Fancy Ray McCloney is a stand-up comedian and advertising pitchman from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is known for his flamboyant comic persona, once described as "gleefully narcissistic," blending elements of Little Richard, Muhammad Ali, James Brown,

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...

, and a tent-revival preacher. He is known for producing and starring in low-budget TV ads for local businesses in the Twin Cities and markets across the U.S., including a

Taco Bell Taco Bell is an American-based chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired foods, includin ...

ad aired during the 2016 Super Bowl that played off his status as a "local legend." Rarely breaking character on stage or off, Fancy Ray is a buoyantly self-aggrandizing, larger-than-life personality given to spontaneous poetry (about himself) and mock-boastful proclamations including his oft-repeated characteristic catchphrase "I'm the best-lookin’ man in comedy." In 2020, he released the career-retrospective stand-up album ''The Best Lookin' Man in Comedy'' on Stand Up! Records. Writer/producer

Diablo Cody Brook Maurio (''née'' Busey; born June 14, 1978), known professionally by the pen name Diablo Cody, is an American writer and producer. She gained recognition for her candid blog and subsequent memoir, '' Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unl ...

, who wrote the liner notes for the album, calls Fancy Ray a "subversive" and "bombastic character (who) looms large in the collective psyche of the Twin Cities ... a nontraditional, nonconformist guy" whose "shtick is almost like a spell."

Early life

The youngest of four boys from north Minneapolis, McCloney attended Central, Marshall-University and

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high schools, graduating from West. As a second-grader, Ray did a ventriloquist act with Rev. Billy Graham's traveling show. His nickname came from his grandfather, William M.L. "Fancy" Wade, a sharp-dressed ladies' man and professional athlete who also introduced McCloney to the music and style of Little Richard, a major influence.

Career

Stand-up comedy

McCloney's career began in 1984 when he won a lip-sync contest at Minneapolis' First Avenue nightclub impersonating Little Richard, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and James Brown. This led to spots on the nationally syndicated lip-sync TV show '' Puttin' on the Hits''. He began performing stand-up in 1989, performing locally and opening for

Richard Pryor Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style, and is widely regarded as on ...

, Little Richard and Chris Rock. Fancy Ray's comic persona includes a flamboyant sexual ambiguity and style of dress, and a theatrical mock-arrogance and vanity once described as "a cross between Little Richard and

Ethel Merman Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann, January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American actress and singer, known for her distinctive, powerful voice, and for leading roles in musical theatre.Obituary '' Variety'', February 22, 1984. ...

" and a "carefully crafted ... naughty alter ego with goofy, winking innocence" that gives him the "ability to soften life’s seedier edges with campy joie de vivre." His penchant for bombastic nicknames also includes "The Human Chocolate Orchid." He has sometimes been disparaged for merely being "famous for being famous," which he acknowledges with the joke "I'm like Paris iltonwith a pretty tan."

''Get Down With It''

Also in 1989, McCloney debuted a talk show, ''Get Down With It'', on local cable-access Minneapolis Television Network. The show cemented his status as a local celebrity in the Twin Cities, interviewing guests including

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, Bootsy Collins,

Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ' ...

, Al Green,

Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, inc ...

, George Clinton,

Carol Channing Carol Elaine Channing (January 31, 1921 – January 15, 2019) was an American actress, singer, dancer and comedian who starred in Broadway and film musicals. Her characters usually had a fervent expressiveness and an easily identifiable voice, ...

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, and

Gloria Steinem Gloria Marie Steinem (; born March 25, 1934) is an American journalist and social-political activist who emerged as a nationally recognized leader of second-wave feminism in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Steinem was a c ...

. Though focusing on comedy, the show also had a serious side; McCloney interviewed white supremacists during the Los Angeles riots, as well as civil rights activist Spike Moss and (in his final interview)

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Minneapolis City Council member Brian Coyle. A reviewer for the St. Cloud Times noted that despite his reputation for outrageous self-promotion, "Fancy Ray's true calling is as an interviewer. He's sensitive, prepared and interested in what other people have to say."

Television advertising

McCloney runs a one-man ad agency, Chocolate Orchid Productions, which produces, writes, edits and stars in television commercials for local businesses in the Twin Cities and other markets including San Jose;

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;

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

;

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

; and

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. He also appeared in a Taco Bell ad aired during the 2016 Super Bowl that played off his status as a "local legend."

