Tisha Campbell does it all: She’s a singer, actress, producer, writer — and now a stand-up comedian.
The Martin alum has taken the famous catchphrase from the popular ’90s sitcom and, with the help of her agent and fellow comedian Finesse Mitchell, curated a comedy tour called Dayum Gina. It’s a new venture for the iconic actress, who has always been known to make fans and her circle laugh, but she’s testing her comedy skills out for the first time on a live stage.
In a recent chat with Blavity’s Shadow and Act, Campbell opened up about her comedy style and working with Finesse. Dates are currently being added for spring and summer throughout the country. She also dished on some of her other projects and what else she has in the works.
So first and foremost, congratulations on the Dayum Gina tour. You have always been funny, but why do a comedy tour now?
Well, because I’ve never tried stand-up comedy in my life. This is a new venture for me. It’s the scariest shit I’ve ever done in my life. But it’s so fulfilling because, and I say this on stage, there’s no camera between us, there’s no screen between us, so people get to know me, not the character I’m playing or something like that.
And because this was something that I’ve been avoiding doing because I’ve worked with the best stand-up comedians and they’ve all been like, “Tisha, you’re funny, you should do stand-up,” and I go, “No, no, no, you just want to see me bomb.” I was really too scared to do it. I was super, super scared. And then it just so happens a good friend of mine, D-Nice, was having a residency at the Kennedy Center — well, what used to be called the Kennedy Center — and he had a three-night stay.
And I was just going to support him and so he said, “Listen, my host fell out on my comedy night. Can you come and host for me?” And I was like, “Sure, I’ll bring people up.” And then he said, “Yeah, you could do 15 minutes before me.” And I was like, “Huh? Who? She? Me? Who?”
But it just ended up working out because by the time I got off the stage, literally, I had an agent. And it was the first time I was doing this. I was super nervous, super scared, but I just started telling stories about myself, my kids, my life, being single. It’s been so fulfilling. So I can’t believe I’m doing it. And being on the road is also amazing because I get to touch people all over the country, so it’s dope.
You mentioned that all of your stand-up comedy friends have been pushing you to do this, so for this specific tour, who did you get advice or coaching from? And I know a lot of times, some stand-up comedians have a team of people that they come up with their routines and jokes. Did you have that?
I had a lot of people encouraging me when they found out I was doing it. Like, of course, Damon Wayans and Marlon Wayans — they were like, “Whenever you’re ready, send me your stuff so we could help you punch up and stuff.” And I was like, “No problem.” Jo Koy, he was always encouraging. And Dave Chappelle — when I told him I was doing stand-up, he was like, “Let’s go.” Lunell, Kym Whitley, Gary G. Thing, Royal Walker, Earthquake — so many comedians have been just cheering me on. Sherri Shepherd, everybody, Gina Yashere.
Everybody’s just been cheering me on. And I appreciate the support because I want these people to know that I take it seriously and I’m really doing the work.
I actually don’t have a group of people to do anything. Finesse Mitchell is my mentor. My agent, Tamara Gos, she put us together and thought that we could enhance one another. I get people in the seats and he’s a fierce, amazing comedian. And so when I tell him my stories, he gives me notes, he makes me edit things.
How would you describe your comedy and storytelling style?
It’s really storytelling. It’s my truth. And I love that people are able to get to know me — the real me. So it’s really truth-telling, storytelling. There aren’t any like bump-bump-button jokes like that. It’s really just real-life situations and it’s really about laughing at your pain — trying to get people to laugh at your pain.
Now, you said that your agent put you and Finesse together. Why do you think that you two have been a good mesh?
Well, that’s a great question. She was the brainchild behind putting Kym Whitley and David A. Arnold together — rest his soul — and they enhanced one another. She said, “I haven’t been this excited pairing two people together in a long time.”
Finesse and I worked together before, actually. We played husband and wife on a short-lived series that got canceled when COVID hit. And I knew him. I knew his style. I think his style — he’s not completely blue, but he’s blue enough. It’s a similar type of thing in that we talk about real-life situations, so we connect on that.
Not only would he be great as a mentor on stage, but off stage as well. He’s got a wonderful wife. She is supportive of us going on the road together, and I love that. She’s our backbone because she holds everything down for his family in order for him to go on the road like that.
It’s a safety thing too because you don’t want to be on the road by yourself as a woman and have people hitting on you and stuff like that. So it’s a little bit of both — there’s safety in it, and then there’s a lot of work to it.
Now, how has the audience reception been for you? Because this is new territory. And what type of energy do you get from the audience that’s unlike what you may have gotten from film, television or even when you’ve done your music?
Well, you know, it’s an instant gratification because you’ll know what hits and what does not hit. And the interesting thing about stand-up is, you never know what will hit that night. You could bomb — you could completely bomb — but it’s a learning experience.
It never deters me from getting back on the stage. But it’s a learning experience for me. If I don’t do well, it doesn’t deter me from not getting back up there.
There’s a different high that stand-up gives me with the instant gratification and the instant reaction. So you know what works and what doesn’t. And it’s also one of the reasons why I wanted all of the people that I’ve worked with over the years to know that I take it very, very seriously.
Nobody’s ghostwriting for me. Nobody’s doing nothing. I’m doing this all myself, and you know — honestly.
When COVID hit, I was by myself, and it was for the first time in my life, I was able to not hear the crowd noise — and not listen to somebody telling me what I could or could not do. And so I wanted to try everything I’ve ever wanted to try, and this was one of them. And it just so happened to work out.
So writing — I’ve been writing a lot, and I’m selling shows and then this. So it does give you a different high than the other things like being in front of a camera or something like that.
Now the name of the tour is Dayum Gina. We all know that’s a famous phrase from Martin. What do you think makes that phrase such an iconic reference?
