Actor-comedian Kevin Hart an expert in funny stories

Kevin Hart

On stage, actor-comedian Kevin Hart veers from topical jokes and tales of parenthood to self-deprecating humor, but more than anything he’s a gifted storyteller. However, unlike some yarn-spinners who build to one large laugh, Hart peppers his stories with tons of jokes before delivering the big payoff.

“Jokes come in threes,” he said. “If a story is three minutes long, you need to have a certain amount of beats that are funny within that story. If you don’t, you’ll lose people’s attention and before you know it your story isn’t funny. If you don’t get a laugh, there’s dead space and dead space is not good.”

In addition to comedy, the 30-year-old Philadelphia native has carved out a burgeoning film career. He has appeared in more than a dozen feature films, including “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Along Came Polly” and “Fool’s Gold.” Hart — who recently wrapped the Ben Stiller project, “Little Fockers” — can currently be seen in “Death at a Funeral.”

“That was great because I got to work with people I’ve looked up to for years from Chris Rock to Martin Lawrence to Tracy Morgan,” he said. “These guys were a big part of my stand-up comedy career so getting to work with them makes you feel like you’re doing the right thing because you’re in the right company.”

Hart, who is on the road all summer doing comedy, performs at the Funny Bone Comedy Club from Thursday through Saturday, June 10-12.

“I’m basically on the road preparing my next hour of material,” he said. “That way when people see the new special, ‘Seriously Funny,’ in July and want to come see me in bigger venues, I’ll have fresh material.

“Comedy is around you 24/7, so I take advantage of that as it comes,” Hart added. “If there’s a funny moment, I write it down. I’m always looking to reinvent and to create — that’s the best thing about being a comedian.”

CONTACT contributing arts and music writer Don Thrasher at donaldthrasher8@aol.com.