Learning from the pioneers of comedy.

With comedy becoming a $5 billion industry in America, we couldn't help but take a moment to peek behind the curtain and see who was driving this economic force. We made a few interesting discoveries.

The business of comedy is very different than it was in the 1960s when Bill Cosby and Redd Foxx were moving from the "chitlin' circuit" to more mainstream venues. And while the '70s saw Richard Pryor take his talents a few steps further and Cosby create his Saturday morning hit Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, the opportunities available to black comics 30 years ago pale in comparison to those awaiting today's comedians.

In our cover story "Funny Business," Features Editor Alan Hughes goes behind the scenes of today's comedy circuit. He wasn't particularly surprised by what he saw. BLACK ENTERPRISE predicted the success of African American comics when we featured Cosby on our cover back in December 1981 (see inset). However, the evolution turned out to be more significant than we expected. Today's business model for comedy may have very well started with Flip Wilson, who not only starred in the very popular Flip Wilson Show but was also one of the few comedians--black or white--to own his own show. Then, a few years after our 1981 cover story appeared, Cosby managed to seal a deal as producer and creator of The Cosby Show. So successful was Cosby's brand that he created a second prime-time sitcom A Different World.

The comedians featured in this issue--Dave Chappelle, Steve Harvey, Cedric The Entertainer, and Mo'Nique--have learned a lot from those who helped to advance the business of comedy. They, like Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Bernie Mac, and the Wayans Brothers, learned to manage their money wisely and make sound business decisions. They've also been able to develop businesses across different platforms--cable and network television, movies, DVDs, and comedy clubs--as well as enterprises outside the entertainment arena. And as simple as it sounds, landing these business deals is no easy accomplishment. This new generation of comics is taking its business skills a step further by creating opportunities that will help secure them financially. After all, do they really want to be telling jokes as a way to pay for their retirement?