▁comedy ▁movie , ▁Ch asing ▁Robert , ▁which ▁featured ▁performances ▁by ▁Andy ▁Dick , ▁Larry ▁Miller , ▁Paul ▁Pro ven za , ▁Rick ▁Over ton ▁and ▁Dan ▁Cast ellan eta . ▁ ▁Stand - up ▁comedy ▁H ines ▁started ▁doing ▁stand - up ▁comedy ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 1 . ▁His ▁first ▁performance ▁was ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁at ▁the ▁Fun ny ▁F irm , ▁a ▁Chicago ▁comedy ▁club ▁owned ▁by ▁Len ▁Aust rev itch , ▁who ▁would ▁later ▁cast ▁H ines ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁film ▁roles . ▁After ▁his ▁set , ▁H ines ▁met ▁local ▁com ed ians ▁Bern ie ▁Mac , ▁E van ▁Lion el , ▁Dar an ▁Howard ▁and ▁Sh ay ▁Sh ay ▁( Ph ill ip ▁White ). ▁Mac ▁and ▁Lion el ▁book ed ▁H ines ▁on ▁the ▁spot ▁for ▁their ▁Monday ▁night ▁show ▁at ▁Chicago ' s ▁Cot ton ▁Club , ▁where ▁H ines ▁continued ▁to ▁appear ▁for ▁nearly ▁a ▁year . ▁All ▁four ▁com ed ians ▁became ▁ment ors ▁and ▁friends ▁of ▁H ines . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁Dar an ▁Howard ▁t apped ▁H ines ▁to ▁perform ▁in ▁his ▁L augh ▁Fest ▁College ▁Com edy ▁Tour ▁with ▁shows ▁target ed ▁to ▁histor ically ▁Black ▁colleg es . ▁ ▁H ines ▁cred its ▁Sh ay ▁Sh ay ▁with ▁helping ▁him ▁learn ▁to ▁make ▁his ▁comedy ▁more ▁personal , ▁telling ▁Steven ▁Johnson ▁of ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Trib une , ▁" Sh ay ▁told ▁me ▁I