You’ve seen Bill Engvall on “The Blue Collar Comedy Tour” and “The Bill Engvall Show.” And Saturday, the Texas-bred funny man will headline the Tacoma Dome with a set of homespun humor. Recently, I caught up with the guy for a phone interview, and here are a few clips:

Part 1: Getting in trouble for jokes about his family, his ties to Grit City

Part 2: His new material, empty nesting

Part 3: The complex he developed from Blue Collar Comedy

Get 'er dooooone! Wait, wrong Blue Collar dude.
STEPHEN CHERNIN/GETTY IMAGES

The other day, I posted an earlier version of my story on the Tacoma Police Department and Pantages Theater getting sued over that E-40 concert in today's paper. And it didn't have this info from South Sound about the Tacoma Hip-Hop Coalition and Broadway Center's hip-hop outreach forums. Thought a few of you might be interested:

Local hip-hop fans picketed Broadway Center in the immediate aftermath of the E-40 show being called off, saying they were unfairly profiled and stereotyped by police and local venue owners.

In response, Broadway Center has hosted a series of hip-hop outreach forums, seeking ideas on how to best include hip-hop at their venues and alleviate safety concerns.

“They have been among the most positive and enthusiastic community dialogues that we have had,” Fischer said. “The very diverse group of people that we’re working with is really excited about where we’re going and how we’re working with them. And it’s been just incredibly positive.”

Those meetings lead to the Tacoma Hip-Hop Coalition, an independent group of local hip-hop performers, entrepreneurs and fans. The group has been organizing a local hip-hop showcase that is scheduled to take place at Broadway Center next June, Fischer said.

“We’re really letting this coalition of people who have gathered follow their own enthusiasm,” Fischer said. “And this is the direction they want to go. And so we’re trying to bring our skills and abilities forward to support them in doing that.”

“Hopefully this will be a groundbreaking event,” Tacoma Hip-Hop Coalition spokeswoman Tiffany Sanders said.

The Coalition’s next meeting will be held at 8 a.m. on Saturday at the D.A.S.H. Center for the Arts, 1504 Martin Luther King Jr. Way; 253-306-6615 for more details.