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The hazing death of Southern University student Caleb Wilson earlier this year has stoked so many emotions, among them disappointment in the culture that surrounds fraternities. Comedian Rickey Smiley took aim at that during a recent appearance on the Spolitics podcast with Jemele Hill, speaking from his experience as a member of Omega Psi Phi, the same fraternity Wilson was pledging.“I don’t think Bishop Edgar A. Love would have punched anybody in the chest,” Smiley said. “Just, Love, Cooper and Coleman founded Omega Psi Phi at Howard University in 1911. A lot of these guys that started this culture, I don’t care if it started in the ’80s, I don’t care when it started. It is wrong. In 25 years in the frat, I have never put my hands on anybody.” Smiley has been a member of Omega Psi Phi since 2000, and has continually offered support to the Wilson family since 20-year-old Caleb’s death through his platform, relating to their grief due to the death of his own son in January 2023. But he found that the fraternity reportedly wasn’t as encouraging. “I called Caleb Wilson’s dad and offered my condolences because I’m a dad that also lost his son,” Smiley said to Hill. “You know what he said? You are the first member of your fraternity to call and offer your condolences.”
Wilson’s death, which led to the arrest of three men afterward, has sparked more conversation about Black Greek culture and the numerous hazing incidents it has dealt with in the past. Talledega College president and author of Black Greek 101 Walter Kimbrough wrote about the incident for MSNBC, focusing on the older individuals involved: “I call these individuals ‘extended adolescents,’ and they pose a particularly alarming risk to college campus safety.” He blasted the “gang-like mentality” that’s taken over in the fraternity in recent years. “I [joined] Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc, because of what it was founded on, not the culture that was created,” he explained. “Culture starts with cult. It’s gang activity…the last physical altercations that I’ve gotten into as a man was with Ques. Why?” Smiley did acknowledge that there are members who are working to break “the generational curse of hazing” and stated that he’d never give up on Omega Psi Phi.
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Comedian/radio host/actor Rickey Smiley has found new representation.
Deadline exclusively reports that UTA has signed the award-winning radio host and TV personality for representation.
Smiley started on Def Comedy Jam and has been doing standup for over 30 years. He eventually gained more popularity for hosting BET’s Comic View. He is still doing his thing on stages in comedy clubs and theaters across the country and is part of lineups for comedy shows like Martin Lawrence’s “Lit AF” Tour and the Bad Boys star’s upcoming “Y’all Know What It Is” Tour.
Smiley is set to release his next hour-long special. David Talbert will direct, and filming will take place in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, sometime later this year. The unnamed comedy event will follow his previous comedy specials, Comedy Central Presents: Rickey Smiley and Rickey Smiley: Open Casket Sharp.
He currently hosts The Rickey Smiley Morning Show, the country’s #1 syndicated urban radio program, which reaches seven million weekly listeners in 75+ markets.
Smiley is also best known for his performances on the big screen in Friday After Next and Baggage Claim, as well as his starring roles in The Rickey Smiley Show and Rickey Smiley for Real.
His social media reach is nothing to scoff at, with 18+ million followers across all platforms.
Smiley also recently spoke with Vice President Kamala Harris before she beat the brakes off Donald Trump on the debate stage, asking her how she would handle his temperament.
“There’s no floor for him in terms of how low he would go. And we should be prepared for that. We should be prepared for the fact that he is not burdened by telling the truth,” VP Harris told Smiley.
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Source: Marcus Ingram / Getty / Brandon Smiley
Comedian and radio host Rickey Smiley opened up about his son Brandon Smiley’s passing, sharing details on his possible cause of death.
Brandon Smiley, 32, was found unresponsive in his home in Birmingham by a friend on January 29. Investigators did not suspect anything suspicious or foul play as the cause of his death.
He was laid to rest at the beginning of February. Smiley shared photos and videos from the service.
Speaking with the Today Show, Rickey Smiley said he was told Brandon suffered a drug overdose by his son’s girlfriend. Smiley told the show he got a phone call from Brandon’s younger sister that his son passed away as he headed from Dallas to Birmingham.
While there has been no official determination via a toxicology report, Smiley said Brandon died from a drug overdose.
“He was struggling with that (drugs),” Smiley said. “His mother and I made several attempts to send him to get the help that he needed, to send him to rehab. We thought he was doing better. He had just joined the church, just got baptized again probably a month before he passed away. He used. And it killed him.”
Rickey Smiley Is Concerned Kids Are Not Listening To Their Parents About Drug Abuse
Smiley also believes parents are having the necessary conversations with their children about drug use but said the concern is if the message is getting through to them.
“The problem is getting the kids to listen to what the parents are saying. Parents are having these conversations. Some of them are uncomfortable. You just assume if you’re in a good school district or in a gated community or everything is going good that these kids are not doing drugs,” he continued. “You don’t have to be in the hood to succumb to drug abuse.”
Speaking about his son, Smiley described Brandon as “fun” and a prankster who wanted to be just like him. The Rickey Smiley Morning Show host said his faith helped him deal with his son’s sudden and tragic loss.
“God had kind of gave me a sense that I’m shocked but not surprised,” Smiley said. “Deep inside I was kind of prepared for it but then again I was not really prepared because that’s your child.”
Our thoughts continue to be with Rickey Smiley and his family.
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Source: Marcus Ingram / Getty / Brandon Riley
Comedian Rickey Smiley said goodbye to his son over the weekend.
Rickey Smiley shared photos and videos on social media of his son’s funeral and burial. “I had to say goodbye to my son Brandon Smiley today, but God is still good, and I won’t complain,” Smiley wrote in a caption for a tweet featuring a video of the burial ceremony at Forest Hill Cemetery in Birmingham.
In another photo of himself over his son’s casket, he wrote in the caption, “Saying goodbye to my son yesterday before his Standing Ovation ceremony.”
Smiley’s son was only 32 at the time of his passing and was also a comedian like his father. He passed away on January 29. His cause of death was not revealed, but no foul play was suspected.
Brandon Smiley was found unresponsive by a friend inside his residence, per the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office report. His body was discovered at 10:07 a.m. on January 29 in the 2300 block of 31st Ave. North.
He was taken to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:52 a.m.
An autopsy took place on Monday, and no evidence of trauma or foul play was found. The cause of death is still pending additional laboratory studies, said Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates.
Brandon appeared on his father’s TV One reality show, Rickey Smiley For Real. Rickey also hosts the popular Rickey Smiley Morning Show on Radio One.
Brandon Smiley is survived by his 3-year-old daughter, Storm, his mom Brenda, brother Malik, 21, and sisters D’Essence, 25, Taylor, 22, and Aaryn, 21.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Rickey Smiley and his family.
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Brandon Smiley, the son of radio host and stand comedian Rickey Smiley, has died. The elder Smiley shared the news via social media but no cause of death was shared.
Rickey Smiley, 54, shared the news via his Instagram account in a video clip that was captioned “My Son Passed Away” with the post’s caption asking for warm thoughts for Brandon’s mother and daughter.
“I lost my oldest son #BrandonSmiley this morning. I’m okay, but please pray for my son’s mother Brenda, his siblings and his daughter Storm,” Smiley said.
Looking over Smiley’s page, he shared images of his children, including a video of Brandon, who was also a comedian like his father.
We send our condolences to the entire Smiley family.
Brandon Smiley was 32.
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