A&E To Premiere THE RIGHT TO OFFEND Two-Part Documentary

A&E Network will premiere the new two-part documentary event "Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution" exploring the progression of Black comedy and THE COMEDIANS who have used pointed humor to expose, challenge and ridicule society's injustices and to articulate the Black experience in America.

Executive produced by Kevin Hart's HARTBEAT and TIME Studios, the documentary explores Black comedy through a unique lens, tracing the evolution and social awakening of the courageous comedians who dared to push against the constraints of their time and spoke truth to power.

"Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution" is co-directed by Mario Diaz and Jessica Sherif and premieres Wednesday, June 29 at 9pm ET/PT and Thursday, June 30 at 9pm ET/PT on A&E. "Right to Offend" will also be available on demand and to stream on the A&E app and aetv.com.

The documentary traces the history of Black comedy and its under-appreciated legacy of driving social change across the 20th and 21st centuries. From Redd Foxx, Moms Mabley and Dick Gregory during the civil rights movement, Richard Pryor in the 70s, Eddie Murphy and Whoopi Goldberg in the 80s, to the power of In Living Color and Def Comedy Jam in the 90s, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle in THE 2000S and groundbreaking modern-day comedians and creators like Key & Peele, Issa Rae, Amber Ruffin and Tiffany Haddish.

Across four hours, "Right to Offend" explores the rare position these artists and many more hold in our society as both entertainers and truth tellers that speak to audiences in ways no other performers can.

Featuring interviews with some of the greatest comedy minds of all time as well as a rich collection of archival material, the two-part event reveals the personal stories and tribulations faced by many Black performers in attaining greater acceptance and opening the doors for a true representation of the Black experience.

The documentary also traces how each generation of comedians built upon the foundations created by their predecessors to help evolve and push the boundaries of comedy as a means for social change and fought for a greater definition and understanding of what it means to be Black in America.

"Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution" is produced by TIME Studios for A&E Network. Mario Diaz and Jessica Sherif are co-directors and executive producers. Ian Orefice, Loren Hammonds and Alexa Conway serve as executive producers for TIME Studios. Kevin Hart, Bryan Smiley, Pookey Wigington and Mike Stein serve as executive producers for HARTBEAT. Elaine Frontain Bryant and Brad Abramson serve as executive producers for A&E. A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights for "Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution."

Watch the promo for the new documentary here:

Full List of Interviewees

W. Kamau Bell, Comedian

Alonzo Bodden, Comedian

Dr. Todd Boyd, Author and Academic

Wayne Brady, Comedian

Kevin "Dot Com" Brown, Comedian, Co-Founder "Uptown Comedy Club"

Michael Che, Comedian

Louis Chude-Sokei, Author and Academic

Tommy Davidson, Comedian

Michael Eric Dyson, Author and Academic; Author, "Is Bill Cosby Right?"

Wayne Federman, Comedy Historian; Author, "The History of Stand-Up"

Andre Gaines, Filmmaker, "The One and Only Dick Gregory"

Nelson George, Filmmaker and Cultural Critic

Christian Gregory, Dick Gregory's Son

David Alan Grier, Comedian

Tiffany Haddish, Comedian

Michael Harriot, Journalist and TV Writer; Author, "Black AF History"

Kevin Hart, Comedian, Actor, Producer & Entrepreneur

Steve Harvey, Comedian

Bambi Higgins, Academic, Author, "Laughing Mad"

Lil Rel Howery, Comedian

DL Hughley, Comedian

Norman Lear, Television Producer

Darryl Littleton, Comedian and Writer

Daryl Mooney, Paul Mooney's Son

Dwayne Mooney, Paul Mooney's Son

Garrett Morris, Comedian

Mark Anthony Neal, Author and Academic

Kliph Nesteroff, Comedy Historian; Author, "Comedians"

David Peisner, Entertainment Journalist; Author, "Homey DON'T Play That: The Story of In Living Color"

Russell Peters, Comedian

Elizabeth Pryor, Richard Pryor's Daughter

Rain Pryor, Richard Pryor's Daughter

Donnell Rawlings, Comedian

Tony Rock, Comedian

Amber Ruffin, Comedian

Allison Samuels, Entertainment Journalist

Scott Saul, Author, "Becoming Richard Pryor"

Amanda Seales, Comedian

Sherri Shepherd, Comedian

Bob Sumner, Co-Creator, "Def Comedy Jam"

Eddie Tafoya, Comedy Historian; Author, "Icons of African American Comedy"

Robin Thede, Comedian; Creator, "A Black Lady Sketch Show"

Kenan Thompson, Comedian

Joe Torry, Comedian

Aisha Tyler, Comedian

Jimmie Walker, Comedian; Cast Member, "Good Times"

George Wallace, Comedian

Marsha Warfield, Comedian; Cast Member, "The Richard Pryor Show"

Katt Williams, Comedian

Tony Woods, Comedian

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