Comic heroes: Chicago's own breaking into the spotlight

Watson sees herself and others, including Buress, as part of a new generation of black comics. These performers--who increasingly perform for diverse audiences and expand their subject matter to universal themes--are enjoying the spotlight. Buress said he isn't aware of many audience members who expect certain jokes from him because of the color of his skin, but false perceptions exist for some, Watson told RedEye.

In Buress' case, the West Side native has built a comic career on diverse audiences, mainly on the North Side and around concepts as out-there as how much pickle juice he collects in his refrigerator and his inner desire to kick a pigeon.

"A lot of my sketches come from ideas, not attacking anybody," said Buress, who after seven years doing stand-up in Chicago and New York landed a full-time writing position on "Saturday Night Live" this fall.

Still, there's an expectation that certain elements--such as ripping on pop culture figures, particularly rappers and singers--continue to define black comedy even after the original Def Jam comedy went off the air in the late '90s, according to some comics including Watson, who returns to her hometown Nov. 19 with her one-woman show, "Fat Bitch."

"Black people are very diverse and a lot of people don't know that," said Watson, a Hyde Park native who appears in the Oprah Winfrey- and Tyler Perry-produced drama "Precious." "People only see one thing when it comes to a black woman or a black man on the stage. But even those who stick to the Def Jam comedy style have an opinion about what's going on in the world. They should be able to talk about more than 'hood' material to a broader audience."

Black comics are increasingly getting those chances, and in pivotal behind-the-scenes roles. Cases in point: Buress' "SNL" gig and a historic achievement for Cole.

Last month, the Roseland-born comic became the first black writer in "The Tonight Show" history, according to an NBC spokesman.

"I got a congratulations call from Jesse Jackson," Cole told RedEye of his new full-time gig after 16 years as a stand-up comic and sketch writer. "I mean, this is a big deal."

Still, redefining the term "black comic" isn't an easy task.

Some of the comics who talked to RedEye shared the difficulties of being embraced by diverse audiences and burdens of what some described as "representing" their race. In the latter case, Watson was surprised at the amount of vitriol aimed at the title of her one-woman show.

Only white men in the New York area where she launched the show seem to "get it," Watson said.

"When I tell them [the show] is called 'Fat Bitch,' they say, 'Oh, so you're going to do a social discourse about yourself and your body issues,'" Watson said. "When I hand a flier to a black dude, they ask, 'Why are you disrespecting yourself?' Hell, I get called a fat bitch just walking down the street or if I bump into someone at a club and make them spill their drink. Why is it different if I say it about myself?"

Cole, just a month into his Conan O'Brien gig, said he feels particular pressure not to mock black culture too harshly. That doesn't stop him from mining for material from his unique experience. He recently appeared in a show segment, lamenting that blacks don't have a special drinking day, while non-blacks get to toast Cinco de Mayo, St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest.

"There is definitely a fine line between funny and embarrassing your culture," Cole said. "I'm not going to make stuff up just to make people laugh at my expense. I'm just bringing my experience to mainstream America."

 Much more damaging to the image of blacks in America, according to Cole, are some rappers and singers.

"They're out here making people think that when you get rich, you can throw money all over the place and have naked girls dancing around in your living room," Cole said. "They've seriously made a generation of people believe this can happen."

Buress says he can recall only one instance in which an audience member at Zanies came up to him and told him he was amazed by Buress' material.

"He said I like you because you're so street, but also smart," Buress said, adding that he didn't know where the "street" comment came from. "He asked if I knew what he meant and I said 'naw,' and just kind of walked away."

Watson, however, said she constantly combats stereotypes about her brand of funny--from black and non-black crowds alike--when she steps onto a stage.

Often the only female black comic on a bill unless she is on the "urban" circuit, Watson said some are clearly surprised her comic range includes riffs from Facebook to Speidi.
"I come at the same universal topics we all find funny, but from my own perspective," Watson said. "It blows their mind."

More reasons to laugh
Fact: Hannibal Buress now cast in the national spotlight, is really careful about his tweets these days. Apparently, the comedian and writer didn't realize tweets were being used for quotes when he celebrated his "SNL" gig with a little 140-character joke about writing "elaborate poop sketches." "I will never do that again," Buress said, adding that a few news outlets printed them. "It was just a harmless joke on Twitter. I was thinking, 'C'mon, y'all could have called me up and I would've given you a real quote.'" Find out more factoids about Buress and his comic escapades at redeyechicago.com/kylesfiles in a little Q&A called "Hanging with Hannibal."

Extra, extra
An "SNL" newbie, Hannibal Buress is making waves behind the scenes as a full-time writer on the venerable sketch show after impressing some people at "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon." But you might also catch him on camera--if you don't blink. He debuted as an extra in an airplane sketch with guest star Megan Fox. "I was sitting behind Andy Samberg," Hannibal said, adding that he is not sweating actual speaking parts, but will take more non-verbal work as it arises.

Onstage
Erica Watson comes to town Nov. 19-28 with "Fat Bitch," a one-woman show in which she grapples with issues of size and race in America. Check her out at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, 777 N. Green St. Regular tickets are $15 and $10 for students or seniors, as well as for those who purchase tickets in advance at theaterland.thundertix.com.

Web watching
Stand-up comic and Orland Park resident Michael Palascak has invaded TV airwaves via a "Live at Gotham" special on Comedy Central that originally aired last year. This summer, he was featured in the TBS "Just For Laughs Festival." But where you really want to find him is online at sites such as on funnyordie.com. His online "My Name is America" sketch, in which he presents our country as a hapless, kinda jerky dude, is getting a big thumbs up, along with some anger from patriotic posters. "There was some mean stuff," Palascak, who started his career about eight years ago, said. "I was like, 'wow!' But it's been good ... I'm getting a lot of exposure."

Sitcom school
Sketch comic-turned-TV star Danny Pudi is co-starring on NBC's "Community," a show about an attorney whose degree has been revoked, sending him back to community college. Pudi, who portrays Abed on the show, is still getting used to his budding celebrity. "The other day I'm walking up the street and someone starts yelling 'hey, hey,'" said Pudi, a homegrown talent and Stir Friday Nights comedy troupe alum. "I thought I dropped something, but they actually wanted a picture of me. And just a few months ago, people were calling me over to take pictures of them in front of the Mann's Chinese Theater. Things change so fast."