Its Our Reality Magazine Weblog

Everyone knows who Ernest L. Thomas is, Don’t you? Even if you don’t recognize the name, you definitely know the face or the characters he’s played.

What's Happening!!

Currently, Ernest has a recurring role as “Mr. Omar” on the show “Everybody Hates Chris”. “Everybody Hates Chris” is an African-American sitcom that features fictional characters and situations that is broadly based on real people and situations. The show is inspired by the teenage experiences of the star comedian Chris Rock while he was growing up in Brooklyn.  Chris Rock narrates each show.

Mr. Omar (Ernest) is a funeral director who lives above Chris and his family. He is smooth with the ladies and is seen with a new female widow in almost every episode he appears in. His claim is to console the lovely ladies in their time of grief, but as it shows, he just wants to get close to them for very personal reasons…

For me, Ernest is most remembered by his own show “What’s Happening!!” and “What’s Happening Now!!” where he plays the character “Raj” , with a signature laugh and dance.

This show must have really had a huge impact on the viewers because it returned back in 1985 under the new name “What’s Happening Now!!”. The show starts several years down the line when they are adults. Adults by age only, the show was based on more mature situations they find themselves in. This show abandoned the mother and sister characters, but created a wife for Raj — Nadine, played by Anne-Marie Johnson.

I recently had the pleasure of having a personal and intimate interview with Ernest. This is one outstanding man who has a heart of gold. He absolutely loves people and people love him. One thing that will stand out in his interview is how passionate he is about helping others and finding a way for everyone to come together as one to help those in need.

I truly love Ernest, but when we get together, whether in person or on the phone, that is a ‘long winded’ conversation. We are talking and laughing so much and the subject can change twenty times, so quite naturally, this interview was so long that I had to edit it a bit for the magazine. Even after the editing, I realized that the interview would have to be broken into two issues.

Ernest L. Thomas

Please, take some time and enjoy our interview (Part 1): 

IOR (Its Our Reality): Ernest, I’d like to thank you in advance for doing this interview and making yourself so available to me.

Ernest: Well, you know sweetheart, anything for you. I’ve always told you that I would always be there for you.

IOR: Well, Ernest, I’ve been doing a lot of reading on you and I’m finding out so many new things that I didn’t know about you. First, my friends want me to ask you about the movie clip you sent me called “Paroled”. What happened to that?

To read the rest of this great interview and find out what went on between Ernest and the “World’s Greatest” Muhammad Ali you’ll need to go to http://itsourrealitymagazine.com/ernest.htm.  You’ll be glad you did.