Original subtitles

>>> YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT RICHARD PRYOR?

>> REBEL. TABOO.

>> FUNNEST PERP ON THE PLANET.

>> UNSENSORED.

>> OH, MY GOD.

>> LEGEND.

>> EVERYTHING.

>> YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE HE WAS RICHARD

PRYOR.

>> DUN DUN DUN.

>>> FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TELEVISION, RICHARD PRYOR.

>> I'M FROM THE AVERAGE TYPE FAMILY, ELEVEN KIDS.

NO MOTHER OR FATHER, JUST KIDS.

>> RICHARD WAS BRUTALLY HONEST.

>> I KNOW I'M HARD TO GET ALONG WITH.

I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I MIGHT WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND GO, HEY,

WAKE UP. WHAT WAS THAT [ BLEEP ] YOU SAID

LAST FEBRUARY?

>> HE CHANGED THE WAY PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT BLACKS, WHITES,

THEMSELVES.

>> THEY CALL IT AN EPIDEMIC NOW. THAT MEANS WHITE FOLKS ARE DOING

IT.

>> HIS LIFE CHALLENGED THE STATUS QUO, HIS COMEDY

CHALLENGED THE STATUS QUO.

>> YOU CAN'T EVEN TALK LIKE THAT NOW.

>> YOU EVER NOTICE HOW NICE WHITE PEOPLE GET WHEN THERE'S A

BUNK BUNCH OF [ BLEEP ] AROUND? THEY GET OUTSIDE THEY TALK TO

EVERYBODY. SAY HI, HOW YOU DOING? I DON'T KNOW YOU BUT HERE'S MY

WIFE. HELLO!

>> HE WAS REPRESENTING A GROUP OF PEOPLE, AN ERA, A STRUGGLE, A

TIME.

>> I JUST LOVED HIM, IMMEDIATELY AND IMMENSELY.

>> BEFORE THERE WAS YOUTUBE, BEFORE THERE WAS DIGITAL, BEFORE

ANY OF THAT, THERE WAS RICHARD PRYOR.

>> WE WENT, WOW. AND THEN LIKE A COMET, IT FLAMED

OUT.

>> COMEDIAN RICHARD PRYOR IN A CRITICAL CONDITION TONIGHT AND

GIVEN LESS THAN A 50/50 CHANCE SURVIVING AFTER SUFFERING

THIRD‐DEGREE BURNS OVER HALF OF HIS BODY.

>> HE WAS IN A DRUG PSYCHOSIS. I WAS THERE.

AND OF COURSE, IT ENDED UP AS A SUICIDE ATTEMPT.

>> I WOKE UP IN AN AMBULANCE, RIGHT?

AND IT WASN'T NOTHING BUT WHITE PEOPLE STARING AT ME.

I SAID AIN'T THIS A BITCH. I DONE DIED AND WOUND UP IN THE

WRONG [ BLEEP ] HEAVEN.

>> THE FIRST TIME I MET HIM, I FELL MADLY IN LOVE.

AND WHAT WAS IT THAT I WAS ATTRACTED TO WAS HIS

VULNERABILITY.

>> SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A PERSON, RICHARD PRYOR, AND HE

DOES ALL THIS COMEDY, HE DOES ALL THIS STUFF, AND THEN THERE'S

ME, AND I WONDER WHAT I HAVE TO DO WITH RICHARD.

>> IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO BE A COMIC.

>> I LIVED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD OF A LOT WHOREHOUSES, NOT MANY

CANDY STORES OR BANKS, LIQUOR STORES AND WHORE HOUSES.

>> YOU HAVE TO EXPOSE YOUR SOUL IN WAYS THAT ARE DANGEROUS TO

YOU, AND NOT EVERYONE SURVIVES.

>> WHEN CRITICS SAY THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE A GENIUS, DO YOU SAY,

YEP, THAT'S ME?

>> I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT WHAT MY FATHER CALLED ME.

>> WHAT DID YOUR FATHER CALL YOU? NOT THAT.

