(September 1, 2006) — After a five-year absence from movie screens, Chris Tucker is about to begin shooting “Rush Hour 3” with Jackie Chan.
But before the cameras roll, the 34-year-old motor-mouthed comedian is squeezing in a 21-city standup tour, which began June 11. It is his first official tour in nearly a decade.
“Standup gets me warmed up for the movie,” Tucker said in a phone interview Friday. “It keeps you sharp, and also current on what’s going on.”
In his new act, Tucker riffs on politics and pop culture, joking about recent rumors that his payday for “Rush Hour 3” will be $25 million.
He also tells audiences that he’s never done a sequel to his 1995 breakout film, “Friday,” because Ice Cube tried to pay him with CDs rather than cash.
Like many comedians, Tucker takes aim at President Bush and violence in the Middle East. But his jokes don’t rely on profanity to garner a laugh.
“I don’t cuss in my personal life,” said the soft-spoken Tucker. “On stage, I do cuss every now and then. But it’s not like it’s overshadowing my act. … I don’t want the cussing to get in the way of what I’m saying.”
It’s a decision, the actor said, that’s based on concern for young fans. “I’m a role model and I watch what I do. I don’t want to misguide any young people.”
The comic has spent much of the past five years working with children through his charitable foundation, which raises awareness about education issues. He has recently been focusing on poverty and the HIV epidemic in Africa, after accompanying Bono and former President Clinton to Africa earlier this year.
When Tucker’s tour wraps up in Atlanta on Sept. 17, he’ll fly to Paris, where shooting on “Rush Hour 3” starts Sept. 25.
Tucker said he’s excited about working in France with Chan and director Brett Ratner after traveling to China for the series’ last installment.
“We were in Hong Kong for two months. That was definitely culture shock for me,” Tucker said.
He said the movie, scheduled for release next summer, will offer fans of the franchise plenty of outrageous moments. “People love the out-takes,” he said. “This one’s gonna be one long out-take.”
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