Kevin Hart brings comedy show to Columbus

Comedian Kevin Hart was selling shoes when his performances on amateur nights in comedy clubs got him noticed.

The Philadelphia native quit his job to be a full-time comedian and has been successfully making people laugh ever since.

Hart is going stronger than ever. Forbes magazine ranked him No. 6 on the list of highest paid celebrities in 2015, with earnings of $87.5 million.

The superstar, whom Rolling Stone magazine calls a “virtuosic, hypercharged performer,” will be entertaining folks at the Columbus Civic Center on Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

A popular standup comedian, Hart is best known for his many film roles.

Hart has been active in movies since 2002 with performances in screen comedies such as “The Wedding Ringer,” “Think Like a Man,” “Ride Along” and “Get Hard.”

Most recently, audiences have been enjoying the talent of 37-year-old Hart in “Central Intelligence” and “The Secret Life of Pets.”

He had hit television specials such as “I’m a Grown Little Man” in 2009 and “Seriously Funny” in 2010.

This past April, Hart hosted the MTV Movie Awards.

According to an article in Rolling Stone, Hart grew up poor, his sleeping quarters a bunk bed squeezed into the hallway of a one-bedroom apartment.

Looking back at his beginning in show business, he offered advice for other would-be comedians in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter.

“A lot of people want to get into comedy and talk about it, but you don’t realize the first step getting into comedy is actually doing it. You can’t do things that you don’t put actions behind. So sit down, take a piece of paper, write out your thoughts and then go to an amateur night and try them. If it doesn’t go well, see what worked, what didn’t work and go back and try again,” Hart said.

A lot works for Kevin Hart.

This story was originally published August 2, 2016 at 9:40 PM with the headline "Kevin Hart brings comedy show to Columbus."