Black Can Be Funny

During the taping of a recent episode of ABC's new revue What's It All About, World?, Guest Tommy Smothers led off one bit with Negro regular Scoey Mitchell by announcing: "Scoey and I felt that tonight we would like to take a step toward breaking down the barriers between the races." "We realize," continued Scoey, "that if a white man were to kiss a black girl, that would offend many people." Tommy pointed out that "on the other hand, if a black man were to kiss a white girl, that, too, would offend many people. So we would like to take the only logical step we could take where nobody would be offended." The two men then turned to ward each other with a look of simultaneous discovery and fondness --and kissed, smack on the lips. The ABC Department of Broadcast Standards and Practices (the censors) deleted the actual contact of the lips, but the audience knew exactly what was going to happen after the rest of the scene ran intact. Half a dozen other racial jokes were included in the one-hour show, including jabs at the N.A.A.C.P., the K.K.K. and black militant students.

Whether or not the sentiment of reconciliation is real, on network television, at least, there is certainly a new relaxation. For the first time since Amos 'n' Andy went off in 1953, black comedy (al beit in a somewhat more sensitive and sophisticated form) fills the air. On an upcoming Rowan and Martin show, the entire cast appears in black face for one number; Chelsea Brown, the show's sassy Negro comedienne, naturally is in white face, as is Guest Tony Curtis. For the snapper, Judy Carne turns to Chelsea and says: "I have only been black for five minutes, but I'm already fed up with you white chicks."

Javelin Catcher. The Laugh-In producers put together a whole hour of such material, a sort of all-black Laugh-In called Soul, which NBC ran as a special earlier this season. In a typical bit, Redd Foxx told Slappy White of the first Negro athletic-scholarship winner at the University of Mississippi --"He's a javelin catcher." White observed that Oct. 27 is a Negro holiday -- "That's the day when the new Cadillacs come out." In one sight gag, George Kirby stretched out on a beach mat, opened a bottle of suntan oil and slathered it on the pink soles of his feet.

The Smothers Brothers are also delving into black humor on their own CBS program. The other week, Tommy Smothers, having invited his first Negro house guest, stumbled over whether to refer to him as a Negro, colored person or black. Finally, upon the guest's arrival, he stammered: "Hi, boy--er, I mean, Bill." When the visit ended, Tommy said, "I would really like to have you over more often." Bill exited with: "Well, that's mighty white of you."

Carol Burnett repeatedly gets her teeth into the problem with guests like Flip Wilson on her CBS variety show. Flip, during one segment, complained of his wife's cuisine. "She cooks like an extremist--burn, baby, burn." Another week, Carol spoofed TV's own new cliche characterization of what some blacks refer to as "Supernegro." Opening the door of her home to find a young, leather-jacketed black (Charles Moore), she chirped: "Why, it's a good-looking young Negro. Now don't tell me. I'll bet you're a doctor, a lawyer, a scientist, or maybe even an astronaut." "None of them," rejoined the black, pulling out a gun. "Give me your money." Carol handed over her pocketbook and smiled: "It certainly is refreshing to meet someone who isn't a credit to his race."

Obviously, the networks are still caught somewhat nervously between the stereotypes of Supernegro and a campy version of old Stepin Fetchit. Digby Wolfe, a former writer on the Laugh-In and Soul shows, warns that the "here-come-de-judge syndrome can be very dangerous, because it is apt to convince white audiences that Negroes are, after all, just kidding." He misses the point. No matter what the show or how limp the humor, the "Yassuh, boss" jokes are still, basically, satire.

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