Page 16 - ARUBA TODAY
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A16   LOCAL
                      Tuesday 17 July 2018
                                                                                    Ray Ellin, comedian, host and producer:
                                                                                                     ‘It Feels Good’




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