Joining the Mooney Cult

Love it when people use understatement. Like calling Paul Mooney "a talented comedic writer." The man wrote for Richard Pryor. In fact, he's worked everywhere funny in the past 40 years — Sanford & Son, SNL, In Living Color, Chappelle's Show. He even wrote for Good Times, which means he's very, very old; but regardless, to call him "a talented comedic writer" is just weird. Or maybe the blurb on the club's site is using understatement as a literary device. Mooney's response to the Michael Richards meltdown several years ago, for example, broadcast on Greta Van Susteren's show, made pure joy out of the poo of that situation. The comedian suggested that Richards take his show to the Apollo, which Van Susteren tried to explain to her audience was "in Harlem." Mooney, clearly enjoying running rings around the TV host, immediately pointed out that actually, people probably already knew about the world-famous theater. Then he told a long joke and provided a primer on how to do racial jokes without being an asshole. We're taking notes.

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More About

• Paul Mooney
• Michael Richards
• Greta Van Susteren
• W. Kamau Bell
• Richard Pryor

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W. Kamau Bell opens for Paul Mooney.
July 22-25, 8 p.m.; July 23-25, 10:15 p.m., 2010