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File #: 170274    Version: 0 Name:
Type: Resolution Status: ADOPTED
File created: 3/16/2017 In control: CITY COUNCIL
On agenda: Final action: 3/16/2017
Title: Recognizing and Honoring Kevin Hart as a Philadelphia Comedy Icon and Designating July 6, 2017 as Kevin Hart Day in the City of Philadelphia.
Sponsors: Councilmember Oh, Councilmember Green, Councilmember Parker, Councilmember Bass, Councilmember Squilla, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Domb, Councilmember Henon, Councilmember Taubenberger, Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Gym
Attachments: 1. Signature17027400.pdf
Title
Recognizing and Honoring Kevin Hart as a Philadelphia Comedy Icon and Designating July 6, 2017 as Kevin Hart Day in the City of Philadelphia.

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WHEREAS, Kevin Hart was raised in North Philadelphia near the intersection of 15th Street and Erie Avenue, where he lived in a one-bedroom apartment with his mother and older brother. His mother supported his family by working at the University of Pennsylvania, while his father dealt with various personal challenges; and

WHEREAS, Comedy resonated with Kevin Hart at a young age, and he decided to give stand-up comedy a try. He entered and won local amateur nights in Philadelphia, and Hart would bring his friends to his talent showcase performances hosted by the Laff House on South Street; and

WHEREAS, Hart has brought his comedy career from an amateur hobby to a grueling life on the road as an unknown comedian to now being the highest-paid comedian in the world. His five stand-up comedy specials have been bestsellers, and their accompanying tours have successfully taken stand-up comedy out of small clubs and into sold-out arenas and stadiums worldwide; and

WHEREAS, In Kevin Hart: What Now? (2016), Kevin Hart made history in Philadelphia, taking his outsized personality to film a groundbreaking performance in front of over 53,000 people at Lincoln Financial Field. It marked the first time a comedian had ever headlined at an NFL stadium. This was just one stop on a tour that became the highest-grossing comedy tour in history; and

WHEREAS, Hart's magnetic persona consistently draws crowds to live venues and movie theaters. He has risen in the Hollywood ranks from stealing scenes in small roles to becoming one of the biggest comedy film stars alive. He has starred in films such as Ride Along, Ride Along 2, The Wedding Ringer, Get Hard, and Central Intelligence, each of which ranked as one of the top two highest-grossing films of their debut weekends; and

WHEREAS, Kevin Hart's brand of comedy was ...

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