Spike Lee directed the hit comedy concert film, the Original Kings of Comedy in 2000. It featured four of the hottest black comics of that time (but not the four hottest ... hint, hint.)

If this were done, say every five years or so, how do you think the line-ups would have looked?

The Original Kings of Comedy

Steve Harvey

D.L. Hughley

Cedric the Entrtainer

Bernie Mac

-Of the four, Harvey had the biggest name at the time. Two sitcoms, hosted Showtime at the Apollo, and had two HBO specials.

-DL, also had two sitcoms, hosted BET Comic View and also had two HBO specials.

-Ced was co-star with Harvey on a sitcom and hosted Comic View.

-Bernie was like the wild card. He had his own late night show that no one remembers, Midnight Mac for only a few episodes. Had recurring role on Moesha and was in movies a lot.

-----

At that time, I think any of those four could have been replaced with the likes of a Dave Chappelle, Bill Bellamy, Joe Torry or Guy (Guy was actually on the original tour in place of DL), ect.

I'll start by dropping 5 years earlier to 1995.

My four man team would be:

Bill Bellamy as the host

Mark Curry as the opener

Chris Tucker

Eddie Griffin closing the show

-Bells had a Showtime special, was on MTV as a VJ also.

-Curry, like Harvey was a Showtime at the Apollo host and also had a sitcom and HBO special.

-Tucker, had some high rated Def Comedy Jam appearances and a few movie roles.

-Griffin had a few HBO specials, starred in the short lived Townsend Television.

I had Chris Rock here, but by 95 he was pretty huge. He was the headliner to other names like Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx and Joe Torry at that time.

[Edited 12/21/12 17:22pm]

I can't think of any current ones at the moment...

Timmy84 said:

I can't think of any current ones at the moment...

Current Kings would include, circa 2010-2012.

Tony Roberts

Capone

Deon Cole

Deray Davis

But, back to 1990

Robin Harris as the host

Martin Lawrence as the opener

David Alan Grier

Damon Wayans as the closer

-Harris passed in March of 1990, right after House Party hit the big screen. Had a HBO pecial

-Martin was also in House Party and What's Hapenning Now!!!

-DAG had been on TV and films

-Damon had been in films and SNL and many HBP specials.

it could never happen BUT

my all time four would be

HOST MC;

RED FOXX (any year)

Openner;

Bill Cosby (circa '60s)

Eddie Murphy'

CLOSER;

Richard Pryor ('70-'76)

KingBAD said:

it could never happen BUT

my all time four would be

HOST MC;

RED FOXX (any year)

Openner;

Bill Cosby (circa '60s)

Eddie Murphy'

CLOSER;

Richard Pryor ('70-'76)

Three of the four could perform but Billy would never do a comedy show with those 3. Find three Bill Cosby types would e a challenge.

Bill, Flip, I guess Sinbad and I guess Doug E. Doug. I don't think Tim Reid was a dirty comic.

Kings of Comedy circa 1985

Arsenio Hall as the host

Keenen Ivory Wayans as the opener

Robert Townsend

Charlie Barnett as the closer

-Arsenio was a regular on a few TV series and perfomed on television

-Wayans had performed on TV a few times and starred in a TV drama

-Townsend performed on TV a few times and had been in films

-Barnett did DC Cab

^ Bill didn't do the chitlin' circuit in his career, I don't think (unlike Redd and Richard)... Dick Gregory would've fit better than Bill in the Redd/Eddie/Richard lineup. But then we also have to remember that when Richard finally made it big in the '70s, he was too big to be part of a package deal. Same with Redd and Eddie but if they did do it it would've been an event no doubt.

I know I'm breaking the rules here, but - of the names mentioned above - Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy are my favorites. Just brilliant comics.

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The King of Kings of Comedy. In any era.

Richard Pryor & Bill Hicks. End of.

Kings of Comedy circa 1980

Reynaldo Rey as the host
Johnny Witherspoon as the opener
Franklyn Ajaye
Paul Mooney as the closer

-Rey-Rey was discovered by Redd Foxx in the 60s. Had appeared on many TV shows and recorded albums by 1980.

