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Coming to theaters this fall is an exposé of comic proportions that only Chris Rock could pull off.
'Good Hair' visits beauty salons and hairstyling battles, scientific laboratories and Indian temples to explore the way hairstyles impact the activities, pocketbooks and sexual relationships of the black community.
Director Jeff Stilson and producer Nelson George follow the Grammy and Emmy Award-winning funnyman on this raucous adventure, which was birthed, Rock says, when his daughter Lola asked him why she didn't have "good hair." The comedian spent nearly two years developing the documentary, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival this past January.
Hair care professionals, beauty shop and barbershop patrons, and celebrities such as Ice-T, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven Symoné, Maya Angelou, Salt n' Pepa, Eve and Rev. Al Sharpton, candidly offer their stories and observations to Rock while he struggles to find an answer to his daughter's question.
The film is presented by HBO Films and released theatrically by Liddell Entertainment and Roadside Attractions. It's set to open on Oct. 9, but check out our exclusive preview of it below.
Popular Black Comedians
Famous, Black & Funny
Being funny comes as a natural gift for man – but only the really talented (and really daring) ones have answered the call to make the masses laugh with their comedy. The wild and crazy Tracy Morgan, the much heralded Whoopi Goldberg, the brassy Mo'Nique and the late, great Richard Pryor are just a few of the black, famous and funny people who made us laugh over the last 50 years. There are many more. And they all have stories behind the funny. Check out who they are and what they've done.
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Famous, Black & Funny
Wanda Sykes
Started Out: Began her stand-up career at a Coors Light Super Talent Showcase in Washington, D.C. Big Break: Played multiple roles on Chris Rock's Emmy Award-winning HBO show. Hometown: Portsmouth, Va. Also Was Seen: In the movies 'Monster-in-Law' and 'Pooty Tang' and on the TV shows 'Wanda At Large,' 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' and 'The New Adventures of Old Christine.' Factoid: During a Las Vegas gay rights rally in November 2008, Sykes proclaimed she was "proud to be gay."
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Famous, Black & Funny
Jamie Foxx
Started Out: Acting on a dare (from a girlfriend) and competing in an open-mic contest at a comedy club in 1989. Big Break: Playing the comely date-challenged Wanda on 'In Living Color' Hometown: Linden, Texas Also Was Seen: In the films 'Booty Call,' 'The Players Club,' 'Any Given Sunday,' 'Miami Vice,' 'Ali' and 'Ray,' for which he won an Academy Award for best actor in 2005. Also fronted his eponymous sitcom. Factoid: As of 2009, Foxx (real name: Eric Marlon Bishop) has released three music albums: 1994's 'Peep This,' 2005's 'Unpredictable' and 2008's 'Intuition.'
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Famous, Black & Funny
Tracy Morgan
Started Out: Appearing on the sitcom 'Martin,' where he played 'Hustle Man.' Big Break: Morgan's claim to fame came in 1996 when he began appearing on 'Saturday Night Live.' Hometown: New York City Also Was Seen: In 'A Thin Line Between Love and Hate,' 'Martin,' 'Half Baked,' 'How High,' 'Head of State,' 'The Tracey Morgan Show,' 'Little Man,' 'First Sunday' and '30 Rock.' Factoid: Andrew Dice Clay inspired Morgan to pursue comedy.
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Famous, Black & Funny
Chris Rock
Started Out: Doing stand-up comedy in 1985 in New York City's Catch a Rising Star Comedy Club. Big Break: Was a cast member of the popular sketch comedy series 'Saturday Night Live.' Hometown: New York City Also Was Seen: In the movie 'New Jack City,' where he played a crackhead informant. Factoid: Born in 1965, Rock won a Grammy for best spoken comedy album in 1999 for the project 'Bigger & Blacker.'
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Famous, Black & Funny
Mo'Nique
Started Out: Appearing at the downtown Baltimore Comedy Factory Outlet. Big Break: Starred on the hit UPN sitcom 'The Parkers.' Hometown: Baltimore Also Was Seen: In 'Three Can Play That Game,' 'Hair Show' and 'Shadowboxer.' Factoid: Born in 1967, Mo'Nique (real name: Monique Imes) is the author of 'Skinny Women are Evil: Notes of a Big Girl in a Small-Minded World' and the cookbook 'Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted.'
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Famous, Black & Funny
Eddie Griffith
Started Out: Griffith began his acting career the 1991 action-thriller 'The Last Boy Scout.' Big Break: In 1996, Griffith showcased his talent on a national scale when he landed the role of Eddie on the TV series 'Malcolm & Eddie.' Hometown: Kansas City, Mo. Also Was Seen: In 'Foolish,' 'Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo' and 'Undercover Brother.' Factoid: Suffered a heart attack in 1996 while taping an episode of 'Malcolm & Eddie' following a scene in which he did the salsa dance.
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Famous, Black & Funny
Bill Cosby
Started Out: While in his early twenties, Cosby appeared on various well-known variety programs including 'The Ed Sullivan Show.' Big Break: In 1965, he appeared as Alexander Scott in the Emmy Award-winning flick 'I Spy.' Hometown: Philadelphia Also Was Seen: In 'Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,' 'Uptown Saturday Night,' 'Let's Do it Again,' 'Ghost Dad,' 'The Meteor Man' and the groundbreaking NBC sitcom 'The Cosby Show.' Factoid: Beginning in 1965, Cosby scored the Grammy Award for best comedy album six years in a row.
