HAPPY 45TH BIRTHDAY TO COMEDIAN AND ACTOR CHRIS TUCKER

Best known for his audacious role as Smokey in Ice Cube's Friday and Detective James Carter in the Rush Hour film series, Chris Tucker is one of the most successful comedians of our time. Starting his career as a stand-up coming on Def Comedy Jam in the early '90s, he made his cinematic debut in House Party 3. But it wasn't until he landed his role in Cube's comedy classic that he snagged serious recognition. The Georgia native was also in the films Money Talks, The Fifth Element and Dead Presidents. In 2011, the multi-million dollar star returned to stand-up and is reportedly scheduled to revive his role as Smokey in the last installment of Cube's Friday series. His performance in the Oscar-winning film Silver Linings Playbook was critically acclaimed and in 2013, he was the host of the BET Awards.