Northwest Indiana audiences should get ready to have their funny bones tickled when Tracy Morgan comes to town.
The former “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock” star will bring his “No Disrespect” comedy tour on Nov 4 to the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana’s Hard Rock Live venue in Gary. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Morgan was recently honored with the New York Friars Club’s Entertainment Icon Award at its spring gala. Morgan is only the ninth recipient of the prestigious award and the first Black recipient.
An Emmy-nominated actor, Morgan just wrapped “The Last O.G.,” which ran for four seasons on TBS. He also starred alongside Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall and Jermaine Fowler in 2021’s “Coming 2 America” for Amazon Prime. He has several other roles and nominations under his belt.
But it’s comedy that the Brooklyn-born Morgan always returns to.
“I talk about things that are happening in my life. I talk about things in the world, like the pandemic — all kinds of stuff,” he said of his show. “I just try to make it funny. God blessed me with material. God blessed me with a sense of humor. It doesn’t matter what I talk about. Whatever I talk about is going to be funny.”
At this point in his standup career, Morgan doesn’t have to write out his jokes anymore.
“I free-fall,” he said. “I have something worked out but most of the time I’m just free-falling. Isn’t that what Richard Pryor did? Sometimes you’ve got to let go and let God.”
Morgan didn’t have comedic aspirations growing up.
“I knew my dad was funny. I knew I was funny but I never paid attention to it. I didn’t want to be a comedian. I wanted to be a running back in the NFL,” he said. “This fell upon me. It worked out for me and my children. I’m glad it did. I’m not complaining.”
He has four children and says that being a dad is his favorite role.
“I love being a father.”
He is focused on his tour right now and doesn’t have any acting roles on the horizon.
“After that, whatever happens, happens. I try not to plan things like that,” he said. “Right now, I’m just focused on Chicago. I can’t wait to get there. Focus on one thing at a time, is what Bruce Lee said. I used to focus on a lot of things and I looked around and I ain’t did nothing. So I focus on one thing at a time.”
Comedically, he’s inspired by Richard Pryor, Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall.
Day to day, he’s inspired by just being alive, he said.
“I’ve been through a lot. I’m happy just waking up in the morning,” he said. “Kidney transplant, hit by trucks — I’m happy to wake up. I’m inspired,” he said. “I feel as good as I can be.”
He got a kidney transplant in 2010 and in 2014, the limousine he was traveling was struck by a Walmart truck on the New Jersey Turnpike.
He loves his audiences and says they should expect to laugh, he said.
“Anybody can do comedy but not everybody is funny,” he said. “I will be as funny as I can be with you guys.”
Tracy Morgan
When: 7 p.m. Nov. 4
Where: Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, 5400 West 29th Ave., Gary
Tickets: $55-$136
Information: 219-228-2383; hardrockcasinonorthernindiana.com
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
