Lewis Black Rants! (About Volunteering for Charity)

The Daily Show's resident angry man shows off a softer side as he talks to Tonic about six charities that are close to his heart — and how easy it is for anyone to get involved and do a little good in the world.

For years comedian Lewis Black has built his onstage persona as a ranting angry man, shaking his fist at the world and the absurdity that fills it.

So it may come as a surprise to fans of his stand-up — and his regular appearances on The Daily Show — that Black quietly participates in a variety of charities for causes that are near and dear to his heart. In fact, Black gets right down in the trenches, working regularly with no fewer than six different charities for causes that range from cystic fibrosis (through the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation) to autism (through Autism Speaks), to helping at-risk kids in his Hell's Kitchen neighborhood to get involved in theater (through the 52nd Street Project).

Today, Black is using his reach to make a big impact via personal appearances, including the occasional round of celebrity golf (even though, he says, he's a spectacularly bad player).

I recently interviewed Black, and though his trademark sense of outraged humor occasionally punctuated his statements — and he never failed to sneak in a good joke whenever possible — he came across as a kinder, gentler version of the Black we know. One who genuinely wants to help people wherever he can.

Ye of little faith

Given his popularity, it's no surprise that non-profit organizations everywhere welcome Black with open arms today.

But it wasn't always that way. When he first started out in comedy and offered his help to various charities, many shied away from him and flat-out turned him down.

"Nobody would hire me to do anything involved with charities for years because they thought it would make them look bad," says Black. "Occasionally, a club might have a benefit night that I'd get invited to, but that was about it. This is why the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is so important to me, because 16 years ago, way before The Daily Show when I was still playing clubs, they approached me. And it never phased them. They're adults, they get it. They know how I feel about things and they also know that I care and I'm raising money for them."

Driven by outrage

Black says that his desire to help not only comes from wanting to give back, but also because of his political views.

"I'm a socialist," he says flatly. "I believe in the common good, and I grew up when that term was used all the time. Though it wasn't called socialism, we knew we were supposed to do things for other people. But today, people think that common good is worse than c*cksucker."

"Libertarians are idiots," he continues. "The world just doesn't work that way. You need government, and there are people who do it well and people who don't. If there's snow, you need snow removal, or they're going to call you at three o'clock in the morning, dipsh*t. Which one do you want?"

Even though he has an altruistic streak at heart, he believes that the need for his services wouldn't be as acute if the government did its job. "I probably wouldn't be doing this if people gave two sh*ts about the federal government," he said. "A lot of the work that I'm doing is basically because there's a crack in the system, or else the issue was largely swept under the rug. For example, autism, for God's sake, was treated like, 'What's the problem here? So the kid can't talk, so he's quiet, what's the big deal?'"

He adds that although he's already involved with six charities, if someone asks him to help out, he will. For example, he's already done two benefits in collaboration with City Winery in New York to raise funds for earthquake relief in Haiti.

Plus, he often works with veterans organizations. "There are hundreds of these places and loads of opportunities, which truly is a result of all that government boondoggle sh*t," he says. "Vets are told something or someone going to help them, but then it doesn't happen, and someone has to pick up the slack."

Black says that it's impossible not to be affected when he sees the evidence of his help firsthand.

His most poignant experience stems back to the very first kid he worked with at the 52^nd Street Project. "I hadn't seen him for many years, until we did a benefit together," he says. "He talked about working with me, growing up in this neighborhood when it was sh*tty, and how he ended up becoming a vice-president at Chase."

He also makes time to speak with people who have cystic fibrosis, as well as with families who have lost a child to the disease. "I don't have children — the state won't allow it — so that kind of stuff always gets to me," he admits.

Get involved

Black encourages everyone to volunteer the same way he has.

"Just show up," he says. "A theatre, a veteran's group, or any organization that you think is important. Call and ask what can you do for them, and I guarantee they'll put you to work." He cites the 52nd Street Project as an example. "They're always looking for volunteers and mentors to tutor kids. And the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation runs events and tournaments all over the country where people can volunteer." In fact, one of the reasons Black became involved with the foundation over 15 years ago was because more than 95% of the money raised goes to research instead of administrative fees, which is largely due to volunteer efforts.

"You just do it," he says, adding with his trademark bite: "That way when I go up and they try to figure out whether I should go to heaven or not, I have a resume."

Learn more about Lewis Black's charitable involvement at his website, or visit any one of his favorite charities directly:

The 52^nd Street Project

Children's Health Fund

Autism Speaks

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Rusty Magee Clinic for Families & Health at the Ackerman Institute for the Family

Photo courtesy Lewis Black