The Robin Harris Story
posted by the Media Man Watch

THE ROBIN HARRIS STORY: WE DON’T DIE, WE MULTIPLY

When I first got my DVR, like most people out there with these digital video recorders I’d tape a score of things if no other reason than to just play with it. One night in particular, I called out sick from work. But instead of working on my script I vegged-out in front of the telly watching movies and a bunch of unmemorable shows. Finally, frustrated and determined to go write, the recovering couch potato in me made me cruise some more channels to see if there was anything worth taping before turning off the tube for the night – and I found it!

Already about a ¼ way in was one of those Robert Townsend HBO specials that I never saw on cable during its first or 20^th run (I’m pretty sure we were the last American family to get cable) but many years later in late-night syndication. As if I didn’t get enough of “The Bold, the Black, the Beautiful” the capper was that one of my favorite comedian/actors took the show that night: my man Robin Harris. Needless to say that, before his performance was over I was on the floor convulsing with laughter. How could I forget how funny this cat was?

After selling out all the seats at the Regal Theater in Chicago in a few hours, Robin gave his last bravura - the 36 year-old insult genius died in his sleep that night. Taken from us way too early in his career, his life and legend is remembered in “The Robin Harris Story: We Don’t Die, We Multiply”, a documentary produced and directed by Harris’ friend and Manager, veteran film and TV Producer, Topper Carew (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0136882/).

“We Don’t Die…” named after Robin’s notorious punchline from his “Bebe’s Kids” routine (and movie) is a touching reflection of Harris’ life and career highlighted by many of the comedians he came up with and fully influenced. Comics like Martin Lawrence, Cedric the Entertainer and Lewis Dix, to name a few, and Robin’s widow and family members including his youngest son (whom D.L. Hughley jokes regrettably looks the spitting image of his father [which he does]) muse about how much Robin meant to them, and the comedy world.

A majority of the story reflects around Robin’s days at the Comedy Act Theatre in South Central Los Angeles, a necessary start-up for black comedians because racist comedy clubs and owners wouldn’t allow black comedians with “style” to perform there, regardless of what roads Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy paved. But it would be Robin’s both insult and provocative style as funnyman and Thursday night host that would regularly bring folks, black and white alike, to the Comedy Act. And he didn’t care who you were; he even took on Mike Tyson back when he was “Iron” Mike!

Especially fun is blurry, but central footage of Robin from the Comedy Act Theatre days, footage that was shot by Carew on the fly ‘just because’. I almost fell on the floor a couple of times (Carew confirms that Spike Lee actually did one night at the club) watching this footage. One of my favorite moments was Robin picking on a guy in the audience with jheri-curl juiced hair – Robin barked how the guy could never satisfy his woman because she keeps slipping away! Footage like this makes one think how it’s a shame that so many of us don’t think to fully document moments thinking that we’ll always has them. We tend to think that our loved ones will always be around. But at least when we do have it, and when it can be shared with the world, it’s like that person is still alive. And when someone was as full of life as Robin Harris was, personal moments shared by his friends are especially poignant. Stories about Robin calling up folks at 5am in the morning talking about that night’s performance, or them all trying to play ball but with Robin cracking so many jokes the game wouldn’t even last two minutes; these make you feel as if he were your buddy too.

Comedian/Director Robert Townsend is one of many who bluster on about how scared he was the time he had to do his routine after Robin. And Bernie Mac (whose first meeting with Robin is hilarious), arguably the closest modern comedian to mirror Robin’s style, constantly marvels at how flawlessly Robin could ‘work’ the room, especially the night of his last performance. To modern Black comics, if Redd Foxx, Moms Mabley, Richard Pryor were the King, Queen and Prince of comedy…then Robin Harris is the Bishop – he shed his light and provided the path on how it should all be done.

Independently produced by Topper Carew, “We Don’t Die, We Multiply is currently touring the country. I’ll be providing regular updates on it status. For more information check out Topper Carew’s website: www.TopperCarew.com