People

As usual, Black, 62, is spastic—raising his voice, waving his hands, and stopping just short of pounding his shoe on the desk like Khrushchev.

Satirically endorsing Trump’s possible presidential candidacy, Black calls the billionaire the “crazy third-world dictator that America needs” moments before comparing the real-estate mogul/reality TV star’s outlandish hair to that of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.

The lambasting is trademark Black; another instance of him exposing the absurdity of a public figure, political party, or societal issue. No punches are pulled, and although it’s delivered at an amplified volume and breakneck pace, the message is clear.

It’s also really funny.

There’s no question that Black, who grew up in Montgomery County, is one of a kind. Some, including the higher-ups at the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) in Baltimore, consider his work groundbreaking and genius. And that’s why AVAM will present the comedian with this year’s Grand Visionary Award during a gala in early June.

“This is nice, but it’s kind of like that thing: ‘Has everyone else died?’” Black says. “There’s nobody left on the planet, so they have to give it to Lewis?”

Most peg Black as a glass-half-empty type of guy. But that’s not the case. Sure, he’s become rich by being angry—and admits that those closest to him know he’s genuinely irritated when he begins moving his hands and twitching—but, believe it or not, Black is an optimist.

“You couldn’t be as angry as I am if you didn’t believe that things could work,” he says.

“Yeah, I am an optimist. You can’t be this pessimistic unless you’re optimistic.”

(Black is uncommonly charitable, too, devoting untold hours and resources to such groups as Autism Speaks, the Children’s Health Fund, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and the 52nd Street Project, which helps disadvantaged kids from New York’s Hell’s Kitchen learn theater arts by pairing them with industry pros.)

Black has parlayed his frustrations into a flourishing career. A titan in the world of comedy, his résumé includes feature films, HBO and Comedy Central stand-up specials, television shows across a variety of networks, bestselling books, and sold-out tours.

But unbeknownst to many fans, Black is also a respected playwright and producer. He holds degrees from the University of North Carolina and the Yale School of Drama and has penned over 40 plays.

This July, his play One Slight Hitch, a farcical take on people’s quest for perfection in all matters, will be performed at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts. He’s been fine-tuning the show, which has been presented on other occasions, for 28 years.

“If my name wasn’t on this play, nobody would believe I wrote it,” he says. “When they see this play, they’re really kind of stunned.”

But as much as he enjoys writing plays, Black has no use for the folks who make a living reviewing them. As far as he’s concerned, there’s a special place in hell reserved for theater critics, whom he regards “as the biggest pricks in the world.”

Of all of Black’s ventures, though, stand-up is his favorite. To him, it’s the most personal medium, and the one through which he can communicate with the audience most easily.

“You have to place yourself in it, because it’s from your point of view, at least for me,” Black says.

“You have to say, ‘Here’s how I see it affecting us, because this is how it affects me.’ I try to focus on what I think it’s doing to other people.”