We had a little real estate problem : the unheralded story of Native Americans in comedy
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 275-296) and index.

LJ Dec 2020

Kirkus 12/01/2020

"It was one of the most reliable jokes in Charlie Hill's stand-up routine: 'My people are from Wisconsin. We used to be from New York. We had a little real estate problem.' In We Had a Little Real Estate Problem, acclaimed comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff focuses on one of comedy's most significant and little-known stories: how, despite having been denied representation in the entertainment industry, Native Americans have influenced and advanced the art form. the account begins in the late 1880s, when Native Americans were forced to tour in Wild West shows as an alternative to prison. (One modern comedian said it was 'as if a Guantanamo detainee suddenly had to appear on X Factor,') This is followed by a detailed look at the life and work of seminal figures such as humorist Will Rogers and Charlie Hill, who in the 1970s was the first Native American comedian to appear on The Tonight Show. Also profiled are several contemporary comedians, including Jonny Roberts, a social worker from the Red Lake Nation who drives five hours to the closest comedy club to pursue his stand-up dreams; Kiowa-Apache comic Adrianne Chalepah, who formed the touring group Ladies of Native Comedy; and the 1491s, a sketch troupe whose satire is smashing stereotypes to critical acclaim. As Thomas Ryan RedCorn, the Osage member of the 1491s, says: 'The American narrative dictates that Indians are supposed to be sad. It's not really true and it's not indicative of the community experience itself . . . Laughter and joy is very much a part of Native culture." Featuring dozens of original interviews and the extensive."--book jacket.