Black Comedians on Black Comedy: How African-Americans Taught Us to Laugh

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Hal Leonard Corporation, 2006 - Performing Arts - 343 pages
(Applause Books). Black Comedians on Black Comedy is the only up-to-date book to examine African-American humor. Comedian Darryl Littleton traces the history and evolution of "black comedy" in his narrative and through the 125 interviews he conducted with some of the top African-American comedians in the world. Those interviewed include Dick Gregory, Sinbad, Eddie Murphy, Mike Epps, Cedric the Entertainer, Nick Cannon, Bernie Mac, Eddie Griffin, Damon Wayans, Arsenio Hall, Chris Rock, Marla Gibbs, Robert Townsend, and John Witherspoon.
 

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Contents

Introduction
vii
Preface
ix
Special Thanks
xi
Thanks to All the Comedians and Industry Talent
xiii
Take My Overseer Please
2
Is This Absolutely Necessary?
12
Blackface on Black Face Crime
18
Two Coons Were Better Than One
28
So This Is What They Mean by Colored TV
112
The True King of Comedy
124
The Heir to The Throne
152
Down Home Blues
166
AfricanAmerican Are Coming The AfricanAmericans Are Coming
186
Lend a Def Ear
194
A View from Behind
204
A Different Shade of Black
224

If Its a Clark Gable Movie Ill Do It
38
Sure Sounds Black to Me
50
You Call That Reception?
54
Not You Too Bugs
60
Ill Make My Own Damn Image
66
Pass the Corn Liquor Im a Vegetarian in the Chitlin Circuit
74
How Low Can I Go?
82
Git In Where You Fit In
92
And the Nights Got Darker
236
Mo Money Mo Money Mo Money
254
When We Were Kings and Queens
274
Jerry Lewis Never Heard a Sister
290
From Hambones to Hummers
298
Sources and Photo Credits
325
Index
327
Copyright

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