This thursday and for the next couple of Thursdays I plan on doing something a little different. In stead of highlighting traditional Stand up comedians i will take a look at some of my favorite members of the Not Ready for Primetime Players. This week it will be Garrett Morris. You may know him as uncle Junior from The Jamie Foxx Show others may know him as Stan Martin's boss on Martin, but Garrett was the only black cast member of the original SNL cast in 1975.Often history looks at him as a stereotype and the token black member of the cast.This has been satired by In Living Color.
Everyone that knows me can tell you that I am a huge fan of Jerry Seinfeld. One of my earliest memories is watching Seinfeld with my mother. I remember when my teacher asked our fourth grade class what happened on the last episode of Seinfeld I was the only person in the class that was able to tell her every event from the water in the ear to the water out of the ear. My softmore year of college the one thing that brought my 6 roommates together was our love for Seinfeld. The thing that I learned the most through Seinfeld is observational humor and how he makes everything out of nothing. That is why the show based on his stand up is often called the show about nothing. Also, Seinfeld co-creator Larry David is responsible for one of my all time favorite shows Curb Your Enthusiasm on which this season they did a full Seinfeld reunion.
I used to love the small bits of standup either before or after each sketch.
The ultimate for a hip hop head and Seinfeld fan like myself is one of my favorite rappers Wale created a Seinfeld themed mixtape. In this tape fellow sneaker head used the iconic pictures of the Seinfeld cast feet as a cover and classic moments from the show to enhance his tape. >>>Download the mixtape about nothing
Clerow Wilson Jr., known professionally as Flip Wilson, (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998) was an American comedian and actor. Time magazine featured his image on their cover and named him "TV's first black superstar". During the 1960s, Wilson became a regular at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and was a favorite guest on The Tonight Show, Laugh-In, and The Ed Sullivan Show. When I was in the third or fourth grade I remember our family first getting TV Land and my Mother, Father, and Grandmother was watching the Flip Wilson Show. I was amazed that in the early 1970's Flip was able to have his own reality show that featured black and white music artist. Also through this show I was able to see comedians like Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor. If it was not for the success of the Flip Wilson Show who knows if there would have been a Richard Pryor Show, In Living Color, Chappele's Show, or Wild'N Out. I later read that George Carlin was a writer on the Flip Wilson Show. Flip had many characters but none is more infamous than Rev. Leroy and Geraldine.
Funny or Fly Followers know I go in every Thursday, and try to put you on my influences in the game. Every week has been special. This week's comedian is someone that is one of my oldest memories. I first saw Robin Harris when I saw House Party for first time. Then of course one of my all-time favorite movies as a child Bebe's Kids where they made an entire cartoon based on his stand up. Later in my life, I experienced watching the classic, Do The Right Thing and of course the comic releif of that film was none other than Sweet Dick Willy played by Robin Harris. I think that if I were to name my son today he might be named Richard William for that reason lol. Tragically he died in 1990. He was also in the classic films Mo Betta Blues (a personal favorite), and Eddie Murphy's Harlem Knights.
I gotta find this Nike shirt!!! DTRT 20th anniversary year 2009 Nike made this shirt for the celebration and they honored what character? Non other than the one played by Robin Harris. "It aint Never Too Hot to Do It" best Just Do It shirt ever.
Sorry the last couple Thursdays has been extremly hard. I am a little sick today but I still want to keep this post going. I first learned of Lenny Bruce through Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest comedians he was number 3. Above Rodney Dangerfield, Eddie Murphy, Woody Allen and Chris Rock. The only people in front of him on the list were Richard Pryor and George Carlin, two comics heavily influenced by Bruce. He was arrested many times for the content of his comedy, and he was fearless able to talk about anything, no matter the consequences. Alot of his stuff is still edgy enough to make Patton Oswalt blush. read bio via Wiki
It has been a long day. I didn't forget about you guys. I got a a good one comming next week. This one is a lost legend that doesn't get the attention that she should. Ask your grandmother who the baddest chick is and she will say Moms Mabley.
Mabley was born Loretta Mary Aiken into a large family of twelve children in Brevard, Transylvania County, North Carolina. Her father, James P. Aiken, owned and operated several businesses while her mother, Mary, kept home and took in boarders. Her father died a sudden accidental death when she was eleven.By the age of fifteen Mabley had been raped twice and had two children that were given up for adoption. After being forced by her stepfather to marry a much older man she despised and being encouraged by her grandmother to strike out on her own, she ran away to Cleveland, Ohio with a traveling minstrel show where she began singing and entertaining.
She took her stage name, Jackie Mabley, from an early boyfriend, commenting to Ebony magazine in a 1970s interview that he'd taken so much from her, it was the least she could do to take his name. Later she became known as "Moms" because she was indeed "Mom" to many other comedians on the circuit in the 1950s and 60s. She was one of the top women doing stand-up in her heyday, and recorded more than 20 albums of comedy routines. She appeared in movies, on television, and in clubs.
