PINE MOUNTAIN STATE RESORT PARK — Tom Mabe is the comedian famous for getting revenge on telemarketers, and will become even more recognized when his TV show “Mabe in America” airs on Country Music Television this summer. A little known fact about the nationally recognized comedian is that he was also made in Kentucky.

Mabe is slated to provide entertainment to the attendees of the Annual Bell County Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner on Friday, April 25. The Kentucky native is looking forward to his visit to Bell County and those with dinner tickets should look forward to Mabe’s act.

39-year-old Mabe was born and raised in Bullitt County, Ky., and now resides in Louisville, Ky., with his wife and two children. Although he is a successful comic, comedy is not the first love of this funny man.

“It’s been an incredible career for the past ten years. I’ve done a lot of touring and have successful CDs out and even have a TV show coming up, but my first love was composing,” Mabe said.

He still dabbles in composing — he writes a Kentucky Derby jingle every year.

According to his website, www.tommabe.com, Mabe has been dubbed the ‘troubleshooter-troublemaker’ and the ‘comic with a cause’ by several national magazines and TV shows.

He touts the day when he took revenge on telemarketers. He says that he attended a telemarketing convention in Washington D.C. where hundreds of telemarketing “big wigs” were hoping to get positive press for telemarketers and ultimately discourage any laws being passed that prohibit telemarketing. Mabe reportedly checked into the same hotel the telemarketers were staying, found out what floors they were on, what rooms they were in and started calling the telemarketers in their rooms at 3 a.m. He said he tried to sell them things like sleeping pills.

Tom tours the country doing stand up comedy. He touches on current events in his act, addressing everything from high gas prices to Britney Spears. “It’s a sad day when your cars blue book value doubles with a full tank of super unleaded; won’t be long till NASCAR adds a carpool lane!” is one of his jokes that we can all relate to.

Tom promises that dinner attendees will see a few preview clips from the upcoming “Mabe in America” show in addition to hearing his comedy act.

The Bell County Chamber of Commerce still has tickets available for their annual awards dinner.

The awards dinner is scheduled for Friday, April 25, at 6 p.m. at Pine Mountain State Resort Park.

Dinner tickets are $35 per person and include dinner, the reception and entertainment. Tickets may be purchased from any Chamber or board member or from the Chamber office. Interested parties may also call (606) 248-1075 to reserve seating.

Brandy Calvert is the Senior Staff Writer for the Middlesboro Daily News. Contact her via e-mail at bmurray@middlesborodailynews.com.