Comedy club involved in dispute over alleged comment and professionalism
By Pankaj Ladhar of Manos • Alwine P.L.
At one of the most popular comedy clubs in Southwest Florida on September 17, comedian and actor Faizon Love refused to go on for a scheduled show following a dispute with the comedy club’s management. According to Love, the business dispute was over a racial comment he claims Off the Hook comedy club management made to a waitress. Management, however, claims that Love arrived 40 minutes late for a scheduled appearance, demanded a cash payment not agreed upon in his contract, and acted unprofessionally.
The manager of the club also denied that a racial statement was ever made. Despite appearing in five shows at the club, Love declined to appear for the sixth and final show included in his contract. Once again, management offered an alternative story where Love was fired from the club for multiple reasons, including assertions that he had acted unprofessionally during his time at the club during which he was not performing. Following Love’s Twitter complaints about the club and its manager, Off the Hook claimed that he invented the story to avoid the awkwardness of his dismissal.
Following the dispute over whether Love could be paid in cash for his performance, club management called local police and had Love removed from the comedy club, according to the club’s manager. Too often these sorts of disputes turn into each side launching accusations at each other. Ideally a well drafted agreement that makes both side’s expectations clear can make sure that the ‘business’ aspect of the entertainment business is not sacrificed.
Faizon Love is best known for his appearance as the drug dealer “Big Worm” in the 1995 film Friday and for his appearance as a member of a dysfunctional couple in the popular 2009 comedy movie Couples Retreat.
Source: Eagle News “Dispute brews between Off the Hook Club and Faizon Love this weekend,”Joel Morris, Sept. 20, 2011