A former staff member at The New York Times, he has written extensively about comedy and African-American literature and has often appeared as a commentator in television documentaries about entertainment history and performers such as Chris Rock and Richard Pryor.
He contributed numerous book reviews and articles on literature, sports, and entertainment as well as obituaries of artists and writers ranging from George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Rodney Dangerfield to Gwendolyn Brooks.
Watkins first published book was Black Review (1971); the paperback literary anthology, which he edited, included contributions by Julius Lester, Cecil Brown, Nikki Giovanni, and others.
Subsequent books include Dancing with Strangers: A Memoir (1998), The Bob Love Story (2000), and African American Humor: The Best Black Comedy from Slavery to Today (2002).
Watkins, who was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, now lives in New York City, where he continues to write, lecture, and appear for speaking engagements.