|
|
Article: On the Real Side: Laughing, Lying, and Signifying the Underground Tradition of African-American Humor that Transformed American Culture, from Slavery to Richard Pryor.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- The Antioch Review
- Article date:
- September 22, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 Antioch Review, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
On the Real Side: Laughing, Lying, and Signifying the Underground Tradition of African-American Humor that Transformed American Culture, from Slavery to Richard Pryor by Mel Watkins. Simon & Schuster, 652 pp., $27.50. While American audiences are familiar with some contemporary African American comedians such as Eddie Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg, Sinbad, and others, it was the success of older comedians--Moms Mabley, Dick Gregory, Redd Foxx, et al--who paved the way for these "cross-over" personalities. Indeed, the humor of these comedians, according to Watkins, can be traced back to the social satire of slave humor--indeed, back to Africa.
Watkins, former editor of ...