-Witherspoon was on TV shows and regular at the comedy store.

-Franklyn was in Car Wash and released many albums.

-Mooney was Richard Pryor's right hand man.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Kings of Comedy circa 1980

Reynaldo Rey as the host
Johnny Witherspoon as the opener
Franklyn Ajaye
Paul Mooney as the closer

-Rey-Rey was discovered by Redd Foxx in the 60s. Had appeared on many TV shows and recorded albums by 1980.

-Witherspoon was on TV shows and regular at the comedy store.

-Franklyn was in Car Wash and released many albums.

-Mooney was Richard Pryor's right hand man.

That would be interesting. If I'm not mistaken, on LaWanda Page's "Mutha Is Half a Word" album, Rey-Rey was the one who introduced her. It's funny you mention Paul Mooney because though I know he worked with Richard and was already earning success as a comedy writer, I don't recall him doing stand up in the '70s or '80s, least early '80s?

Timmy84 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Kings of Comedy circa 1980

Reynaldo Rey as the host
Johnny Witherspoon as the opener
Franklyn Ajaye
Paul Mooney as the closer

-Rey-Rey was discovered by Redd Foxx in the 60s. Had appeared on many TV shows and recorded albums by 1980.

-Witherspoon was on TV shows and regular at the comedy store.

-Franklyn was in Car Wash and released many albums.

-Mooney was Richard Pryor's right hand man.

That would be interesting. If I'm not mistaken, on LaWanda Page's "Mutha Is Half a Word" album, Rey-Rey was the one who introduced her. It's funny you mention Paul Mooney because though I know he worked with Richard and was already earning success as a comedy writer, I don't recall him doing stand up in the '70s or '80s, least early '80s?

Mooney met Richard at a comedy club in, I wanna say sometime in 1968, right before his whole incident thing where he stopped being Bill Cosby Jr, and became Richard Pryor.

Mooney performed stand up on a few series, like Soul Train and another series called Black Omnibus among others.

[Edited 12/23/12 10:49am]

^ Ah! Gotcha now.

Kings of Comedy circa 1975

Jimmy Lynch as the host
Dap Sugar Willie as the opener
Wildman Steve
Skillet & Leroy as the closer(s)

All five of these comics were known for their party records and appearing in Blaxploitation films by Rudy Ray Moore and series like Sanford and Son.

-Jimmy Lynch "The Return of the Funky Tramp" 1974

-Dap Sugar Willie "The Ghost of Davy Crockett" 1973

-Wildman Steve "Eatin Ain't Cheatin" 1974

-Skilley & Leroy "2 or 3 Times a Day" 1972

Kings of Comedy circa 1970

Rudy Ray Moore as the host

Stu Gilliam as the opener

Scoey Mitchell

Richard Pryor as the closer

Rudy Ray and Richard were known on the party and chitlin circuit with their album and RIch had a few TV appearances.

Stu and Scoey were television comics in the vein of Godfrey Cambridge and Flip Wilson.

Mitch Hedberg

Steve Martin

Cheech and Chong

Bill Cosby

RodeoSchro said:

Mitch Hedberg

Steve Martin

Cheech and Chong

Bill Cosby

This would be one wierd show, in a good way.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

RodeoSchro said:

Mitch Hedberg

Steve Martin

Cheech and Chong

Bill Cosby

This would be one wierd show, in a good way.

Yeah, I couldn't get my head around a certain era, so I just put in my four favorites.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Kings of Comedy circa 1970

Rudy Ray Moore as the host

Stu Gilliam as the opener

Scoey Mitchell

Richard Pryor as the closer

Rudy Ray and Richard were known on the party and chitlin circuit with their album and RIch had a few TV appearances.

Stu and Scoey were television comics in the vein of Godfrey Cambridge and Flip Wilson.

nice set.

i forgot about my man stu. scoey, i can't remember but at firsrt i tripped that it was nippsy russell

who wasn't my cup o tea and wouldn't have fit that set.