni and I had been strong in front of everybody there but we were imploding inside.  Toni told me where to park …and one of Leah’s dads friend or cousin said ‘Hey where is …is that D’s truck?’ … I was like ‘yeah… go straight and make a right, you can’t miss it’

Me and Toni walk into the Emergency room and we couldn’t find one person from the family so we asked the lady … ‘A little girl just came in from a hit and run’ and she walked us to a small room in the back where they all should have been … I started to walk around cause we were confused …and I went back and said ‘nobodies in there’ …she said ‘follow me’ … As we walked I asked her ‘Wheres everybody at?’ … She said ‘In a different room’ … I swallowed and asked her slow ‘She didn’t make it huh?’ …she just shook her head no.  (I’m crying as I type this part because this was the part that was the hardest coming up)

2 double doors were opened for us, the one on the right was the only one that opened …when we looked up, Leah’s father was pacing … Quisha was screaming sitting down saying over and over again … ‘Nooooo noo nooo’ … Leah’s step mom was on a gurney herself with I.V.’s hooked up to her (we found out later that she had a seizure when they pronounced the baby dead and they gave her the wrong medicine so she had an allergic reaction) The guy that asked ‘where the Emergency Room was’ was in a chair sitting down with his hands over his eyes, the Chaplain and two other nurses just had this look of straight SORROW! (Like they knew this was hard and they didn’t know what to say) I went to see Leah laying on the bed and it looked so surreal.  I had just saw her on the side of Campbellton Road … in a place that I walk past almost every …at least every OTHER day and now I’m looking at her on this bed covered up with a tube still in her mouth lifeless …

My mother told me today that what I was going through was a huge flashback of being less than 2 years old and my playmate that I had got hit by a car in a driveway and we were there first and the mother was screaming and my mother was consoling the little girls mother but all I remember was thinking ‘why wont she get up’ and whats that stuff on her (blood) so between that and the fact that I have 5 kids and TWO girls … it all hit me like a rock!  My immediate thought was this could have been one of my kids … how would I feel right now, what would I do … but I think the hammer to ME was when I found out that his daughter was visiting from Colorado for the summer and they had to contact her mother.  I was DONE! Had to find Toni …stayed with the family, gave the keys to his boy and after his father came (who we know because he’s in the National Guard with Toni) we left very heartbroken.

For the last two days I’ve been numb … very foggy eyed and just not ‘here’ .. Rashan Ali called me today to check on me and in her Rashan way said ‘You alright man? I had to give you a couple of days.’  We talked and then my mom called.  Mama always knows when something is wrong right (smile) She told me the Enemys plan to make you feel bad about your duties but in the end its all about forgiveness … and mom is right as USUAL!!! Rest in Peace little Leah … Rest inPeace Baby! You’ll always be remembered.

18JUNE12 - I’ve had a LONNNNNNNNG weekend … let me tell you something, Hosting a Show with Pastor Shirley Caesaer, Earnest Pugh (one night) Dottie Peoples, Lee Williams and The Spiritual QC’s, Doc McKenzie and The Hi Lites, Blessed and Dr. George P. Lee  from St. John’s Church in Savannah with HIS group was ALOT!!! (smile) I have never been to a revival nor do people in my immediate family go to them but I saw and hosted 2 of them over the weekend.  The coolest thing I saw besides people getting ‘The Holy Ghost’ was Pastor Caesar took an offering for the Promoter of the Show at the end of her Show … she gave him $300.00 of her own money and made (encouraged) people come to her and put money by her feet … she gave all that money to JDENT. … then she said ‘I don’t want you or anyone else to ever say that you LOST with Shirley Caesar.’  I LOVE IT!!!

Toni her mother and Jamisen came to the Show in Savannah yesterday and after the Concert me and my Mother In-Law really had a great time … just chopping it up.  Learned a lot over this last weekend but now I’m ready to rest and regroup!!! I’ll be on Quantico Marine Base with some really great comedians this Wednesday, I’m geeked about it!!! The LORD has been Blessing me so much with so many opportunities lately … they’ve been coming over and over again …and I’m just staying obedient …thats the key, staying in HIS will and performing HIS way!!! I’ll holler at y’all tomorrow …

Signed,

‘A New Revivalest’ (thats not a word at all LOL)

14JUNE12 - Today is Flag Day … nobody knows what it is except my family and probably the family of Ms. Chinitta Morris (AKA CHOCOLATE) … her and my siblings only know because my sister, Toyia Lanay and CHOC are both born today.  Its a crazy holiday though because nobody really knows what it is and it doesn’t have any …hold on, I’m about to pull it up:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_Day_(United_States) … Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, thats what it means LOL.