Well, the first part of your question — why that title? I have no idea. That’s something that Finesse came up with.
And then, why is it such an iconic phrase? I don’t know. It’s interesting — when me, Tichina, and Martin had lunch together, we were kind of shocked about the reaction of people with our show. Like even Martin is like, “Can you believe they call us icons?” I was like, “No, we don’t — we were just trying to feed our families and make each other laugh on set.”
So we don’t look at it from that standpoint. But there were so many colloquialisms and phrases that came from the Martin show like “Damn Gina,” “Whatz up,” and “Tig ol’ Bitties.” All of these things originated from our show and it’s shocking.
Also, “You go girl” — I forgot that one — and it’s kind of shocking that people still use it and use these colloquialisms. So it’s kind of cool.
Now, I wanted to get into some of your other projects or things that people want to hear about. We love your friendship with Tichina Arnold. We’ve seen you two on screen together and doing different hosting gigs. I was thinking today — have you guys ever thought about starting a podcast?
Girl, we can’t get our schedules together. It’s so hard to put us together and get our schedules together.
We would love to do as much stuff as we can together. As a matter of fact, we do have a project that we may be working on soon — but it’s just scheduling. That girl be working, and she says the same thing about me.
Now, you’re multi-talented — we know you as a singer, a dancer, an actress — and we know that you’ve done some stage productions in the past. There’s a big wave going on with Black actors on Broadway. Have you considered transitioning to doing something like that?
Well, interestingly enough that you bring that up — I started on Broadway and I miss it. But I have children who dwell in Los Angeles, and that’s their residence, so it’s hard for me to go away.
But my ultimate goal with my stand-up actually is to do a one-woman show on Broadway — like Whoopi Goldberg did. That’s my ultimate goal.
There were two shows that I love that you were in, and I was really upset that they didn’t get another season. One of them was the show Uncoupled with Neil Patrick Harris, and the other one was Act Your Age with Kym Whitley and Yvette Nicole Brown. I thought both of them were amazing for different reasons and obviously had different demographics. Working in media, it seems to be a trend of shows being axed. So what is your take on some of the widespread cancellations happening?
I don’t really know. Both shows were actually picked up. What happened was the writers’ strike. We were picked up for both shows. I was filming both shows at the same time — in different months but the same year. The strike happened, and then both shows didn’t get picked up. They canceled both shows, even though they had already picked them up.
And I don’t really understand because both of those shows were so amazing. The audiences loved them. We basically were making a bigger splash and getting more eyeballs than some of the other major networks with both shows. I just don’t understand it.
Uncoupled was, I think, my most favorite thing to do because the writing was so different and it was such a fun role. I knew that me and Neil would have amazing chemistry because we’ve both been in the business 100 years. And I knew that it was gonna be special.
But the rhythm of that show — the way that they wrote it — was so different, and I’ve never been on a show like that before. So I was super disappointed that they both got canceled. I don’t understand why still for either one, and they were both for different reasons, I’m sure, but I can’t speak to the canceling of shows. It’s just kind of a part of it. You never know, even if you have great ratings and the Nielsen ratings are amazing.
I have to bring Tichina into this. The way me and Tichina grew up in this business — we grew up basically together and with the same mentality. We were on Broadway, and there was always an understudy — somebody better — waiting in the wings to take your part. You’re only as good as your last job.
So we never concentrate on the loss. We don’t concentrate on the cancellations. We’re always looking towards what’s next. So I don’t dwell in it. It’s hard for me to speak on it, if that makes sense.
You were approached to do The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
People keep saying it, and you know what? I keep forgetting because at the time, I think I was filming one of those shows and I didn’t want to do it at the time. I wasn’t able to or something had happened — but I forgot. Somebody brought that up yesterday, actually, in an interview. But I totally forgot.
I’m too loud for that show. I would be in jail. Y’all just want me to go to jail, don’t you?
But we did see you on the spoof of reality TV with The Real Husbands of Hollywood, and that was fun. Would you do your own show and not an ensemble show?
I have been posting about me and my sons lately. I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but everybody in the comments is like, “Where is the reality show?” I have thoughts about it, but I’m so busy doing everything else.
I don’t know when I would have the time, really — between writing, being behind the camera and producing, being in front of the camera, and now stand-up — oh man. I don’t have the time.
And finally, I want to get your take on something, because there is this very interesting ongoing conversation on social media about comparing two of your roles. Obviously, the name of the tour is Dayum Gina, and you’ll be forever loved for your role as Gina on Martin, and everyone adored that relationship on camera. But now we live in a much more woke society. Watching the series back, some fans say that the relationship was toxic. A lot of people have been comparing Martin and Gina to Jay and Michael from My Wife and Kids. Have you seen that commentary, and what are your thoughts about it?
No, I haven’t. I don’t look backwards, right? It was a different time when it was the Martin show, so to speak on it as if it were today is a little weird. It doesn’t make sense to me because it was the ’90s.
And relationships and people at the time said, “Oh, this is a real relationship.” That’s why they could relate to it. It was a younger version. We already had Cliff and Claire, but they were older. So for the Martin show, we were a young couple trying to figure it out — trying to figure out life with our friends. That’s what that was at that time.
If they look at it now and it’s toxic, then OK. We are older and we’re different now. But Jay and Michael — they had their own toxicity too. It was so much fun to play both of those roles because I learned so much from Damon, and I learned so much from Martin.
Martin’s comedy is different from Damon’s. Martin is raw in his own way. You never know what was gonna happen with Martin because he would go off-book. Damon, to me, has this comedy intellect like Dave Chappelle. That’s the only way I can liken it. They can make funny out of the atmosphere.
I learned a lot, and Damon’s is always based on reality. So I kind of combined the two when doing my own comedy.
