The comedians of the 1950s and 1960s were a totally different breed of relevant, revolutionary performer from any that came before or after, comics whose humor did much more than pry guffaws out of audiences. Gerald Nachman presents the stories of the groundbreaking comedy stars of those years, each one a cultural harbinger:
• Mort Sahl, of a new political cynicism
• Lenny Bruce, of the sexual, drug, and language revolution
•...

"From his days on the pioneering sketch comedy show In Living Color to his smash-hit films, Jamie Foxx knows how to bring the laughter. Now, for the first time on DVD, Foxx returns to his comedy roots with a DVD series that will keep you in stitches from start to finish. Filmed before a live audience in Atlanta, GA, Jamie Foxx Presents America's Funniest Comics features the hottest up-and- coming comedians, handpicked by Mr. Foxx himself. These talented...

"Today, women are ascendant in standup comedy, even preeminent. They make headlines, fill arenas, spawn blockbuster movies. But before Amy Schumer slayed, Tiffany Haddish killed, and Ali Wong drew roars, the very idea of a female comedian seemed, to most of America, like a punchline. And it took a special sort of woman-indeed, a parade of them-to break and remake the mold. In on the Joke is the story of a group of unforgettable women who knocked down...

"Today's top stand-up comedians sell out arenas, generate millions of dollars, tour the world, and help shape our social discourse. So, how did this all happen? The History of Stand-Up chronicles the evolution of this American art form - from its earliest pre-vaudeville practitioners like Artemus Ward and Mark Twain to present-day comedians of HBO and Netflix. Drawing on his acclaimed History of Stand-up podcast and popular university lectures, veteran...

"Before his name became synonymous with a new style of comedy; before he had written, directed, or produced his first movie or TV show; before he and his roommate Adam Sandler were performing stand up at dive bars in LA; before all that, Judd Apatow was a kid in Syosett, Long Island who was utterly obsessed with comedy. At 16, he started hosting a radio show for his local high school station, and he would call up the biggest comics of the day - comics...

From his groundbreaking stand-up to television appearances, blockbuster films, and beyond, Richard Pryor always told the whole, hilarious truth. A once-in-a-generation innovator, changing the game and inspiring everyone who came after him, Richard's intimate storytelling made the world feel like we knew him and loved him. Richard Pryor lived his life out loud, sharing the pain of the lowest lows and dazzling us from the highest heights. There's simply...