Craig Robinson, co-star of 'This Is the End,' discusses the new era of black comedy
theGRIO REPORT - During an interview with theGrio, comedian Craig Robinson talked about his new film 'This Is the End' and the new generation of black comedians...
Kevin Hart and the new generation of black comedians
Unlike the misdeeds of his avatar, Robinson confesses he has too strong a conscious to hurt another person without showing remorse. In fact, he can’t even joke about other people due to his “sensitive heart.” His humor is more sentimental, sarcastic and self-deprecating, as his new track from the film, “Take Yo Panties Off,” poignantly displays.
In the movie, Robinson sings the tune as a brief duet with Rihanna, whom he calls “disarming,” and “sweet.” He also speaks highly of Hart, crediting him as an “extremely hard worker” who has earned his place in the sun.
“He took time to create that persona and work on that act, and he’s reaping the benefits,” Robinson acknowledges. “He’s a smart, smart businessman. And he uses Twitter and all that stuff as [a] tool.”
Along with artists like Hart, Mike Epps, Deon Cole, W. Kamau Bell and Key and Peele, Robinson joins a growing slate of black comedians hitting the top ranks of the entertainment industry across multiple platforms.
“Those are heartfelt victories, all of those, and I think they are definitely paving the way for young cats to come up and do their thing,” he notes.
Why working the open mic still matters
Though the Internet has rapidly become a forum to uncover comedic talent, Robinson still stresses the significance of getting on stage to the process. Proof of a comic’s timing, skill and disposition can only be attested to with an audience of critical eyes, firmly planted, demanding to be amused.
Robinson insists it’s vital to the process.
“A lot of the comics today will start doing comedy one week, and then three weeks later they’ll be like, ‘Bitch here’s my CD,’” he jokes. “[The landscape] has changed, but you still have to get up and do open mics. With YouTube and all…you can probably get noticed a little easier, but I don’t want to take anything away from the game. I don’t know how easy it is for a young comic, I just know that the club owners and the bookers, they still need to see how you hold a crowd, and how you draw, and how you hold them for the time they book you for. And they need to see it consistently…If you want to be good, it’s more important [than the web].”
One door closes, a bunch more open
Call him old-fashioned, but Robinson rides in esteemed company, and has spent years climbing his steady ascent. Inspired by Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, Martin Mull, Sam Kinison, Steven Wright and Dave Chappelle, he feels his biggest break was on The Office, a show that opened all doors for him, and which came to an end a few weeks ago.
“It was bittersweet,” Robinson says. “I’ll miss those guys, but at the same time we were escorted out of there as good as you can be. There were like four parties, including a big wrap party in Scranton. We all watched the finale together yesterday. And we had a whole season to think about it being the end. We said good-bye to it.”
He adds, “I may or may not start a Kickstarter to do another season.”
Not that Robinson needs work or anything. He’s got three films out this year including This Is the End and the May release Peeples, and he begins shooting Hot Tub Time Machine 2 this month.
There’s also his band – Nasty Delicious – that he plans on getting into the recording studio soon.
“Then it’s really on,” Robinson comments.
Follow Courtney Garcia on Twitter at @courtgarcia
