Bill Bellamy makes people laugh in person and on the small screen. The actor and stand-up comedian is currently working on a new television series called ‘Mr. Box Office,’ in which he is forced to teach at one of the worst schools in Los Angeles after having a confrontation with paparazzi. Bill recently sat down with Essence magazine to talk about family life.
On the fatherhood experience:
“When you have a daughter your radar is up so high because now you see a side of things that you never saw before. It’s like, oh man, what is she going to think? What is her perception of what beauty is? What is it like being a young Black female in a mostly white school? I mean there are so many issues I think about now. [My wife Kristen and I] decided to keep exposing the children to a lot of things because if you just let your kids be in the suburbs, that’s not enough. That’s not real. Our goal is to make sure that our kids are exposed to everything – this neighborhood and that neighborhood, and even everything from basketball to soccer to chess.”
On his kids’ opinion about his line of work:
“They are really proud of me. It’s super dope. They show my work off to their friends. I’m like, ‘Wow.’ This is the first time they are at this age so you’re learning something different every time. They’re like, ‘Daddy, how many agents do you have?'”
On if there are any future entertainers in the Bellamy family:
“My daughter has done a commercial and she’s done some modeling and kids magazines.”
On marriage
“I think it’s simple. It’s about communication and connection. You kind of have to work on that because the business itself can take you all over the place, and you can get lost. Do things that keep you connected. I have to make time for my family. They are more important than my career because they give me the things that are invaluable that I could never have without them. I never thought that would happen to me because I always thought my career was everything. You know, I thought, I’ve got to do this. I’ve got to hustle. I’ve got to be funny and make these movies and all that stuff. I thought [my career] was my family at the time, but now I know what family truly is.”
