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Mark Curry: I saw that it was almost an impossibility. I could have played in Europe, yeah. I would have only made about $30,000 a year and I was already doing better at my job. But the experience with it, with the NCAA, it really upset me. I wrote a big article about it. I wanted to graduate so badly, but there was the drama of college. Their interest in having me play ball was overwhelming. Playing basketball in college is hard; you have morning practice and late-afternoon practice. Then, the college work is hard. They had me taking basket-weaving classes, then intermediate basket-weaving classes. After four years, I didn't have the required classes to graduate! The coach didn't care. Look, I was from the 'hood, my parents didn't know about college. Nobody knew. Nobody would advise me. Ghetto kids don't know what they're getting into when they go to play sports for a college. The school should be required to foot the bill until the kid graduates, whether that's three or eight years. Look, they're making $2 million dollars on the kid, televising him. The institution should be financially responsible. I had graduated at the top of my class of a college prep magnet school, but I don't know if that was a curse or a blessing. I always made the dean's list. With my good grades, of course I got into college. But, if I hadn't done so well, I would have gone to a junior college for two years, and then gotten a scholarship for the other two years. And, I would have had what I needed to graduate. Bankrate: Have your residuals from "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" given you freedom of time? Mark Curry: Yeah. But that's my savings money. My road money is my budget. I pretend like the Mr. Cooper money was never there. I told my accountant, "Don't show me a check over $50,000." But, you always want more, I know that. Even when you are between TV shows, you have to keep up. The most important thing is to stay funny! As a comedian, that's the most important thing. But, you have to look nice, too. Image is important. If you roll up in some beat-up car, instead of a nice Mercedes, people will say, "I haven't seen him in five years, he looks like he's broke." You have to look successful, you have to do that. You can always tell if someone hasn't been taking care of himself, if he's on dope, looking bad physically. Even when I'm just doing errands, I'll have the nice tennis shoes on. People live vicariously through me, when they see me. But, I've always looked nice; I've worked since I was 15 years old. My parents didn't have money for new clothes for me that I wanted. I worked to get the nice things I wanted. Bankrate: You do a lot of visits to school children. How did you pick that form of community service? Mark Curry: For the simple fact I grew up poor. I had never seen anyone come to my school growing up. None of the pro ballplayers, actors, nobody. It would have been amazing to have a J.J.Walker or someone come. Bankrate: Do you manage your own money? Mark Curry: That's something I learned from Bill Cosby: "Sign your own checks." I called my accountant to do that. I could tell you if my phone bill is over! I see everything. Bankrate: Do you have investments? Mark Curry: I am very conservative. My first house is paid for. I have a second house in Oakland. My road money is my budget. I have rentals; I pick my own real estate. People always need a place. I have a lot of real estate. I have a corporation; my tenants don't even know I'm their landlord. It's important to have a diverse portfolio. A lot of people say it, but I've really learned it. I remember the dark days in the stock market after September 11. I don't believe in smoking, but I do believe in Philip Morris and Coca Cola. It's like I always tell young people, "You have to have money coming in."
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