OFF! Gets Real with B Phlat

Where did the name B Phlat come from?

A guy I used to date used to say I had a flat Stairmaster ass. My first name is Beverly, so he called me B Flat. When I started doing comedy, I took that name and turned it into something positive. The B still stands for Beverly, but I changed the F to Ph to stand for Phillie (her comedic home base), and I changed the A into a Delta symbol for my sorority. You have to be able to turn stuff into positives.

You were working on your Master's degree in Business and worked as the marketing director in one of Philadelphia's largest law firms. How do you go from that to becoming a stand up comedienne?

Well, I actually worked in the law firm where they filmed the movie Philadelphia. But they finished filming about a month before I started. That workplace was the fuel I needed for comedy. Comedy is about life, and my comedy says a lot about the corporate atmosphere- you know, the kind of thing you'd talk about around the lunch table. My firm would actually go on retreats, and they'd ask me to roast the attorneys. I just told them about everything they did that got on my nerves. They loved it.

What was the first joke you remember telling?

My brother used to break dance, and I was always having to carry his cardboard. I hated the fact that we'd be riding down the highway with the wind blowing and I'd be carrying that thing. I told him about it all the time, and I guess it got funny.

What was the first time you did stand up like?

My first time was at a talent show. About 25 of my friends took me, but none of them told me they'd signed me up as one of the acts. I thought I was there to see somebody else! But I had a little time before I went on, and when I did I just talked like I usually did.

You're from St. Louis. What's the best thing about living in the Midwest?

The simplicity of life there. You appreciate the small things, like the grass. And the people are nicer. Once you go east you realize that. I think the Midwest is the melting pot for everybody- it has flavor from the east, the west and the south.

What's the difference between the Midwest comedy scene and others where you've performed?

I think in the Midwest and the South the audiences are more laid back. They're out to have a good time, and they're there to laugh. You go to the coast, a place like New York, and the comedy scene is so saturated and redundant. You've got to set yourself apart.

You've done BET's Comic View and ShowTime at the Apollo. You've also written for ESPN Magazine. Those are some very different mediums, which one do you like the best?

I like them all, but if I didn't have to write, I wouldn't. Writing keeps me sharp. I try to give everything I do the same energy. I've always loved doing stand up.

What are you working on now?

I'm putting together a comedy CD, and I'm preparing for some competitions. I'll be at the Montreal Comedy Festival, and I'm getting ready for P. Diddy's Bad Boys of Comedy.

Many stand up comedians are getting their own shows. You see names like Cedric the Entertainer, Bernie Mac and Wanda Sykes on television. Is TV something you'd like to persue?

Not necessarily. I'm not into TV. I'd rather do movies. My movie would be about me, and my life. I'm writing a book now called Everyday, because my life, with me being on the road, is just a different scenario every day. I hope to have that turned into a screenplay. If I had to do TV, I'd rather host something, like a talk show.

What would you say to anyone thinking about getting into the comedy business?

I would tell them to know who they are. This business is so hard on you- mentally, physically and spiritually. You have to know how to stay grounded. Too many people get caught up in the Hollywood of it all.

You list Amsterdam as one of your favorite vacation spots. That city has quite a reputation. What gives?

Yeah, I like the coffeehouses they got there. (Laughs) See the whole concept of legal drugs doesn't really hit you till you've been there. Not only to you see people walking around smoking a joint, you also see them shooting up right there in the street! The police carry around sterile needles for the junkies to use. And they don't have rehab there, just houses where a lot of users live.

You've said you want to grow more spiritual in the future. How has that influenced your life?

I always try to stay connected to God. I don't want to get so caught up in the glamour and glitz that I forget. I want to be focused and always love what I do. Comedy is just a part of my life. I want to enjoy the journey and turn it to the Lord.

Who would you say are your greatest comedic influences?

Redd Foxx definitely. And Richard Pryor. My two favorites are Tony Roberts and J B Smooth. Those two are comedian's comedians. They're the guys we go to when we want to laugh.

What CD is in your stereo right now?

Nellyville. I love Nelly and the St. Lunatics, but you can't really find that kind of music on the East Coast. Just stuff like Jay Z and 50 Cent. If I want the sounds of the Midwest I have to bring them myself.

What advice would you give a college freshman leaving home for the first time?

Bring your shower shoes.