Despite the rain on the day of the event, Kevin Hart sold out this year’s Nest Fest, put on by Florida Gulf Coast University’s Programming Board.
There were more than 6,500 people that filled up Germain Arena. Per Hart’s request, there was a strict “No Cellphone” policy put out by FGCU’s Programming Board:
“During this show there will be a strict cell phone policy. NO: texting, tweeting, talking, cameras, recording devices of any kind. Violators will be REMOVED!”
Not only was this rule posted on their Facebook page multiple times, but there were also numerous signs and reminders by staff at the stadium. In order to enforce this, Germain Arena nearly tripled their security, through their own staff, a private security company, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Department.
DJ Rifik from Y100 pumped up the crowd, announcing that Fort Myers was the first stop on Hart’s #WhatNow World Tour. He also encouraged the crowd to go see “Get Hard,” starring Hart and Will Ferrell, as their movie had just been released in theaters Thursday at midnight.
Joey Wells was the first of the three opening acts for Hart. Wells is a writer and comedian from Los Angeles, who has worked for BET and with Hart on his “Seriously Funny” (2010) and “Laugh at my Pain” (2011) movies. Wells’ appealed to the college audience, as he went through and picked on the eager freshman, all the way up to the job-hunting seniors.
Following Wells, Will “Spank” Horton gave his comedy twist on his life problems and living as a married man. Horton is a writer and comedian from Philadelphia, and has worked closely with Hart on his movies “Let Me Explain,” (2013) “Ride Along,” (2014) and “Laugh at my Pain.”
Concluding the openers, Na’im Lynn talked about all of the hard things in life that he made hilarious. Lynn is a writer and comedian from New Jersey, who has worked with Hart on his “Laugh at my Pain” and “Let Me Explain” movies. He has also been featured in “Master Debaters with Jay Mohr.” Lynn completes the three-man trio that tours with Hart, known as The Plastic Cup Boyz (Wells, Horton and Lynn.)
Hart is an actor, comedian, producer and writer. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, and began his career by performing in comedy clubs and entering competitions. He has since produced two stand-up films, among acting in many other movies and shows, and has won Entertainer of the Year and Best Actor In a Comedy Series, both within 2014, alone.
Hart entered the stage as everyone rose from their seats, receiving a warm welcome from a mixed audience of FGCU students and the general public. Hart was very animated on stage, and multiple times had to hold back his laughter, saying, “You guys are unbelievable. It’s great… So unbelievable.” Laughing through to the end of his performance, the audience then gave Hart one more standing ovation for his time on stage.