Director Robert Townsend takes a deep look into “Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy;” the film investigates the history and traditions of African American comedy. The documentary features interviews with renown comics from different generations including Bill Cosby, Chris Rock, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Steve Harvey, and Katt Williams.<br><br>”Why We Laugh” tracks the evolution of black comedy from the character of Stepin Fetchit and minstrels in blackface to the politically tinged humor of Dick Gregory, and from the television success of Good Times and The Jeffersons to the big-screen accomplishments of stars such as Eddie Murphy and Whoopi Goldberg. The film also turns a perceptive eye on the controversial career decision of Dave Chappelle and the implications of corporate efforts to capitalize on the massive success of Russell Simmons’s Def Comedy Jam and Spike Lee’s The Original Kings of Comedy. <br><br>Showtime will premiere the film for Black History Month on Thursday Feb. 4th at 8p.m.<br> <br><br><font face=”Tahoma” size=”3″><font size=”1″></font></font>
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—— By: Staff
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