Practicing comedy as resistance, self-definition, and liberation.
Joy practiced here.
Joy practiced here.
About
Mabley Comedy Club is a community for stand-up comedy rooted in Black feminist humor, cultural memory, and collective imagination.
We gather to write, perform, and take creative risks. This is a place to develop voice, tell the truth, and do it in ways that are sharp, joyful, and human/e.
Inspired by the legacy of Moms Mabley, Black, queer, and comedically fearless, we carry forward a tradition of humor as resistance, self-definition, and connection.
Moms Mabley, Our North Star
Moms Mabley (1897 - 1975) was a groundbreaking Black, queer comedian who reshaped American comedy by using humor to tell the truth. Performing during a time of deep racial and social inequality, she spoke plainly about race, gender, aging, desire, and power, often saying what others would not. Her sharp wit, sass and fearless point of view made people laugh, but also made them think, and confront what was real. That lineage matters.
Moms Mabley album cover, The Youngest Teenager , 1967
Club Principles
