Dec. 11--David Otunga doesn't think he's funny. The typically confident Harvard Law graduate-turned-reality-TV-star-turned WWE Superstar made this observation three times during our conversation about his new stand-up comedy venture.
Why, then, go to the trouble to sign up for three stand-up comedy classes and perform Dec. 3 at Chicago Improv in Schaumburg?
"People always tell me 'You're really funny -- you should do comedy,'" Otunga said over the phone Monday. "I never saw myself doing that but figured 'What the heck? I'll give it a shot.' I kind of just did it for fun to entertain my friends and family. I called them and they came (Dec. 3). I didn't expect the reaction it got: 'You killed it. You should pursue it.' I was like, 'Slow down.'
"I didn't plan on this being a career move but I'm really having fun with it and would like to do more. It's addictive. I really just talk about myself. I don't think I'm funny, but I'm interesting."
The Elgin native left his cushy job at law firm Sidley Austin and landed a spot on VH1's "I Love New York 2," where he was known as "Punk" and competed for Tiffany "New York" Pollard's affections. He has since become a parent with fiancee and Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson, but he's best known for his arrogant, know-it-all persona in WWE.
Because there is nothing funny about Otunga's smug WWE character (and there really aren't a whole lot of comedians with bodybuilder physiques out there), wrestling fans were surprised to hear he'd taken up stand-up comedy. Otunga -- who appeared in the WWE Studios thriller "The Call" with Halle Berry last year and continues to take acting lessons in Chicago -- said that's exactly the sort of response he was hoping for.
"I read a (tweet) that said '@DavidOtunga of all people performs stand-up comedy,'" Otunga recalled (he retweeted the comment). "I was like, 'Yes.' I love stuff like that. I've done so many things, I don't know why people put stuff past me."
It's been a while since Otunga has been seen on WWE programming and even longer since he's been heavily involved in a story line. Despite his absence, he continues to have title aspirations and is still ever the company man during the interview, plugging WWE's "Tribute to the Troops" holiday special, which airs Wednesday on USA Network, and WWE's non-televised show at the Allstate Arena Dec. 26.
"I'm still with the company and hope to be back in the ring soon," Otunga said. "I've been doing a little bit of training at (WWE's) Performance Center (in Orlando). There's a Chicago show the day after Christmas and I hope to get on that show."
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