Q+A: Mike Epps

Thursday, March 8, 2007 | 7:17 a.m.

Who: Mike Epps

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: The Joint at the Hard Rock

Tickets: $46.50 and up; 693-5000

"Resident Evil: Extinction" (tentatively to be released Sept. 21)

"Talk to Me" (tentatively to be released July 20)

"The Grand" (to be released sometime in 2007)

"Roll Bounce" (2005)

"The Honeymooners" (2005) (also executive producer)

"Guess Who" (2005) (uncredited)

"Resident Evil: Apocalypse" (2004)

"The Fighting Temptations" (2003)

"Malibu's Most Wanted" (2003) (uncredited)

"Friday After Next" (2002)

"All About the Benjamins" (2002)

"How High" (2001)

"Dr. Dolittle 2" (2001) (voice)

"Bait" (2000)

"3 Strikes" (2000)

"Next Friday" (2000)

"Strays" (1997)

Mike Epps launched his stand-up comedy career in his native Indianapolis about 15 years ago and quickly hit the jackpot.

Epps, 36, landed a role as a lottery winner in "Next Friday," and he - or at least another of his movie characters - hit the lottery a couple of years later in "All About the Benjamins."

But Epps didn't quit working.

His comedy act, "The Mike Epps: On the Edge Tour," routinely sells out. He performs Saturday at The Joint at the Hard Rock.

His comedy special, "Inappropriate Behavior," was one of HBO's top-rated specials last year. He has become the new host of HBO's "Def Comedy Jam." He's working on a new comedy album.

He has three movies scheduled to come out this year, including "The Grand" - a poker comedy filmed at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. And he's about to start a new movie with Martin Lawrence.

Epps recently talked to the Sun by phone from a tour stop in Miami.

Q: How do you juggle the two careers, stand-up and acting?

I'm out every weekend doing stand-up. I make it natural, you know what I mean? I make it natural to do what I have to do, you know what I mean? I learn how to mechanically take both of those, put them together and come up with some golden stuff.

Which do you prefer, stand-up or movies?

I like doing all of it, to be honest with you. I don't play favoritism on either one of them.

Stand-up comedy is definitely one of my goals. The movies. I learned that both of them coincided together. Both complement each other.

Are you working on any films at the moment?

Right now I'm about to start a film with Martin Lawrence, called "The Better Man." It starts filming in Louisiana in a couple of weeks.

Do you have a favorite actor?

Denzel Washington. He's a great actor, a great actor.

What about comedian?

Richard Pryor. Eddie Murphy. You know, the usual suspects. The guys who influence everybody. I've learned from them. I'd be a liar if I said I didn't. I learned from them and got some techniques from the greats.

How would you describe your comedy?

Observational. Spontaneous. Sporadic.

How did you get your start?

I started out in local comedy clubs in Indianapolis and moved to New York City. I stayed in New York six or seven years and moved to L.A. Ice Cube saw me perform in a club and put me in a movie ("Next Friday" 2000).

You make the whole thing sound so easy.

I got to approach it that way. If I approach it any other way it's going to be hard. I got to approach it like it's not that hard, like I do it in my sleep.

But you are a hard worker. What about the young up-and-comers who look for instant success?

I feel like they're cheating, like they're not really true to comedy. For them, it's more about the controversy; they use controversy to get to the top, and that's cheating the game. They don't pay the dues, you know what I mean? You can't skip around. You've got to learn your business.

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