Red Foxx, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, Wanda Sykes, Dave Chappelle... say any of their names to a serious fan of comedy and you're likely to elicit a reverential sigh of importance, followed by a word-for-word recitation of one of their most famous bits.
Black performers have played a pivotal role not just in entertainment, but in changing the way blacks and whites in America lived, worked and related to each other. And comedians especially, with their penchant for crossing lines and speaking uncomfortable truths, have been some of the most influential artists of the last century.
In honor of Black History Month, we wanted to take a look at the influence of black comedians through the eyes of the artists who are following in their footsteps.
So we brought six up-and-coming young comics together for a unique roundtable discussion about comedy, race and the most influential performers of the past and present.
Black performers have played a pivotal role not just in entertainment, but in changing the way blacks and whites in America lived, worked and related to each other. And comedians especially, with their penchant for crossing lines and speaking uncomfortable truths, have been some of the most influential artists of the last century.
In honor of Black History Month, we wanted to take a look at the influence of black comedians through the eyes of the artists who are following in their footsteps.
So we brought six up-and-coming young comics together for a unique roundtable discussion about comedy, race and the most influential performers of the past and present.
- 2/2/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
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