Understanding The Historical Impact of Comedy on African American Life

Motherland Media Network

African spoken comedy has always been a major pillar and source of therapy in African life. It is central to the African oral tradition. It can be traced from the court yards of the great African kingdoms; to the dungeons of the slave ships in the middle passage; to the slave quarters of the old south; to the liquor houses of segregation; to the minstrel stage of tin pan alley and Broadway; to the stage of the Apollo theater and smoke-filled juke joints of Harlem and to the stage of television, HBO and Hollywood. Comedy has always reigned supreme in Black life. Many historians and sociologist argue that the philosophical base of African spoken comedy is rooted in an ancient practice called “playing the dozens.” What does "dozens" mean, and how did it get to be the name for filthy rhymes and insult dueling? There is no single answer, but the search for explanations takes us from Medieval Latin church verses to the slave plantations of the American South. Sources range from minstrel shows to street corners, and musicians from the Mississippi cotton fields to Chuck Berry and Lil Wayne. The most popular form of playing the dozens begins with “Yo mama so ugly that…” This week on the Black Reality Think Tank we will discuss historically how African people living in America used comedy to soothe their souls and laugh to keep from crying.