Drunk Black History Blends Comedy and Cultural Heritage at ES550

Newark’s ES550 will host a unique blend of comedy, history, and audience participation on June 26, 2025, when “Drunk Black History” presents its second show of the evening at 9:30 PM as part of the Prudential North to Shore Festival. Headlined by Newark native Gordon Baker-Bone, co-host of The Bad Advice Show podcast, alongside respected NYC stand-up comedian Charles McBee, this innovative performance format reimagines historical education through a comedic lens that celebrates the city’s rich heritage while provoking laughter and engagement.

Taking place at EQUAL SPACE, a premium co-working environment designed with multicultural business owners in mind, the event creates a distinctive night out that blends “culture, comedy, cocktails and community” in downtown Newark. This second show of the night follows an earlier performance at 7:30 PM featuring different comedians, creating multiple opportunities for audiences to experience this creative approach to highlighting historical narratives.

Innovative Format Reimagines Historical Education

Taking inspiration from the popular “Drunk History” concept while focusing specifically on Black historical narratives and achievements, this show format creates entertaining access points to important historical content that might otherwise remain underappreciated. The comedic framework and beverage-enhanced delivery create a relaxed atmosphere that makes historical content more accessible while maintaining respect for the significance of the stories being shared, according to New Jersey Stage.

“Imagine a comedy show where history gets deliciously twisted with every sip, where audience participation isn’t just welcome — it’s inevitable!” suggests the event description, highlighting the interactive quality that distinguishes this format from traditional historical presentations or standard comedy performances. This approach creates opportunities for audience engagement that extend beyond passive consumption, potentially sparking interest in further historical exploration.

The focus on Newark’s “bold pioneers and fearless activists” grounds the performance in local historical context while celebrating achievements that may have been overlooked in mainstream historical narratives. This local focus creates particular resonance for Newark residents while offering visitors insight into the city’s rich cultural heritage and historical significance.

Local Talent Brings Hometown Perspective

Headliner Gordon Baker-Bone brings both comedic credentials and authentic Newark connections to the performance, having grown up in the same community that produced cultural icons like Michael B. Jordan and Whitney Houston. This local perspective creates opportunities for nuanced commentary on the city’s history and cultural significance that might elude performers without personal connections to the community.

As co-host of The Bad Advice Show podcast, Baker-Bone has developed skills in blending humor with substantive content, creating entertaining narratives that maintain engagement while delivering meaningful messages. This experience translates effectively to the “Drunk Black History” format, which similarly requires balancing comedic delivery with respect for the historical content being presented.

His pairing with Charles McBee, who has appeared on Gotham Comedy Live and FOX’s Laughs and Punchline, brings additional professional comedy experience to the event. McBee’s background in mainstream comedy venues provides complementary skills to Baker-Bone’s local knowledge, creating a balanced performance dynamic that serves both the entertainment and educational aspects of the concept, according to Patch.

ES550 Venue Connects Performance to Business Innovation

The selection of ES550, located at 550 Broad Street, as the venue creates meaningful connections between cultural programming and business development initiatives in Newark. As home to EQUAL SPACE, “a premium sharespace created with multicultural business owners in mind,” the location physically embodies connections between cultural celebration and economic empowerment in diverse communities.

This co-working environment offers a distinctive setting quite different from traditional performance venues, creating unique atmospherics while introducing visitors to innovative business resources they might not otherwise encounter. The space’s focus on supporting multicultural entrepreneurship aligns conceptually with the event’s celebration of diverse historical narratives and achievements.

The venue’s location in downtown Newark places it at the heart of the city’s ongoing revitalization efforts, making it easily accessible to both residents and visitors while contributing to increased activity in the central business district. This positioning connects the event to broader economic development goals while showcasing innovative approaches to urban space utilization, as noted by The Montclair Girl in their coverage of festival venues.

Multiple Shows Create Expanded Programming

The presentation of two separate shows (7:30 PM and 9:30 PM) with different comedians demonstrates both the popularity of the format and the depth of comedic talent available to interpret historical material. This doubled programming creates additional opportunities for audience participation while allowing for exploration of different historical narratives across the two performances.

The late-night timing of this second show positions it as adult-oriented entertainment appropriate for concluding a day of festival activities or beginning a night out in Newark. This scheduling recognizes diverse audience needs within the festival context, providing options for different attendance patterns and preferences.

The distinct performer lineup for each show encourages dedicated fans to attend both performances for completely different experiences, potentially increasing overall attendance while providing performers with appropriately sized audiences. This thoughtful programming approach maximizes the impact of the concept while creating sustainable audience experiences.

Comedy Serves Historical Appreciation

While framed primarily as entertainment, “Drunk Black History” serves the serious purpose of highlighting historical narratives that may be underrepresented in mainstream historical education. The comedic approach creates accessible entry points to this content while the alcohol component intentionally subverts the formality often associated with historical presentation.

This subversion of traditional educational formats can be particularly effective in engaging audiences who might not seek out conventional historical content, creating opportunities for learning disguised as entertainment. The interactive elements and casual atmosphere further reduce barriers to engagement with historical material that might otherwise seem intimidating or irrelevant.

The focus on celebrating rather than simply documenting history creates affirmative representations of Black achievement and contribution that counter deficit-focused historical narratives. This celebratory approach aligns with broader contemporary efforts to develop more inclusive and representative historical presentations that acknowledge diverse contributions to American society.

The event’s tagline—”Don’t just witness history — be part of it!”—encapsulates this participatory approach to historical engagement, inviting audience members to see themselves as active participants in ongoing historical processes rather than passive recipients of historical information. This framing creates potential for meaningful connections between historical content and contemporary experience, extending the impact beyond the event itself.