You wanna know whats been going on in the life of right … well look … were getting ready for our Show, The Toni and “GRIFF” Show starting 01JULY12 but for the last couple of weeks I’ve been working around Atlanta … i call that ‘Homework.’ (smile) … I’ve been doing the Audience Warm Up for Sundays Best The last 6 Shows and today is the Finale Shows.  Lot of work has come from this opportunity … plus I’m in my element, you gotta know that…being around Kirk, Yolanda, Cece, Donnie and more … knowing them from the Cruise has made it very comfortable for me and them on that MIC!!! I can’t tell you anything about the tapings because they haven’t been played yet but as they start playing … I’ll START PLAYING (smile)

Toni and I haven’t had any kids in the house for almost a week and we’ve been acting like some people who haven’t had kids in the house … thats all I’m going to say (HA!!!) I had the opportunity to be on The KD BOWE Show yesterday after meeting him on Sunday at my dudes, Conversations with Asher’s Event Sunday and I have never clicked more with a man then I did KD, and when I found out he was a LIBRA … that pretty much sealed it!!! I go on Tour with Pastor Caesar, Dottie Peoples, Keith Wonderboy and NEM this weekend … so thats gonna be my Fathers Day weekend pretty much … this year I’m NOT protesting Fathers Day (smile) … I’m excited about it!!! I’m a Dad!!! Peace Y’all

Signed,

A casual Golf Fan (LOL)

29MAY12 - You’ve probably been saying to yourself … MAN, wheres dude been? Well to be honest I’ve been straight GRINDING!!! The best part of grinding with help is … well, you don’t have to do it alone (smile) Thank GOD almighty for Toni Yvette Griffin, that lady is my ROCK! I can say that without thinking twice about it because when you do the ‘For Better or Worst’ part … sometimes its ‘For Better’ and HELLUV times its ‘For Worst’ LOL When you see those couples that have been married for 30/40 years do you think they were really just filled with ‘For Better?’ No Sirrrrrrrr … their was a lot of ‘For Worsts’ in their … the thing we have to do in this new millennium is learn how to hold on.  Geez, everything is so easy… nobody goes to the library anymore … nobody reads encyclopedias … nobody talks to each other … we’ve turned into a google and text generation and I promise you its going to comeback and haunt THEM (notice how i excluded myself out of that) THEM … they’re gonna have a problem … in fact I don’t want anybody operating on me unless their right at 22/25 when I get older because theres a generation that just doesn’t get it … These Jamisen aged Babies, they’re the future 7 and under … the 13′s got a little bit coming but their right on the cusp.  Anyway I said all of that to say … Toni and I just signed with our first Terrestrial Radio Station AM1100 here in Atlanta, GA … with a lot of research and time spent listening … Toni has once again made things happen … it didn’t even dawn on me to go that route … Love that lady (I even washed the dishes today to express my love…even though thats not one of my love languages) HA … but life is good y’all … its a good patient, hard, patient, Waiting on GOD, patient existence but like I’ve been saying for the last month … If living where I live and having the life that I’m blessed to have is me ‘going through it right now’ THANK YOU JESUS … THANK YOU for remembering me!!! You’re AWESOME and when we ask for things you give them to us … you never say how or explain the pain level but a sacrifice is a sacrifice … and we thank you … Broke as all get out but BLESSED like a Pastor (thats obedient) LOL … I’ll holler at y’all … we have a lot of Show prep to do! Syndication is our future … period!!!

16MAY12 – Some things are just FUNNY! This picture is hilarious! The funny part is its TONI but somebody just photoshopped her face LOL … I’m playing and she’s probably gonna kill me for that comment BWAHHHHHHHHHHHH … why does it really looked photoshopped now that I said that (or wrote that) Okay, so today I’ve realized that their are some SOLID things that I don’t want to do anymore … I told Toni today, ‘Hey, I’m gonna start a room in so and so’ and she calmly said ‘are you sure thats what you want to do because every time you start a room you and the Club Owner or Promoter have differences after about 8 months’ (she’s right but the differences really are that they get GREEDY!) But GOD will give you what you work on … and I don’t want to work on little stuff anymore … I want some, “who would even think that this could happen to ME?” type of stuff in my life!  At this point I’ve realized that I have to partner up with folk who are DOING things … its so many people that CLAIM that they’re doing things but in reality they’re just waiting on the opportunity just like everybody else, problem is…their ARE people who are REALLY doing things, you just have to find them … I was reading something that Les Brown said and he said ‘Don’t worry about the HOW, just DO … GOD will do the other part,’ and you know what …he’s absolutely right! I got my mind made up y’all (in my Hip Hop voice) and its about to be some reallllll GRIFFIN stuff going on… I’ll holler!

