CELEBRATE COMEDY AT

CELEBRATE COMEDY AT MARTHA’S VINEYARD

There has never been a better time to return to normal, return to comedy and, return to fun. Steve Capers highlights the Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest returning in August 2021.

by Steve Capers

One of my favorite comedians, Richard Pryor, once said, There's a thin line between TO LAUGH WITH, and TO LAUGH AT. That I think encapsulates the history of Black comedy in our country. Because, just as everything else in the Black experience, we’ve had to make the best of sometimes awful situations and find joy and a reason to laugh. Black Comedians have been bringing us that joy and allowing us to laugh with each other for all of our history here in America. My name is Steve Capers, and I am the Managing Partner, along with my wife Dorothy, of Knock-Knock Comedy Productions, the founder of The Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest and, I hold the trademark for Black Comedy Month. Most importantly I am a comedy enthusiast who has used comedy as a way to entertain, and as a medium to drive Black entrepreneurial success. My professional entertainment career began in 1993 when I joined Black Entertainment Television in Los Angeles. There I worked on some of the network's most iconic shows including Video Soul with Donnie Simpson, Teen Summit, and Rap City. It was through my work at BET that I met DL Hughley, Cedric the Entertainer, and Sommore, the hosts of BET’s Comic View, and began my education in Black comedy. I can truthfully say that I was bitten by the comedy bug! In 1998, I was recruited by Comedy Central to head up their Chicago regional headquarters. The network was founded in 1989 as The Comedy Channel and was the first cable channel devoted exclusively to comedy-based programming. There I planned comedy events for nationally-acclaimed comedians and personalities including Jon Stewart (The Daily Show), Lewis Black, Ben Stein, Adam Corolla, Bill Cosby, and Sinbad. After five years with the network, and with a lot of knowledge under my belt, I launched KNOCKKNOCK PRODUCTIONS in the Summer of 2003 to produce upscale comedy events for corporations, non-profits and colleges, and universities. We tailored our shows for conferences, fundraisers, and corporate events. My client list included Bell and Howell, North Carolina A&T, and Milliken University. Out of that, came the idea for a monthly comedy show that I and comedian Damon Williams conceived called FUNNY FIRST SATURDAY. The show was launched in Chicago and was key to revitalizing a once vibrant comedy scene in the city that once had national recognition with clubs like the legendary All Jokes Aside in the 1990s. Knock-Knock also produced Damon Williams’ NEW YEAR’S EVE COMEDY BASH and many stand-up comedy networking events. Along the way, we were meeting and working with a national stable of

The 10 annual Marta Vineyard’s Comedy Fest returns this August in New York.

comedians and cultivating new comedic stars. 2010 was a pivotal year for Knock-Knock productions. My wife and I were vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard in 2009 when we began to discuss the idea of putting on an AFRICAN AMERICAN COMEDY FESTIVAL.

What better place than in Oak Bluff, a spot frequented by Black vacationers going back nearly a century. Dorothy encouraged me to go for it. Realizing that top-tier comedic talent would be expensive, I decided to work with emerging comics on the cusp of stardom. With early support from HBO, we were able to launch the Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest in 2010. That first year we featured Damon Williams (The Kings of Comedy Tour), AJ Jamal (In Living Color), and Roz G. (Last Comic Standings). Damon became the host of the annual festival and we saw our roster of comedians grow to include headliners Tony Roberts, John Henton, Tony Tone, Chastity Washington, and Honest Williamson. Our nightly, two-hour shows provided an enjoyable means of escape for our guests during our early years. The MVCF was a safe space to revel in comedy and entertainment from a Black perspective. By 2018 we were ready to expand the Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest to the entire month of August and we created BLACK COMEDY MONTH™ heretofore unrecognized commemoration of the Black comedy experience. Today, it is one of the most prestigious celebrations of Black comedy in the country, held each August. We characterize it this way: “A Black comedian walks into a club on Martha’s Vineyard and Black Comedy Month is born.” This long-overdue celebration of Black Comedy is more than just good, clean, family entertainment. We also provide a historical perspective on the place that Black comedy and comedians hold in the entertainment industry. We celebrate Black comedic genius and, most importantly, we provide a showcase for both new and established comics to hone their craft and MAKE US LAUGH.