Political career

In 1998, he ran for governor of Minnesota on the third-party People's Champion ticket, stating that "the whole election was a joke so why not have me, a professional comedian?" Beyond novelty value, he also wanted to be a spokesman for issues affecting blacks and poor people. His running mate was his mother, Toni McCloney. He received 919 votes, losing to

Jesse Ventura Jesse Ventura (born James George Janos; July 15, 1951) is an American politician, actor, and retired professional wrestler. After achieving fame in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), he served as the 38th governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2 ...

''The Best Lookin' Man in Comedy''

On March 27, 2020, McCloney released ''The Best Lookin' Man in Comedy'', on Stand Up! Records. Originally recorded in 2014, the album features highlights from 30 years of his comedy career and liner notes by

. The mayors of both Minneapolis and St. Paul officially proclaimed the date "Fancy Ray McCloney Day" in his honor. McCloney was also named grand marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Minneapolis, though the parade was canceled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

Other appearances

Fancy Ray has appeared on a number of nationwide talk shows and reality series, including ''

The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...

'', '' America's Got Talent'', ''

Last Comic Standing ''Last Comic Standing'' was an American reality television talent competition show on NBC that aired from June 1, 2003, to August 9, 2010, then again in 2014 and 2015. The goal of the program was to select a comedian from an initially large group ...

'', '' Entertainment Tonight'', ''

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'', and ''

The Jenny Jones Show ''The Jenny Jones Show'' is an American syndicated daytime tabloid talk show that was hosted by comedian/actress/singer Jenny Jones. It was produced by Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment and Telepictures Productions and was distributed b ...

''. He moved to Los Angeles in 2003 to establish a Hollywood career, but returned to the Twin Cities in 2008. McCloney appeared in the 2008 direct-to-video comedy ''The Junkyard Willie Movie: Lost In Transit'' as "Crazy Revival Preacher." He contributed guest vocals to the 2003 song "Parrots" by indie-rock band Hymie's Basement, and stars in a promotional video for Sleeping in the Aviary's 2010 album ''You and Me, Ghost'', described by the

Minnesota Daily The ''Minnesota Daily'' is the campus newspaper of the University of Minnesota, published Monday and Thursday while school is in session, and published weekly on Wednesdays during summer sessions. Published since 1900, the paper is currently the la ...

as "a tongue-in-cheek homage to all those late night advertisements you’ve probably fallen asleep to once or twice." He was profiled in a 2019 segment of

Twin Cities PBS Twin Cities Public Television, Inc. (abbreviated TPT, doing business as Twin Cities PBS) is a nonprofit organization based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, that operates the Twin Cities' two PBS member television stations, KTCA-TV (chann ...

' ''Minnesota Original''. His face appears on a mural painted on a building at 2933 E. Lake St. in Minneapolis. McCloney is an ordained minister in the

Universal Life Church The Universal Life Church (ULC) is a non-denominational religious organization founded in 1962 by Kirby J. Hensley,James R. Lewis, The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects, and New Religions' (2001), p. 769-70.U.S. Department of the Army, ''Religious R ...

and has officiated many weddings.

Discography

*''The Best Lookin' Man in Comedy'' ( Stand Up! Records, 2020) *''Fancy Ray’s 20th Anniversary of Comedy'' (DVD, 2009)

Personal life

McCloney has a son, Trevon. He claims to be "ageless", and for decades has given his age as between 24 and 29.

References

External links

Official Fancy Ray McCloney website
*
Fancy Ray McCloney at Stand Up! Records websiteMinnesota Original segment on Fancy RayFancy Ray YouTube Channel''Get Down With It'' Best of 1991Nicollet Village Video advertisement starring Fancy RayFancy Ray as Screamin' Jay Hawkins on Puttin' On the HitsFancy Ray's 20th Anniversary of Comedy TV SpecialFancy Ray on America's Got Talent in 2008
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ray, Fancy 20th-century American comedians 21st-century American comedians African-American male comedians American male comedians American stand-up comedians People from Minneapolis Comedians from Minnesota Living people America's Got Talent contestants Year of birth missing (living people) Stand Up! Records artists Central High School (Minneapolis, Minnesota) alumni 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American people