(smooth rock music) - in the late '50s, early '60s, the country starts to change more when civil rights hit. then you're getting grittier comedy that is gonna deal with race. - i hate to see any baseball player having troubles 'cause that's a great sport for my people. that is the only sport in the world where a negro can shake a stick at a white man and won't start no riot. (audience laughing) - dick gregory put politics in his comedy. it was like seeing a curve ball, and he'd throw it and you couldn't see it coming. - 1961, appearing on the "jack paar" show, dick gregory becomes the first black comedian ever to sit down on the couch after his performance. - what kind of car you got? - a lincoln, naturally. - [jack] well, that's a... (audience laughing) - dick gregory in the '50s and early '60s was making $10,000 a week and he gave all that up to march with martin luther king. - dick gregory has been dubbed the father of black political comedy.