If you think you know stand-up comedy, think again. As the new Prime Video miniseriesPhat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedyis about to prove in early February, this is one more story that has been mostly told through white narratives that often omitted or flat-out excluded Black comedians from the equation. The three-part docuseries chronicles how Black comedians had to form their own community during a time when Hollywood wasn’t interested in giving them a platform.
As the trailer reveals, actor and comedianGuy Torry(Pearl Harbor) took it upon himself to fight tooth and nail to form anall-Black comedy night at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles during the 90s. His endeavor evolved to become a must-see event that inspired some of the fiercest comedians we have today, and also revealed a lot of them to the world.
Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedybrings some of those very talents to share their experiences and try to translate into words what it was like to live through that time. Guests from the docuseries include powerhouse names such asRegina King,Eddie Murphy,Steve Harvey,Chris Rock,Anthony Anderson,Cedric the Entertainer,Tiffany Haddish, and many more who were either there on stage or in the audience of Phat Tuesdays.
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Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedyalso chronicles how the creation of the night event came to form in the heels of the 1992 LA Riots (protests that started after four officers were acquitted from committing police brutality againstRodney King), and how it became a safe space for “icons, ex-cons, stars and starlets, pros and regular joes” to just kick back and have a care-free laugh.
Prime Video premieres the three episodes ofPhat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedyworldwide on February 4. you’re able to watch the trailer below:
Check out the official synopsis here:
Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy features some of today’s most famous comedians and personalities, including Anthony Anderson, Tichina Arnold, Nick Cannon, Dave Chappelle, Snoop Dogg, Cedric the Entertainer, Tiffany Haddish, Steve Harvey, Lil Rel Howery, Regina King, Jo Koy, Luenell, Flame Monroe, Jay Pharoah, Craig Robinson, JB Smoove, Chris Tucker, Kym Whitley, and more, and tells the unbelievable story of how Guy Torry moved mountains to launch an all-Black comedy night at The Comedy Store. What started as an experiment in ‘90s Los Angeles turned into a must-see, hilarious experience, elevating Black voices to have their turn on the stage.
