Overview

The award-winning co-anchor of PBS NewsHour presents a sweeping and insightful retrospective on the history of Black comedy in America. Black comedians have long played a pivotal role in shaping the American sense of humor. The 1990s showcased a golden era for Black comedy, highlighted by the surge of iconic sitcoms that redefined television and left a lasting cultural imprint. Shows like In Living Color, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Living Single, Martin, and A Different World stood on the shoulders of decades of groundbreaking work by Black comedians, both on-screen and on-stage, to deliver nuanced portrayals of life, family, and culture. Yet, just decades earlier, the idea of Black artists dominating American airwaves with characters that were both hilarious and heartfelt would have been unimaginable. How did it come to be The journey begins with 19th-century minstrel shows – offensive by today’s standards but the first stage for Black performers to reach mainstream audiences. Over time, comedians challenged racial stereotypes, exploring race and identity through humor. Icons like Jackie “Moms” Mabley, Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, Flip Wilson, Richard Pryor, Whoopi Goldberg, and Eddie Murphy shifted perceptions and changed how the nation understood itself. In this incisive history, Geoff Bennett tells the story of how they did it. In Black Out Loud, Bennett chronicles the transformative history of Black comedy in America, drawing on research and interviews with the actors and executives behind some of the most impactful shows. This brilliant exploration traces the evolution of Black comics and provocateurs who reshaped the culture and ultimately became powerful agents of social change -- transforming the way America laughed along the way. Includes interviews and insights from: Martin Lawrence, Robert Townsend, Debbie Allen, Tisha Campbell, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Quinta Brunson, Arsenio Hall, and many more!

Full Product Details

9780063418172

Table of Contents

Reviews

""(Black Out Loud) is plenty informative, but it’s also infused with Bennett’s joy—and that joy sure is contagious. An insightful celebration of comedy stars that makes for good times."" — Kirkus ""[A] valuable primer on Black comedy and a perceptive view of Black comics as “keen observers” of a culture that marginalizes them."" — Publishers Weekly “Black Out Loud not only offers a brilliant historical account of Black comedy and its role and place in American life. It's an account of a life-long love affair with laughing out loud. What a wonderful book to read in these difficult days. Bennett takes us to the well of Black humor revealing its political, moral, and existential power.” — Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., Princeton University Distinguished Professor “With Black Out Loud, Geoff Bennett not only celebrates a defining era of comedic expression, but traces a lineage in which generations of Black comedians upheld a code that honored Black humanity in all its complexity -- always anchored by a fearless commitment to the funny.” — Mark Anthony Neal, Duke University Distinguished Professor

Author Information

Geoff Bennett is the co-anchor and co-managing editor of PBS NewsHour and serves as a contributor to NBC News. A Peabody Award-winning journalist, he has reported on national politics at the highest levels -- covering the White House and six presidential election cycles -- while conducting exclusive interviews with cultural icons, world leaders, and groundbreaking artists. His work bridges politics and culture, offering clear-eyed insight into the forces that shape American life. He lives in the Washington, DC, area with his wife and their son.

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