Michael Colyar, a native of Chicago, rose to fame as "The King of Venice Beach" after spending nine years performing five shows a day, leaving a lasting impact on the crowd with his thought-provoking humor.
As his hard work began to pay off and his comedic star continued to rise, he was honored by the city of Venice by having his shoe, hand prints, and money grabber immortalized in cement on the new Venice Boardwalk.
Colyar gained national attention after winning the Grand Prize Comedy championship and $100,000 on the popular television show "Star Search." He donated half of his winnings to homeless charities in the Los Angeles area and continues to give back to this day.
As "The Original Host" of "BET Live From LA," his point-blank delivery and razor-sharp insight deeply connected with its over 55 million viewers coast to coast.
Over the past 15 years, he has built his television and film career, working with luminaries such as John Singleton, Eddie Murphy, Bernie Mac, and Oprah Winfrey.
In 2011, he lent his voice to Buford the frog in Disney's first Black animated film "The Princess and the Frog" and has also been a voice on the "Cleveland Show."
Inspired by motivational speaker Les Brown, Colyar has begun his own motivational speaking career, sharing his incredible story of struggle and triumph with audiences around the world and writing his soon-to-be-released book "Michael Goes Motivational." He is also working on a poetry book for adult children titled "Miss Innocent Goes To Kool Skool and Other Silly Stuff."
In 2012, his passion project "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the White House, I Knocked on the Door and a Black Man Answered" will be released. This cutting-edge documentary, which Colyar created, stars in, and produced, explores the historical importance, current success, and refutable cause for re-election of the President Obama administration.
