"There's an edge to it. He's owning his race and sarcastically taking a dig at people who only see him as "black." That's the best way I can describe it. Of course it's not supposed to be haha funny and of course, we know he's black. That's the point."
I honestly don't recall how it was played in the original, but in the revival, James T Lane and E Clayton Cornelious absolutely played the line for laughs:
"I was born on a full moon on June 13th" *long pause* "...and I'm black!" *quick, embarassed look around, then a hasty retreat to the line*.
It always got a laugh, even if it was an uncomfortable one. It might have been directed and played differently in the original, but in the revival it was damn near a throwaway line, and clearly played for a laugh. No edge. Zero sarcasm. |