Black Comedy Month also affords us a unique platform to explore the evolution of Black Comedy. I often say the history of Black comedy has taken us from Black Face to Black Faces. If you were to read the program book for our past shows you’d see we not only seek to entertain but to educate. We explore the backstory to Black comedy history. The term Stepin' Fetchit brings up negative connotations for most of us, but with just a bit of digging you’d learn that the real-life STEPIN FETCHIT, LINCOLN THEODORE MATTHEW ANDREW PERRY, broke barriers for more than 50 years beginning in the 1920s, Starting during the Vaudeville era, he later found career success in Hollywood, until being pushed out when prevailing sentiments turned against his type of humor. Yet without his knocking down barriers, with the then studio execs, none of today’s success in comedy would have been possible. Amos and Andy dominated both radio and television in some form over three decades. Theirs was the most precedent-setting, hilarious, infamous, and divisive television shows ever aired. And the Black actors who filled those roles for television were part of a training ground that directly connects to Moms Mabley, Red Foxx, and Richard Pryor. The buffoonery that was a regular part of the show also fell from favor yet is etched in our history and deserves to be explored as a part of that period. During Black Comedy Month, we want to explore all aspects of comedy from Playing the Dozens to Dick Gregory; from Pigmeat Martin to Our recently departed Paul Mooney; from Robin Harrison to Redd Foxx and from Bill Cosby to Dave Chappelle. For us, at the Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest, this is about portraying another part of our rich, and yes, complicated American history. We believe that history deserves to be told in its totality. Our Comedy showcase is what we call “Heart and Soul Comedy.” Comedians center their routines around the ‘heart and soul’ of the everyday lives of African Americans. We celebrate the complexity of the African American experience. With us, one size does not fit all.

A famous comic once said, “A COMIC SAYS FUNNY THINGS. A COMEDIAN SAYS THINGS FUNNY.” Our comedians say things FUNNY. When they talk about everyday Black lives, they do it without the drama of foul language or questionable content. But most importantly, our comedians are FUNNY. We feature both identifiable superstars while being a training ground for those on the cusp of stardom. After just 10 years our nextlevel comedians include George Wallace, Mark Curry, Tony, Roz G, Howie Bell, B-Phlat, and more. And others have seen our vision and believe in it. Over our 10 years on Martha’s Vineyard, our sponsors have included BET, The Smithsonian Channel, Redds Apple Ale, and Budweiser. We also have a commitment to the community that has given us so much and we are partners with long recognized groups including The Polar Bears of Martha’s Vineyard and the

Steve Capers is the proud owner of Knock-Knock Productions.

news organization This Week on Martha’s Vineyard. Today, the Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest is a recognized brand featured in commercials, sitcoms, books, across social channels, and our shows are fixtures on streaming services. Certainly, even great ideas are not realized in a vacuum. They require hard work, persistence, and attention to detail. Our success would not be possible without the comedians, club owners, and fans that have supported us for more than a decade. In conclusion, I’ll say the future for both the Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest and Black Comedy Month is so bright that I have to wear shades. Plans are underway to expand our brand with an emphasis on streaming platforms, building a performing arts center near the island’s beloved Inkwell, and of course, more laughs. Because we are all about funny. I’m Steve Capers and I’m a comedy enthusiast Thank you

Damon Williams is the host of the 10th Annual Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest.

With water playing an important role in offering therapeutic options, the time has never been greater for Blacks to learn how to swim and enjoy the healing powers that water offers.

Written by BRAD BOWLING

Brad Bowling is the President of CODE Media Group, LLC. Bowling has his BA in mass media communication and an MBA in marketing. He contributes articles to the magazine continuing his love for writing.

Water offers amazing options to those who seek a relaxing and balanced lifestyle.

GETTING OVER OUR

FEAR OF WATER

Life as we know it has changed for everyone. It seems like there might be a second wave of the pandemic that has nothing to do with being physically ill. The second wave appears to be all mental and no one saw it coming. Water plays a huge role in therapy for many Americans. But for Blacks, our fear, or lack of exposure to water, leaves us with very few options when it comes to finding places to rest and recover. In the US, almost 3,500 people die every year from drowning, just under ten a day. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of Blacks dying by water is three times higher than the national average. Seventy percent of Blacks who were surveyed said they had no, or a low ability to swim; twelve percent said they were self-taught.

