Famous, Black & Funny: An Inside Look At Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Being funny comes as a natural gift for man – but only the really talented (and really daring) ones have answered the call to make the masses laugh with their comedy. The wild and crazy Tracy Morgan, the much heralded Whoopi Goldberg, the brassy Mo'Nique and the late, great Richard Pryor are just a few of the black, famous and funny people who made us laugh over the last 50 years. There are many more. And they all have stories behind the funny. Check out who they are and what they've done.
Famous, Black & Funny: An Inside Look At Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Martin Lawrence
Started Out: Making an appearance on the national talent show 'Star Search,' which ultimately led to a gig on 'What's Happening Now!' Big Break: Hosting the groundbreaking comedy series 'Def Comedy Jam.' Hometown: Landover, Md. Also Was Seen: In the films 'Do the Right Thing,' 'House Party,' 'Boomerang,' 'Bad Boys,' 'Thin Line Between Love & Hate' and 'Big Momma's House.' In addition, he starred and executive-produced his own Fox sitcom 'Martin' for five seasons. Factoid: In 1989, Lawrence was engaged to 'Saved by the Bell' actress Lark Voorhies.
Famous, Black & Funny: An Inside Look At Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Steve Harvey
Started Out: Began doing stand-up in the mid-1980s and was a finalist in the second annual Johnnie Walker National Comedy Search in 1989. Big Break: Hosting the nationally syndicated TV series 'Showtime at the Apollo.' Hometown: Welch, W. Va. Also Was Seen: On the series 'Me and the Boys' and his eponymous sitcom. Also appeared in the movies 'Love Don't Cost A Thing,' 'The Original Kings of Comedy' and 'The Fighting Temptations.' Factoid: Born in 1957, Harvey (real name: Broderick Steven Harvey) made his literary debut with the New York Times best-selling relationship/advice book 'Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,' in 2009.
Famous, Black & Funny: An Inside Look At Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Wanda Sykes
Started Out: Began her stand-up career at a Coors Light Super Talent Showcase in Washington, D.C. Big Break: Played multiple roles on Chris Rock's Emmy Award-winning HBO show. Hometown: Portsmouth, Va. Also Was Seen: In the movies 'Monster-in-Law' and 'Pooty Tang' and on the TV shows 'Wanda At Large,' 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' and 'The New Adventures of Old Christine.' Factoid: During a Las Vegas gay rights rally in November 2008, Sykes proclaimed she was "proud to be gay."
Famous, Black & Funny: An Inside Look At Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Jamie Foxx
Started Out: Acting on a dare (from a girlfriend) and competing in an open-mic contest at a comedy club in 1989. Big Break: Playing the comely date-challenged Wanda on 'In Living Color' Hometown: Linden, Texas Also Was Seen: In the films 'Booty Call,' 'The Players Club,' 'Any Given Sunday,' 'Miami Vice,' 'Ali' and 'Ray,' for which he won an Academy Award for best actor in 2005. Also fronted his eponymous sitcom. Factoid: As of 2009, Foxx (real name: Eric Marlon Bishop) has released three music albums: 1994's 'Peep This,' 2005's 'Unpredictable' and 2008's 'Intuition.'
Famous, Black & Funny: An Inside Look At Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Tracy Morgan
Started Out: Appearing on the sitcom 'Martin,' where he played 'Hustle Man.' Big Break: Morgan's claim to fame came in 1996 when he began appearing on 'Saturday Night Live.' Hometown: New York City Also Was Seen: In 'A Thin Line Between Love and Hate,' 'Martin,' 'Half Baked,' 'How High,' 'Head of State,' 'The Tracey Morgan Show,' 'Little Man,' 'First Sunday' and '30 Rock.' Factoid: Andrew Dice Clay inspired Morgan to pursue comedy.
Famous, Black & Funny: An Inside Look At Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Chris Rock
Started Out: Doing stand-up comedy in 1985 in New York City's Catch a Rising Star Comedy Club. Big Break: Was a cast member of the popular sketch comedy series 'Saturday Night Live.' Hometown: New York City Also Was Seen: In the movie 'New Jack City,' where he played a crackhead informant. Factoid: Born in 1965, Rock won a Grammy for best spoken comedy album in 1999 for the project 'Bigger & Blacker.'
