Lewis Black

• Genre: Comedy
• Lewis Black Website

About

Lewis Black graduated from Yale's drama department and like most aspiring thespians, took a variety of jobs while waiting for his big break. Moving to Manhattan, he took a job in a government-funded anti-poverty program that gave him a firsthand look at a myriad of social and economic issues. Eventually, Black became the playwright in residence at the West Bank Café Downstairs Theater Bar, where over 40 of his plays were produced. One of his plays, The Deal, was optioned and made into a movie, which gave Black the "in" he was looking for. In 1996, the comedian made his motion picture debut with a role in Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters, which in turn led to a prodigious run of guest starring roles on TV shows such as Murphy Brown, Law and Order and Mad About You. Appearances on high-profile comedy-oriented talk shows Late Show With David Letterman and Late Night With Conan O'Brien proved fertile ground for Black, who was subsequently hired as a contributor to The Daily Show, where his two-minute political and pop culture rants made him a national hero. In a short amount of time, Black provided succinct, thoughtful and riotous insight on the political machinations of the Bush administration. To quote: "On the bright side, we did catch Cat Stevens." Fittingly, Black took his ruminations on the road, crisscrossing the country with his stand-up act. In 2000, he released his debut CD, The White Album, followed by The Rules of Engagement and The End of the Universe.

- Linda Ryan