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The Original Kings of Comedy

  • 2000
  • R
  • 1h 55m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
6.3K
YOUR RATING
Bernie Mac, Cedric The Entertainer, Steve Harvey, and D.L. Hughley in The Original Kings of Comedy (2000)
Home Video Trailer from Paramount Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:10
1 Video
96 Photos
Dark ComedyParodySatireStand-UpComedyDocumentary

A concert film featuring four major African American stand up comedians.A concert film featuring four major African American stand up comedians.A concert film featuring four major African American stand up comedians.

  • Director
    • Spike Lee
  • Writers
    • Cedric The Entertainer
    • Steve Harvey
    • D.L. Hughley
  • Stars
    • Steve Harvey
    • D.L. Hughley
    • Cedric The Entertainer
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    6.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Spike Lee
    • Writers
      • Cedric The Entertainer
      • Steve Harvey
      • D.L. Hughley
    • Stars
      • Steve Harvey
      • D.L. Hughley
      • Cedric The Entertainer
    • 89User reviews
    • 40Critic reviews
    • 73Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Original Kings of Comedy
    Trailer 2:10
    The Original Kings of Comedy

    Photos96

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    + 88
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    Top cast4

    Edit
    Steve Harvey
    Steve Harvey
    • Self
    D.L. Hughley
    D.L. Hughley
    • Self
    Cedric The Entertainer
    Cedric The Entertainer
    • Self
    • (as Cedric the Entertainer)
    Bernie Mac
    Bernie Mac
    • Self
    • Director
      • Spike Lee
    • Writers
      • Cedric The Entertainer
      • Steve Harvey
      • D.L. Hughley
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews89

    6.86.3K
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    Featured reviews

    tedg

    Tomorrow's Amos

    Some of this is very funny. And these people are genuine.

    But the sanctimonious Spike Lee will be embarrassed in a generation or two as this humor is considered today's Amos and Andy. Doesn't matter that it comes from blacks. Doesn't matter if everyone thinks it is funny now.

    Plus. No element of American culture is natural today, and this is especially so with Black culture. It is now in the hands of record, fashion and media companies. Spike may insist he is a free man, but he is not, and now complicit in another big company's inventing of a culture.
    9SlickFox3033

    Just great stand up!

    I saw this in the theaters when it came out in 2000. It's still just as funny 21 years later. I'm seriously laughing at all the offended, pearl clutching white people in the reviews. If Black comedians making racial jokes at the expense of white people during a set upsets you so much, it says way more about you than them. And I say this as a lily white woman in her 40's.
    fugu_286

    Hmmm...

    I just had to comment on this documentary.

    It is funny, but to paraphrase Ralph Wiggum, not ha ha funny. It seems most of the jokes revolved around race, drugs, sex, homosexuality and child abuse. You know, the typical amateur hour fare with African-American comedians far less talented than the insightful and intelligent Chris Rock. (I miss the Chris Rock show)The behind the scenes footage is interesting though. You do not often get to see that part of a comedy show. Like all Spike Lee "joints", it is interesting enough to watch once, although, the target demographic appears to be African-Americans. And also, turn on closed-captioning during the Bernie Mac routine. He is about as incomprehensible as Boomhauer of TV's "King of the Hill" fame. I couldn't understand a word he was saying sometimes.

    **1/2 out of *****
    mcdavyg

    A portrayal of what today's society thinks is humorous

    A lot of this movie was funny, but I was so disturbed by how intentionally racist these guys are. Half of the show was "White folks vs. Black folks." If these comedians want to continue rebuilding the wall of intolerance, then I hope that they aren't allowed to make any more movies. I was disturbed by what these men thought that they knew anything about me by the color of my skin. Leave the prejudice behind. One can still be funny talking about how they were raised or about how their family/friends act, but generalizing actions to an entire race is flat-out wrong. I am ashamed to say that I stayed throughout the whole movie. I am saddened by our society. And this sort of movie makes me lose hope in equality. Amen.
    9bunikus

    is that man insane??

    this movie had me laughing to the point where i found it hard to breath. some jokes are risqué and a little raunchy, but then so is life. this movie can be watched safely by adults young and old as i can attest to as i watched it confidently with my mother (!) who was in tears. everyone i know who has watched it tells me stories of laughing to dangerous extremes. one friend watching it in a less than crowded theatre was concerned she might choke and there would be no one to save her! each comedian has strong memorable material that rings true. my only problem with it is finding it on the sightread in the UK, better distribution of all "black" movies please.

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    Related interests

    Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Sian Clifford in Fleabag (2016)
    Dark Comedy
    Bill Pullman, John Candy, Joan Rivers, Daphne Zuniga, and Lorene Yarnell Jansson in Spaceballs (1987)
    Parody
    Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Satire
    John Mulaney in John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City (2018)
    Stand-Up
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)
    Documentary

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Near the end of the movie, Bernie Mac goes on a rant about not having his own television show. The very next year, he was indeed given his own show with The Bernie Mac Show (2001), which was based on the routine about his sister's kids that features in this film.
    • Quotes

      Bernie Mac: When you're listening to one of our conversations you might here the word MOTHER FUCKER about 32 times. Don't be afraid of the word MOTHER FUCKER... Imma break it down to ya... If you're out there this afternoon and you see like 3 or 4 brothers talkin', you might hear a conversation and it goes like this: You seen that MOTHER FUCKIN' Bobby? That MOTHER FUCKER owes me 35 MOTHER FUCKEN dollars! He told me he gone pay my MOTHER FUCKEN money last MOTHER FUCKEN week. I aint seen this MOTHER FUCKER yet! I'm not gonna chase this MOTHER FUCKER for my 35 MOTHER FUCKEN dollars. I called the MOTHER FUCKER four MOTHER FUCKEN times... but the MOTHER FUCKER won't call me back. I called his momma the other MOTHER FUCKEN day... she gonna play like the MOTHER FUCKER wasn't in. I started to cuss her MOTHER FUCKEN ass out, but I don't want no MOTHER FUCKEN trouble. But I'll tell ya one MOTHER FUCKEN thang... the next MOTHER FUCKEN time I see this MOTHER FUCKER... and he ain't got my MOTHER FUCKEN money... I'm gonna bust - his - MOTHER FUCKEN head! And I'm OUT this MOTHA FUCKA!

    • Connections
      Edited into Heroes of Black Comedy (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      Na Na
      Written by Teddy Riley, Jaren Henson and Monifah Carter.

      Performed by Monifah Carter (as Monifah) and Chico DuBargo.

      Courtesy of Universal Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

      Chico DeBarge appears courtesy of Motown Record Company, LP.

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    FAQ17

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 18, 2000 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Paramount Pictures
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Kings of Comedy
    • Filming locations
      • Charlotte Coliseum - 100 Paul Buck Boulevard, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
    • Production companies
      • 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
      • Latham Entertainment
      • MTV Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $13,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $38,182,790
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $11,053,832
      • Aug 20, 2000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $38,182,790
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 55m(115 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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