This Comedian Says Race And Sexual Orientation Have No Place In Comedy (HBO)

Darren Knight is an Alabama comedian who shot to internet fame when his character “Southern Momma” went viral two years ago– but you've probably never heard of him. Knight was one of ten comics chosen by Variety magazine to perform at “Just For Laughs,” the largest — and most prestigious — stand-up comedy festival in the world. He was the only white guy on the bill. Knight bombed his set–-and was booed off stage when he admonished his fellow comedians for being too focused on subjects like sexual orientation and racism. Twitter exploded; he was denounced as a racist and homophobe. His detractors were uncompromising: Knight’s opinions on comedy—and a variety of other issues—had no place in comedy. Before the dust had settled, Knight’s New York-based talent agent, ICM Partners, had dropped him. For most up and coming comics, this would be the end of the line. But not for Knight. His videos and stage act have translated into millions of dollars in revenue—taking Knight from a single-wide trailer in the woods to a sprawling antebellum-era plantation--and to the frontlines of the comedy culture wars. Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Follow VICE News here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vicenews Twitter: https://twitter.com/vicenews Tumblr: http://vicenews.tumblr.com/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/vicenews More videos from the VICE network: https://www.fb.com/vicevideo