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(Note: This piece originally published in October 2018.
Were recirculating it timed toHollywood Shuffles newly announced inclusion in the Criterion Collection.)
My agent told me, Robert, they only do one black movie a year.
You just did it.
), and yetShuffles cult-status influence has, well, gotten lost in the shuffle.
It came up while were pitching the show and it came up in the room.
Its such an iconic film.
Just like when Obama was elected, theres people around the country who temporarily thought the problem was solved.
Then it goes away, then it comes back around.
Todays representation issues are a lot more subtle than the ones that they faced in the 80s.
You know what I mean?
They would use some other word that can be interpreted differently, but its coming from the same place.
Some kind of dog-whistle or some shit.
Like, Can we make it moreauthentic?
Where does Robert Townsend fit in your pantheon of comedy greats?
That kind of opened up the whole thing.
I dont know the timeline exactly, but there was this HBO series calledPartners in Crimethat Robert Townsend helmed.
Townsend played a huge role in the evolution of it all.
That was so funny to me when I was little.
Its such a simple gag, but its just so clever.
Its really interesting how every phase ofShuffleopens up into this whole cinematic universe of its own.
Its a huge part of how I process the world.
A show that really impacted me a lot wasItsGarry Shandlings Showback when it was on Showtime.
It got me to thinking that way.
Speaking of form,I cant think of another medium more similar to stand-up than hip-hop.
When and why they decide to change things in their act, its interesting to me.
I can tell when a bit is new and I can tell when its polished.
Its really all about that rhythm.
The thing is, when you do rap music, having that beat is really a safety net.
What stand-up is doing is very similar to rapping without that.
They gotta nail it precisely.
If they mess up a word or joke or pause, it really ruins the momentum for the act.
I think what stand-ups do demands a lot more, honestly.
I appreciate that art form a lot.
I think I gotta be brave to do what I do just because … most rap has funding.
In terms of how we think of rap, we think of rappers who have investors.
They make a living that way.
But I think stand-up is even braver.
EvenThe New Negroesis continuing the lineage fromHollywood ShuffleandIm Gonna Git You Suckato now.
It just really awoke something in me.
I was used to performing for DIY rap audiences who appreciate words but in a different way.
Theyre more about appreciating the skill or the cadence or the technical aspects of rap.
Even if Im just doing all serious music, they have more of a predisposition toward following along conceptually.
So connecting with that feeling just made me want to always do stuff at comedy shows whenever I can.
But its not all comedy shows either its mostly at alt-comedy shows where theyre used to out-of-the-box approaches.
Being an independent musician, it really is all about trying to carve out what your space can be.
That juxtaposition is where all the drama really comes from.
Black people tend to be 10 to 12 percent of the population at any time.
I thinkHollywood Shuffleshows that struggle in a stark and funny way.
And you do get to see Paul Mooney with hair!