13MAY12 - So much has happened in the last month… Thank you LORD for reflection … today was Mothers Day, 5 years ago and about 9 months my wife gave birth to a little girl 7 mins before Mothers Day.  She had the most ridiculous 5yr old BDAY Party EVER (according to her) … were probably gonna chill on them (birthdays) until she’s 10, we’ll have some but they won’t be monumental… 2, 5, 10, 13, 16, 18, 21, 25, 30, 35 & 40 in THAT order LOL. We went to my dude Harvey’s house today with a  bunch of other fathers & spoiled our wives … brought two plates of food back (it was THAT much food) Toni had an awesome day though … lotta talking with the same sex and then The Clippers beat Memphis in Game 7 & Indiana couldn’t win Game 1 against The Heat. You know when I think of Mother’s Day, I always think of my friends, … Comedians Bobo Lamb, Cortney Gee and Tone X, not only are they AWESOME Comedians but they all have losing their mothers in common.  AS strong as they are & as influential all three of them have been in my life … I know that Mother’s Day is very hard for them so I always make sure that I give them a call.  In hindsight I just realized that I should have called my Ex-Wife and told HER Happy Mothers Day too … I’ll do it next year (I’m SERIOUS … that’s what Jamisen says now)  Really can’t believe Jamisen is 5 years old … geez and she’s only going on 42! LOL … I’m going to be going back to blogging everyday I just had to take some time off to regroup man, y’all don’t even know but you will …and I’ll help you to! Take Care and Stay Blessed,

Mr. ‘Shonuff’ (smile)

13APR12 – Just purchased my ticket to South Africa (next Tuesday) … I’ll be doing a lot more video blogging from over there … Cant wait to get back there … It truly is my second home in Johannesburg / East London.

 I know that you can stick three and a half United States in the Continent of Africa so I’m just BLESSED to be able to be the same human being that I am here over there and every where I travel.  Its kinda bad that I have to go across the world to get love for the thing that I’ll have been doing 17 years tomorrow (kinda excited about that) that Anniversary means so much to me but I’ll talk about that tomorrow … On Monday I talked to my mother (Your Grace) on her birthday and she said she was going to get a house … and I promise you she moves in this weekend, thats my mother …she makes a plan and then she executes it (have always loved and admired that about her) On Wednesday my Dad came by my house with my babyest brother Christopher for no reason … just stopped by at 8pm and beat me DOWN in Dominoes … I don’t know why I think I can beat him … or Toni’s mother since were talking about it … probably because the lady that taught me how to play won’t play me anymore if I win one and she wins one … (she never gives me the Rubber Match) but all you other people who think you have a chance … you don’t … #DominoesKING LOL, very excited about my recovery period too … this morning I walked 2 miles, yesterday I did 2 in the morning 2 more at night, the day before I did 2 in the morning and 2 at night and the day before that I did 2 in the morning … I think I’ll be ready for my regular 5 miles on Monday.  We’ll see (smile) Well … I’m going to have a few ‘spirits’ with my wife and were going to watch BridesMaid LOL … Toni’s awesome by the way.  Love Y’all .. .Stay Blessed

Signed,

“STRONGER” *Kanye Voice*

09APR12 – Today is my MaMa’s Birthday (She’d kill me if I put how old she was but lets just say I’m gonna be 41 this year and she had me when she was 16; it’ll take her too long to figure out the math! LOL)

My Fathers birthday was last Wednesday (2 Aries) can you imagine that … I’m a Libra but I’m Aries raised, which basically means I’m not scared of too many things (smile)  I’m happy for my mother and my father because I see their peace now … y’all do know that Aries ram heads for fun right … that’s why you can’t be mad at them because its never personal … They just do to do.  I believe it comes with getting up in age … Think about when you were 22 … you were off the chain right … “I can drive, I pay for my own stuff, insurance is paid” …and we didn’t know anything …can’t wait to be your age Mom and Dad … Y’all did good … LOVE YOU BOTH (I’ll talk about the other stuff thats going on in my life when I feel like going there ….) How you just tell people they got cancer and they don’t … DOCTORS … geez~ Alright y’all … PEACE,

Love, “Healthier”

15MAR15 - I think I will name this Post ‘Believing in one’s self.’  I have a question … can you imagine if no one believed in you?  Lets just start with that Kindergarden teacher who told you, ‘YOU CAN tie your shoes by yourself.’  What about that Gym teacher that said ‘Just keep practicing you can make this Free Throw.’

