CULLMAN, Ala. – Saturday night saw two best of the bests putting on a show for Cullman that was full of one-of-a-kind entertainment, specialty drinks and cathartic laughter.
Hank’s Sports Bar and Rumors Deli presented comedian and Alabama football aficionado Jermaine “Funnymaine” Johnson and Rod Minger on the comics’ spring 2022 tour.
Hank’s owner Aaron Coombs shares, “We’re so excited to have somebody with such a big name come to Hank’s and Cullman. We’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Jermaine. He’s a really, really funny guy and a really great man. We’re excited to have him and Rod Minger perform tonight.”
Coombs, a Louisiana native, and his restaurant manager Kendrick Boudreaux blazed their way into Cullman swiftly putting down roots. After the purchase of the well-loved, established restaurant, the duo went about growing the menu and the entertainment.
With the addition of authentic Cajun family recipes to the menu and opening their evening venue, Hank’s Sports Bar, the restaurant now hosts live music several nights each week.
This week, comedy great FunnyMaine and Rod Minger were featured entertainment with the goal of having open dialogue and addressing certain belief systems which are still held by some today.
FunnyMaine explains, “It was important for me to come to Cullman for many reasons. I think there are conversations that we, as a state, need to have with each other. We’re not going to have them if we keep dodging each other and running to our echo chambers.
“When you come to a place like Cullman with a reputation, you are forced to have conversations and that’s what we want and that’s what we’re going to do.”
The self-proclaimed “lifetime class clown” always wanted to make people laugh and see them smile when he was growing up in Alabama. While born in Opelika, life brought him to Birmingham at a young age and then to Tuscaloosa.
He explains, “I grew up in Opelika, Alabama and was born in Opelika. I moved to Birmingham in about fourth grade. My mom passed away when I was young and me and my brothers spent a lot of time and summers and holidays in Tuscaloosa with her family. I have to say I’m from Ope-Birma-Loosa!”
Continuing to share his experiences as a youth, FunnyMaine’s childhood mirrors that of many of us.
“It was fun growing up, never a dull moment. A lot of siblings and a lot of cousins so I learned how to share. You learn how to interact with a lot of different personalities and, being the youngest of everybody, I learned how to survive.
Many Cullman natives claim they practically grew up and lived in the church. FunnyMaine literally did.
“When I say we lived in the church, we literally lived in the church. My dad was a pastor in Opelika. We had this farmland with a lake and everything. The first church I remember was in the living room.
“The saints used to come in there and Dad had The Bible and would teach. The congregation got a little bigger and we moved to this other area of the house. Then, the congregation grew again, and we built by hand a warehouse/church on the property that’s still standing down in Opelika.
“So, when people say they grew up in the church I grew up in the church. There’s no excuses to not go to church when all you have to do is walk 15 feet. That was life. That was all we knew.”
FunnyMaine’s upbringing in the church still factors into every decision he makes today.
“Everything to me is about faith. Me and Rod were just having a conversation about faith and everything we’ve been through since COVID and things slowing down and using that faith to get back on track to come to great cities like Cullman.”
FunnyMaine’s performance will be far from the last that Coombs’ spot will be hosting.
Ready for the future, Coombs said, “We are going to keep bringing new things here to Cullman for the community to celebrate.”
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