Americas preeminent political comic, Lewis Black, is awfully busy these days. Aside from touring, Black has a forthcoming comedy movie, Stark Raving Black; a book, Nothings Sacred; and his regular appearances on HBO and Comedy Central (The Daily Show included). But he hasnt always been so popular or so ubiquitous, as he told us of his serious old theater days: I came up in an odd fashion in terms of comedy. During what was essentially the boom time of comedy, 1979-80, I thought I was going to be a playwright, which is like thinking, financially, along the lines of, Im going to be a crack whore. Only in the late 80s did he give stand-up a real shot. During that period, he recalls, Ill never forget the first show where I was watching Denis Leary do his cigarette bit. I had a cigarette bit, and by the end of his cigarette bit I dropped my cigarette bit forever. I said, My cigarette bits a piece of shit. I really learned. And that was where it began to take off. JOHN DESIO
Sat., Sept. 26, 8 p.m., 2009
