A handsome African-American stand-up comic who segued into a successful acting career while hosting the popular R&B music video and interview series "MTV Jams", Bill Bellamy seemed a natural performer, but nearly didn't become an entertainer at all. Goaded into entering a male beauty pageant while studying economics at Rutgers University, Bellamy had to decide on a routine for the talent competition and wrote a short comedy act that wowed the crowd. Excited by the reaction, he decided to pursue a career in stand-up and began performing in clubs in 1988. In 1990, Bellamy made his national TV
