Part 1: The Revolutionaries

Chronicles how the pioneers of Black comedy turned the stand-up stage into one of the most important platforms for social discourse in America. This episode explores how Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor, Moms Mabley, and Redd Foxx, among others, used "offensive" humor to break racial and cultural barriers during the civil rights and counterculture eras. Their defiance in the face of insurmountable challenges set the foundation for the freedoms that black comedians enjoy today.