Stand-up comedy Robinson began his comedy career performing at an amateur night at the Royal Albert Arms in Winnipeg in April 1977, doing
Humphrey Bogart impressions. Over his career, he has shared the stage with comedians including
Chris Rock,
Dave Chappelle,
Jim Carrey,
Norm Macdonald,
Russell Peters,
Tommy Chong,
Margaret Cho,
Paul Mooney, and
Sam Kinison. In 2014, he received the
Phil Hartman Award from the
Canadian Comedy Awards for his outstanding lifetime contribution to Canadian comedy. The monthly showcase, held on the last Sunday of every month, was created to provide a platform for Black comedians to share their experiences with audiences, inspired by American shows like
Def Comedy Jam and BET's
ComicView.
Television and film Robinson has had an extensive career in television and film. He created, wrote, produced, and hosted the late-night series
After Hours with Kenny Robinson on
The Comedy Network in 2001, which featured early sketch comedy appearances by
Kevin Hart and
Leslie Jones. His
Gemini Award-nominated CBC special
Thick and Thin with Ronnie Edwards earned him two nominations for writing and performance. His film credits include
The Third Miracle (1999) with
Ed Harris,
Down to Earth (2001) with Chris Rock,
Love, Sex and Eating the Bones (2003),
New York Minute (2004),
Blue Hill Avenue (2001), and
Repo Men (2010). Robinson has also hosted the
Gemini Awards. For two years, he was a co-host of "The Morning Rush" on Flow 93.5 FM, Canada's first Black-owned
hip hop radio station. == Political activity ==