J. B. Smoove facts for kids

Quick facts for kids J. B. Smoove
Smoove in February 2024
Born	Jerry Angelo Brooks (1965-12-16) December 16, 1965 (age 59) Plymouth, North Carolina, U.S.
Education	Mount Vernon High School Norfolk State University
Occupation	Actor comedian writer
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Shahidah Omar ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	1

Jerry Angelo Brooks (born December 16, 1965), known by his stage name J. B. Smoove, is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He started his career in 1995 on Def Comedy Jam. Later, he was a writer and performer on NBC's Saturday Night Live from 2003 to 2006.

He is very well known for his main roles on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, where he appeared from 2007 to 2024. He also starred in the CBS sitcom The Millers from 2013 to 2015. J. B. Smoove also played a funny, made-up version of himself on the BET improv-comedy reality television show Real Husbands of Hollywood from 2013 to 2016.

Early Life and Education

J. B. Smoove was born in Plymouth, North Carolina. When he was three years old, his family moved to Mount Vernon, New York, where he grew up. He spent a lot of time with his mom's family in Plymouth. He has said that these visits helped inspire his comedy style. He lived in the Levister Towers housing projects in Mount Vernon with his two younger brothers. His father passed away when J. B. Smoove was 15 years old.

In 1983, Smoove finished high school at Mount Vernon High School. He then went to Norfolk State University in Virginia. There, he studied engineering and graphic design. Before becoming famous, he worked as a perfume maker and sold fire extinguishers door-to-door.

Career Highlights

J. B. Smoove in 2012

J. B. Smoove started his career doing stand-up comedy. This is when he changed his name from Jerry Brooks to "J. B." and added "Smoove" as his last name.

He had important roles on TV shows like Everybody Hates Chris and Saturday Night Live. On SNL, he was a writer and also appeared in small parts in sketches. He even won an award in 2007 for Best Comedy/Variety Series for his writing on Saturday Night Live. He worked on the show for three years.

Smoove became a regular actor on the HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm starting in 2007. He played the character Leon Black. He got this role after his time on SNL. He was in Los Angeles for a friend's funeral, which allowed him to audition for Curb Your Enthusiasm.

In 2017, J. B. Smoove wrote a book from the point of view of his character, Leon, from Curb Your Enthusiasm.

He also had a big role on the FOX sitcom 'Til Death for two seasons. In 2008, he was a judge on The Gong Show with Dave Attell. He also hosted a stand-up comedy series called Russell Simmons Presents: Stand-Up at The El Rey in 2010.

J. B. Smoove has lent his voice to animated shows like The Simpsons and American Dad!. In 2013, he voiced Hackus in the movie The Smurfs 2. He also appeared in the movie Movie 43.

In 2012, his first TV comedy special, JB Smoove: That's How I Dooz It, was shown on Comedy Central. He also played a supporting role in the TV show The League. He was one of the "Replacers" for the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops II.

Smoove hosts Four Courses with J.B. Smoove, a talk show on the MSG Network. He also voices Dr. Ray De Angelo Harris in the video game Grand Theft Auto V. From 2013 to 2015, he was a main actor on the CBS comedy The Millers, playing the character Ray.

In 2014, J. B. Smoove hosted the TV show Last Comic Standing. He also appeared on comedian Jerry Seinfeld's web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee in 2016. That same year, he played Frederick Douglass in the web series Epic Rap Battles of History.

In 2017, he played Santa Claus in Sia's music video, "Santa's Coming for Us".

He was a guest judge on the first season of The Masked Singer in 2019. He started voicing Frank in Harley Quinn in 2019. He also played Julius Dell in the Marvel Studios movies Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).

In 2020, Smoove starred in Mapleworth Murders. He won an Emmy Award in 2021 for his role in this show.

Since 2021, J. B. Smoove has been in commercials for the Caesars Sportsbook mobile app. He plays the character Caesar and appears with other famous people like Patton Oswalt and Halle Berry.

Volunteering and Personal Life

J. B. Smoove is on the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Club in Mount Vernon, New York. He helps lead events for the organization, like the Future Leaders Gala in 2017.

In 2007, Smoove married singer Shahidah Omar. They live in Los Angeles. He also has an adult daughter named Jerrica from a previous relationship.

He is a big fan of New York sports teams, including the New York Knicks (basketball), New York Yankees (baseball), and the New York Jets (football). In 2019, he played in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. He has been vegan since 2018.

Comedy Specials

• JB Smoove: That's How I Dooz It (2012)

Film Appearances

J. B. Smoove has appeared in many movies. Here are some of them:

Television Appearances

J. B. Smoove has been in many TV shows. Here are some of his roles:

Video Games

J. B. Smoove has also lent his voice to video games:

See also

In Spanish: J. B. Smoove para niños