Famous, Black & Funny: An Inside Look At Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Mo'Nique
Started Out: Appearing at the downtown Baltimore Comedy Factory Outlet. Big Break: Starred on the hit UPN sitcom 'The Parkers.' Hometown: Baltimore Also Was Seen: In 'Three Can Play That Game,' 'Hair Show' and 'Shadowboxer.' Factoid: Born in 1967, Mo'Nique (real name: Monique Imes) is the author of 'Skinny Women are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World' and the cookbook 'Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted.'
Famous, Black & Funny: An Inside Look At Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Eddie Griffith
Started Out: Griffith began his acting career the 1991 action-thriller 'The Last Boy Scout.' Big Break: In 1996, Griffith showcased his talent on a national scale when he landed the role of Eddie on the TV series 'Malcolm & Eddie.' Hometown: Kansas City, Mo. Also Was Seen: In 'Foolish,' 'Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo' and 'Undercover Brother.' Factoid: Suffered a heart attack in 1996 while taping an episode of 'Malcolm & Eddie' following a scene in which he did the salsa dance.
Famous, Black & Funny: An Inside Look At Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Bill Cosby
Started Out: While in his early twenties, Cosby appeared on various well-known variety programs including 'The Ed Sullivan Show.' Big Break: In 1965, he appeared as Alexander Scott in the Emmy Award-winning flick 'I Spy.' Hometown: Philadelphia Also Was Seen: In 'Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,' 'Uptown Saturday Night,' 'Let's Do it Again,' 'Ghost Dad,' 'The Meteor Man' and the groundbreaking NBC sitcom 'The Cosby Show.' Factoid: Beginning in 1965, Cosby scored the Grammy Award for best comedy album six years in a row.
Famous, Black & Funny: An Inside Look At Popular Black Comedians
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Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (30)
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By: Justifyed on 11/05/2010 10:46AM
I thought he was doing some humanitarian work over in Africa.
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By: Mocha2009 on 11/05/2010 11:25AM
Chris has been humanitarian work. I actually admire the fact that he made his money; lives quietly out of the spotlight; and make it a priority to help others without the cameras documenting his efforts.
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By: Brady on 11/05/2010 11:43AM
Whenever I see Chris, I think of Richard Pryors career choices and Im gald Chris isnt making the same mistakes. Outside of his Stand Up routines Rich mad few good movies.
Eddie Murphy has more than his share of bombs too and Chris Rock needs stay from behind the camera. For whatever reason, Chris is not saturating the market with his presence, and so far its working.
As far as being Jackie Chans sidekick, thats no longer the case, and even if it is, it sure as hell pays well.
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By: Sharon on 11/12/2010 2:05PM
You can't possibly be real. All of Richard Pryor movies were classics (except for the one about his life).
As for Chris, most stars whom overly saturate the market become typecast (with exception of Will Smith).
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By: Brady on 11/05/2010 3:13PM
Girl please!!!!!
This is just since 1980, and you saying all of these or classics. The toy! Some kind of hero!
Brewsters Millions! GTHOOH
In God We Tru$t (1980)
Stir Crazy (1980)
Bustin' Loose (1981)
Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982)
Some Kind of Hero (1982)
The Toy (1982)
Superman III (1983)
Richard Pryor: Here and Now (1983)
Motown 25 (1983)
Richard Pryor: Live & Smokin' (1985)
Brewster's Millions (1985)
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)
Critical Condition (1987)
Moving (1988)
See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)
Harlem Nights (1989)
The Three Muscatels (1991)
Another You (1991)
A Century of Cinema (1994)
Mad Dog Time (1996)
Lost Highway (1997)
Bitter Jester (2003)
I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$@!! (2003)
Richard Pryor: The Funniest Man Dead Or Alive (2005, BET Special)
Black Dynamite (2009) Cameo via archive footage
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By: barbarascy385 on 11/05/2010 11:44AM
I have always said that this man does not work a lot to be as popular as he is. Everybody knows him from his comedic roles, but the truth be told he has impressed me more with his roles in dramas. He was wonderful in Dead Presidents and didn't do to shabby in Jackie Brown. Maybe the problem he is having is finding quality scripts worth doing. By the way, I thought he was pretty funny in The Fifth Element. Those clothes were just too much.