 How Bout that Principal who gave you ‘a pass’ for the REAL trouble that you got in?  People have been believing in us (human beings for Thousands of years) So this is what this Post is about … being thankful… so here I go:  I want to thank Mrs. White who saw me throw a rock at her Assistant Teacher & after recess they waited till we were all sleep in Kindergarden & they woke me up and I’ll never forget the black Asst. Teacher smiling as she walked me in that little closet with her ‘I’m GONE SKIN YOU’ FACE.  (I should have known I was going to be in trouble when I saw the band-aid on her face) … Should have been a Pitcher in Baseball LOL.  I want to thank the brother of the girl ‘Annie’ who put a scratch on my face that is still visible to this day… when I was a 3rd grader.  I’m thanking him because I’ve always been a Degree of Separation from the little star (smile) I want to thank this little white girl who use to sit in the middle of the grass and literally play with bee’s (she was some kind of ‘Bee Whisperer) she talked to them and I was just amazed at how she wasn’t getting stung!  (I went to so many schools growing up … I’m picking HUGE Highlights from them now)  I want to thank Ms. Gentes who changed her name to Anderson during the summer of my 5th grade year (cause she got married) …she use to let me be me as a little kid …and she also knew my situation at the crib and she would try to keep me around ‘helping’ her as much as I could after school.  I wanna thank this 7th grade girl who told the whole school that I #2′d on myself and the 8th graders laughed at me for a month (even though I didn’t) Crazy part was … I was in LOVE with that girl LOL… Wanna thank Keisha Abraham in the 7th grade for walking with me on my Paper Route (cause I aint have a bike) as I told her about my dreams of being a Comedian when I grew up.  I want to thank Ramsey Byrd for being the most popular dude in San Jose to me as a kid… You, Chuckie Hooper, Jerome, Madric Lindsey & Jesse Hooker had to be like The Outsiders to me when I was a kid “Do it for Johnny!”  I want to thank all The Meskin kids in Delano, CA for not tripping on me being 1 of a handful of black people around all of them …’Vatto Hombre’s’ for LIFE!!! I want to Thank Ms. Velez who was the finest teacher in my school at Mt. Pleasant my 9th grade year & she taught Spanish … I was AWFUL at Spanish but I was in LOVE with Ms. Miriam Velez (Bout to go find her on Facebook) and she knew it … so she gave me a C- …both years LOL!  I want to thank the entire body of Mt. Pleasant High School for single handedly bring the Jets to the school our sophomore year then moving to Stockton, California THAT WEEK!!!  I want to thank Alana Turner (my Big Sis) who watched me grow as a human being since I was 9 years old … ask her, I’m the SAME “GRIFF”!!! (or Dewaine)  I want to thank Michelle Morlock AKA ‘MEEM’s for walking me into that Comedy club April 14th 1995 (you changed my life wouldn’t even be a fair statement) I want to thank Tara Thomas for being at the D.C. Improv the night I featured for Mark Curry and telling Frank Ski about me the next day … The rest is (Hell … the rest is right now!) I want to thank Wanda Smith for ALWAYS … ALWAYS making me laugh in the morning!  Last but not least (this is going to be weird) I want to thank Mr. William Marshall … if you wouldn’t have worked at Baranco when Toni worked there and got her pregnant … i would have never saw Justice as the cutest 4 year old girl I ever met in my life and on THAT day decided that I want a daughter (and I want to be with Toni) … I have had a gang of people believe in me my entire life but between y’all and me … I have NEVER not believed in myself …even when it was hard, even when it was tough, even when they told me ‘you can’t’ or ‘you won’t.’  GOD has had me because of my FAITH … my mother showed me a long time ago how big a Mustard Seed was …and since then … I’ve been moving mountains … out of my mouth (no size to small) Holla-Lou-Ya!!!

Love,

Mr. ‘B’ (as in BELIEVE)

12MAR12 – Thats just a cool number in itself (smile) As soon as I learn how to upload pictures along with my blog its gonna be an AMAZING DAY but when I learn how to mix the video too … I’m gone be outta here! (laughing to myself) So yesterday as you can see from reading below (which was actually the day before) this is what happened… Remember how I said I was going to watch the CIS Mens BBALL Games on Friday afternoon with The LakeHead Team? (let me scroll down to make sure I even told y’all about that first) I just scrolled down and I didn’t see .. so let me explain, well that was pretty much the bulk of it .. I met the LakeHead Coaches on Thursday they said I could watch the games with them Court side Friday … I went up there Friday morning and there were NO tickets waiting for me and the coach wasn’t replying back to my emails (he was at first but it was getting closer to game time and I understood) Well Saturday night after my last show at Yuk Yuks (an AMAZING Show … a TRULY … well, I needed that for my life, lets just say that… for my own personal SOUL) so after the Show I go to wind down and I meet The IT guy and former Presidents & Coaches of Carleton University (they were undefeated and #1 in the Tournament) I walk in ,the tallest one of them (Dick) asks me questions about The Ravens (but I don’t know) so he starts teaching me sayings like ‘Go Ravens Go’ and if they win this one they’ll have 8 in 10 years … so on and so on, so I’m going around their area talking to the rest of the people all red and blacked out! (Carleton’s Colors) and they say how do you know all of this… I simply answer ‘DICK TOLD ME!’ … we laughed about the ‘DICK TOLD ME’ stuff all night … I met Jennifer who is one of seven female Athletic Directors in Canada …and I also met Little Bob who is Doug’s father and Troy and Danny (Dick’s son) they ended up inviting me to the Championship Game on Sunday afternoon with Carleton against Alberta … I got to watch my first CIS Mens Basketball game in a suite with HUGE boosters of the school … it was CRAZY!!!  After they won …and boy did they win BIG … The Suite and most of the people who took the 16 hour drive from Ottawa went to this Irish Pub called Durty Nelly’s … after sitting there talking about the game and eating for 90 mins with people from Carleton… The entire Mens Basketball Program plus the Coaches all came in and hung out with the people and took pictures and signed things (well …I have EVERYBODIES signatures … current President of the school, former Presidents, Head Coach Smart and of course DICK) my ‘DICK TOLD ME’ campaign went over well with the alumni and the team and y’all are hearing the beginning of something HUGE because next year the 51st Annual CIS Tournament is going to be in Ottawa where The Host College is going to be Carleton University … if you don’t think I have sent emails, bio’s, videos and more to all those people you’re CRAZY! I’ll see y’all in Ottawa 2013 … you know how I know??? “DICK TOLD ME!!!!!” (smile)

Love,

Mr. ‘ALWAYS in the RIGHT PLACE ‘… ALWAYS (thank you JESUS!)

