Showtime's The One and Only Dick Gregory does justice to the groundbreaking comedian

The New York Times

"What stands out most about this revolutionary moment in comedy is what a small role it plays in the overall portrait here," Jason Zinoman says of the Dick Gregory documentary, premiering Sunday. "Gregory, who died in 2017, lived so many lives that he presents a challenge for anyone trying to document them. The director Andre Gaines tries to capture as many as possible, to a fault. By covering so much ground, it doesn’t have room to dig too deep. But along with some very funny footage of a master of his craft, it offers a convincing argument that while Gregory became famous for his comedy, what made him such a riveting cultural figure is what he did after he left it behind. Gaines recruits a talent-rich cast of comics (Wanda Sykes, Dave Chappelle) to describe the performer. Chris Rock is particularly insightful and blunt, comparing Gregory’s relaxed, patient, cigarette-wielding delivery with that of Chappelle." ALSO: The One and Only Dick Gregory offers only a portion of Gregory's life and career, but like all good biographies it may drive the viewer toward further research.