Dick Gregory with Emerson College

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview for the American Comedy Archives at Emerson College, Dick Gregory (1932-2017) talks extensively about the history of racism in America, and on his involvement with the Civil Rights Movement. He recalls his groundbreaking appearances on Tonight Starring Jack Paar where he was the first African-American comedian to sit on Paar’s couch. He discusses the role of Hugh Hefner in getting him into mainstream nightclubs, and how he developed his act over the years. Gregory speaks of many aspects of doing stand-up comedy, including coming up with material, techniques, and using real life experiences as fodder for his act. He covers a number of societal issues, and relates how things changed during his lifetime. Jenni Matz and Bill Dana conducted the interview on October 15, 2005 in Washington D.C.