>> DUMB SON OF A BITCH. BUT THE REALITY OF WHAT I AM HAS

NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT THEY SAY.

>> HE APPEARS ON THE RUDY VALLEY SHOW, ON BROADWAY TONIGHT, IT'S

MOTHER'S PUERTO RICAN, AND MY

FATHER IS A NEGRO, AND WE LIVE IN A REAL BIG JEWISH TENEMENT

BUILDING, IN AN ITALIAN NEIGHBORHOOD.

EVERY TIME I GO OUTSIDE THESE KIDS SAY "GET HIM!

HE'S ALL OF 'EM!"

>> BUT IN FACT HE JUST MAKES UP AN ALTERNATIVE RICHARD PRYOR.

>> HE WASN'T TO MY KNOWLEDGE

PART PUERTO RICAN. HE WAS FROM PEORIA, ILLINOIS,

OF FULL AFRICAN DESCENT AND RAISED BY MESSED UP PEOPLE.

>> AND I THINK ONE REASON HE DIDN'T TELL PEOPLE THE TRUTH

ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND IS BECAUSE HE KNEW THEY COULDN'T TAKE IT.

>> THAT WILL BE THE STRUGGLE FOR HIM IS TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT

HE CAN BE A COMEDIAN OR PERFORMER AND TELL THE TRUTH

ABOUT HIS LIFE.

>> I REMEMBER WHITE PEOPLE USED TO COME DOWN HERE, DO YOU HAVE

ANY GIRLS THAT COVER YOU WITH ICE CREAM?

AND LITTLE BOYS THAT LICK IT OFF? HE WAS THE MAYOR.

UP UNTIL THAT POINT, THOSE WERE JOKES.

HE TOLD THE JOKES ABOUT WHORE HOUSES AND ALL THOSE THINGS.

UNTIL I WENT PEORIA AND ACTUALLY SEEN IT, AND YOU GO, OH, IT'S

REAL.

LENNOX THOMAS PRYOR III. I GOT NAMES FROM PIMPS AND

GANGSTERS AND ALL THAT. BUCK CARTER'S SON.

I COME FROM ROUGH STOCK.

>> IF HELL HAD A ZIPCODE, IN 1940s AMERICA, IT WOULD HAVE

BEEN PEORIA, ILLINOIS. EVERY VICE KNOWN TO MAN WAS

COMMONPLACE THERE.

>> AND THE REASON THIS IS IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE THIS IS HOW

HIS GRANDMOTHER CREATES HER LIVELIHOOD.

>> IS IT TRUE THAT YOUR GRANDMOTHER RAN A ‐‐ A HOUSE OF

PROSTITUTION?

>> SEVERAL.

ABOUT THREE. WHOREHOUSES.

WHITE FOLKS HAD HOUSES OF PROSTITUTION.

AND BLACK PEOPLE HAD WHOREHOUSES.

>> SHE WAS THE CHIEF MADAM.

>> SHE WAS THE MADAM, NOT THE CHIEF MADAM.

>> OKAY, SHE WAS THE MADAM.

>> THERE WERE NO OTHERS. MY GRANDMA WAS TOUGH.

>> THOSE WERE CALLED FAMILY BUSINESSES BACK IN THOSE DAYS.

HEY, SWEETIE, BABY. THEY'D BE TALKING THROUGH THE

WINDOW. NOBODY COULD HEAR THEM ON THE

STREETS.

>> HE GROWS UP AS THE CHILD OF A PROSTITUTE.

A FATHER WHO'S A PIMP. THERE'S CRIMINALITY ALL

THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.

>> I MEAN, THAT WAS A BROTHEL WHERE HE WATCHED WHITE MEN COME

AND KNOCK ON THE DOOR. "HELLO, IS YOUR MOTHER HOME?"

>> ON ONE OF HIS ALBUMS HE SAID, THE LIPS THAT KISSED HIM GOOD

NIGHT HAD JUST PERFORMED ORAL SEX ON SOMEBODY.

