Lately, I've been on an late '80's early '90s black comedy henge. Been watching everything thing from Def Comedy Jam to In Living Color to Robert Townsend's Partners in Crime to Eddie Murphy films. And is it just me or did black comedy from that era own all? Just look at all the comedians who came from that era and became somebodies.


Eddie Murphy
Chris Rock
Damon Wayans
Keenen Ivory Wayans
Arsenio Hall
Robert Townsend
Martin Lawrence
Sinbad
Tommy Davidson
David Alan Grier
Bernie Mac
Steve Harvey
Mark Curry
Eddie Griffin
D.L. Hughley
Cedric the Entertainer
Jamie Foxx
Bill Bellamy
Robin Harris
Whoppie Goldberg
Kim Coles
Joe Torry
Dave Chappelle


And all those guys were the new thing in town. And for the most part, all those guys are still very much active. I don't know who the best young black comic today is, do you?

Best young Black comic? Good question. I'd have to go with Mike Epps as far as stand-up. He's not too funny in films though.

MuthaFunka said:

Mike Epps, best young comic, nawl. Dude made his first appearance on Def Comedy Jam in 1995. He could almost fit into the topic, he's just off by a few years. Someone who at least started out this decade, maybe Kevin Hart?

But that era of comedy is classic and will never be duplicated.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

You didn't say when they debuted, you just said "today" and I'd say 38 is still young in terms of Hollywood. Kevin Hart is corny.

MuthaFunka said:

Kevin Hart >> Mike Epps.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

@ both of ya'll!!! I think both Mike Epps and Kevin Hart are corny. In the concept of comedy in the present day, give me Dave Chappelle.

missfee said:

When Dave ain't losin' his mind somewhere in the Motherland, he's funny.

missfee said:

I agree, they're both straight corn. Neither is funnier than any ONE of the people on LBC's list. Shows the sad state of black comedy.
[Edited 1/4/09 8:46am]

Honestly, I recently came across Chris Rock's "Kill The Messenger" and then Eddie Murphy's "Raw", and I was saddened by how similar they are. One would think that in 20 years the shit would have moved on from dick and pussy, but no. And Chris also bummed lots of Bush jokes from that English comedian that I can't recall the name of, who hosted the MTV Awards. It was sad and made me think less of Chris Rock for it, stand up isn't evolving as much (at all) as I'd like.
Robin Williams is still kicking ass though (yeah, I know he's not black ), comparing the Canada and the US he said "it's like a nice family living over a biker bar".

LittleBLUECorvette said:

where's Chris Tucker?

Teacher said:

Chris Rock is the biggest biter next to Mencia in my opinion Chris has done the same stand up for 20 some odd years and still continues to not be funny. Best comic in my opinions?

Pryor
Carlin
Foxx
Hicks
Mac

It shouldn't be about color it should be about originality.

IAintTheOne said:

You know you mentioned ppl I never heard about, damnit!

But at least you agree on Rock.

MuthaFunka said:

I honestly don't believe that Dave was out "losing his mind" in the Motherland. He knew that he was one of those people who couldn't handle fame at a higher level and gave it up. Of course people on the outside looking in look at him like he was a fool for giving it all up...but think about it, a few more seasons of Chappelle's show would have gotten old and played out. He quit while he was at the top...and before he lost his sanity. He wants to feel normal, and there's nothing wrong with that.

missfee said:

He also said he didn't want to keep the "shuckin' and jivin'" aspect of the show going. He found a conscience.

MuthaFunka said:

yes he did

JayJai said:

opps , knew i forgot someone.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

yeah but what exactly is Chris Tucker doing now?

missfee said:

Rush Hour 18

MuthaFunka said:

What about Wanda Sikes. I like her, smart funny

Generally I love this comedy, but I find some of it too crude, my father and I laughed at the first part of Kill the Messenger but got bored with the endless pussy jokes and dick stuff at the end. We are also put a bit off by all this use of the word motherfucker, and other excessive cursing in general. The fact a lot of the jokes are about sex, racism, crime, less intelligent people etc, does nothing to destroy stereotypes, most people I know can recite skits mainly as the number of fucks and muthafuckas in them.
They need to clean it up a bit, because you will notice most comedians of other races don't resort to fuck this and that (Billy Connolly being a major exception). Bill Cosby is the only guy I know who dosent swear, Will Smith too although Bad Boys was a motherfuckathon.

That aside Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Dave Chapelle and Chris Tucker do make me laugh, especially their movies, but they really are just there for comic relief, I mean Eddie is right when imitates Africans in Raw, as their broken english reinditions of Eddies Swearing.

A good black comedian from this period who seldom sweared was the British Caribbean entertainer Lenny Henry (The man has respect as hes black and hes proud, but his humour is clean and its intelligent and he has heaps of white followers). Also funny, but she swears a bit is Gina Yashere (Who loves to poke fun at the fact shes Nigerian and Jamaican).

I suggest you watch some Lenny Henry and Gina skits on youtube (She does some funny stand up too)

FuNkeNsteiN said:

Huggiebear said:

Totally agreed on all counts - I love SMART standup, where the jokes will make some of the crowd go "wait...what??" cos they don't really understand the implications of the joke, whereas it's hellafunny if you get it. I also love the comedians who make fun of said "wait...what?" people and more or less sneer at their ignorance.

Huggiebear said:

Sinbad doesn't cuss (besides damn, and I've heard Cosby use damn also.) But none of the major cuss words.

Teacher said:

you mean like I do?

MuthaFunka said:

I can't support that. I saw his HBO special and it was a 7 at best

MuthaFunka said:

bboy87 said:

He did a set out here in L.A. back in 2000 and I had tears STREAMING from my eyes! His Oakland show was funny, especially when he did Judge Joe Brown .

JayJai said: