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Looking for some quality comedy entertainment to check out?
Who better to turn to for under-the-radar comedy recommendations than comedians?
How did you first become aware of Danitra?
Being that I was in theater, she had a similar path to the one that I had.
So that really spoke to me, and then I was just amazed that there wasnt more on her.
As stereotypical as they were, she was still speaking through those characters.
She wasnt doing them in a black voice.
She was fighting against it.
Like, when she does theShakespeare in the Slumssketch, she doesnt do a ghetto voice.
It feels like my story!
In fact, that just continually stays with me throughout everything I do, actually.
But Ill say to someone, You know, That Black Girl!
And no one knows it.
People are just like, What are youtalkingabout?
And there are articles, but her name, its still not on the tip of the tongue.
But I was amazed at how many I was able to pull up.
Theyre great, and theyre staggering in their intensity, especially compared to what she was doing onSNL.
Her character in it was, I believe, Miss Pat.
But when I was at Syracuse, I actually directedThe Colored Museum.
So she was a heavy influence.
Even if I didnt realize it.
She really was ahead of her time.Yeah, shes talking about the LGBTQ community.
Shes talking about breast cancer and exposed herself.
You remember howTig [Notaro] did that?
Danitra did this years ago.
There was, like, aNew YorkTimesarticleabout how shes exposing herself.
I dont know if she was the first one to do that, but she was definitelyoneto do it.
And yet no one knows about it.
Like, when theres a black woman onSaturday Night Live…
I mean, we have two right now, but theres always a comparison.
Its always like, Whos gonna bethe one?
And its not about beingthe one.
We have to stop looking tothe oneand then making sure that everyone is acting like that black girl.
Thats what that sketch was so great about.
Its a comment on how you dont really know us.
Yeah, that black girl wants to catch a cab easily!
That black girl, shes a little uppity about stuff.
Sure, why not?
Yeah, that sketch was her fighting that fight way before anyone cared to make it a thing.
I mean, shes brilliant!
There was no one like her.
And the thing thats great about her is that she was a great writer.
But I dont know how much room shed get nowadays.
Just way too soon.
And I feel like its starting to change.
But Danitra was fighting against that in every piece.
you’re free to hear it.
Its just so creative, and in an improv way.
Its like she takes these things, and then she takes itthere.
Its not easy stuff shes doing.
I mean, God, if there was ever a time to do her movie, its today.
It makes me want to go back and find her family because I want toknowher.
Its just sad that she was taken from us way too soon.
But shes from everywhere Im from.
Shes from Markham, Illinois.
I know Markham very well.
I know her whole area, so I know where she comes from, spirit-wise.
Chicago is one of the most segregated cities.
It was like I was inStir Crazyor something.
And they were going, Like, why is sheactinglike that?
I was like, Oh my God, okay, there are black kids who dont act like that.
So I can be me!
Or a parody of it, rather.
Right, it was called I Play the Maids.
I mean, thats the thing.
You cant find them.
But youre right I would love to see the re-airing of that song.
I dont even see thattoday.
I havent seen the patience for that bang out of theater.
That punch in of brilliance, I still yearn for that for black women.
Its a predominantly white audience, and they just go insane.
And I say, Well, I guess this is what youwant… but thats not who Iam.
That energy is too much to maintain, and Id have to do that all the time!
And thats what speaks to me.
Thats whats always spoken to me: the fight to just be funny … and thats it.
