AFRICA IS A COUNTRY

Chris Rock

Sunday, February 13th, 2011

Found Objects, No.10: “Africa” jokes

There’s something about American comedians and Africa. You’re not sure whether they’re laughing at us or with us. African-Americans comedians, in particular, always return to the subject. There’s an essay in there somewhere. I swear I once saw a notice for a talk at Columbia’s Institute for African-American Studies or NYU’s Africana Studies, on this

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

Africa on Film: Madagascar

Allison Swank If you thought that a children’s film could escape the exaggerated eye roll of this cultural critic, then think again. I found the 2005 animated film Madagascar, to be as problematic as any live action adult...

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

“There’s a Place in Brooklyn Where Black People Live, and It’s Nice”

Comedian Chris Rock speaking about Fort Greene, my neighborhood in Brooklyn–now heavily gentrified–in a new feature-length documentary, “”A Walk Through Fort Greene,” about the black arts movement there from the mid 1980s through the 90s. Word of...