11MAR12 – If you haven’t moved your clocks forward then you’re gonna have a hectic day … it sounds good when its 0200 in the morning but when your day is surrounded by time that morning or should I say THIS morning it kinda messes your head up!  Today is going to be a day that will change my life, I’m speaking it into existence … I believe in the power of my GOD like THAT!!! LORD today I know that I will meet or be with somebody that is going to change my life dramatically for the better & it might not be today when the change comes, and it might not be tomorrow but the person I meet today is going to impact my life in a positive way where I’ll be able to take care of my family the way I want to & the way they want me to.  Today is going to be a breakthrough day and I speak it with the LORD as my witness … its going to happen today!!! The next time I post I’ll be posting something that will be only remembered as a miracle .. thats it… today is the day so be it says THE LORD!!! (I need an organ and some Praise Dancing) … I’m going crazy in my hotel … WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

09MAR12 (1708 NL (Canada time) I’m in Halifax, Nova Scotia right now & how bout on Sunday at 0200 they’re moving they’re clocks forward for the Spring and they’ll be TWO hours ahead of East Coast time; 10AM in New York … 12PM in Halifax! But if you really wanna trip that means its 12:30PM in St. Johns, Newfoundland.  I had a crazy day today …bunch of ups and downs but I’m very proud of myself how I dealt with them.  I’m thanking GOD in advance right now for what He has for me and when MY plan isn’t HIS plan its nothing to panic about because I just have to think of all the other times that He has NEVER let me down … EVER…HUNDREDS of times …THOUSANDS (smile)  Some might call it ‘getting old’ but I think its a lot like that wine and cheese saying … I’m getting better now… that’s crazy because at 40 I understand people more, have more empathy for folk (still me …don’t get me wrong) but I think that GOD has really let me see whats important lately.  I told the only person who I thought would want to hear my complaining today cause I sit and listen to hers (ALL the time) and TONI shot me down jack … never saw it coming … Hit me so hard sideways that I didn’t even have a chance to regroup.  Toni’s a funny study because  I promise you as much as she cares … she doesn’t want HER peace messed up … you can’t be mad at that!  The old me (if we weren’t married) would have probably broke up with her or just straight stopped 2-waying her (Age tell right there LOL) But like our Marriage Counselor Mel says ‘we just have to know each others boundaries’ … I found out today that Toni doesn’t want to hear my LOW SELF ESTEEM  boundary and I OVERSTEPPED IT  … Ha Ha, I taught her how to recognize that in folk (The Low Self Esteem theory) & she flipped it on me BWAHHHHHHHHHHHH …and interesting study she is!  Well enough of laughing at myself, I have a Show tonight and I have to not only represent Americans because our teachers in the 4th grade found it more important to teach us to remember the 50 States and Capitals but left out The now 10 Provinces & 3 Territories of Canada and I don’t know WHAT is going on in Mexico but I also have to represent intelligent and EXTREMELY funny Black Americans in front of a crowd that will probably outside of me have 2 to NO black people in it … so this gift I have of changing peoples ‘mindset,’ I will waive like a soldiers flag from BRAVEHEART!  I love you Toni … I died to you today just know that… the hatchet in the FACE kind of death!  You’re still my Homegirl though … (when you have on eyelashes) … when you don’t you remind me of a TADPOLE!!!

PEACE,

‘Bad Luck Schleprock’ who recognized their was a cloud over his head & lifted it off!!! HOW BOUT THAT

04MAR12 (11:35) I am in St. Johns, Newfoundland (Canada) and its pronounced “NOOFIN-LAND” … have met great people in my life in my travels but the people of this Province thats the farthest East in North America have changed my life (smile) In the best kind of way! I probably thought that the Salt Lake City were the nicest people in our country but The Newfoundland Labrador people are the truth … just amazing people.  Everyone invites you to everything they don’t have a problem with inviting people over to have a ‘small kitchen’ party to going out with them and ‘getting your spirits on’ … they’re a drinking bunch LOL.  I’ve been to Alaska a bunch of times and the people out that way live like the people over here on ‘The Rock” (thats what they call it) There is a lot of history around this place to and they are directly interwoven with the Black History of our Country is pretty cool as well.  You have to look up the story of Lanier Phillips…I guy from Atlanta, Georgia who was changed by the people of Newfoundland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJkbkBbTaYI … its AMAZING!!! (if you have a chance after listening to that then check out what Bill Cosby did for Mr. Phillips) I’ll have so much more to tell you guys about this lovely place but I have to pack… they’re 90 minutes ahead of New York time and its a big brain BLANK LOL. 