>> I COULD HAVE BEEN PREJUDICED. I COULD HAVE BEEN PREJUDICED.

I COULD HAVE BEEN, MAN, BUT I MET NICE WHITE MEN.

HELLO, LITTLE BOY, IS YOUR MOTHER HOME?

I'D LIKE A [ BLEEP ].

>> IF YOU HAVE TO TELL SOMEONE STRAIGHT WHAT YOUR CHILDHOOD WAS

LIKE, DESCRIBE IT.

>> IT WAS HELL. BECAUSE I HAD NOBODY TO TALK TO.

I WAS A CHILD, ALL RIGHT, AND I GREW UP SEEING MY MOTHER GOING

TO ROOMS WITH MEN AND MY AUNTIES GOING TO ROOMS WITH MEN, YOU

UNDERSTAND? WHEN I PEEKED THROUGH THE

IT UNTIL THIS DAY. AND IT MESSED ME UP.

>> RICHARD FOUND OUT WHERE A LOT OF THE RAGE AND PAIN CAME FROM,

AND IT WAS PEORIA.

>> TO NOT TOTALLY DECAY AND BE FULL OF HATRED WITH THOSE

EXPERIENCES AND TO TURN IT INTO COMEDY, THERE'S JUST A GENIUS

THERE. THERE'S A GENIUS INSIDE THE

LITTLE MOTOR CONTROL THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN CARTOONS WITH THIS WHOLE

CREW INSIDE A PERSON'S BRAIN.

>> THROUGH THE FORCE OF HIS IMAGINATION AND THE FORCE OF HIS

WILL, HE MAKES A WORLD FOR HIMSELF.

>> WHO IS CHARLIE EGGER?

>> CHARLIE EGGY.

>> CHARLIE EGGY.

>> THAT'S MY MAGIC FRIEND. I MADE HIM UP.

MY FATHER LIVE ON LILY PAD WITH A FROG NAMED JIPPIDY‐DOO.

SO THAT'S WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU'RE THE SECRET PRINCE.

YOU HAVE TO BE MAGIC. AND YOU PUT MAGIC DUST ON PEOPLE.

>> DO YOU PUT MAGIC DUST ON PEOPLE?

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> ARE YOU MAGIC?

>> I'M MAGIC. I'M MAGIC.

>> WHO BELIEVED IN YOU? WHO CARED ABOUT YOU?

>> RICHARD FRANKLIN LENNOX THOMAS PRYOR III.

>> YOU.

>> AND MAGIC DUST.

>> I WAS IN THE FRONT YARD YOU KNOW, AND ALL THE FAMILY WAS

>> AND THEY STARTED LAUGHING SO I GOT UP AND FELL IN IT AGAIN.

>> FIRST RULE OF COMEDY, YES.

>> YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW TALKING ABOUT

DRUG USE, SO HOW YOU DO IT?

>> NOAH?

>> HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE A BILL COSBY, AND YET HE COULD DO BILL

>>> RICHARD PRYOR GROWING UP IN

PEORIA, WHO WAS 90% WHITE, HE BEGINS BY GOING TO THE MOVIES

AND BEING ENTRANCED BY JERRY LEWIS AND MOVIES LIKE

"SAILOR BEWARE."

>> YOU BETTER WATCH WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

>> STOP THE HEAD, AL, STOP THE HEAD.

>> I DON'T LIKE IT HERE. I'M GONNA QUIT.

>> "SAILOR BEWARE" WAS THE MOVIE.

THERE WAS 300 KIDS WHEN WE LEFT

THE THEATRE GOING ‐‐

>> I THINK HE LOOKED AT TELEVISION AND FILMS DIFFERENT

THAN OTHER CHILDREN DID. BECAUSE IN HIS EARLY STAGES,

HIS VOICES, HIS CHARACTERS, THEY WERE FROM TV.

>> SO THAT'S THE COMEDY THAT HE LOVES.