CHANGING THE NUMBERS

Because water is 75 percent of the planet and offers amazing mental, physical and emotional healing powers, Blacks must consider facing their fear or lack of access to water.

BLACK MATTERS OF LOVE

provide great assistance in relaxation, recovery, and just overall comfort to a body when stressed. The calming effect of water is why so many people gravitate to it. We love to be in the water, live around water, and listen to it when it rains.” Requiring swimming lessons in schools could be one way to impact the low numbers of Blacks who swim. In the United Kingdom, swimming is a part of the education system, so all citizens learn how to swim. Here in the US, swimming is not taught in school. If your school district has an indoor or outdoor swimming pool, it could be taught as a course elective.

VACATION Black Love Matters:

When considering a vacation, water is always a top priority. For Authentic Men’s Voices on some families, learning how to swim became mandatory if their Marriages and Romantic kids were going to be around water. “ Relationships does a deep Because I have four kids, I knew that if we were going to be in a dive into understanding pool that all four kids needed to be able to swim,” Brian, from Warrensville, said. “There was no way I would be able to save one how Black men approach or all of them if something happened, so we enrolled them in life, women, and their swim lessons,” he explained. own emotions when it If you are going to consider including water in your next vacation, it’s a good idea to use float vests or support devices that help comes to finding love. keep people afloat. Constant monitoring is always necessary if you have any children in the water. Lastly, have children who cannot swim stay in the shallow end of the pool and make sure 18 JUNE 2021 / CODE M 18 JULY 2021 / CODE M they understand where the pool begins to deepen before allowing them in the water.

FEAR FACTOR

Many black parents are not teaching their children to swim. Some might assume the fundamental reasons would be lack of money for swimming lessons or living in areas where there are no pools, but the reality is more complex.

A fear of drowning is the primary reason many people avoid learning to swim or simply interact with water. The other reason is history. In some cases, “My parents didn’t swim, therefore, I can’t, and I didn’t teach my children how to swim.” That cycle needs to end with everyone in the family getting swim lessons. The YMCA offers swim lessons that teach the basics of swimming for the entire family, from young children to adults.

WATER FOR THERAPY

Let’s discuss the wide-ranging ways water can provide a serene environment for those who need to recharge their mental and emotional batteries.

those that would like the opportunity for a cost-effective way to relax, water provides an abundance of relief from the everyday cycle of the way we tend to live: work/kids/bills/life. Cleveland offers several beaches and waterfronts that are excellent for taking a dip or sitting near water. If you prefer something a little cleaner and safer, there are pools all over Northeast Ohio, so check out each community’s pool hours and enjoy. Hot tubs offer another excellent way to relax and calm the mind. This option might be more difficult to find because there is no public access to a hot tub unless you check into a hotel that offers this as an option. There are, however, fitness centers that have hot tubs included in their membership. If you still feel like being up to your neck in water is too much for you, there are other ways to engage with water for therapeutic healing and relaxation.

HYDROTHERAPY

Hydrotherapy includes such therapeutic treatments as saunas, steam baths, foot baths, contrast therapy, sitz baths, and colonic cleansing. These options allow you to interact with

Black men have always struggled with emotions and love.

water on a more intimate level. Steam baths and saunas offer relaxing, cleansing, and healing options where you can chill and allow the heat from the water to penetrate your skin for better hydration. These treatments also are good for joint pain and finally giving you an overall feeling of heath because they can help lower blood sugar levels, prevent constipation, increase circulation, supply more oxygen to the tissues and cause sweating, which helps to remove toxins from the body. If getting into water just isn’t your thing, listening to a water fountain can be very relaxing. There are hundreds of fountains available for the home or office that can help create a more serene atmosphere. Or just listening to a recording of a water fountain, running brook, or waterfall can help you shed built-up stress and help you sleep. Whatever way you decide to introduce more water into your life, CODE M Magazine wishes you a very safe and healthy summer.

Black parents must make it a priority to teach their children how to swim. 20 JULY 2021 / CODE M