#FundraiserFriday: This Comic’s Dying Wish? To Film a Comedy Special

By Sameer Rao Feb 26, 2016

For today’s #FundraiserFriday, we highlight the campaign to help a promising comedian of color, Quincy Jones (no, not that Quincy Jones), film an hour-long stand-up special before he dies from cancer. 

Take a look at Jones’ Kickstarter promo video and you’ll see him performing hilarious jokes about police violence and racism. It’s clear that he has real promise. Unfortunately, the 32-year-old Los Angeles-based comic also has debilitating stage-four mesothelioma, a rare kind of cancer that he was diagnosed with in 2015. Doctors gave him one year to live, which isn’t enough time to see that promise actualized into an enduring stand-up career. But Jones continues performing. He has taken the stage at some of LA’s best-known clubs, and he has opened for celebrated comics like Bill Burr. 

Friend and fellow comedian Nicole Blaine created this Kickstarter to support Jones’ dream to film a special before he passes. Blaine told Colorlines in an email that while the campaign has already raised more than $34,000 (well beyond the original goal of $4,985), they’ll use the extra funds to increase production value and compensate Jones and others involved: 

Our original amount was based on shooting the special in the cheapest way possible with us doing a lot of the work for free and by begging people to help us through the post-production process. We will also be able to reimburse some of the people that originally volunteered to work on the production. Quincy has requested that everyone who works on the special get paid before him, if there is money left. (He’s that kinda guy.) However, at the end of the day, any money left will go to Quincy, as payment for performing in the special … and most importantly, for inspiring us all.

Jones is scheduled to film the special on April 3, provided that he’s healthy enough to perform. If he is unable to make the show, funds will be donated to cancer research organizations and charities.

Click here to see some of Jones’ material and donate.