JOKERS:Cocoa Brown

This comedy queen, has appeared in several comedy showcases including BET, Starz and Comedy Central. She’s appeared on such shows as The Young and the Restless as well as ER. She’s even appeared in major films including, Lakeview Terrace and American Carol. Over the past decade Cocoa has established herself in the world of comedy.
This comedy queen Cocoa Brown, has appeared in several comedy showcases including BET, Starz and Comedy Central. She’s appeared on such shows as The Young and the Restless as well as ER. She’s even appeared in major films including, Lakeview Terrace and American Over the past decade Cocoa has established herself in the world of comedy.

Cocoa Brown got her start in comedy 12 years ago at “The Comedy Spot “in Washington, DC after a friend introduced her to a promoter who liked her personality. He was looking for a female host for an upcoming show and that began her comedy career. Born Farah Brown in Newport News, Virginia, the name Cocoa was given to her by a fellow comedian who admired her “cocoa brown” skin-tone.
Although she has a BS in Mass Communication from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master’s in Secondary Education from the University of Phoenix, Cocoa left her job in the advertising field to pursue stand up full-time being named the “Washington DC Comedian of the Year” in 1997, just seven months after her first appearance on stage.



She knew comedy was her calling after her first time she performed in famous L.A. comedy clubs such as The Improv, The Comedy Store, and the Laugh Factory, and people kept asking her to come back. Since then, her career has taken her to some exotic places, including the Bahamas and Cuba where she says, “we kinda snuck in.”

Cocoa has had some crazy experiences on stage. Like the time she was booed during a performance at Prairie View University in Texas, “I did a joke about Erykah Badu getting high. I didn’t know it was her alma mater. The minute I said it, I got booed.” She didn’t understand why because the joke normally worked. “It was embarrassing.” Then there was an incident at Arena Players in Baltimore, “While I was on stage one dude showed me his gun, and said “You betta be funny”. Another wild experience was when a guy in the audience exposed himself while she was on stage. “Dude showed me his dick,” she says, “ I looked at him and said, ‘You good?’”

Raised by a school teacher mother and a key ship builder father, her family influences the material for some of her performances. Before seeing her perform, her Mom said, “Who told you you was funny?” then after seeing her perform, said, “Wow, she is funny.” Her mother advised her to do what she had to do, but cautioned, “Don’t degrade yourself” and “don’t embarrass me.” Out of respect for her family, she does different, toned-down material when she knows they, or people they know are in the audience. “I don’t say nigga.” she says. “My parents haven’t heard raw stuff. Even if I get my own TV special, but I won’t let everyone see me get real raw.”

Still a daddy’s girl, Cocoa says of her father, “He is the epitome of a man; hard working, dedicated, loves his family. The kinda man that comes home at night. He’s still that man. Don’t say much, but he mean what he say.” Cocoa describes her brother Tony as her, “biggest fan”. As for what other people think, Cocoa says, “I don’t give a damn; it’s about being funny and telling my story. But my parents have to deal with that after I’m gone”

Emotionally, Cocoa says she’s “a softy”. She said she gets her emotional side from her mother and her quiet side from her father. Speaking of experiencing heartbreak; she says she once fell in love with a guy in 13 days. He broke her heart, but she will not cry in front of other people. “I go home, crying, listening to Phyllis Hyman” she said. “It takes a lot to cry in front of people. “
Cocoa explains the difference between Cocoa and Farah by saying that “Cocoa brown is everything that Farah would be if I wasn’t so sheltered. “ She describes herself as a closet class clown. “I love and appreciate how I was raised. I’m an observer, but I’m the life of the party too.”

Cocoa is currently on tour with the Browns of Comedy and is also doing solo performances. For more information you can catch her on www.cocoabrown4life.com, on Facebook and Taboo Raw & Uncut radio.