President Trump, comedy, absent at White House Correspondents’ Dinner
The White House Correspondents’ dinner went along without an appearance from President Trump or any comedians.
How many comedic actors performing in Delaware this spring can say one of their roles on a sitcom was so iconic that LeBron James immortalized it on a sneaker?
This happened to Reginald Ballard, nicknamed Bruh Man after his character from the popular ’90s sitcom “Martin.” He was part of “Martin: The Reunion” in 2022.
Bruh Man is set to headline the stand-up comedy event “Saturday Night Jokes” in Studio 1 of The Grand on May 3.
Before the comedian performs in “Saturday Night Jokes,” presented by Delaware’s Bar None Entertainment, here’s a look at the lore behind Bruh Man, why the character is one of the greatest in sitcom history, and how he’s connected to LeBron.
Who is Bruh Man from ‘Martin’?
The legend of Bruh Man was born in the early ’90s when he debuted on Season 2 of “Martin.” Bruh Man became a recurring character on the show who lived above Martin (Martin Lawrence) in an apartment on the fifth floor. The running joke was Bruh Man couldn’t count because he always held up four fingers whenever he proudly introduced himself as “Bruh Man from the fifth flo.” (That’s why the actor Ballard’s Instagram handle is @bruhman_5flo.)
Why did fans love Bruh Man?
While Bruh Man came across as a freeloader with a heart of gold, he became a fan favorite because he was funny and different. He had a Southern drawl and country accent, which meant Bruh Man had a unique lingo fans loved. For example, he called the bathroom a “bathoom.” The toilet was “tawlet.” Sandwiches were “sammiches,” and the floor was the “flo.”
Bruh Man often would show up unannounced in Martin’s apartment and had a strange habit of using the fire escape, entering and exiting through Martin’s window, instead of using the door like a normal visitor.
Why didn’t Bruh Man use front doors? “Because that ain’t the way I roll,” the character responded.
The lore of Bruh Man from ‘Martin’: He has a famous son?
Part of the Bruh Man lore involves the fact that he was an entrepreneur. That might explain how he was able to pay for his apartment, although he always mooched off Martin. When Martin was unemployed and needed work, the title character once told Gina that he and Bruh Man planned to sell Whitney Houston T-shirts outside her concert. The plan seemed to fall apart after Martin discovered Bruh Man was illiterate. Upset and embarrassed, Martin said his fifth-floor neighbor printed up Whitney Houston world tour T-shirts that read: “Whitty Huton Wuld Toor.”
Bruh Man’s son is Lethal Shooter (Chris Matthews), the famous influencer and basketball coach known for doing trick shots on Instagram. Tommy Davidson (who appeared on “Martin” as the host of the fictitious “Varnell Hill Show”) was in the scene when Lethal Shooter tracked down Bruh Man and found him sleeping in bed with a … sandwich. This touching moment was posted in a video on the father and son’s Instagram accounts.
“Tommy Davidson helps me find my father Bruh Man from the 5th FLO!🤣,” Lethal Shooter captioned the video.
LeBron James pays tribute to Bruh Man with Nike ‘Martin’ shoes
In 2019, Lakers superstar LeBron James paid tribute to Martin Lawrence’s TV show, “Martin,” when he released a pair of his Nike shoes: LeBron 16 “Martin.” The sneakers featured quotes from the show. Bruh Man posted a close-up photo of the shoe on Instagram that included the words “Fifth flo.”
The show “Martin” has many fans, and LeBron is one of them.
“For LeBron, the hardest he’s ever laughed is from watching Martin Lawrence’s hit ’90s sitcom ‘Martin,’ according to Nike’s website.
“The LeBron 16 ‘Martin’ rekindles laugh-inducing memories with notable catch phrases on the back heel and styling reminiscent of the sitcom’s lively introduction.”
Studio 1 at The Grand (818 N. Market St., Wilmington) at 8 p.m. May 3. A regular ticket is $52. Visit thegrandwilmington.org, Facebook.com/BarNoneEntertainmentLLC or call (302) 652-5577.