It's impossible to calculate the impact black comedians have had on the American funny-bone. The tradition stretches from the down home wit of Moms Mabley to the guffaws generated by Def Comedy Jam. Whether it's inventing the "buppie" with a hit 1980s sitcom, introducing us to Mr. Robinson's neighborhood, or reveling in the ridiculousness of Rick James, the comic geniuses below have broken
With his Saturday Night Live stint and a slew of hit movies and albums, Murphy was as important to '80s comedy as N.W.A. was to hip-hop. A gifted mimic, he insulted women, gays and Mr. T, yet with a rascally charm and infectious guffaw that recalled a Bugs Bunny in hustler's clothing. Laugh line: "She whined, 'What have you done for me lately, Eddie?' I was like, 'Bitch! You was butt-naked on a zebra last month!'" Must-see-movie: Initially intended as a Sly Stallone vehicle, Beverly Hills Cop is the finest example of Murphy's streetwise edge. Discovered by Eddie Murphy while performing at The Comedy Strip, Rock has moved out from under his mentor's shadow to become America's resident truth-teller. Whether riffing on his family or mocking out Michael Jackson, Rock tempers his dead-on punch-lines with youthful charisma and a preacher's conviction. Laugh line: "Every town has the same two malls: the one white people go to and the one white people used to go to." Must-see-movie: The 1996 HBO special Bring the Pain shot a post-CB4 Rock back into the limelight. Cosby was the first African-American to star in a primetime drama (I Spy), the first to win an Emmy, and the first to Laugh line: "Because of my father, I thought my name was Jesus Christ. My brother Russell thought that his name was Damnit." Must-see-movie: He holds an audience rapt with tales and routines in Bill Cosby, Himself -- while seated! After suffering a nervous breakdown, Pryor traded in Cosby-style monologues for ruminations on race, sex and his whorehouse upbringing that were unprecedented in their rawness. Audiences during the 1970s couldn't get enough of Pryor unraveling the contradictions of white America and "The N word." Laugh line: "I went to Zimbabwe. I know how white people feel in America now - relaxed! 'Cause when I heard the police car I knew they weren't coming after me!" Must-see-movie: Skip the comic vehicles and head straight for the 1979 documentary Live in Concert. With two seasons of Chappelle's Show, the Ohio comic seemed poised to become a Richard Pryor for the Jon Stewart generation. His sketches ruthlessly lampooned whites and blacks, and with his loony impersonations, he transformed Rick James and Lil' Jon into national icons. Laugh line: "I'm Rick James, bitch!" Must-see movie: In Half Baked, Chappelle makes it his mission to spin out every last weed joke he can. The craggy comic hit the mainstream in 1972 with Sanford & Son -- the first sitcom since Amos 'n' Andy with an all-black cast -- but fans knew his under-the-counter "party albums" were where it was really at. Discs like Laff of the Party and New Fugg contained plenty of smutty gags that rap stars are still ripping off today. Laugh line: "You hear that Elizabeth? I'm coming to join you, honey." Must-see-movie: Foxx provides plenty of salty humor as a junk-dealer in 1970's Cotton Comes to Harlem. There isn't much Wanda won't do. For her Comedy Central series, Wanda Does It, the pint-sized comic even tried being a hooker for a day. Like buddy Chris Rock, her style is to cut straight through the bullsh*t, but just watch Curb Your Enthusiasm to witness how skilled she is at improvised invective. Laugh line: "'Hey big ass' or 'Hey assy' or 'Hey, I know your ass'. What is that? That's not how you say hello." Must-see movie: Sykes is hilarious as streetwalker "Biggie Shorty" in the cult hit Pootie Tang. Best known for his hit TV show and movie appearances, the bug-eyed ex-boxer got where he is the hard way -- steady gigging since 1977. He reached the big time on the 1997 Kings of Comedy tour by casting an unsentimental eye on family doings and explaining the etymology of the word "motherf*cker." Laugh line: "I'm gonna kill one of them kids ..." Must-see movie: He can act, too. Mac eats up the role of an egotistical fallen ballplayer in Mr. 3000. The former R&B singer known as Prince Dumarr was working at a record store when he first heard a rhyming "toast" from a local wino. His hysterical verses about the mythic stud Dolemite propelled Moore to the top of the chitlin circuit, and became a template for the personas of gangsta rappers like Snoop Dogg. Laugh line: "Man, move over and let me pass 'fore they have to be pullin' these Hush Puppies out your mothaf*ckin' ass!" Must-see movie: Blaxsploitation movie Dolemite was affectionately parodied in Ol' Dirty Bastard's "Got Your Money" video. |
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