Roy Wood Jr. is possibly best known for his segments on “The Daily Show” with Trevor Noah. His stand-up specials on Comedy Central have been the highest-rated on the network. Forbes blessed him with the title of “comedy’s best journalist” as a nod to his unique approach.
Wood was born in New York City but raised in Birmingham, Alabama. His father was a journalism pioneer, driven by his passion to expose the racism encountered by African American soldiers during the Vietnam War, and to lay bare the impetuses for the Soweto uprising and Rhodesian Bush war. Wood’s mother was a college administrator, so early on his tenets were education and awareness. Attending Florida A&M was a confirmation of his upbringing, a rich Black environment that taught pride in the culture and offered unity.
Wood’s pursuit of comedy came unexpectedly. He says he discovered his talent telling jokes because he rode the bench a lot while playing sports. Once he knew comedy was his “thing” he spent nine years on the road cutting his comedic teeth and learning the psychology behind making people from different walks of life laugh.
“I was a road comedian for a long time. You had to be because open mic nights were only once a week, so I had to learn to perform for everybody,” he explains. “Audiences were different every night so you have to figure out what joke, what thought, what theme is going to appeal to everyone. That became my thesis on Whiteness driving around the Midwest for nine years. You learn about Whiteness in those spaces. Now you become a sociologist.”
Wood is well aware that the majority of his audiences don’t look like him. He also knows there is a separation between the way Blacks and others digest information, especially comedy.
“I don’t think it’s possible to appeal to both Blacks and Whites at the same time. On my best day, I can write a joke that confirms a truth that Black people already know and informs White people of a truth that they didn’t know. It’s easy to forget that a lot of people turn to comedy to get truth, where I believe White audiences often come to escape it. I remember Paul Mooney saying a lot of White people can’t take hearing the truth and I never understood what he meant, but now I do. Many of them want to escape it. Yes, the White people that come to my shows, come in peace, or so they think, but many of them are also not aware of their own blind spots.”
Recently comedians have become the country’s conscience, with Black comedians, especially, addressing politics, social justice and civil rights issues. Wood says the needs of people have changed, but the art form of comedy remains constant.
“I don’t think comedy has changed; I think the perspective of comedians has changed,” he says. “You are going to have performers focused on their own internal struggles and perspectives. When there is more pain, I believe comedy is a style that more people turn to. There are going to be people that feel more adamant to discuss current events and others will focus more on themselves.
Dick Gregory and Paul Mooney were always around, but there was also Sinbad and
Chris Rock.”
While comedy may not have changed, the relationship between comedians and their audiences feels more tense than ever before. Still, Wood doesn’t subscribe to the dreaded “cancel culture” threat.
“I don’t think you can give your opinion and expect to be exempt from someone’s opinion of your opinion. To me, it’s more of a complaint culture than a cancel culture. I don’t see any value myself in complaining about someone’s opinion. I don’t believe in cancel culture. As long as people will pay money to see you live, you aren’t canceled. You may not get all the other fruits you believe you’re owed, but that’s not promised. People want TV networks and studios to stand with the artists on some moral [standards]. Corporations never stand with the people. They stand with the money. It’s an expectation,” Wood explains.
The job of a journalist is much different than that of a teacher. Being heralded as comedy’s best journalist could be the title that captures Wood’s aspirations for his career.
“I don’t believe I have a single joke that will solve any problem. I’m just interested in shedding light and showing a perspective you may not have considered. That’s my goal,” he affirms.
Wood’s all-new standup special, “Imperfect Messenger,” premieres Oct. 29 on Comedy Central.
Words by Christal Jordan
Photography by Matthew Wilson
