All Jokes Aside

In the 1990s, legendary Chicago comedy club All Jokes Aside catapulted some of the biggest names in the business to the national stage: Jamie Foxx, Mo'Nique, Chris Rock, Steve Harvey, and Dave Chappelle, just to name a few. Behind the operation was Raymond Lambert, a 29-year-old investment banker who left a six-figure salary and a promising career on Wall Street to open the comedy club. Lambert channeled his experience in the cutthroat financial industry into what became the preeminent black comedy showcase in Americaand then he lost it all.

All Jokes Aside: Stand-Up Comedy Is a Phunny Business is the wildly entertaining story of Lambert's journey, a behind-the-scenes look at the world of show business, and an inspiring tale for any dreamer and would-be entrepreneur. In 2012, Lambert released the documentary film Phunny Business, which profiles his iconic club through interviews with many of the club's most famous alumni. The film was met with worldwide acclaim and has since been nationally syndicated on S.