Chris Tucker has been conspicuously absent from the entertainment scene in recent years.  In the past, Tucker starred in popular and successful movies such as Friday and the Rush Hour trilogy.  However, those roles did not yield Tucker the type of casting calls that he was expecting.  “They were too similar to the Detective Carter [Rush Hour] role,” Tucker told the New York Times in an exclusive interview, “(and) frankly, [they] just weren’t good enough.”

Perhaps that is why Tucker chose to return to his roots to fuel a career comeback.  The entertainer has embarked on a nationwide stand-up comedy tour with 19 stops across the country.  The sixth stop will be this Friday, Sept. 9, at Shea’s Performing Arts Center (646 Main St., Buffalo).

Tucker got his start as a stand-comedian as part of the Def Comedy Jam in the 1990’s and made his cinematic debut in House Party 3.  He was able to parlay that performance into a role in the movie Friday.  His turn as the lovable pot dealer Smokey alongside Ice Cube’s straight-laced Craig Jones helped him gain greater fame in the movie industry and launched him to his biggest role: Detective Carter in the Rush Hour series.

Tucker’s character roles can be described as wild and exuberant, so it makes sense that those same words can be used to describe his stand-up routine.  The comic has covered all topics, from dealing with one’s friends to hating one’s job.  He even takes jabs at other celebrities, such as Wesley Snipes and Michael Jackson (if it’s too soon, sorry).

Tickets for Tucker’s show start at $53 can be purchased at either Ticketmaster.com or LiveNation.com.