IT TENDS TO BE PRETTY ZANY, HIGHLY PHYSICAL AND ANTIC.

>> DID YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO BE?

>> YEAH. I WAS GOING TO BE RICHARD PRYOR.

DUN DUN DUN! I KNEW THAT. SOMETHING IN ME.

>> DID YOU KNOW IT WAS GOING TO BE SHOW BUSINESS?

>> YEAH. I KNEW SHOW BUSINESS EVEN BEFORE

THAT.

>> I ASKED HIM, "WHEN DID YOU FIRST FIND OUT YOU WERE FUNNY?"

AND HE SAID, WHEN I WAS 4.

>> WELL, IN THE EARLY '60s WHEN RICHARD DECIDES HE WANTS TO

BECOME A COMIC, IT'S VERY KIND OF FORMALIZED, RIGHT.

YOU HAVE THE KIND OF RAT PACK WORLD.

YOU HAVE STANDUP COMICS HAVE A CERTAIN VARIETY.

IT'S A LOT OF GAGS.

>> AT THAT TIME IT WAS STILL THE ALAN KINGS, THE HENNY YOUNGMANS,

ROWAN AND MARTINS, THOSE KIND OF GUYS LIKE THAT.

>> YOU NEVER DID MEET MY DAUGHTER, DID YOU?

FERN, THIS IS DAN. DANK THIS IS FERN.

>> BLACK PEOPLE WEREN'T ON TELEVISION, AND IF THEY WERE,

UM, THEY WERE USUALLY TRAPPED IN THIS WHITE VERSION OF BLACK

AMERICA.

>> YOU HAVE A KIND OF MONOCULTURE AND LIKE ONE PATH TO

TAKE.

>> RICHARD PRYOR CAME UP AT A TIME WHERE WHOEVER THE BLACK MAN

WAS, ESPECIALLY BACK IN THE DAY THERE WAS ONLY ONE ALLOWED, AND

THAT WAS BILL COSBY AT THE TIME.

>> BILL COSBY WAS A COLLEGE‐EDUCATED

AFRICAN‐AMERICAN MAN. HE WAS SOMEONE THAT WHITE

AUDIENCES AT THAT TIME IN THE EARLY 1960s COULD ACCEPT.

HE DID COMEDY THAT HAD SOME RACIAL ELEMENTS TO IT, BUT IT

WASN'T VERY CONFRONTATIONAL. IT WAS ABOUT FAMILIES.

PEOPLE COULD RELATE TO IT NO MATTER WHERE THEY HAD GROWN UP.

>> AND I LOOKED AT MY FACE IN THE MIRROR, AND I SEE LITTLE

TINY HAIRS GROWING OUT OF MY FACE.

>> AND HE'S LIKE, I CAN DO THAT. I CAN DO THAT.

AND HE TRIED DO THAT.

>> COSBY WASN'T THREATENING. COSBY WAS LIKE THE KIND OF GUY

THAT WHITE PEOPLE SAID, "NOW, WHY CAN'T YOU ALL BE LIKE THIS?

THIS IS A GUY."

>> HE SEES BILL COSBY AND HE THINKS VERY CLEARLY, "I WANT

A CHUNK OF THAT." AND HE IS SUCH A GOOD

IMPRESSIONIST THAT HE BASICALLY

BECOMES A VERSION OF BILL COSBY.

>> NOAH. WHO IS THAT? IT'S THE LORD, NOAH.

>> WHAT ARE YOU DOING, NOAH? YOU'RE GONNA BUILD AN ARK?

IT'S GONNA RAIN 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS?

THAT'S THE SILLIEST THING I EVER ‐‐

>> COSBY, HE TALKED ABOUT COSBY ALL THE TIME AND HOW COOL COSBY

WAS.

>> WE USED TO IDOLIZE BILL COSBY.

>> YEAH.

>> WE USED TO GO SEE HIM. HE WAS HOT. THAT WAS SOMETHING.

