Rickey Smiley

Prank phone-caller, standup comedian, radio personality and host of BET's Comic View, Rickey Smiley offers family-friendly comedy, low-key political observations and measured irreverence to folks looking for an alternative to the curse-laden raunchiness of many of the Birmingham, Ala., native's peers. An able pianist and singer as well as comedy jack-of-all-trades, Smiley doesn't necessarily have the national recognition of such figures as Cedric the Entertainer or D.L. Hughley. Nevertheless, he commands a large following through his many HBO and television appearances.