Terry T Harris

Many people have heard of Terry T. Harris, whether it’s from his B.E.T. comedy appearances, his local comedy shows, or as the previous owner of the Po’boy’s Pizza restaurant; his name is a familiar one within the community. Yet and still, no one truly knows the heart of this Jacksonville, Florida native and a graduate of Ribault High School. “Most people think that all comedians were class clowns; I’m pretty reserved and pretty shy.” And yet, this reserved man found ways to make his friends and family laugh on a regular basis. He first started doing comedy when he was encouraged by others to give it a try because of how funny he was.

His first show was at the Comedy Zone in Jacksonville, FL. where he got rave reviews and left audiences wanting more! He became a high demand at the Comedy Zone and eventually worked his way up to becoming a regular host there. His style of comedy is considered a mixture of Martin Lawrence with the edginess of Eddie Murphy topped off with a Sinbad/Bill Cosby appeal. With such a unique contrast of style, Terry T. Harris quickly became one of the hottest new names in comedy. Terry felt he found his niche in comedy and knew in his heart that this was the career for him.  “After doing the Comedy Zone for a few years, he decided to take it on more seriously and I started to pursue the dream and the calling.”

Terry, now with a branded name, travels the country performing at comedy clubs, churches, and corporate events. Many have seen him on several seasons of B.E.T. Comic View and as a contestant in P-Diddy’s “Bad Boys of Comedy.” Other notable appearances include, but are not limited to, Bay Area Comedy Competition and Jamie Foxx Laffapalooza Comedy Festival. He has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in comedy such as Guy Torry, Ricky Smiley, Chris Titus, Cedric the Entertainer, Monique and personal friend Grandma Lee, to name a few. As an entrepreneur, he was the founder of Po’boy’s Pizza in 2004, the only 100% minority owned pizza parlor in Jacksonville, Fl. He has since moved on from the restaurant business and founded No Joke Entertainment, Inc., a promotional consulting firm that specializes in promoting entertainment, comedy and special events nationwide.

In Jacksonville, he hosts the First Sundays Comedy Show every first Sunday of the month at the Leopard Lounge. He also hosts First Saturdays Comedy Show at Calendars Pizza in Baker County. Terry has even bigger engagements lined up for the near future, such as Terry Harris TV. Being an exquisite comedian is only one hat Terry T. Harris wears. Directly after high school, Terry made the decision to join the Air Force. “I enjoy the Air Force because I get to travel and see the world, along with serving my country.” As a military soldier and veteran, Senior Master Sergeant Harris currently serves in the Air Force’s Florida National Guard 202 Red Horse Squadron Camp Blanding with 30 years of dedicated service. As a certified license electrician, he is the Electrical superintendent of the Civil Engineering Team. This duty has allowed him to serve his country and community. He experienced a tour of duty in Iraq, and also travels worldwide in support of military missions, natural disasters and humanitarian relief.

While not on duty, Terry works as an Electrical Technician for the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA). He has been faithfully employed by JEA for 22 years. “I truly love the company. Everyone can stay on a job for 22 years also but you have to stay off of drugs, gotta pass the pee test, and you have to come to work on time and I promise you they won’t fire you,” he jokes. His love for people automatically enabled him to intertwine his comedic skills with being a dynamic motivational speaker. “I just love the word motivational; I have a lot to offer. I’m just an average guy and I want to tell people about what I’ve learned in my journey to help them along.”

He is a personal life coach; gracing venues such as schools, churches, and colleges with the effort to instill discipline, dedication, responsibility, and spiritual awakenings. He delivers his message with a mixture of comedy and his own self-proclaimed victories and struggles. “My comedy gets me in the door, but I also have a message.” One of his future goals is to mentor young men, sharing a lot of valuable information with them that can help them get off the street and become productive role models and leaders.

This comedian, entrepreneur, soldier, and electrician still find time to be an excellent father to his four grown children. Being raised by a single mother himself, Terry realizes the importance of having a strong father figure in a child’s life. “My mother is indeed my true inspiration.” Family is the most important thing to him and he enjoys being able to provide for them spiritually, mentally, and financially.

Terry T. Harris attributes his success to God. His motto for his life is “to whom much is given, much is required.” Terry understands God is the source of his success and refuses to misuse it or take it for granted. This is just the surface of Terry T. Harris. His name alone will soon be a household name and will be related to comedy, entrepreneurship and motivation. He encourages our readers to, “go for it, live life simple and follow your dreams.” Terry T. Harris is definitely on the rise…. Look out world, here he comes!