>> DO YOU EVER, EVEN UNCONSCIOUSLY, PICK UP

SOMEBODY'S LINE AND USE IT?

>> OH, ON PURPOSE.

>> OH, I SEE. THAT'S MORE HONEST THAN I

THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET.

>> PEOPLE SAY, "YOU SOUND LIKE BILL." I SAID "THE HELL YOU MEAN?

THIS IS MY VOICE, JACK." SO NO, I DID THAT FOR ‐‐ I MADE

A LOT OF MONEY AS BILL COSBY.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT HE ISN'T LIKE BILL COSBY.

>> IT WAS ALL ABOUT GETTING

"AMERICA" TO BE COMFORTABLE ENOUGH WITH YOU TO GIVE YOU

SUCCESS.

>> RICHARD FELT HE HAD TO PANDER TO THE WHITE AUDIENCE, AND HE

HATED HIMSELF FOR IT.

>> DO IT.

>> WHAT? WHAT? WHAT, MR. GRIFFIN?

>> A LITTLE TAP DANCE. MAKE THE TOES CLICK.

>> HE WOULD FESTER AND FESTER ABOUT WHAT HE HAD TO DO TO BE

RECOGNIZED. BUT HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE

>> HE KIND OF HAS TWO DIFFERENT ACTS.

THERE ARE THE ACTS, THE SKITS THAT HE'S, YOU KNOW, HONING

SO THAT HE CAN PERFORM ON ED SULLIVAN OR MERV GRIFFIN, YOU

KNOW? AND THEN THERE'S THE IMPROV THAT HE'S DOING AT 11:00 P. M.,

AND HE'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT "HOW DO I PUT THESE THINGS

TOGETHER?"

>> AND WHEN YOU'RE FINDING YOUR OWN VOICE AND YOU HAVE TO SEARCH

FOR THAT, IT'S NOT EASY. THERE'S A PRICE TO PAY.

BECAUSE THEY WANT YOU TO BE WHO THEY WERE COMFORTABLE WITH.

>> HERE HE IS, OUR OWN LITTLE RICHIE PRYOR. RICHARD!

AND YOU HAVE TO DO IT.

>> AND SO HE GOES DOWN TO GREENWICH VILLAGE.

>> GREENWICH VILLAGE STARTING IN THE '50s AND MOVING THROUGH THE

'60s WAS KIND OF LIKE BOHEMIAN GROUND ZERO IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> IN GREENWICH VILLAGE HE FINDS A VERY INTERESTING SCENE.

>> YOU HAD A LENNY BRUCE, WHO WAS WORKING IN THE VILLAGE.

YOU HAD MORT SAUL, WHO WAS KIND OF DOING TOPICAL HUMOR.

YOU HAD DICK GREGORY, ANOTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN COMIC, WHO WAS

TRYING TO KIND OF PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT WAS TOPICAL.

>> YOU HEARD WHAT BOBBY KENNEDY SAID ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS AGO?

HE SAID 30 YEARS FROM THIS YEAR A NEGRO CAN BECOME PRESIDENT, SO

TREAT ME RIGHT AND I'LL GET IN THERE AND RAISE TAXES ON YOU.

CARLIN WAS BIG. AND ALONG CAME LIKE ELAINE

BOUSLER.

>> SUDDENLY PEOPLE WERE THINKING OF COMING OUT TO SEE COMEDY.

>> AND IT BECAME A YOUNG THING. AND RICHARD PRYOR STARTS TO

LISTEN TO WHAT HE'S THINKING HIMSELF, AND HE JUST DIGS DEEP

INSIDE HIMSELF AND GOES FOR IT.

>> AN ARSONIST DOWN IN WATTS DURING THE RIOTS. OKAY?

[ SIREN ]

ALL RIGHT GET UP TO THE WALL, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW.

HE AIN'T THE ONE? WELL, LET'S GO.

>> HE THOUGHT THAT THROUGH COMEDY, YOU COULD BREAK A LOT OF

BARRIERS YOU COULDN'T IN ANY OTHER WAY.

