On the Real Side: A History of African American Comedy - Softcover

Watkins, Mel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1556523513 ISBN 13: 9781556523519

Publisher: Chicago Review Press, 1999

Synopsis

On the Real Side This comprehensive history of black humor sets it in the context of American popular culture. Blackface minstrelsy, Stepin Fetchit, and the Amos 'n' Andy show presented a distorted picture of African Americans; this book contrasts this image with the authentic underground humor of African Americans found in folktales, race records, and all-black shows and films. After generations of stereotypes, t... Full description

About this title

Review:

"Fascinating and exhaustive . . . at once a serious social history and an enormously entertaining reading experience." --Robert Boynton, Chicago Tribune

"A penetrating and immensely enjoyable history. . . . For many readers, this book will transform their conception of the character, and the source, of much American popular culture." --The New Yorker

Synopsis:

Through laughing, lying, and signifying, the underground tradition of African American humour continues to transform American culture. This comprehensive history discusses black face minstrelsy, Stephin Fetchit, and the Amos 'n' Andy show; folktales, race records, and all-black shows and films; Bert Williams, Moms Mabley, and Redd Foxx; Richard Pryor, Whoopi Goldberg, and Eddie Murphy. Here, in a second edition featuring a new afterword, is the definitive account of how black humour has sustained African Americans throughout their history.

About this edition

• Publisher: Chicago Review Press
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 1556523513
• ISBN 13: 9781556523519
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 665