Comedian and actor Donnell Rawlings spoke with WYSO music and culture contributor Greg Simms Jr. about the upcoming Donnell Land Weekend Festival, which will take place May 26-29 in Southwest Ohio. In the interview, Donnell talks about his roles in the iconic television shows The Wire and Chappelle’s Show, but says that his main focus has always been performing standup.
“I don’t bank on TV or film. I bank on what I’ve been doing for 30 years: standup comedy. That’s the one thing that I can control.”
He joked about moving to Yellow Springs after visiting in 2020 to take part in Dave Chappelle’s Summer Camp shows in the village, “I went from the streets to the creeks, from the hoods to the woods, and from Adidas to Tevas. I’m the river ninja now.” He also discusses his current projects, which include his podcast, The Donnell Rawlings Show, and his role as Alvin in the Starz drama Black Mafia Family.
The Donnell Land Weekend Festival features a live standup comedy performance by Donnell and friends at Clark State Performing Arts Center's Kuss Auditorium on Friday, May 26, and a canoeing trip the Mad River on Monday, May 29. Tickets and information about the events are available at https://www.donnellrawlings.com.