AND HE FELT THAT COSBY HAD BEGUN TO DO IT.

BUT HE THOUGHT HE WAS LIKABLE AND RICHARD SAID, I REMEMBER THE

WORD, HE SAID I'M GOING TO BE UNLIKABLE.

I WANT THEM TO FIGHT ME.

>> SOMETHING INSIDE ME ‐‐ I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING

GOOD THOUGH, WHEN I GET TO IT.

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF PROPER SOCIETY OR MAINSTREAM

MEDIA DIDN'T EMBRACE RICHARD IT WOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED WHAT HE

WAS DOING.

THANKFUL. AREN'T YOU THANKFUL? YES, MASSA.

>> RICHARD DIDN'T GET IT UNTIL HE LET OUT WHAT HE HAD INSIDE OF

HIM AND BECAME THE REAL HONEST RICHARD PRYOR.

>> YOU BETTER GET IT TOGETHER.

>> BUT HE FOUND IT, DIDN'T HE? HE FOUND HIS WAY.

>>> VEGAS NEXT TO NEW YORK IS THE PINNACLE OF THE COMIC

WORLD. IT IS WHERE ENTERTAINMENT, LIVE

ENTERTAINMENT, LIVES AND THRIVES. IF YOU MAKE IT IN A PLACE LIKE

EVERYTHING.

>> WELCOME TO THE FLAMINGO HOTEL IN GLITTERING LAS VEGAS.

THE MOST.

>> IMAGINE GUYS IN SHARKSKIN SUITS AND WOMEN WITH BOUFFANT

HAIRDOS. THAT'S WHO THE VEGAS CROWD IS,

RIGHT? THIS IS NOT A MIXED RACE CROWD.

THIS IS LAS VEGAS CIRCA 1967.

>> IT WAS AN ALL‐WHITE TOWN, PERIOD.

AND IT WAS A VERY, VERY RACIST CITY, LAS VEGAS.

THERE WAS NO BLACK PEOPLE WORKING IN ‐‐ ON THE STRIP IN

LAS VEGAS. THERE WERE NO DEALERS. THERE WERE NO DOORMEN.

THERE WERE NO MANAGERS. THERE WERE NO HOTEL CLERKS.

THERE WERE NO COCKTAIL WAITRESSES.

THERE WERE NO BLACKS IN THE HOTELS ON THE STRIP.

>> WELL, LAS VEGAS WAS A PLACE WHERE HIGH ROLLERS WENT TO SEE

ENTERTAINMENT LIKE THE RAT PACK. BUT THE KIND OF CASUAL RACIAL

SLURS THAT DEAN AND FRANK DELIVER ON TO SAMMY WITH A JOKE

AND A KIND OF WINK JUST SEEM APPALLING NOWADAYS.

>> I'D LIKE TO THANK THE NAACP FOR THIS WONDERFUL TROPHY.

>> I WAS THE OPENING ACT FOR THE CARPENTERS, ABBA, JOEL GREY,

PETULA CLARK. YOU WEREN'T OPENING FOR ACTS

THAT BROUGHT IN ANY BLACK PEOPLE.

>> SO, IMAGINE RICHARD PRYOR, AND YOU'RE SUDDENLY IN VEGAS,

AND YOU WANT TO SHOW THEM WHAT YOU CAN DO.

YOU WANT TO BE THE PERSON THAT YOU ARE, BUT YOU GOT THESE RULES.

YOU CAN'T CURSE.

>> EVERYBODY WAS TOLD TO BE TOTALLY CLEAN. NO DIRT AT ALL.

OTHERWISE YOU'LL NEVER WORK.

>> YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT BEING RAISED IN A BROTHEL.

YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT DRUG USE AND SCREWED UP RELATIONSHIPS.

YOU DON'T.

>> AND THEN YOU LOOK OUT IN THE AUDIENCE, AND IT'S ALL WHITE

PEOPLE. YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT AND

FIGURE OUT, WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT AM I DOING HERE?

