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Friday 16 March 2018
Ray Ellin, comedian, host and producer:
‘It Feels Good’
By Linda Reijnders and during his shows in the what I want to do. It was flyers by hand. They were way ahead of its time. Peo-
PALM BEACH - “It feels evenings making people very clear to me. My first just terrible. The other mov- ple called in from all over
good to make others feel laugh. “It is a great feeling, performance was when ies had beautiful posters, I the world to interact with
good.” Ray Ellin is a kind a positive affirmation. You I was 11 years old, during had these lousy paper fly- my guests, who were big
of half Aruban so to speak. know that you make other 6th grade graduation, and ers. A week after the festi- big stars. It did really well,
Well, he lives here almost people feel good and that it went well. After that I did val a guy called me from was fun, got a lot of great
half the year and his nick- makes you feel good. There standup at summer camp a movie studio: “Can you press and amazing guests.
name is Aruba Ray. The is just one big positive vibe and school talent shows.” send me a copy of your After that show finished I
American comedian, host in the room. Of course that When he was 15 years old, movie. I picked up your needed a break, and end-
and producer lives the oth- feeds your ego. It’s great Ray performed at night- flyer at the festival and I ed up having a trip to Aru-
er half of the year in New energy.” clubs in Boston. He would thought it looked interest- ba. I fell in love with Aruba,
York. He just finished pro- take the train by himself ing’. You never know where and that is where this jour-
ducing a new TV show for Big Names to downtown Boston to the magic might occur!” ney started.”
Comedy Central, which The comedians he brings comedy clubs in pretty ter- Ray laughs out loud. Before The Aruba Ray’s Comedy
will air in the fall. Here at here are not just any names. rible neighborhoods. “One Ray had his successes, he Shows have started again
One Happy Island he cre- They are very experienced, was in a neighborhood had day jobs like bartend- with shows until March 29th
ated, produced, and hosts very talented performers, called ‘The Combat Zone.’ ing and waiting tables. (some days are off, check
a very successful nightly who have been on dozens A fifteen year old had no He even sold uniforms to the schedule atwww.Aru-
live stand-up comedy of TV shows and movies. business being there,” he mailmen, did all kinds of baComedy.com). Curious
show through his company This run of shows will include laughs. He kept performing, jobs while in the evenings about Ray and his fellow
Aruba Ray, called Aruba Chuck Nice, Christine Hur- and got better and better, he performed in different comedians? Visit the show
Ray’s Comedy, which is at ley, Lenny Marcus, Tony V, determined in following his comedy clubs in New York. and let your smiles flow. To
the Marriott Resort & Stel- Pete Lee, Tony Woods, Joe passion. He found Aruba after finish- Ray it is all clear: “If I am
laris Casino. Aruba Today Vega, Mike Vecchione, ing working on a TV show: not on stage for a week I
was curious about the man Ricky Velez, Yamaneika Ray studied Film at College “I hosted the talk show Late feel weird, it’s a part of my
behind the laughs. Saunders, Gregg Rogell, and after that he moved to Net for a while, a live show system. Eating, breathing,
Jessica Kirson, Jimmy Dunn, New York City. He acted in for the internet, which was performing.”q
“I really think I became Brian Scott McFadden, and many TV commercials, a
the number 1 ambassa- Dan Naturman will climb few films, hosted several
dor for Aruba in the States. the stage. And of course, TV shows, and was asked
When I am on different TV the shows are hosted by to produce a comedy
shows like on NBC and Fox Ray himself. These shows tour with Latino comedi-
I always talk about Aruba. I have become the most ans throughout the States.
love it, it’s a part of my soul.” popular thing to do at night “That gave me the idea of
He wants people to know in Aruba. An almost guar- making the movie. I pro-
how much he loves the is- antee to laugh your heart duced and directed ‘The
land and does the best out. Latin Legends of Comedy’
he can to promote it. He which I financed with 6
also brings big name com- Little Ray credit cards. While I was in
ics here that are followed “When I was 11 years old, the middle of making the
by many, many people. I used to watch Saturday film, someone called to tell
He takes the comedians Night Live and also the To- me that only 2 or 3 percent
around to show them the night Show. When I was of all movies that are made
Aruba outside the resort. nine I vividly remember end up being sold. But for-
Ray is happy here, during watching SNL and thought: tunately, I sold it to 20th
the day enjoying his Aruba what is this, this is great.” Century Fox. During the
Little Ray made kids laugh opening weekend, the film
in school, as well as rela- finished third in per-screen
tives when he was only 3 or average behind Oscar win-
4 years old. “I got that from ners The Last King of Scot-
my mother, I would see her land and The Queen.” The
entertaining people in our movie could have been
house when I was a kid. She bigger, Ray says, but he
is very outgoing and funny, did it all by himself and was
and a classical pianist, so I kind of burnt out. The suc-
kind of picked stuff up from cess of the film was meant
her. It was positive and fun, to be: “I was at this film
I loved it.” He told his dad festival, and the other film
that he wanted to be a co- makers all brought large
median, and of course he support staffs. I was sitting in
was not too wild about the an office in the hotel alone,
idea. “But I told him: this is cutting my movie promo
