Alex Thomas explains how selecting Dr. Dre’s record-breaking tour over ending The Jamie Foxx Present modified his profession — and quickly strained his friendship with Foxx
Comic Alex Thomas is trying again on the choice that just about ended his friendship with Jamie Foxx — and jump-started the subsequent chapter of his profession. In a brand new interview with The Artwork of Dialogue, Thomas detailed how, in 2000, he left The Jamie Foxx Present two episodes shy of wrapping manufacturing to host Dr. Dre’s legendary Up in Smoke tour, a transfer that doubled his revenue and opened new doorways however briefly soured issues between him and Foxx.
Leaving a Hit Sitcom for Hip-Hop’s Largest Stage
Thomas had been a fan-favorite recurring solid member on The Jamie Foxx Present. He gained fame enjoying Jamie’s quick-witted buddy Phil throughout the WB sitcom’s five-season run from 1996 to 2001. Because the present entered its ultimate stretch, Thomas was confronted with what he calls a “bizarre dilemma.” Dr. Dre personally referred to as to supply him the internet hosting gig for the Up in Smoke tour. Nonetheless, it was about to launch that very same week.
“I’m actually on set ending the final two episodes,” Thomas mentioned. “Dr. Dre calls me out of nowhere and says, ‘Yo, I would like you to host this tour. We begin Thursday.’ I mentioned, ‘Thursday?! As on this Thursday?’”
The provide was too good to disregard. The tour promised sold-out 30,000-seat arenas, double his sitcom pay, and the possibility to share the stage with Snoop Dogg, Ice Dice, Eminem, and Warren G. It could later develop into one in all hip-hop’s highest-grossing dwell occasions, bringing in over $22 million throughout its two-month U.S. run.
A Profession-Altering Resolution
Thomas described the selection as the most important fork within the highway of his profession. “That was my first actual dilemma as an entertainer,” he recalled. “Do I keep and end these final two episodes for a verify I’ve been getting for years, or do I am going earn more money in a single summer season than I’ve ever seen in my life?”
The comic finally selected to take the tour, regardless of contractual obligations to complete the sitcom season. He seen it as a practical enterprise transfer relatively than a betrayal. “It wasn’t private,” he defined. “It was about progress. You don’t all the time get to manage when alternative knocks — generally you simply gotta go.”
Jamie Foxx’s Response: From Frustration to Understanding
In response to Thomas, Jamie Foxx initially didn’t take the sudden departure properly. The choice pressured last-minute rewrites for The Jamie Foxx Present’s finale and disrupted manufacturing plans.
“Jamie was upset,” Thomas admitted. “You gotta perceive — we have been household on that set. We’d been doing that present for years. However as soon as he noticed how large the tour was, he understood it was greater than tv for me.”
Thomas added that the 2 later reconciled, with no lasting rigidity. “Jamie’s one of many smartest dudes within the recreation,” he mentioned. “He understood the hustle. We have been all chasing the subsequent degree again then.”
The Up in Smoke Tour: A Defining Second in Hip-Hop
Thomas’ instincts proved proper. The Up in Smoke tour wasn’t only a live performance — it was a cultural milestone that redefined hip-hop’s dwell presence.
Spanning 44 cities, the tour introduced collectively a few of the greatest names in rap on the peak of their powers: Dr. Dre recent off 2001, Eminem driving The Marshall Mathers LP, Snoop Dogg in full icon mode, and Ice Dice commanding each area.
Thomas served as host and hype man, warming up crowds and bridging comedy with hip-hop power. The publicity helped him transition seamlessly into movie roles, together with The Wash (2001) alongside Dre and Snoop — a direct results of the connections he made on tour.
Balancing Loyalty and Ambition
The story highlights an age-old leisure dilemma: loyalty to at least one mission versus seizing life-changing alternatives. In early-2000s Hollywood, the place sitcoms supplied stability however excursions supplied large monetary upside, Thomas’ alternative mirrored the period’s hustle-first mentality.
“You gotta keep in mind, this was 2000,” Thomas mentioned. “There wasn’t streaming, social media, or model offers. You made strikes the place the cash and visibility have been. That tour put me in entrance of tens of millions — dwell.”
He estimates he earned a number of hundred thousand {dollars} from the summer season run, in comparison with roughly $5,000 per TV episode. “I got here again from that tour and walked proper into The Wash, and my inventory went up,” he mentioned proudly.
Public Response: Assist for the Hustle
After The Artwork of Dialogue posted the clip on X, followers overwhelmingly sided with Thomas. Most noticed his resolution for example of sensible profession technique, not disloyalty.
“I’d’ve went on tour too,” one person wrote. One other added, “He made the best alternative — you’d be loopy to show down that form of alternative.”
Some joked in regards to the iconic tour itself: “Had the Up in Smoke DVD again within the day — that factor was legendary.” Others reminisced about Thomas’ film work, writing, “Final time I noticed him was in Gamers Membership — all the time been humorous.”
Even the few who questioned his timing acknowledged the issue of balancing friendship and enterprise. “I’d have instructed my coworkers first,” one reply mentioned. “However I can’t knock the person for selecting a greater bag.”
Jamie Foxx and Alex Thomas: Two Paths to Longevity
Trying again 25 years later, each comedians have loved lasting success — Foxx evolving into an Oscar-winning actor and world star, and Thomas sustaining a gentle profession in stand-up, movie, and voice appearing.
Thomas typically credit his expertise on The Jamie Foxx Present for shaping his professionalism, even when leaving triggered short-term rigidity. “That present taught me every part about timing and self-discipline,” he mentioned. “However the Dre tour taught me about branding, power, and the enterprise of staying related.”
The mutual respect between the 2 entertainers stays evident; Thomas has praised Foxx in interviews as one of the vital proficient individuals he’s ever labored with. Their story underscores how ambition and friendship can collide — and coexist — within the leisure business.
The Broader Legacy of That Period
Thomas’ resolution additionally speaks to a selected second in popular culture historical past when hip-hop and comedy have been merging into mainstream leisure. The late Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s noticed comedians internet hosting rap excursions, showing in music movies, and mixing audiences throughout genres.
By selecting Up in Smoke, Thomas positioned himself on the middle of that crossover. It was a chance that mirrored the evolution of the business — one the place loyalty was necessary, however momentum was every part.
In hindsight, few would argue it wasn’t the best transfer. “That tour,” Thomas mentioned, smiling, “was the most important factor I’d ever seen. And I used to be a part of it.”
Why Followers Nonetheless Relate to the Story
The clip’s traction exhibits how timeless that form of resolution nonetheless feels. Audiences respect honesty and hustle, particularly when instructed by a performer who owns each his dangers and rewards.
Alex Thomas’ calm reflection — and his willingness to confess the stress it triggered — resonated with followers who’ve confronted related crossroads in their very own careers. It wasn’t about ego or betrayal; it was about betting on himself.
“Some alternatives solely knock as soon as,” he concluded within the video. “I needed to reply.”
The Takeaway
Twenty years later, the fallout between Alex Thomas and Jamie Foxx reads much less like drama and extra like a traditional case research in profession timing.
Thomas’ resolution proved that generally, the best transfer for progress comes with short-term friction. For him, strolling away from two sitcom episodes to face onstage with hip-hop’s greatest legends wasn’t disloyalty — it was future.
