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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
    • 88User reviews
    • 39Critic 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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    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 reviews88

    6.86.2K
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    Featured reviews

    10mi_fiona

    Funny as ****

    If you enjoy stand up-these were certainly the "Kangs"-as Steve said:) They take you back to recall your history, childhood, life. The subjects are funny because you know people like those they mimic, or are like who they comment on! Simply this film shows us why these men have remained the top of the most funny (alive) male comedians for as long as they have. As the man above,don't try to "review" this as a movie with plot, character development, etc. Steve Harvey was the Host so his sets were throughout and he had his own later.It's a reel of a night of standup-THAT'S ALL! These men are Funny-You can see the reaction of the crowd as they get that "You know that's right" moment, or have to get up and do that "dance-laugh" cos they will have you rollin! I can watch it every time and the reaction is the same(gut laughs)-my whole family is nearly in tears watchin Ced and Bernie. These men are crazy funny fools! Just watch it and see how much you laugh...I hope you "get it"-it's just COMEDY! It was also nice to see them off-stage and see the real relationship, brotherly bonds between adult black men who have done good with their lives! Entertainment at it's finest.
    uglykidmatt

    A Lot of Laughs

    As a sometime stand-up comic, it was a great treat that this summer brought a big-name stand-up concert film, namely Spike Lee's "The Original Kings of Comedy". The film, a record of the highest-grossing comedy tour of all time, is not revolutionary and says nothing new about comedy or those who practice it. But it's chock-full of laughs, magnetism, and good, rollicking fun.

    The concert in "Original Kings" was taped at Charlotte, North Carolina's Charlotte Coliseum, and it's a great testament to the often unfairly neglected stand-up art that comedy performers could fill such a prodigious space. The MC of the evening, who holds forth from an elaborately decorated stage set, is the WB's Steve Harvey, who has a wonderfully exasperated stage persona and a voice full of gusto as he sounds off about the stupidity of Rae Carruth, the idiosyncracies of black church elders, and the asininity of the band on the Titanic playing as the ship went down. He's got a rip-roaring sense of energy that gets the show started on a good note.

    D.L. Hughley's set is perhaps the lowlight of the film. His delivery is not as punchy as that of the other performers, and unlike Harvey, he seems to use profanity as a crutch rather than as a proper comedy tool. Still, his performance has its moments, and he's likable enough that his onstage time doesn't get too dull.

    Fortunately, things pick up when Cedric the Entertainer, a big, cuddly bear of a guy in a chocolate brown fedora, takes the stage. His set is the highlight of the film, full of sharp commentary about Tiger Woods, blacks on the space shuttle, and the particulars of a "ghetto wedding". He fills the stage with his expansive body language, and his silly dance interludes are among the best moments in the picture. Someone should give this guy his own TV show, and fast.

    Closing things out is Bernie Mac, an abrasive, raspy-voiced, pop-eyed provocateur whose act is the most down-in-the-dirt of all the performers featured. His riffs on the virtues of beating children, the problem of living with a gay six-year-old nephew, and the importance of a certain twelve-letter-word to the black vocabulary, are sometimes more hostile than funny, but his gritty delivery and fast pace socks the best jokes home nicely. Besides, the audience in the theatre where I saw the film gave him applause at the end of his set, the only performer onscreen they did that for, so who am I to argue?

    Lee's direction sometimes gets in the way of the performers, with showy camera moves that distract from the words. The film is at its best when Lee's cameraman, Malik Sayeed, just plops his camera down and lets the comics do their stuff. There are some nice reaction shots of the crowd, who are clearly having a great time, and the way that the laughter of the onscreen audience blends with that of the people in the theatre really makes you feel like you're part of the show.

    "The Original Kings of Comedy" is not as great as earlier stand-up films like "Bill Cosby Himself" or "Eddie Murphy Raw", films that fell together more cohesively than this one does. Still, if you're looking for some Friday night laughs, you would be well advised to head to the theatre and hail to the Kings.
    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.
    Conagher-7

    The Unoriginal Subjects of Crassness

    Let's begin with the title, "The Original Kings of Comedy." Original implies one of two meanings: either previously unknown or unpresented, or the first of some series or set. Clearly the latter usage is out, since these men are not the first "kings of comedy." The originals of modern comedy are men like Jackie Gleason, the Marx brothers, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, etc., and not these 1990s "comedians." The former meaning of the word "orginal" is also a misnomer. Since when did four-letter words and racist stereotypes (a staple in Spike Lee "joints") constitute originality? "Kings" is an easy one to shoot down as well. How can one be a "king" of comedy if he is not funny? Between them the only one with any success was the emcee with a moderately successful network show to his credit. The rest are clearly usurpers at best. Finally, why should the word "comedy" ever be associated with this movie? Racism, profanity, misogyny, homophobia and other negative attitudes pass for comedy only to the lowest common denominator of our society.

    The only aspect of this movie to which I give any credit is that it is a movie consistent with Lee's other celluloid garbage. Lee's "joints" never fail to appeal to the basest urges of this society's groundlings. Continue your foul work, Lee, and see to it that our country's racial divide is perpetuated.
    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.

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    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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