THIS IS NOT ‐‐ AM I SUPPOSED TO BE HERE?

AM I SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THIS? IT JUST SORT OF DOESN'T GEL.

SO THERE'S THIS UNDERLYING, UNEASY THING THAT HAPPENED WITH

RICHARD IN LAS VEGAS.

>> YOU LIVE BEING BLACK IN A BLACK WORLD, BUT WHEN YOU START

INTERACTING IN A WHITE WORLD, YOU HAD TO PUT ON A DIFFERENT

ATTITUDE. YOU'D HAVE TO PROTECT YOURSELF.

YOU'D HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY AND HOW YOU SAY IT.

>> I WASN'T COURAGEOUS OR HONEST SOMETIMES.

I WOULD GET A LAUGH AND FEEL SAFE THERE, AND I WOULDN'T GO

ANY FURTHER. I WOULD SAY [ BLEEP ] IT'S HARD

>> AND SO, RICHARD WAS TRAPPED IN THIS WORLD THAT CERTAINLY

DIDN'T FIT HIS CREATIVITY OR HIS IMAGINATION.

AND I THINK HE HAD ENOUGH.

>> IN PRYOR'S CASE, THERE'S A FAMOUS KIND OF EPIPHANY.

>> HE WAS IN VEGAS, AND HE LOOKED INTO THE EYES OF

DEAN MARTIN, WHO WAS IN THE AUDIENCE, AND APPARENTLY, HE

AND RICHARD OBVIOUSLY INTERNALIZED THAT QUESTION

IMMEDIATELY AND WALKED OFF STAGE.

>> AND I THINK IN ONE FELL

OF THE BOTTLE. I CAN'T DO THIS. IT'S LIKE A PRIMAL SCREAM.

HE JUST WENT [ BLEEP ] YOU KNOW? THAT'S NOT ME.

>> I'M SURE THE AGENT TO THIS DAY IS PROBABLY HANGING IN HIS

OFFICE BY A NOOSE OR SOMETHING GOING, OH, MY GOD, HE BLEW ALL

THIS MONEY.

>> AT THAT POINT IN HIS LIFE, HE WAS KIND OF SPINNING OUT OF

CONTROL. HE HAD HAD SOME SUCCESSES BUT

THEY WEREN'T SATISFYING TO HIM. WHAT HE WAS DOING WAS, LIKE,

GUEST SPOTS ON "THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY."

>> I KNOW IT'S NONE OF MY BUSINESS, BUT I KEEP WONDERING

WHY YOU WANT TO BEAT UP VEGETABLES?

>> BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY THING I CAN BRUISE THAT WON'T BRUISE

ME BACK.

>> THAT WAS THE LAST THING HE DID, AND HE'S LIKE, "IS THAT

WHAT I WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR?"

>> I COULD FEEL THE STIRRINGS OF AN IDENTITY CRISIS.

IT WAS COMING ON LIKE THE BEGINNING OF AN ACID TRIP.

MAKE UP, RICHARD.

YES, YOU'RE AN IGNORANT JERK,

PUMPING YOUR ‐‐ LIKE A CHEAP ‐‐ BUT YOU HAVE A BRAIN.

USE IT.

DIFFERENT WORLD.

>> BERKELEY IS REALLY THE EPICENTER OF BOTH THE

COUNTERCULTURE AT THE TIME AND OF THE BLACK POWER MOVEMENT.

>> THAT PERIOD OF TIME, THE WORLD WAS BLOWING UP.

PATTY HEARST WAS KIDNAPPED. THE CHICAGO RIOTS.

THERE WAS SO MUCH GOING ON.

>> KING'S DEATH. KENNEDY'S DEATH.

>> WE WERE A NATION DIVIDED ALONG RACIAL LINES, DIVIDED OVER

THE WAR. AND RICHARD PRYOR CAME ALONG

INTO THIS ANGRY SOUNDTRACK IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND ADDED A

LAUGH TRACK.

