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Dark Side of Comedy
Dark Side of Comedy

Dark Side of Comedy

—Featuring different comics and their personal journeys while exploring the internal battles, unexpected fame and societal pressures in the comedy world.
2 seasonsDocumentary, BiographyTV-14
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  • Robin Williams' suicide shocked the world; while he was a successful comedian, he struggled privately with crushing health and psychological issues.

  • Sam Kinison revolutionizes comedy with a vulgar, sexist act, but his appetite for cocaine and chaos leads to a downfall at the height of his success.

  • Joan Rivers' insults make her a comedy icon, but the pressures of a male-dominated industry leads to eating disorders, self-loathing, and an addiction to plastic surgery.

  • Carlos Mencia was a big comic in America until accusations of joke theft led to his downfall.

  • Phil Hartman is a beloved "SNL" and "Simpsons" cast member, but his squeaky clean image is at odds with a toxic marriage that descends into a murder-suicide.

  • Tracy Morgan survived drug-dealing, hyper-competitive "SNL," and substance abuse, but a brutal car accident and two-week coma made him finally confront his childhood demons.

  • "Family Matters" is a wholesome sitcom of the 90s, but the success of the show led to issues for many cast members who still deal with trauma and addiction.

  • Ellen DeGeneres revolutionized TV with her own brand of positive humor, but behind the scenes, controversy was brewing, one that would tarnish her image.

  • Norm MacDonald becomes known for his fearless comedy, but his controversial persona conceals a gambling problem and a secret that he takes to his grave.

  • Gilda Radner was "SNL"'s first female star; but her pioneering success was plagued by trauma, eating disorders, heartbreak and cancer, all of which she turned into comedy material.

Record to Watch Later

6 episodes will be broadcast over the next two weeks

    Andrew Dice Clay
    Richard Pryor
    Freddie Prinze
    Roseanne Barr
    Chris Farley
    Phil Hartman
  • Andrew Dice Clay

    Andrew Dice Clay's controversial brand of comedy found a huge base with white men in America.
    Upcoming
  • Richard Pryor

    Richard Pryor confronts America with brutal honesty, but while he fights for a voice on stage, he is losing his own battle to drugs and family trauma.
    Upcoming
  • Freddie Prinze

    A working class Puerto Rican kid, Freddie Prinze explodes onto the comedy scene, but his overnight fame comes to an abrupt end.
    Upcoming
  • Roseanne Barr

    Roseanne Barr makes a name speaking her mind, but her impulse may cost her her career.
    Upcoming
  • Chris Farley

    Struggling with addiction and a low self-image, Chris Farley's friends at "Saturday Night Live" conspired to help save him.
    Upcoming
  • Phil Hartman

    Phil Hartman is a beloved "SNL" and "Simpsons" cast member, but his squeaky clean image is at odds with a toxic marriage that descends into a murder-suicide.
    Upcoming
Dark Side of Comedy

More about Dark Side of Comedy

Featuring different comics and their personal journeys while exploring the internal battles, unexpected fame and societal pressures in the comedy world.

Starring

Kliph Nesteroff, Melissa Melottey, Patton Oswalt

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