Lewis Black
From Philosopedia
TENTATIVE - do not quote until Mr. Black confirms, particularly his comments on "Larry King Live" (20 June 2008) that he believes something must be "out there" (glue?), that he is neither atheist nor agnostic, and that he believes in reincarnation.
Lewis Black (30 August 1948 - )
Black, a Grammy Award-winning American comedian and actor, was born to Jeannette Black, a teacher, and Sam Black, an artist and mechanical engineer. He was raised by his middle-class Jewish family in Silver Spring, Maryland, graduating from Springbrook High School in 1966. His parents have since divorced
A graduate in 1970 of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, he earned in 1977 his Masters in Fine Arts at the Yale School of Drama in New Haven, Connecticut.
Black headed the Repertory Company of Colorado, later running and performing at the West Bank Cafe Downstairs Theater Bar on 42nd Street in New York City.
A stand-up comedian, he includes political material but dislikes the two major political parties and has said,
- I’m a socialist, so that puts me totally outside any concept. The Canadians get it. But seriously, most people don’t get it. The idea of capping people’s income just scares people. "Oh, you’re taking money from the rich." Ooh, what a horrifying thing. These people really need $200 million.
Lewis performed 21 April 2006 at the Warner Theatre in Washington, DC., for an HBO special, Red, White, and Screwed. Asked about his choice of venue, Black stated that "some asshole" was paid to count the number of uses of the word "fuck" from his previous HBO special, Black On Broadway, and that the original location, the Kennedy Center, wanted him to cut back on its use. Black was told the number was 42 - HBO later counted 78.
For his album, The Carnegie Hall Performance in 2007, he received a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
In June 2008, his Me of Little Faith debuted. Black discusses religion, calls Mormonism wacky, takes issue with all politicians who are outwardly "religious," is stunned by the hold on the American public of prayer, gives many examples of how absurd beliefs are, and makes it humorously clear that he is not a person of faith. To hear him, see his style of angry finger-shaking, shouting, and the use of sarcasm and hyperbole, click here.
Films
- Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
- Jacob's Ladder (1900)
- The Hard Way (1991)
- Joey Breaker (1993)
- The Night We Never Met (1993)
- Sidesplitters: The Burt and Dick Story (2000)
- American Dummy (2002)
- The Gynecologists (2003)
- The Happy Elf (2005)
- Accepted (2006)
- Man of the Year (2006)
- Unaccompanied Minors (2006)
- Farce of the Penguins (2007)
- Falling for Grace (2007)
Filmography
- The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (TV series (1990-1991)
- Law and Order, "Aria" (1991)
- Homicide: Life on the Street, "Deception" (1997)
- Law and Order: Special Victims Unit "Obscene" (2004)
- History of the Joke (Documentary, History Channel)
- Lewis Black's Root of All Evil (TV series, Comedy Central, 2008)
Works
- Me of Little Faith (2008)
- Nothing's Sacred (2006, with Hank Gallo and Michael Frost)
- Friars Club Private Joke File (By Barry Doughtery, Introduction by Lewis Black, 2006)
Black on YouTube
Personal
Lewis maintains residences in both Manhattan and Chapel Hill, South Carolina. In the latter city, he has encouraged University of North Carolina students to have an annual Carolina Comedy Festival.
His website biography starts
- Lewis was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Silver Spring, MD. Colicky as a baby, it seems he was destined to be angry and easily irritated. His mother, a teacher, and his father, a mechanical engineer, instilled in both Lewis and his younger brother Ron the importance of education and the necessity to question authority; lessons which have influenced Lewis throughout his private and professional life. When Lewis was 12, his father took him to his first play and he quickly fell in love with the theatre. This ultimately led Lewis to pursue a career in drama.
