Page 13 - ARUBA TODAY

A13
Tuesday 27 March 2018

Ray Ellin, Comedian, Host and Producer:
‘It Feels Good’

By Linda Reijnders and during his shows in the what is this, this is great.”
“It feels good to make oth- evenings making people Little Ray made kids laugh
ers feel good.” Ray Ellin is laugh. “It is a great feeling, in school, as well as rela-
a kind of half Aruban so to a positive affirmation. You tives when he was only 3 or
speak. Well, he lives here know that you make oth- 4 years old. “I got that from
almost half the year and er people feel good and my mother, I would see her
his nickname is Aruba Ray. that makes you feel good. entertaining people in our
The American comedian, There is just one big positive house when I was a kid. She
host and producer lives vibe in the room. Of course is very outgoing and funny,
the other half of the year in that feeds your ego. It’s and a classical pianist, so I
New York. He just finished great energy.” kind of picked stuff up from
producing a new TV show her. It was positive and fun,
for Comedy Central, which Big Names I loved it.” He told his dad
will air in the fall. Here at The comedians he brings that he wanted to be a co-
One Happy Island he cre- here are not just any median, and of course he
ated, produced, and hosts names. They are very expe- was not too wild about the
a very successful nightly rienced, very talented per- idea. “But I told him: this is
live stand-up comedy formers, who have been what I want to do. It was
show through his company on dozens of TV shows and very clear to me. My first
Aruba Ray, called Aruba movies. This run of shows performance was when
Ray’s Comedy, which is at will include Chuck Nice, I was 11 years old, dur-
the Marriott Resort & Stel- Christine Hurley, Lenny ing 6th grade graduation,
laris Casino. Aruba Today Marcus, Tony V, Pete Lee, and it went well. After that
was curious about the man Tony Woods, Joe Vega, I did standup at summer
behind the laughs. Mike Vecchione, Ricky camp and school talent
Velez, Yamaneika Saun- shows.”When he was 15
“I really think I became ders, Gregg Rogell, Jessica years old, Ray performed
the number 1 ambassa- Kirson, Jimmy Dunn, Brian at nightclubs in Boston. He ing the opening weekend, all kinds of jobs while in the
dor for Aruba in the States. Scott McFadden, and Dan would take the train by him- the film finished third in evenings he performed in
When I am on different TV Naturman will climb the self to downtown Boston to per-screen average be- different comedy clubs in
shows like on NBC and Fox stage. And of course, the comedy clubs in pretty ter- hind Oscar winners The New York. He found Aruba
I always talk about Aruba. I shows are hosted by Ray rible neighborhoods. “One Last King of Scotland and after finishing working on a
love it, it’s a part of my soul.” himself. These shows have was in a neighborhood The Queen.” The movie TV show: “I hosted the talk
He wants people to know become the most popular called ‘The Combat Zone.’ could have been bigger, show LateNet for a while, a
how much he loves the thing to do at night in Aru- A fifteen year old had no Ray says, but he did it all live show for the internet,
island and does the best ba. An almost guarantee business being there,” he by himself and was kind of which was way ahead of
he can to promote it. He to laugh your heart out. laughs. He kept perform- burnt out. The success of its time. People called in
also brings big name com- ing, and got better and the film was meant to be: from all over the world to
ics here that are followed Little Ray better, determined in fol- “I was at this film festival, interact with my guests,
by many, many people. “When I was 11 years old, lowing his passion. and the other film makers who were big, big stars.
He takes the comedians I used to watch Saturday all brought large support It did really well, was fun,
around to show them the Night Live and also the Ray studied Film at College staffs. I was sitting in an of- got a lot of great press and
Aruba outside the resort. Tonight Show. When I was and after that he moved fice in the hotel alone, cut- amazing guests.
Ray is happy here, during nine I vividly remember to New York City. He acted ting my movie promo flyers After that show finished I
the day enjoying his Aruba watching SNL and thought: in many TV commercials, by hand. needed a break, and end-
a few films, hosted several They were just terrible. The ed up having a trip to Aru-
TV shows, and was asked other movies had beautiful ba. I fell in love with Aruba,
to produce a comedy posters, I had these lousy and that is where this jour-
tour with Latino comedi- paper flyers. A week after ney started.”
ans throughout the States. the festival a guy called The Aruba Ray’s Comedy
“That gave me the idea of me from a movie studio: Shows have started again
making the movie. I pro- “Can you send me a copy with shows until March 29th
duced and directed ‘The of your movie. I picked up (some days are off, check
Latin Legends of Comedy’ your flyer at the festival the schedule atwww.Aru-
which I financed with 6 and I thought it looked in- baComedy.com). Curious
credit cards. While I was teresting’. You never know about Ray and his fellow
in the middle of making where the magic might oc- comedians? Visit the show
the film, someone called cur!” Ray laughs out loud. and let your smiles flow. To
to tell me that only 2 or 3 Before Ray had his suc- Ray it is all clear: “If I am
percent of all movies that cesses, he had day jobs not on stage for a week I
are made end up being like bartending and wait- feel weird, it’s a part of my
sold. But fortunately, I sold ing tables. He even sold system. Eating, breathing,
it to 20th Century Fox. Dur- uniforms to mailmen, did performing.”q