Comic Genius Passes

JW · Ace Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 1567 Location: hua hin

Richard Pryor died last night , really sad, this guy was a true pioneer of comedy. His comedy particularly his no holds barred stand up acts will always be a tribute to him. What a guy! RIP

"Pryor was married seven times, including twice to Jennifer and twice to Flynn Belaine, and had seven children.
Pryor grew up in a brothel run by his grandmother in Peoria, Illinois. After a stint in the US army, he pursued a comedy career that landed him spots on television shows in the 1960s.
Pryor used hustlers, pimps and other characters he had encountered at his grandmother's whorehouse as inspiration for his acts, the result was a routine that was both profound and profane.

Heart and spirit
"He had a courage and a heart and a spirit that was unmatchable and, of course, he was controversial," Jennifer Pryor said. "That was wonderful Richard. He told the truth, didn't he? ... he told the truth and he was very proud.

"Bigoted rednecks came up to Richard and told him, 'Thank you for opening my eyes,' because he was so in touch with the truth and only spoke the truth ... people respond to that."

Pryor won Grammy Awards for his comedy albums and portrayed Billie Holiday's piano player in the 1972 Oscar-nominated film "Lady Sings the Blues".

His other movies included "Uptown Saturday Night", "The Bingo Long Travelling All-Stars and Motor Kings", "Blue Collar", "Stir Crazy", "Superman III" and "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling", which was based loosely on his life.

"He was an innovator, a trailblazer," director Spike Lee told CNN. "It's a great loss."

Wanderlust · Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 12:32 pm Post subject:

RIP to a comic genius - many other comedians owe a lot to him for his ground breaking act. Anyone who has never seen or heard him should check out 'Richard Pryor Live In Concert', recorded and released as a movie in 1979 - I saw it in a cinema at the time and people were literally falling out of their seats laughing!

JW · Ace Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 1567 Location: hua hin

I downloaded one of his concerts i think the one you mentioned Wanderlust, and it is super funny. I think Eddie Murphy was totally inspired by Pryors live acts when he did Raw and Delirious - both great shows in their own right.

lomuamart · Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:11 am Post subject:

I'll always remember him for being honest enough in the film - I think his autoboiography - when he blew himself up with a freebase pipe.
That must have been the end of the road, yet he succeded despite the facial scars.
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"I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered". George Best.