- you know what? that looks like fire! - comedy without black people would be like the nba without black players. (kevin screaming) - your biggest, biggest superstars in comedy have been black. (eddie yelling) - just genius and hilarious. - yeah, i said it. (audience cheering) - the chappelle show redefined sketch comedy. - i m rick james, bitch. (audience laughing) - in living color set up a platform for black comedians blowing up. - i don t think so. homie don t play that. (audience laughing) - arsenio hall was, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. it was groundbreaking. - [audience] woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. - you had a black man willing to fight the power. - nice being out of jail. (audience laughing) - laughter is healing, laughter purifies the air. actually i don t like to talk about the races, because i m white. - and we, as black people, have been doing it forever. - i am, this is a freckle. (audience laughing) - all black comedians discuss race. - it s harder being gay than i
(audience cheering) people don t know that i wasn t one of the original queens of comedy. they had taken it out a couple times, and then i got the call. we were, and still are, the highest grossing female comedy tour in history. - now you can t talk about black female comedians and not talk about wanda sykes. - being gay is not a choice. it s not a choice. (audience cheering) - wanda gets on stage completely unapologetic. i am a black woman who is a lesbian. - and if you believe that it s a choice, then you re saying that straight people are straight because they chose not to be gay. right? (audience clapping) and i m sure a lot of straight guys in here, you know, i m talking about em. sure there s, on several occasions, you know, you probably think, you know, i think i m gonna suck a (beep) today. (audience laughing) - she s like, this is me, accept it. and we have and we love it. - so to go from a point where moms mabley has to hide who she is to wanda sykes being able to be c
it s not a choice. (audience cheering) - wanda gets on stage completely unapologetic. i am a black woman who is a lesbian. - and if you believe that it s a choice, then you re saying that straight people are straight because they chose not to be gay. right? (audience clapping) and i m sure a lot of straight guys in here, you know, i m talking about em. sure there s, on several occasions, you know, you probably think, you know, i think i m gonna suck a (beep) today. (audience laughing) - she s like, this is me, accept it. and we have and we love it. - so to go from a point where moms mabley has to hide who she is to wanda sykes being able to be celebrated for who she is, progression is possible in this country sometimes. (upbeat music) - when barack obama was elected president, there was such this exhale and you felt that the world had shifted, it changed. - and not only has america changed, but we have changed as a culture. we expect fair representation.
the highest grossing female comedy tour in history. - now you can t talk about black female comedians and not talk about wanda sykes. - being gay is not a choice. it s not a choice. (audience cheering) - wanda gets on stage completely unapologetic. i am a black woman who is a lesbian. - and if you believe that it s a choice, then you re saying that straight people are straight because they chose not to be gay. right? (audience clapping) and i m sure a lot of straight guys in here, you know, i m talking about em. sure there s, on several occasions, you know, you probably think, you know, i think i m gonna suck a (beep) today. (audience laughing) - she s like, this is me, accept it. and we have and we love it. - so to go from a point where moms mabley has to hide who she is to wanda sykes being able to be celebrated for who she is, progression is possible in this country sometimes. (upbeat music)