Mantan Moreland & Nipsey Russell 1955

[kariwattsup]

I grew up watching this on t.v. Filtered to the general public again in the seventies. Is it part of "the plan" to keep "us" distracted from wuts really goin on? Hmmm....

[WSenator1]

Two points: Nipsey Russell starred on "Car 54 Where Are You?" in the 1960s, then did game shows until his death some years after that. The routine they're doing was remade for a TV commercial (I want to say in the 70s, and that Mantan was in it as well).

[ridgerunner721601]

@WSenator1 I remember Nipsey on The Dean Martin Show back in the late '60s and early '70s. He and Dom Deluise were in a memorable recurring skit as a couple of barbers who would supposedly give haircuts to Dean and whoever might be one of his guests that particular week. They were all terrific. The comedy was funny and not foul mouthed or juvenile like so much of what passes for comedy nowadays.

[WSenator1]

@ridgerunner721601 - Agreed. I'm not a prude. I can laugh down and dirty as well as the next person. But I do love funny-but-clean material more so. Glad you're enjoying - have a good day!

[ridgerunner721601]

@WSenator1 Me too. LOL And a good day to you too Senator. : )

[carlindelco]

Classic, Clean , Intelligent and very funny!! My how far we have fallen...

[SABBOU7TE]

so funny

[nickelslickent]

Sleep n eat

[rhinnawi95]

What's gone is gone :'(

These guys were irreplaceable!

[JonWesley54]

Mantan Moreland was wonderful, as was Nipsey Russel.

[atlboy74]

funny

[misharyutubbee]

Mantan was really funny. He should have been better appreciated.

[143AC]

A black version of Abbott & Costello..Funny stuff and not racist.

[DAngelo136]

@143AC As times changed and social sensitivites changed, a lot of the performers were looked down upon some rather unfairly. Willie Best (aka Sleep N'Eat) Mantan Moreland,Stepin Fetchit and to an extent, Matthew "Stymie" Beard were somewhat shunned and died in obscurity. We should appreciate them now in the context of their times, when "tommin" and "coonin" was the only path for many, not all, black perfomers in Hollywood.

[ridgerunner721601]

@DAngelo136 The ironic thing is that those old timers like Willie Best and Mantan Moreland had more talent in their little fingers than any of the so called comics of today who get cheap laughs by being either foul mouthed or just plain abrasive.

[DAngelo136]

@ridgerunner721601 The difference is: the comedians of the past were forced by circumstance to "coon", today's comedians do it by choice. As the late Gil Scott-Heron said: "Four letter words won't make you a poet; it offends 9 out of 10 people and exposes how shallow you are and lets everybody know it".-from "Message to the Messengers"

[ridgerunner721601]

@DAngelo136 I agree with you wholeheartedly.

[The4Wuz]

i want to set up a convo with someone like that in public... just to mess with peoples heads

[michaeljayklein]

Mantan had some of the best comedy timing of any comedian of his (and made many a dreary Monogram movie watchable when he was in the cast). This is a classic bit he did with other partners in the past--Nipsey is a good match for him. Great job finding this!

[Blackjesus3]

great

[JazzMaestra]

It is so good to be from Atlanta, Georgia--you are literally related by blood or marriage to everyone native to the city; and Nipsey Russell is one of them!! An amazing comic and poet!!

[toxicstarburst]

ILOVE NIPSEYY RUSSEL((:

[DidiHylobates]

This is actually quite clever and funny. Nipsey!