22FEB12 (1231) – They just told all of us at this airport that our flight was going to be delayed because people are looking in the left engine … Why would you tell people that? They might as well say “We have to look under the hood real quick then we’ll know get right back with y’all” GEEZ!!!  I just said it the other day but there are a few things I want to talk about Whitney Houston’s Funeral.  One Bobby Brown left because it was too long (smile) … How you let Robert Kelly sing but not let Whitney Houston’s ONLY husband of 15 years not have a remark about a woman that he shares a daughter with??? HOW? HOW? HOW?  Where was a Pastor to say … “I don’t care what they’re talking about … Bobby should be able to talk about his wife.”  I’m looking at it like this … If anything happens to Toni (and we’ve only been married 5 years) if I CAN’T talk at the Funeral … Then I’m gone get ‘Bobby Brown’ Style on the church too.  Husbands and wives share way more secrets than brothers and sisters …and I can PROMISE YOU Bobby knew more about Whitney then her cousin Dionne Warrick…not taking anything away from all the wonderful people who performed and spoke during the Homegoing, how POWERFUL was Kevin Costner though…he showed off, then everybody got mad at him because he said ‘Damn’ … can someone please make sure that I’m buried at a place that’s NOT a church because if I die before my mother she’s gonna cuss (smile) … Love that lady.  They’re now saying we can get on the plane … LOL, I’ll hit y’all later … Washington D.C. on Monday (20FEB12) Greenville, S.C. (21FEB12) Maryland tonight then The Family Comedy Tour this Saturday at The Crampton Auditorium on Howard University’s Campus! Life is AWESOME … Thank You JESUS for work …but most of all thank you LORD for not letting me be a quitter!!! AMEN

“A Dumb Lamb for JESUS”

13FEB12 (1124) – I just looked at all my posts and realized that I put 2011 on the beginning of every post. Thats CRAZY, I wonder what I was really trying to say, what kind of ‘Freudian Slip’was that? Maybe its like I always say ‘Live in the Past Die in the Past!’ (I hate to say this but … speaking of dying) As you all know Whitney Houston has passed this past Friday. What saddens me more is the state of our industry right now. How could someone as regal and … lets go past the regal blah blah blah …How can someone sell over 200 million records and not have anything. Let me tell you the math, a singer told me that when a group goes platinum (a million records in the U.S.) he / she makes $10 million for the record label … so were talking about roughly give or take a little here and there about 2 BILLION DOLLARS! Whitney Houston made a couple of billion dollars for a record label (Arista) that nobody really knew about and she died broke? I understand there are contracts and blah blah blah … money from concerts, endorsements woo woo woo but what about the money that she made for the record label, doesn’t that count for something? We all go through problems in life but Peter Parkers Uncle said it the plainest … “With great Powers come great responsibilities.” Why did we just sit back and WATCH Whitney Houston go through a drug problem, I know Clive stepped in and helped her but aren’t we all worth a GANG of chances? GOD gives us unlimited chances and human beings only give us THREE, isn’t that crazy? This is not baseball, this is life and we need help from folk out here. This industry (Entertainment) is not easy, it’s not as glamourous as people would have you believe and it sucks your Soul if you let it. But in 2012 why are some Artists being pawns to this ‘game.’ We should be owning our own brands & our own productions by now … I don’t get it. I have to think more about this … it has to be a way that this can be turned around… I pray it is. I also lost a good friend who helped me with the Comedy Night at The DugOutt Sports bar in Greenville, S.C…. Big Mike (the DJ) He was going through a lot inside of his body but he still came out on Wednesdays when he could after he stop DJing for us. GOD Bless all the families of people who have lost somebody and dealing with it… Amen. Everyone have an awesome Monday, … I’ll hit y’all tomorrow.

‘Thinking to Hard’

23JAN11 (2318) – Today was my FINAL day of that Pre-Trial Diversion Program that I put myself in … instead of paying an almost $600.00 ticket … The Class only cost $300.00 but the TIME … geez the TIME that it has been consuming …you know what though, I don’t have to worry about it anymore, no points, no charge, no nothing! Its all gone and all I had to do was sit with some folk who REALLY did crime to get it over with. It was a lady sitting next to me today who had some kids with her and some more kids in the car. Sometimes when you think your day or your life is going bad all you have to do is look around (or in my case… listen) I was speaking to my 13 year old twin nephews today & I was supposed to take them in the room and yell at them but I really just chopped it up with them on some ‘Boy to Man’ stuff. When I brought them both out of the room to confront their mother and Toni I made an analogy from The Toy Story Movies. I asked ‘What do you think the movies are all about if you had to summarize them?’ (their answers were LAME and not the point LOL …. ) I said ‘I think its about being too comfortable …because when you’re around the same thing all the time… you take it for granted!’ (Toni clapped and yelled AMEN!) and I realized right there after I said that, that I probably take my wife for granted more than I know. She cooks the best food in my life, rubs my feet, listens to my rants … woo woo woo. But in the end she’s MY Toni. When I’m on the road I NEVER get good food, I hate sleeping in hotels …and nobody is rubbing my feet (except the occasional Kim / Carol from the Nail Shops) So really fast I learned a quick lesson on ‘taking folk for granted’ … I don’t think anyone starts out saying … ‘I’m gonna take this person for granted’ it actually just kinda happens … Crazy right? I’ve talked to FOUR people in the last week (last 3 days actually) who are getting divorced or going through a divorce … I hate it for Em, I really do because I wonder did they try…then I say to myself (Mind your own business “GRIFF”!) Geez … people know why they can’t be together anymore (smile) But what we do as human beings is compare our stuff to everybody else’s stuff …and we shouldn’t do that but we do (what can you do) I’m going to work on NOT taking my family …and SOME friends for granted. Gonna make a conscious effort … (see thats why you can’t make New Years Resolutions… what if you want to do something else… you have to KEEP changing, for the better) What are you going to change or work on? Stay Blessed