Mabley was one of the most successful entertainers of the black vaudeville Chitlin' circuit, earning US$10,000 a week at Harlem's Apollo Theater at the height of her career. She made her New York City debut at Connie's Inn in Harlem.[3]
In the 1960s, she become known to a wider white audience, playing Carnegie Hall in 1962, and making a number of mainstream TV appearances. (Bio via wikipedia)
Today is Throwback Thursday, and today's choice might be a little bit of a surprise, but it is definably a great and an innovator. This Sunday I watched the Jim Carey movie Man on the Moon. I remembered the greatness that is Andy Kaufman. Before Tom Green, Ashton Kutcher, Jamie Kennedy and any other prank or stunt show Andy Kaufman pulled stunts on real shows and only a select few were in on the joke. He added an alternative style to comedy that is now used by acts like Demitri Martin. As a frequent guest on David Letterman, SNL, and the short lived Fridays he would pull different stunts that seemed crazy at the time. Andy Kaufman was a true genius and on May 16, 1984 we lost him to Cancer. Here are just a few of his many infamous stunts.
I know I am late, but I really have not felt like posting since being eliminated from Athens Last Comic Standing. Anyway today I am focusing on one of the Most important comedians ever. This is because he put sooo many people on. When Rodney Dangerfield put you on his specials that means that you made it. Even when he was wrong it was memorable. Rodney also made a transition to classic films like Caddyshack and my favorite Dangerfield work Back to School.
Caddyshack
Back to School
Unfortunately Rodney died at 82 in 2004. Click Here to read more about Rodney Dangerfield
Today's comedian is the late great Redd Foxx. The reason that my dad is probably so in to comedy is my Grandfather being a fan of Redd Foxx. It is amazing that Redd got his own show in the 1970's because his act was so dirty, but part of his genius was that he was just as funny clean.
Foxx was born in St. Louis, Missouri and raised on Chicago's South Side. His mother was half Seminole. His father, an electrician, left the family when Foxx was four. He was raised by his mother, his minister, and his grandmother. He briefly attended DuSable High School with future Chicago mayor Harold Washington, but never graduated.
Moving to New York in the early 1940s, he was an associate of Malcolm Little later known as Malcolm X. In Malcolm's autobiography, Foxx is referred to as "Chicago Red, the funniest dishwasher on this earth." Foxx earned the nickname due to his reddish hair and complexion. His stage name surname was taken from baseball star Jimmie Foxx.Foxx gained notoriety with his nightclub act (considered by the standards of the time to be raunchy). His stand-up performances were later released as "party" albums and became very popular.
He was also one of the first black comics to play to white audiences on the Las Vegas Strip. Foxx used his starring role on Sanford and Son to help get jobs for his friends such as LaWanda Page, Slappy White, Gregory Sierra, and Noriyuki "Pat" Morita.
Dont Forget I will be hosting Thursday Night Live at Seney Stoval Chapel behind the Varsity at 8 . Today's edition is a legend that opened doors for people like Richard Pryor and everyone to come after him. Unfortunately he was and often is compared to Bill Cosby, but like Cosby said himself the only thing they have in common is race, and I guess age.
Dick Gregory is still doing his thang and brings his humor and comedy to everywhere he goes.
This who I was considering for last week. Probably the my first introduction to what a comedian was, and what they could do was through Bill Cosby. Bill Cosby is a pioneer and comedian from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has been doing stand up since 1962. He broke many barriers in T.V. with I Spy,Fat Albert and the Cosby kids, and The Cosby Show. Some of my first T.V. memories are watching Cosby Show reruns with my grandparents. As I got older I was able to enjoy Cosby's stand up, especially Himself. Himself was funny and probably the best special I have ever seen from a comedian sitting down. Although I don't agree with the recent coments Bill Cosby has been making in the 2000's and I would recommend Michael Eric Dyson's book Is Bill Cosby Right? there is no denying that Bill Cosby is one of best comedians to ever do it.. Here is a clip from Himself. Bill Cosby Himself - Chocolate Cake
and my favorite Opening of any T.V. show. I generally hate openings but this one was ill. I wish I could start off my day like this. Season 5 Opening
This one was the hardest to decide. If you have not noticed I have been doing my Throwback Influences so far in order by my favorite comedians. Today's is a comedian that when I saw I was not only like "Hey, I can do that!", but I felt like I can relate. I always say that this guy is the 1960's Jewish New Yorker version of my true self. I know if that wasn't a stretch to some of you then you been killing those Rosa Acosta tapes. He is definably the reason that many times I rock glasses in my routines.
That's right its Comic great and film legend Woody Allen. I first saw him when watching Annie Hall so that I can figure out how it beat Star Wars A New Hope for best picture. What I witnessed was one of the best films I ever seen, and instantly one of my favorite comedians. Ever since then I have been a huge Woody Allen fan. I mean you can stay awkward and be with hot chicks to me that is like James Bond.
I don't know why I took so long to start doing this. Since there are soo many comedians out there I think that I am going to showcase a different throwback influence every Thursday. The next influence is none other than who many call the Greatest to ever do it Richard Pryor. I do not remember the first time I saw Richard Pryor I remember him being in a wheel chair on Malcolm and Eddie, and thinking what happened to him, so I know I knew who he was before then. The hardest thing is finding a good clip there are soo many good ones.
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 2, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was definantly a legend in Comedy. Jerry Seinfeld called him, "The Picasso of our profession".
