Laughter and the Rock Star

By Ava Collier

NBC’s 30 Rock star Kevin Brown, aka DOTCOM, is a comedian and actor who is making his way on to the big screen. Kevin currently plays the bodyguard and best friend to fellow actor Tracy Morgan’s character on 30 Rock, which also stars Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey. This New York City native and Screen Actors Guild award winner recently joined an A-list cast in one of this summer’s most anticipated movies, “Sex and the City 2,” starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrell. Kevin chatted with me about his interesting name, his web series, “Livin’XL with Grizz and DOTCOM” and his acting and comedic talents.

Ava: Kevin, tell me about your name, DOTCOM, and his character on 30 Rock

Kevin: When I first started doing stand up comedy, I was going by the name of Big Kev. After promoting the name for a few years, I started noticing that every guy with the name of Kevin in NY who was doing business started using the name Big Kev. So I thought that I had to make it different so I started using DOTCOM. In the show, I’m one of Tracy Morgan’s homeboys. It’s pretty much that simple. The show is about behind the scenes of a show like Saturday Night Live. Tracy Morgan is the celebrity superstar black comic. When young black comics come to these shows and travel around the country, they have an entourage with them. I’m a part of Tracy Morgan’s entourage on the show. I’m his right-hand man and main guy and the character’s name is DOTCOM.

Ava: What is your web series, Livin’XL with Grizz and DOTCOM about?

Kevin: Grizz is my counterpart on 30 Rock. We make up the main players in Tracy Morgan’s entourage. In a half hour show with lots of big stars, there isn’t a lot of room to develop everyone’s character. These web series develop the characters more. If the character has a fan base, they can go online and see the characters do things without the major time constraints.. I’m having a ball with it and it gives us more flexibility. The stories basically just revolve around us, Grizz and DOTCOM. We’re both big guys. I’m 6’5”and Grizz is about 6’10”. It's our misadventures as we maneuver through our careers. To view it, you’d go to NBC.com and go under 30 Rock.

Ava: Kevin, in addition to your busy schedule as an actor, are you still doing stand up comedy?

Kevin: Yes. I’ve been doing stand up comedy for about 12 years now. The thing is, people who watch 30 Rock and enjoy my character have no idea that I’m a standup comic. If you see a stand up comic on Comic View or Comedy Central, you know they’re a comic even if you see them in a movie. With me, it’s vice versa. The nation is getting to know me as an actor. When they see me doing comedy, they say ‘Oh I didn’t’ know that actor was a comic!’ Technically it’s the other way around. While 30 Rock is now on hiatus, I’m gearing up to do some touring this summer and going all over the country doing shows. HA! Comedy Club in NY is my comedy “home” and I will also be headlining at Carolines in NYC later this summer as well.