‘Mr. Empathetic’

22JAN11 – You know whats funny about The NFL’s AFC / NFC Championships … well … if you’re a kicker from Baltimore or a Rookie from San Francisco … NOTHING! Let me tell you something… I almost lost TONI over the weekend because of my DOG … (long story… its actually REAL short .. Toni hates Madison) what you think Ray Lewis wanted to say to the kicker who missed “the closest kick in missing close kicks” history! What about the Rookie Special Teams Cat who let a ball hit his knee on one play then straight fumbled in OT IN Candlestick … Whats my point to all of this … its easy … I need to probably get some more fish! LOL Cause Toni really doesn’t like Madison … or maybe I like Madison too much??? I don’t know … either way … I pick Toni over a Dog (smile) Only if Toni will let me scratch her neck, put a collar around her …and don’t talk! Anyway … I have to go to my LAST little Probation Diversion WOO WOO WOO … almost got a ‘Super Speeder’ Ticket but I had to go to a class then write a couple of essays … blah blah blah … What I do know is I’m BLESSED … no complaints … need to probably open up more (smile) I’m kidding … Love y’all … Stay Blessed …

“Dog LoVA”

21JAN11 - It’s early Saturday morning and the rain is coming down ‘cartoon style.’ I say it all the time but here goes a great time to say it real quick … ‘I’M so glad that GOD knows when His Earth needs to be watered cause if it was up to humans, we would be late, call in sick … use the sick voice for not watering the planet (thats funny) So yesterday wasn’t a ‘good’ day. Got stretched all the way out and it pinpoints back to Madison (my 2 year old Jack Russell… not quite 2 yet) She doesn’t listen to anybody all the way in the house except me and she runs off and has her own adventures for an hour or so then comes back home … problem with that is easy, she’s a 6 pound dog running around doing what she wants off of Enon and Campbellton. Personally I think its kind of cool that she knows how to leave and come back but she’ll only do it for 10/12 mins if I’m home and let her out myself. But don’t let anybody else in the house let her out without a leash cause she’s GONE! (Especially Toni who has let it be known for ALMOST 2 years that she hates the dog) Truth is her family thinks all dogs are supposed to be outside… PERIOD no matter the breed or size … and I quote ‘A dog is a dog.’ Needless to say you wont be seeing anybody in her family at The local PetSmart pulling on rope toys or shopping for ‘something nice for my pet.’ Its understandable … I’m a pet person, Toni isn’t. I like the Raiders and some people don’t like football … (What up NAS… yeah the rapper) So I had to make up a new ‘rule’ in the house… problem with ‘new rules’ is its kinda like the last rule didn’t work so you’re playing it by ear (thats what I think) Like STOP signs are simply for folk to STOP while they’re at a particular intersection … now if they made up a ‘new rule’ … like only STOP if its close to 1PM everybody would go crazy. So I said all that to say this … when you get a Partner in life .. .make sure she likes animals if you do because if she doesn’t its gonna cause stress like You being the oldest and her being the youngest .. .Different habits. I’m about to have a GREAT day I have some AWESOME things I’m about to bring to fruition and Yesterday is over … What’d you leave in yesterday?

“HIM”

10JAN11 – As I sit here listening to The Fred Hammond Station I made on Pandora … I’m thrown from HOW MANY PEOPLE I KNOW who are singing all of these songs.  The LORD has REALLY let me be in the presence of all these Gospel Giants but as I look back at why I’m around all of these ‘Holy Folk’ its because I’m one of their peers.  I’ve been performing Comedy 17 years on April 14th and I have did EVERYTHING I said I wanted to do.  I have no regrets, I mean … little ones like I probably shouldn’t have broken all of those females hearts but if that wouldn’t have happened then I wouldn’t have ‘My Toni.’  If I changed one thing in my past then I wouldn’t be where I am right now (smile) & today I Thank GOD publicly for where He has me today.

As I type this from the finished basement of my home I think back at when I was living on ‘The Reservation’ in Lawrenceville, GA about seven years ago.  Just thinking about what I’ve done in Atlanta in the last 13 years is crazy: I was hired at V-103, then Fired at V-103 after three years, I was picked as the Host of THUNDERBOX, I got Baptized, I had custody of my boys, I lost custody of my boys (after my apartment burned) I was chosen to be on HOT 107.9 then after three and a half years I was replaced with the exact same and ONLY person who gave me some money when my aforementioned apartment burned.

