{"product_id":"tim-tom-an-american-comedy-in-black-and-white-hardcover","title":"Tim \u0026 Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eTim Reid\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the heady promise of the 1960s sagged under the weight of widespread violence, rioting, and racial unrest, two young men--one black and one white--took to stages across the nation to help Americans confront their racial divide: by laughing at it. \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eTim and Tom\u003c\/i\u003e tells the story of that pioneering duo, the first interracial comedy team in the history of show business--and the last. Tim Reid and Tom Dreesen polished their act in the nightclubs of Chicago, then took it on the road, not only in the North, but in the still-simmering South as well, developing routines that even today remain surprisingly frank--and remarkably funny--about race. Most nights, the shock of seeing an integrated comedy team quickly dissipated in uproarious laughter, but on some occasions the audience's confusion and discomfort led to racist heckling, threats, and even violence. Though Tim and Tom perpetually seemed on the verge of making it big throughout their five years together, they grudgingly came to realize that they were ahead of their time: America was not yet ready to laugh at its own failed promise. \u003cbr\u003e Eventually, the grind of the road took its toll, as bitter arguments led to an acrimonious breakup. But the underlying bond of friendship Reid and Dreesen had forged with each groundbreaking joke has endured for decades, while their solo careers delivered the success that had eluded them as a team. By turns revealing, shocking, and riotously funny, \u003ci\u003eTim and Tom\u003c\/i\u003e unearths a largely forgotten chapter in the history of comedy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTim Reid\u003c\/b\u003e is an actor, producer, and director who has created and starred in many movies and television shows, including \u003ci\u003eWKRP in Cincinnati, \u003c\/i\u003e in which he played the overnight disk jockey Venus Flytrap, and \u003ci\u003eFrank's Place\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003cb\u003eTom Dreesen \u003c\/b\u003eis a stand-up comedian who has appeared scores of times on \u003ci\u003eThe Tonight Show, Late Show with David Letterman\u003c\/i\u003e, and other television shows. He toured the nation as Frank Sinatra's opening act for fourteen years. \u003cb\u003eRon Rapoport\u003c\/b\u003e has been a sports columnist for the \u003ci\u003eChicago Sun-Times\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eDaily News \u003c\/i\u003eand a sports commentator for National Public Radio's \u003ci\u003eWeekend Edition. \u003c\/i\u003eHe has written a biography of Bobby Jones and, with Betty Garrett, her autobiography\u003ci\u003e.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 264\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.01 x 8.72 x 6.46 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 15, 2008\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44282872856678,"sku":"9780226709000","price":72.52,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0599\/7255\/0758\/files\/b0JhdEpSdnlZRFV2RmlkTjh4YTI5Zz09.webp?v=1766576826","url":"https:\/\/infinitylightwa.com\/products\/tim-tom-an-american-comedy-in-black-and-white-hardcover","provider":"Infinity Light","version":"1.0","type":"link"}