MovieChat Forums > The Original Kings of Comedy (2000) Discussion > Hmm...perhaps a bit racist?

Hmm...perhaps a bit racist?

posted 19 years ago by GreenFinger
43 replies | jump to latest

Okay, I'm not saying that the subject matter in the movie was racist, just morely the title. Listen, these men are in no way the original kings of comedy. Bernie Mac and D.L. Hugely have not been around long enough to earn this title in any way. I just think it seems racist because of the performers who are supposedly "The Kings of Comedy." Whoever decided to film this was just obviously a fan of black stand-up and slapped the movie with that title. Let's start making a 4-person list of who the REAL kings of comedy were (are). I'm taking suggestions, but I already have 2 down:

1. George Carlin (truely a king of comedy, he's been around since the sixties, maybe even the fifties! How could he NOT be a king of comedy?)
2. Richard Pryor (Okay, I'll let this movie slip by this one, because he's dead, but still...George Carlin excluded from the Kings of comedy? He was still alive!)
3.
4.

Anyway, I'm open to more suggestions.

[–] Luckyangel356 19 years ago

People find different things funny and just because you don't think they're not the kings of comedy doesn't mean nobody else does. Just because somebody likes black stand up comedy doesn't mean they are racist. The title does not say anything about any race in it so how is it racist? Is friends racist because it only has white friends in it? There are some black friends in certain places in the world you know. No thats not racist either because it's just talking about that certain group of people.

~the greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return~

[–] deandrekirkman 19 years ago

Actually Richard Pryor is not dead.
#3 Eddie Murphy
#4 Dave Chapelle

[–] clyclone_505 19 years ago

Dave Chapelle doesn't qualify, replace him with Lenny Bruce.

I love wrong numbers.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] da_bomb_er 18 years ago

He is now.

[–] StretchMonroe 19 years ago

richhard pryor isnt dead.

i win. fatality.

[–] KumoriKioshi 19 years ago

Luckyangel356 basically summed up what i wanted to say. This is no way "a bit racist" , these comedians are really funny and were pretty high in there career around that time. It was a good cast of comedians, and im glad it came out the way it did. Besides, that's just your opinion these people arent "the kings of comedy" so of course the director picked popular comedians he liked, and not the guy you wrote down from the 50s and 60s :/.

Instead of saying who shouldve been the 4, it should be who would be added on. So like the other person said, Dave Chappelle would've definately been added. He's at the top of his career ( besides this whole africa thing), so he'd fit pretty good.

[–] clyclone_505 19 years ago

Then he shouldn't have used the title "The Original Kings of Comedy".

I love wrong numbers.

[–] doryhi81 19 years ago

To him (meaning Spike Lee), these guys are the original kings. It is all a matter of opinion. If you are offended by the title, then don't watch it!! Or, better yet, make your own movie of your Kings of Comedy?? As for it being "racist", how is it racist to say they are the Original Kings of Comedy? Sounds to me like someone needs to freshen up their understanding of what is racism.

[–] lj6955 19 years ago

Or maybe the title was just a title?

It sounds better than 4 funny guys.

Michael Flatley is the Lord of the Dance, yet I for one don't think he's the best dancer out there.

They ain't kings either. Just ordinary men.

How's about "4 guys who do stand-up comedy well"?

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] danielle1042003 19 years ago

Why does someone always have to turn things into a racial issue...
Pathedic

[–] Vaneese 19 years ago

Um, The Original Kings of Comedy
#1 Bernie Mac
#2 Cedric The Entertainer
#3 Steve Harvey
#4 DL Hughley

Bytch, don't talk about it, be about it!

[–] the_darkness_of_poetic_humor 19 years ago

That's correct! It is our opinion as some of the posts said and that is just Spike Lee's opinion on who he thinks are the Kings Of Comedy.

#1 Richard Pryor
#2 Eddie Murphy
#3 George Carlin
#4 Robin Williams

This is my opinion of who I believe are the Kings Of Comedy!!!

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] repete66211 18 years ago

I used to think that Carlin was one of the best but then I saw some of his (both old and new) stuff recently. I won't deny the fact that he did a lot for comedy, free speech and politics but the guy didn't seem funny to me at all. Even his new stuff seems dated because of his old method of delivery. He needs to retire from the stage but continue his writings and commentary.

"The Original Kings of Comedy" is a bit grandiose. These four guys are very funny and great at what they do, but "Original"? Um, I don't know about that one.

I think that standup comedy isn't much different from other art forms like painting or writing. It's a constantly turning wave the is always changing and developing. That's why you don't see many guys who have a sustained career. Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle are great, but they wouldn't be without Eddie Murphy. He owes a lot to Richard Pryor who owes a lot to Redd Foxx, and so on. Richard Lewis is funny, but he apes one of the Greats, Lenny Bruce. Seinfeld had one of the funniest sitcoms of TV history, but his standup is squeaky clean and completely vanilla. I think for that reason the best comedians of all time are those who challenge us and change us to make the world a better place. Sometimes by cloaking serious issues like racism in comedy we are able to confront some ugly parts of our society. Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle are all excellent examples of this. We'd all be worse off without the contributions of Foxx, Pryor, Carlin, Murphy, Rock, Bruce, Hicks, Izzard and Maher. They're the ones we're going to remember. In 20 years...Sinbad, Carrot Top, Bobcat Goldthwait, Paul Reiser...Never heard of them.

[–] dolphan29 18 years ago

This is only MY opinion, but I saw George Carlin live once and I thought he was terrible. I went thinking I would see this great legendary comedian and left thinking the no-namer who opened for him was better! Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor - truly great comedians. Sorry, but George Carlin just doesn't make me laugh.

[–] kvelasquez2005 18 years ago

George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, and Chris Rock. No particular order; they all are number one in my books.