Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution
2022 · A&E · 120 min · 1 season
S01E02 · Part 2: The Contemporaries
Fri, 1 July, 11:00 am
Explores the new breed of Black comedian that surfaced after the Civil Rights movement and the significant challenges they still faced. Starting in the 1980s, some black comedians like Eddie Murphy enjoyed unprecedented success while many of them still remained on the sidelines. Working outside of the mainstream, Spike Lee, Robert Townsend, Kenan Ivory Wayans, and Whoopi Goldberg created new opportunities for more socially-relevant work to emerge. Political upheaval in the 21st century mobilized Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, and a diverse cast of young black comedians like never before, giving them a much more prominent role in American society.
About
The two-part documentary event Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution explores the progression of Black comedy and the comedians who have used pointed humor to expose, challenge and ridicule society's injustices and to articulate the Black experience in America. The series examines Black comedy through a unique lens, tracing the evolution and social awakening of the courageous comedians who dared to push against the constraints of their time and spoke truth to power.
Episodes
- E01
Part 1: The Revolutionaries
Thu, 30 June· 120 minChronicles how the pioneers of Black comedy turned the stand-up stage into one of the most important platforms for social discourse in America. This episode explores how Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor, Moms Mabley, and Redd Foxx, among others, used "offensive" humor to break racial and cultural barriers during the civil rights and counterculture eras. Their defiance in the face of insurmountable challenges set the foundation for the freedoms that black comedians enjoy today.
- E02
Part 2: The Contemporaries
Fri, 1 July· 120 minExplores the new breed of Black comedian that surfaced after the Civil Rights movement and the significant challenges they still faced. Starting in the 1980s, some black comedians like Eddie Murphy enjoyed unprecedented success while many of them still remained on the sidelines. Working outside of the mainstream, Spike Lee, Robert Townsend, Kenan Ivory Wayans, and Whoopi Goldberg created new opportunities for more socially-relevant work to emerge. Political upheaval in the 21st century mobilized Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, and a diverse cast of young black comedians like never before, giving them a much more prominent role in American society.
