A veteran stand-up comic who inspires both admiration and ire with his brutally honest, racially charged, unabashedly liberal humor, this Los Angeles native ran with gangs as a teen until his cousin's murder prompted him to clean up his act. While working as a telemarketer, he met his future wife, who encouraged him to embark on an entertainment career. Hughley's autobiographical routines made him a hit on the comedy circuit, particularly with black audiences, which led to frequent appearances on Def Comedy Jam and a spot as the host of BET's Comic View. In 1998 he created and starred in the family-friendly sitcom The Hughleys, based on his own experience of moving from the inner city to the suburbs. During his tenure, his career got a big boost from the Spike Lee-directed concert film The Original Kings of Comedy, which showcased his raunchier, racier side. After his show folded in 2002, Hughley kept busy with a variety of hosting gigs and frequent talk-show appearances, notably on Real Time with Bill Maher as a no-holds-barred lefty. In 2006, he landed a plum part as a late-night sketch-comedy star on Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.