My man Redd Foxx, to me, is not mentioned enough as one of the GOATs.

The man has produced over 50 comedy albums, was the star of the successful sitcom, “Sanford and Son”, and has rocked the shit out of Vegas among other accolades. I was a late boomer when it comes to loving this man. I grew up loving “Sanford and Son,” but the beast he was on stage wouldn’t even present itself to me until I was well into my early 30’s. I know, sad. But I’m caught up and a bigger fan than I already was.

Before there was Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Dave Chapelle, Kevin Hart and the ions of talented black comics, there was Redd Foxx. This man was incredible to watch. Though, his material was risque for the time, his delivery and style still resonate in the minds and styles of today’s comics. Born John Elroy Sanford, Redd continues to mesmerize me with his method of twisting and turning simple setups into thought-induced rapid fire punchlines. I am a fan. I didn’t know this man that well growing up. He was simply the guy who played Fred Sanford. But more importantly, he was the guy that taught me to use my mind when I write – I don’t have to change my material, just the way I deliver it.

As I’ve read and learned from the great comedian and writer, Darryl Littleton (who wrote the very necessary book titled, “Black Comedians on Black Comedy: How African-Americans Taught Us to Laugh.”), Redd Foxx was the first comic to have a recorded record. they were called Race Records. If you don’t know what they are, they were black records distributed to the black consumer. Originally they were produced for black singers and musicians. Redd Foxx would be one of the pioneers of live comedy specials. Impressive.

I was always told blue comedy (dirty comedy) was considered a short cut or, basically, taking the easy way out. Yes, I understand in mainstream clean is an absolute, but outside of that being blue is just as important. People want reality. Reality comes both clean and dirty. So it’s takes talent to be dirty as well. It’s like what Eddie Murphy said, “you can’t have no curse show – I manage to say a few jokes in between the curses.” And it’s true. you can’t have a curse show – you’d bomb your ass off.

What you can do is combine the two. You can let the crowd decide the outcome of the joke. Let them decide what elements comprise the sexual extent of the material. I call it implied perversion. And Redd Foxx was a beast at it. He gave all the elements and let you guess what they were. He’d give you a bed, two people naked and low lighting and YOU would say they were fucking. Now that’s clever. It’s a talent many comics have. Redd mastered it. I recently listened to the Roast of Redd Foxx, hilarious. His quick wit and lightning fast punch KO’d everyone who tried to roast him, lol.

Redd Foxx was the King of Comedy, literally. So why has this icon of modern day black comedy not been immortalized on the big screen? In every comedic circle I’ve ever been in chatting about the true monsters of comedy, Mr. Foxx’s name always comes up. Comics younger than me (I’m 40 something) talk about this guy and he was dead before some of them were born! For God’s sake, he hung out with Malcolm Little aka Malcolm X!! He has forever been chiseled into the Hall of Comics by all he’s accomplished and all he means to this art form.

Now, can we please get this movie written and produced so the next generation of black comics can see how their predecessors ripped shit decades before?