Hannibal Buress

From within the bustling heart of the Windy City, a comedian named Hannibal Buress embarked upon his journey. The year was 2002, the location, the Big Muddy Room at Southern Illinois University. Guided by the wisdom of his friend Chidi and sharpened in the fires of Tony Trimm’s “Sunday School sessions,” young Buress was prepared to take the comedy world by storm.

In 2006, he emerged from the shadows, performing at Montreal’s ‘Just for Laughs’ New Faces, an event that led to his first international appearance on “Late Night with Jörgen Raymann” in Holland. From that moment, he continued to grow, creating a series of successful stand-up specials including “Animal Furnace,” “Live From Chicago,” “Hannibal Takes Edinburgh,” “Comedy Camisado,” and “Miami Nights”.

Fate intervened in 2009, when a last-minute booking on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” led to a meeting with Seth Meyers. This encounter gave him the opportunity to write for the legendary show “Saturday Night Live.” It was there, my young turtles, where Buress had one sketch air – a moment he credits to the creativity of his cousin Percy. He cherishes the memory of watching Rihanna uttering his lines in the “Shy Ronnie” sketch. After a season there, he moved to “30 Rock,” filling the space left vacant by the departure of Donald Glover.

In the realm of film, Buress has proven his versatility, showcasing his talents in “Neighbors,” “Neighbors 2,” “Baywatch,” “Daddy’s Home,” “Spiderman: Homecoming,” “Spiderman: Far From Home,” and “Tag.” He also provided a memorable performance as Lincoln the dentist on “Broad City” and lent his voice to animations like “The Secret Life of Pets” and “The Angry Birds Movie.”

From 2009 to 2017, Buress held court at the “Comedy at the Knitting Factory,” his charm and wit making an indelible mark on late-night television, featuring on shows such as “David Letterman,” “Conan,” “Stephen Colbert,” and “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.”