In On the Joke

“In On the Joke: The Original Queens of Standup Comedy” is a non-fiction book written by Shawn Levy. The book provides a hilarious and moving account of the trailblazing women of stand-up comedy who broke down walls so they could stand before the mic. It spans decades, from Moms Mabley’s rise in Black vaudeville between the world wars, to the roadhouse ribaldry of Belle Barth and Rusty Warren in the 1950s and ’60s.