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By: William L. Sandles on 11/05/2010 1:32PM
Inspired writing, observations, doc.
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By: ooozzzzz on 11/05/2010 2:46PM
Quote from article: "Chris reportedly received as much as $25 million for the last installment of 'Rush Hour 3."
Here is why you don't see or hear from Chris Tucker:
"After the commercial success of the first Rush Hour film, Tucker held out for a $20 million salary for Rush Hour 2 and was paid $25 million salary for Rush Hour 3.
The latter was part of a $40 million two-movie contract with New Line Cinema that also included an unnamed future film film. He was also to receive 20% of the gross against his salary from the Rush Hour 3."
That means that with the "Rush Hour" movie franchises alone (3 successful movies) and the residuals that still pay Chris from DVD sales and rentals (especially outside the US in Asian countries, where Jackie Chan is a #1, A-List movie actor), he has probably made well over $100 million dollars with these three movies alone and continues to make bank and because of Jackie Chan, he may not be that visible here but in China, Korea and other Asian countries...he's a bonified and well paid supersstar all because of the "Rush Hour" movies....money and fans is world wide, 24/7 and not only in the US...Americans need to fully undrstand that.
So for Chris, why bust my ass?...I'm gettin' paid on the regular for life and he bascially did it with three movies and FYI, the 20 million dollar range for movie stars are only allocated for the A-List types like Denzel, Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, Brad Pitt and George Clooney of Hollywood and Chris entered that exclusive tax bracket with "Rush Hour" and he knows that anywhere else he will not get that type of pay again and all he has to do now is be wise with his money, pay his taxes and invest properly.....you don't see him out there with the rest of these fools going broke over needless bullshyt and Chris does not have to chase the dollars or kiss anybody's ass to stay above water...he smartly made his deal, got in and got out without any of the thug rap/hip hop, going broke/divorce/going to jail drama...and while some may be laughing at him, he's laughing all the way straight to the bank....withcheck being deposited to his bank accounts on the regular.
And if you think that he owes you, you're wrong. He doesn't owe you shyt.
Another example of an grown & orgainzed, well-heeled funny man but also a very shwerd and smart man.
Having the proper relationships, people..having the proper relationships.
Just like Janet Jackson, others need to pay full attention to Chris Tucker.
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By: LadyLove on 11/06/2010 9:47AM
Well stated ooozzzzz!
Instead of him writing about how Chris has "been MISSING from the
public eye for most of the last 15 years" and WONDERING IF "Chris was
meant to be more than Jackie Chan's silly black sidekick." He should
have been commending him on how he has MANAGED to stay out of the
public eye for years at a time as a Black Man and still star in a
blockbuster hit...commend him on the humanitarian work he has done or
is still doing without the cameras documenting his efforts. Admire the
fact that he made his money; lives quietly out of the spotlight; and
make it a priority to help others.
Quote from article: "But what am I talking about? Chris is the one
with all the money. Perhaps I'd just better shut up."
When it comes to reporting about Chris Tucker.....Perhaps you should
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By: LadyLove on 11/06/2010 9:56AM
Well stated ooozzzzz!
Instead of him writing about how Chris has "been MISSING from the public eye for most of the last 15 years" and WONDERING IF "Chris was meant to be more than Jackie Chan's silly black sidekick." He should have been commending him on how he has MANAGED to stay out of the public eye for years at a time as a BLACK MAN and still star in a blockbuster hit...commend him on the humanitarian work he has done or is still doing without the cameras documenting his efforts. Admire the fact that he made his money; lives quietly out of the spotlight; and make it a priority to help others.
Quote from article: "But what am I talking about? Chris is the one with all the money. Perhaps I'd just better shut up."
When it comes to reporting about Chris Tucker.....Perhaps you should.
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