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By: Brenda Underwood

Dateline: August 29-31, 2005, Detroit, MI.

Robert Townsend’s "Partners in Crime – Next Generation"

The Upper Room Christian Entertainment Complex, located at Grand River and Telegraph, was the place to be on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights – August 29-31st, 2005, as Robert Townsend brought the cameras and comedians in to tape, Partners in Crime – Next Generation. Detroit Gospel.Com was delighted to be on hand for the side-splittin’, stomach-achin’ segments of these talented local and national comedians.

Robert Townsend is now the President and CEO of Black Family Network, which has 6 million subscribers and the potential to reach 30 million families in the market through Comcast. Mr. Townsend was excited about bringing the cameras to Detroit and using the beautiful Upper Room as the backdrop for the recorded shows.

Some of the comedians who were showcased this week were: CoCo, Kool-Aid, Small Fire (formerly Small Fry from Comic View), Martini, “Downtown” Tony Brown, Cornell “Popcorn,” Simply Chenelle, Mel Man, and others. The host comedian who kept things rolling along was Detroit’s own, Horace H. B. Sanders. Each comedian brought their own flavor of comedy, having all of us remembering fun times in our youth and how your momma would correct you with a quickness. Each performer presented a respectful and tastefully done act.

Robert Townsend revealed how this selection of comics came to fruition when he mentioned he had been present for a comedy night that proprietors Pam and Alonzo Dover had at the Upper Room, and the idea for the show was birthed from those performances. Many of the comics displayed this week were chosen from their routines on the comedy nights. Pam Dover and Robert Townsend collaborated at Comcast and the rest will soon be history when the show airs in October 2005.