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Famous, Black & Funny
George Wallace
Started Out: Doing a completely improvised routine in a New York City comedy club circa 1977. Big Break: Worked as a writer for 'The Redd Foxx Show.' Hometown: Atlanta Also Was Seen: In the movies 'The Ladykillers' and 'Batman Forever.' Factoid: Born in 1952, Wallace owns and operates one of Las Vegas' most popular stand-up comedy shows -- his very own at the legendary Flamingo.
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Famous, Black & Funny
Martin Lawrence
Started Out: Making an appearance on the national talent show 'Star Search,' which ultimately led to a gig on 'What's Happening Now!' Big Break: Hosting the groundbreaking comedy series 'Def Comedy Jam.' Hometown: Landover, Md. Also Was Seen: In the films 'Do the Right Thing,' 'House Party,' 'Boomerang,' 'Bad Boys,' 'Thin Line Between Love & Hate' and 'Big Momma's House.' In addition, he starred and executive-produced his own Fox sitcom 'Martin' for five seasons. Factoid: In 1989, Lawrence was engaged to 'Saved by the Bell' actress Lark Voorhies.
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Comments: (193)
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By: Truth on 10/04/2009 8:49AM
LOL...girl, I think the sun has gotten to your brain...but I ain't mad at'cha and I still got love for ya......Peace
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By: sharkchops on 8/01/2009 7:45AM
Looks hilarious!! I can't wait. But the question remains: Are we ready to talk about this in an open forum with the whole world as opposed to the black community first? Would be nice if black cable stations could get to air this first before making it an international debate. Of course, I know Rock has a contract with HBO.
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By: MONCHEL on 8/03/2009 11:36AM
That would b a great question, r we ready, an i would say yes, there has been other shows out there, that has talk'd about this issue,(BET-J)We r a proud people, an we can handle ourselves on this issue...
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By: paintedraven on 8/17/2009 9:56AM
I'm a white girl and I have naturally curly hair...Everyday is a bad hair day for me too....why does it have to be about race....It's a documentary about HAIR for crying out loud..the fact that Chris Rock decided to do it makes it all the better...not only will we find out the WHYS of bad hair...we will be rolling on the floor laughing while we do. I can't wait to see it
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By: mat tizzle on 8/17/2009 11:12AM
lol why do white people always have to feel like when black people talk about racial issues that we're bringing up issues just to talk about race when it's actually about racial issues? You might be white and you might also have curly hair and bad hair days but being white with curly and black with "curly" hair is perceived very different in society. This is not about you and it's not just about hair. It's about the challenges of trying to fit into society with hair as just 1 issue many black women and men have to face to be perceived as civilized, decent, and equal.
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By: Jstar on 8/17/2009 3:05PM
It dont look like Chris did his research. Wigs, Hair Pieces and extensions were originally made and worn by white women, it is only in recent decades that wigs, and weaves etc started to be manufactured for women of color, prior to this blacks had to wear wigs and hair pieces made for white women. And trust me, white women wear a lot of extensions and hair pieces as well, often it is just a little harder to tell due to the texture of thier hair. I have several white friends that wear "extensions." My white girlfriends wear fake hair became their own hair is thin..They also have fake boos as well. So enhancements seems to be more of women thing than a black thing. Not to mention my white co-worker and friend that just got butt implants. So we need to put it out there about ALL women, dont just mock black women.
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By: catch it if you can on 8/01/2009 9:29AM
The true shall set you free weaves are in. Perms do make you look white but they burn.Hey to each its own. Every Women knows what she is doing to herself in a salon or at home. Guess what? Every man is turned on about it to. So what kind of message is this if the men love the duo. Blacks have lovely skin color we donot need to change who we are for anyone or a man.Pick up that low selfstem ladys that you carry love yourself your black and you cannot change that.
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By: Mizdistinct on 8/01/2009 12:43PM
I can't wait to see this! I agree with catch below. It would be nice if the black community could discuss it first but- we have haven't we? It may be embarrassing but it will be the truth from our own mouths and the white community and others already know about the perms and weaves we wear anyway.
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By: Donise Stevens on 8/01/2009 12:23PM
Chris Rock ROCKS! Thank you for shining a light on the most blatant residual of slavery: the unacceptance of our curly locks! Only time will tell how much damage has been done to our self esteem, image and respect, not to mention our economic status. What could we have better done with those millions? Those hours waiting for service to begin? I've always maintained that the first black millionairess,was a sell out, not a heroine! I am happy to be nappy! My locks (since 1994) flow and blow just beautifully. Own what God has given you. It is not "OK" to reject his creation! Hair Madness is just another case of being BAMBOOZELED! I don't mind Chris Rock getting paid; the truth will set us all free. That is, when all of the unenlightened amoung us die off or see the light! Why be ashamed that the rest of the world sees this before we do? They see all of the madness we perpetrate upon ourselves anyway! Come clean with yourselves and there won't be any madness for our grandbabies to be ashamed of! Sela!
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By: Black Moses on 8/01/2009 11:52PM
I feel you on Madame C. J. Walker. I am reading an autobiography on the Most Honorable Marcus Garvey and he would take her money but he wouldn't allow her to advertise in his paper. "If you don't understand the system of white/racism supremacy, everything you think you understand will only confuse you," Dr. Frances Cress-Welsing
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