J.B. Smoove Net Worth 2024

What is J.B. Smoove’s net worth?

J.B. Smoove is an American comedian and actor who has a net worth of $6 million. Thanks to his breakout position as Leon Black on Larry David’s long-running HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm, Smoove has develop into a extremely sought-after comedian with roles in a wide range of function movies and tv exhibits in addition to stand-up comedy initiatives, however in truth he is been a recognized entity within the comedy world going all the way in which again to the Nineteen Nineties.

Early Life

J.B. Smoove was born on December 18th, 1965 in Plymouth, North Carolina, and as you in all probability already guessed it was not beneath the identify “J.B. Smoove.” Instead he was merely Jerry Brooks. He who moved to Mount Vernon, New York when he was three years outdated, whereas persevering with to go to Plymouth due to his prolonged family within the space. As the story goes, it was members of that prolonged family that went on to encourage a lot of his comedy materials. In 1983, Jerry graduated from Mount Vernon High School. he then moved to Virginia to enroll in Norfolk State University, the place he studied graphic design and engineering.

After college, however earlier than he discovered his area of interest as a stand-up comedian, he took on a wide range of odd jobs, together with, in his personal phrases: “Selling door-to-door hearth extinguishers… In bars, I used to restore these machines which have 10 completely different buttons on them to spray membership soda and seltzer.” But ultimately he discovered himself onstage telling jokes, and it did not take lengthy for him to differentiate himself in that space.

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Comedy Career

Smoove started performing stand-up comedy within the early 90s (ultimately adopting his now well-known stage identify), first catching the eye of the general public eye whereas showing as a part of Russell Simmons’s Def Comedy Jam. His stand-up work led to recurring roles on such collection as Everybody Hates Chris and Saturday Night Live, on which he additionally labored as a author. In that capability on Saturday Night Live he acquired a Writers Guild of America award in 2007 – altogether he was on SNL for 3 years earlier than transferring on to different issues. He additionally earned a everlasting spot within the hearts of cult movie followers along with his position within the 2001 comedy Pootie Tang because the narrator. He additionally had a two-year run on the sitcom Til Death.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

J.B. Smoove joined the forged of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” throughout its sixth season, portraying the character Leon Black. He shortly grew to become one of many present’s most beloved figures and proceeded to proceed to star on the present for one more six seasons over 14 years. His character, initially launched as part of the Black family who strikes in with Larry David following a pure catastrophe, stood out along with his hilarious and unapologetically blunt demeanor. Smoove’s impeccable comedic timing and distinctive means to improvise reworked Leon into an integral a part of the collection, resulting in his character staying with Larry lengthy after the unique storyline concluded.

Smoove’s portrayal of Leon is characterised by his sharp wit, confidence, and unforgettable catchphrases, contributing considerably to the present’s dynamic and humor. He serves as a type of unorthodox conscience to Larry, usually concerned in a few of the most memorable and laugh-out-loud moments of the collection. His interactions with Larry and the remainder of the forged spotlight a chemistry that has enriched the present’s narrative, making it arduous to think about “Curb Your Enthusiasm” with out his presence. In 2017, he even wrote a guide in-character as Leon, titled The Book of Leon: Philosophy of a Fool. 

(Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images for BET)

Outside of Curb

Smoove has continued to work on different initiatives all through his appearances on the generally sporadic Curb. He was a celeb decide on a Gong Show revival hosted by comedian Dave Attell, a forged member on Cedric the Entertainer Presents, and in 2010 he hosted the Comedy Central stand-up comedy showcase Russell Simmons Presents: Stand-Up at The El Rey. In 2012 he returned to Comedy Central to make his TV stand-up particular debut with That’s How I Dooz It, and started racking up extra function movie credit in films like Movie #43 and The Smurfs 2, in addition to appearances in additional dramatic fare like We Bought a Zoo from director Cameron Crowe. His distinctive, instantly identifiable voice can be heard in video video games (Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Grand Theft Auto V) and on episodes of animated collection like Harley Quinn, The Simpsons and American Dad!. In 2014, Smoove hosted the eighth season of the stand-up comedy actuality competitors collection Last Comic Standing, and a few years later he did an episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee hosted by Jerry Seinfeld. He appeared (within the position of Santa Claus) in a Christmas-themed Sia music video, and has indulged in his culinary experience with exhibits like Four Courses with J.B. Smoove and Hell’s Kitchen: Rookies vs Veterans. And he is made memorable impressions as a chat present visitor all through this section of his profession, due to his improvisational comedy expertise (and the general public’s boundless curiosity about what Larry David is admittedly like in actual life).

Personal Life

Smoove has been married to singer Shahidah Omar since 2007, and the couple have one daughter. Unlike his Curb alter-ego, Smoove is a wholesome eater and confirmed vegan, in addition to a philanthropist, serving on the native Boys & Girls Club board of administrators in Mount Vernon. In 2019, he was certainly one of a wide range of North Carolina celebrities to play for the “dwelling group” within the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on the Bojangles’ Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Then, in 2020, he was honored in one other means, being cited by a Page Six story as an enormous tipper on the New York City eatery Brooklyn Chop House, reportedly leaving a tip to the tune of $1,200 – and he reportedly caught to the vegan menu.

J.B. Smoove Quote on Money

“There’s guide good, there’s road good, there’s relationship good, there’s too many alternative sorts of smarts to know all of them. Everybody would not know each sort of good. There’s cash good, there’s film good, there’s laptop good. There’s simply too many alternative sorts of smarts for individuals to know all of the smarts.”