Rickey Smiley, comedian and radio personality, turned prank calls into a national phenomenon. His hilarious characters and sharp wit propelled him to stardom.
Prank calls used to be a form of silliness peculiar to childish and immature people. Today it is entertaining content for which it is worth paying money at least Rickey Smiley makes money with it.
The comedian who is best known for his prank calls has been the subject of three television broadcasts and a national radio program about his prank calls.
Maybe Rickey is just an outlier when it comes to what the world thinks of prank calls. If that is the case we need to investigate the man who opposes the world’s opinion of prank calls and learn more about him.
Read on to learn more about Rickey Smiley’s Kids, Married, Wife, Siblings, Girlfriend, Bio
Key Takeaways
- Rickey Smiley, renowned for his prank calls, transformed them into profitable content, challenging norms.
- His radio show’s unique calls propelled him to national fame, reshaping humor perceptions.
- Despite initial perceptions of prank calls as immature, Smiley’s success proves their entertainment value.
Rickey Smiley Bio
The prank caller and reality TV star is an Alabama-born comedian who was born on August 10, 1968. His real name is Broderick Smiley but he calls himself Rickey and grew up in Birmingham.
Rickey is African American and attended Alabama State University and Tuskegee University for his education. During his studies at Alabama State University, he was a member of the Omega Psi Phi Phi Fraternity and the Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity.
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Rickey’s career in comedy began in 2000 as host of the BET show Comic View. He excelled in his role as host and was promptly signed on for five years. A formal contract with the TV Network enabled him to host other television shows such as The Nashville Network Comic Escape and Uptown Comedy Club. He has also worked on HBO’s legendary comedy show Def Comedy Jam.
Before Rickey found his niche in prank phone calls he mostly played outrageous fictional characters. He found his place in the comedy world when he started working for a Dallas radio station CBFB in 2004.
He was offered the chance to be the host of the morning radio show. One of the outstanding features of the show was the distinctive telephone conversations for which Rickey is known today.
Together with the information news and the playing of the latest hip-hop music the show quickly became popular among listeners. In 2008 he was offered to show his hit show nationwide and he accepted the offer.
The show “The Rickey Smiley Morning Show” gained great popularity through prank calls where the comedian disguises his voice to amuse the audience and calls a random number to amuse the listeners.
One of the most notable pranks he has performed is “Uncle Melvin” where he calls his uncle and pretends to be a man who is convinced that his girlfriend has left him. He developed the joke further by making sure that the character punctuated each of his remarks with the word “buddy”.
Due to the popularity of his show especially the prank calls Rickey Smiley has released albums of his prank calls and six albums in total with the album “Rickey Smiley“: Vol 6 is a best-selling comedy album on iTunes.
Outside of radio Rickey has appeared in several movies and television shows including his reality TV show Rickey Smiley for Real in 2015 and his filmography lists movies such as Friday After Next (2002) and Baggage Claim (2013).
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Kids, Wife, or Girlfriend, Is He Married?
Rickey is known for his aversion to drama and preference for privacy when it comes to matters of the heart. As such details about his marriage or dating life remain largely unknown. Should any news arise in this area we will provide updates here as soon as they become available.
Rickey Smiley is a proud father of four children, two biological sons Brandon and Malik, as well as two adopted children Craig, and daughters D’essence Elizabeth Smiley and Aaryn Smiley. The entire family has been featured in the TV One series called Rickey Smiley For Real which gives an insight into their lives.
On July 5th, 2020, Aaryn – the daughter of a guest on an unnamed show – was shot three times in a road rage incident while getting food at Whataburger in Houston. To get to his daughter for her surgery, he had to fly from Dallas and then drive due to limited flights being available. The next day around 12:30 p.m., he posted on Facebook that she was still undergoing surgery.
In his July 6 YouTube video, Smiley expressed his gratitude to God for safeguarding his daughter.
Rickey Smiley Education
Smiley attended Woodlawn High School for his high school education and then proceeded to Alabama State University in Montgomery Alabama where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1992.
Who are Smiley’s parents?
Rickey was born to Carolita Smiley Lester but his father tragically passed away when he was only six years old. To ensure Rickey had the support and guidance he needed his mother relied on her extended family to help raise him; as such Rickey spent most of his childhood being cared for by his grandparents.
His grandmother was his biggest influence in life instilling a strong faith and moral values by bringing him to church regularly attending funerals together and raising him with the teachings of the church. Her unconditional love and guidance have been instrumental in forming who he is today.
Rickey Smiley Siblings
Rickey Smiley has one sister named Karon Katiea Smiley-Dennis.
It’s important to note that Rickey Smiley has a popular character named Sister Bernice Jenkins, which he plays in skits and on his show. This might be where some confusion arises regarding a “sister.” But Sister Bernice is a fictional character, not a real relative.
It is also common knowledge that he had a rather difficult childhood as he lost his father when he was only six years old. After the death of his father, Rickey was raised by his grandparents.
Net Worth
Smiley has had a successful career in the entertainment industry resulting in an impressive net worth of $2.5 million as of 2024. His accomplishments have been well-recognized and rewarded throughout his professional journey.
| Full Name: | Rickey Smiley |
|---|---|
| Born Date: | 10 Aug, 1968 |
| Age: | 54 years |
| Horoscope: | Leo |
| Lucky Number: | 6 |
| Lucky Stone: | Ruby |
| Lucky Color: | Gold |
| Best Match for Marriage: | Sagittarius, Gemini, Aries |
| Profession: | American stand-up comedian, television host, radio personality, actor, and social media personality |
| Country: | USA |
| Height: | 6 feet 0 inches (1.83m) |
| Net Worth | $2.5 million |
| Eye Color | black |
| Hair Color | black |
| Birth Place | Alabama |
| Nationality | American |
| Mother | Carolina Smiley Lester |
| Siblings | (1) Karon Smiley. |
| Kids | (6) D’Essence, Brandon, Malik, and Aaryn |
| Personal Web | Personal Web |
| Wiki | Wiki |
Quick Facts
1. What is Rickey Smiley famous for? Rickey Smiley is famous for a few things: Stand-up comedy, Prank calls, and Radio personality.
2. Does Rickey Smiley have a college degree? Yes, Rickey Smiley does have a college degree. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Alabama State University in 1992.
3. How many kids does Ricky Smiley have? Ricky Smiley’s kids are D’Essence Elizabeth, Malik, Aaryn, Brandon, and Craig Smiley.
4. What is Ricky Smiley’s real name? Ricky Smiley’s real name is Broderick Dornell Smiley.
5. When does Rickey Smiley’s Son Die? Rickey Smiley’s son Brandon tragically passed away on January 29, 2023.
6. Where is Rickey Smiley from? Rickey Smiley hails from Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
7. Who are Rickey Smiley’s Siblings? Rickey Smiley has one sister, Karon Katiea Smiley-Dennis.
8. Who is Rickey Smiley’s parents? Rickey Smiley’s parents are: Mother Carolita Smiley Lester and Father James Smiley (deceased) James Smiley sadly passed away when Rickey was only seven years old.
9. Who is Rickey Smiley’s best friend? Rickey Smiley’s best friend is Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III.
10. Does Rickey Smiley have grandchildren? Yes, Rickey Smiley has two grandchildren. His granddaughter, Storm, is the daughter of his late son, Brandon and He also has a grandson named Grayson.
Conclusion
Rickey Smiley is a Comedian who made prank calls famous. He even has his own radio show where he plays them. He’s also a dad of 4 and starred in a reality show with his family. Rickey started as a comedian but found his fame with prank calls.
