Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy | |
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Directed by | Robert Townsend[1] |
Written by | John Long, Quincy Newell |
Produced by | Jeff Clanagan, Richard Foos, Robert Townsend, Lydia Nicole |
Edited by | Augusta Einarsdottir, Skip Robinson |
Distributed by | Codeblack Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment |
Running time | 82 minutes |
Countries | USA, Japan |
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy is a 2009 documentary film based on the book Black Comedians on Black Comedy: How African-Americans Taught Us to Laugh, by Darryl J. Littleton.[2]
The film analyzes the history of comedy and how the television and film industries have stereotyped African Americans throughout a multitude of generations. Quincy Newell, Executive Vice-President of Codeblack Entertainment, was the producer and co-writer with John Long on the project. The documentary was a selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, and eventually acquired by Showtime.[3] Newell himself has stated "the intent of the film is to spark meaningful discourse."[4]
The film features commentary from black comedians including: