
Playback: The King of Comedy
Sat, Nov 7, 2026
Spike Lee, Clara Wu Tsai, and Nicholas Ma, in association with BAM
Present
Playback: The King of Comedy
Present
Playback: The King of Comedy
- Part of
- Playback: The Brooklyn Watch Party and
- BAM Film 2026
Directed by Martin Scorsese (1982)
With
Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Tony Randall, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard
Selected for Playback: The Brooklyn Watch Party by Questlove, Martin Scorsese's darkly comedic satire on fame and obsession stars Robert De Niro as Rupert Pupkin, a struggling comedian who kidnaps late-night talk show host Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis) in hopes of stand-up stardom. According to The New Yorker, “Scorsese infuses this tale with the passionate energy of New York street life and an outsider’s wonder at the powerful workings of show business and studio craft.” The screening will be followed by a talkback with Questlove and guests to be announced.
Questlove is a drummer, DJ, producer, author, filmmaker, and co-founder and bandleader of The Roots, the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Beyond music, he's become one of the most celebrated documentarians of his generation: his directorial debut, Summer of Soul, about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, won both the Academy Award and the Grammy for Best Documentary, and was followed by Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius).
Questlove is a drummer, DJ, producer, author, filmmaker, and co-founder and bandleader of The Roots, the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Beyond music, he's become one of the most celebrated documentarians of his generation: his directorial debut, Summer of Soul, about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, won both the Academy Award and the Grammy for Best Documentary, and was followed by Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius).
ONSALE DATES
Tue, September 29 at 1pm
BAM Members and Patrons
Thu, October 1 at 1pm
General Public
BAM Members and Patrons
Thu, October 1 at 1pm
General Public
UPCOMING Screenings
RUNNING TIME
109min
VENUE
FORMAT
DCP
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets start at $30. As a special screening, BAM Members Tier 2 and above receive $5 off for up to two tickets.
Please note: All single ticket online and phone orders are subject to a $3 facility fee and an $8 handling fee per ticket. All orders at the box office are subject to a $3 facility fee per ticket.
Leadership support for
BAM's strategic initiatives provided by the
Jerome L. Greene Foundation 
Leadership support for
BAM programming provided by
Leadership support for
BAM's strategic initiatives provided by 
Leadership support for
BAM Film provided by
The Thompson Family Foundation
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