(The Irony) LOL … I’ve traveled to the Continent of Africa well over six times … I got married here in Georgia and regained custody of my boys just to add another member to our blended family (Jamisen) I’ve been Featured on The One Love Gospel Cruise FIVE times and I’m currently on the third year of The Radio One Family Comedy Tour, over Christmas I united (I would say reunited but we didn’t know her) my 18 year old sister with our father & a month before that I moved my sister & her three sons from California to live with us here in Atlanta.  Out of all those past accomplishments (and I really didn’t list any) the most important to me is my Baptism.  I’ll never forget that day because I invited people to my Baptism as if it were a Club invitation.  LOL, its the second week of 2012 and I know who I am …who are YOU??? Stay Blessed

“GRIFF”

18JAN2011 – I’m just returning from California and when I tell you that I had an AWESOME time with my family … it brings tears to my eyes of how much learning and wisdom I received by just sitting under my mother. My mother has always been the ‘Queen’ in my life (hence ‘Cats and Puppies’) but when you get to sit under the ‘Queen’ its pretty unique on a learning level. My mother told me something that she told me before but I really didn’t pay that much thought to it… She asked me ‘Did you know that you put me through school?’ I actually knew I sent her money for different things but I didn’t know THAT was what some of the money went to. It almost brings me to tears to think that I’ve helped the woman who has influenced and helped me my entire life and casually she tells me ‘you put me through school.’ I have to admit … I’ve been doing comedy for almost 17 years in April and its been some selfish motives behind it … you know I get the attention from strangers … I get the admiration from people all across the world that I don’t know and I get the pay out of sitting and writing jokes. But when I look back over my entire career … I have been doing this ‘Crazy Job’ for everybody EXCEPT me! I did it to get back at my father for telling me what I couldn’t do and be, I did it for the people in the hood who told me I would never be on television, I did it for the teachers who said ‘If you don’t go to college you’ll have nothing as a career’ and finally I did it because my tragedy has been everybody else’s Comedy! Truthfully I’ve been performing as a comedian for almost two decades and I’ve been doing this for everybody except ME. It took me to get married and fall in love with a cool chick from BankHead & Kimberly Courts out of Atlanta to truly know my worth. I know it now …I know y’all THOUGHT I knew it cause (without being humble) I’ve been playing it off pretty well. In my mind I’ve always been able to visualize who I am or at least what I wanted to be but now I AM that person I’ve created since I was 17. The next chapter in my life will be for me… and I’m so excited about it. When are you gonna believe in GOD within you to tell you who you truly are and back up from listening to yourself?

‘HIM’

Order your copy of “Cats & Puppies” TODAY!

‘Cats & Puppies’ is actually a love letter to Arlen “GRIFF” Griffin’s mother, Lenoir. In this book you will read the authors transparency, love and unique way to describe the woman who was pregnant at fifteen and delivered her first child of five at sixteen years old. “GRIFF” has created a platform of his own that has never been examined before. There is no book on the planet that directly helps and shows how to help women raising boys. The entire book is just a small collection of thoughts from a boy who not only saw his mother’s shortcomings but praised her through them all.

The analogy of the title is simple; if a dog has puppies, and it is no longer able to care for its offspring, the puppies can be raised by a cat if necessary…as long as the cat begins to take care of the pups within 4 hours of them being born. Although in the beginning it seems like it could be an easy fit, it could be a little awkward, but become a working situation. Ultimately, when that puppy grows up and turns into a dog… all that cat can do is show her pup ‘things she saw dogs do.’ She tells her offspring things like: “if someone throws something at you, fetch it”.

The great part about ‘Cats & Puppies’ is the relevance. Women who also have daughters will enjoy this book. People without children will be able to prepare themselves for the balance needed to have kids, while having some fun tools to use when they decide to become a parent. Men who don’t have kids and were raised by their mother’s will also relate and feel like someone was reading their personal diary.

As we all know, it’s very rare that you have the opportunity to read a book that is hard to ‘put down.’ “GRIFF”, in his first literary effort has written a Classic! Most authors let you feel the characters that they’ve made up through a protagonist and antagonist point of view. Mr. Griffin IS the point of view. As a comedian, with almost seventeen years under his belt, he has learned to take his “no holds barred” attitude from the stage, and turn it directly into words on a page. The result: an international minded book that will be around long after Mr. GriffinCats & Puppies

Price: $14.99
Author:  Arlen “GRIFF” Griffin
Contact:  http://toniandgriff.com/
Synopsis:  Moms, wouldn’t you love to have a guide for building good relationships with your sons? Well, the wait is over. “Cats & Puppies” is more than a self-help book. It’s a funny, down-to-earth guide to the art of raising boys into healthy men.
Product Details:

• Paperback: 122 Pages
• Size:  5.5 x 8.5 in
• Publisher:  A New Day Publishing
• Language:  English

ISBN: 978-09831695-1-2

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