Being Rick James bad for politico

A City Council candidate in Hattiesburg, Miss., says that having the same name as the late funk legend Rick James is no laughing matter: His campaign signs have been stolen or defaced because of a popular sketch on Comedy Central’s “Chappelle’s Show.”

“It’s gotten so bad, I can put out a sign and the next day, sometimes the same day, it will be gone,” the 53-year-old political hopeful said.

At first he was confused about the popularity of his “Vote for Rick James” signs, having never seen the show. Friends then informed him about the sketch, in which comedian Dave Chappelle dresses as James and utters a catchphrase beginning, “I’m Rick James....”

James, a former state mental health department worker, estimates that $600 in signs have been stolen. And with only three weeks left until the May 3 primary, he said he’s down to his last 10 signs.

James wrote a letter to Comedy Central asking the network to help pay for the signs, which cost about $5 each. While there’s been no offer of money, the network did release a statement saying it felt “bad about the signs being stolen.”