>> BLACK POWER'S JUST A WORD. YOU ALL GET UPTIGHT.

BLACK POWER'S COMING. BLACK POWER'S COMING!

ANYWAY, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR FROM THE BLACK MAN EXCEPT HIS

THOUGHTS. THAT'S ENOUGH!

>> THE VOICE OF THOSE TIMES WAS REALLY HEARD IN MUSIC.

♪♪

THAT WAS THE NEW AGE, AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WERE LISTENING TO.

♪♪

WELL, HIS MUSIC IS HIS VOICE, IS HIS COMEDY.

>> NEGROES CAN'T GO TO HEAVEN. THEY CAN GET A PROMISE OF HEAVEN.

I WAS A NEGRO FOR 23 YEARS. I GAVE THAT [ BLEEP ] UP.

NO ROOM FOR ADVANCEMENT.

>> AND IT WAS ALARMING TO PEOPLE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE HIP CATS IN JAZZ TYPE CLUBS GOT IT,

THAT THIS IS A NEW WORLD.

>> HE WASN'T DOING, YOU KNOW, THE BILL COSBY ROUTINES ANYMORE.

YOU KNOW, "LIVE AND SMOKIN'" WAS ‐‐ HE SHOT THAT IN 1971,

JUST BECAUSE I STOLE HIS TELEVISION.

>> AND THAT'S WHEN HIS JOKES BECAME MORE ABOUT WHAT I DID.

THEN IT BECAME PERSONAL. THEN THE JOKES ELEVATED, BECAME

REAL.

>> HIS FIRST INITIAL APPEARANCES WERE SO STRONG, SO RAW, IT

REMINDED ME ‐‐ THE CLOSEST I COULD THINK OF IS WHEN

JIMI HENDRIX FIRST HIT THE UNITED STATES.

PEOPLE JUST WENT, OH, MY GOD! WHAT IS THIS?

>> YEAH, BOY, I GOT SOME. I GOT SOME ADVICE FOR YOUR ‐‐

YOU BETTER LAY OFF THAT NARCOTICS [ BLEEP ] THAT MADE

YOU NULL AND VOID.

>> GETTING ON STAGE IS HARD FOR ANYBODY.

BUT DOING WHAT RICHARD DID WAS REALLY HARD, I THINK.

>> CAN'T GET ARRESTED FOR DRINKING NOTHING.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> RICHARD TALKED ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS TRUTH.

WHERE HE CAME FROM, WHERE HE WANTED TO GO.

WHO HE WAS AS A HUMAN BEING. WHAT AMERICA WAS.

>> HE CAME BACK SMOKING MORE JOINTS THAN EVER, DOING COCAINE,

MORE WOMEN. BUT WITH THAT CAME A HEAVY,

HEAVY DRUG THING. HE WAS ALWAYS DOING DRUGS,

BUT NOT LIKE THIS.

>> I'M REALLY NERVOUS BECAUSE I AIN'T HAD NO COCAINE ALL DAY.

LOVE COCAINE.

>>> AS THE 60S MOVES ON AND AS THE COUNTER CULTURE GROWS, NOT

JUST IN MUSIC OR POLITICS OR CIVIL RIGHTS, BUT IN PLACES LIKE

COMEDY, THE SOCIETY IS BEING REFLECTED IN THE ARTS.

>> THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY FEEL THEY HAVE BEEN TREATED

UNFAIRLY.

>> POLICE JUMPED OUT THE CAR, TWO GRAB YOUR LEGS, ONE GRAB

YOUR HEAD AND SNAP, "OH HE

[ BLEEP ] HE BROKE.

CAN YOU [ BLEEP ] OKAY?

>> RICHIE, WAS COMING FROM THE JIM CROW TIME, ANOTHER PAIN,

A MUCH DEEPER PAIN. PAIN THAT HE KNEW IN THE CIVIL

RIGHTS, THOSE PEOPLE NEVER SEEN. HE KNOWS THAT FROM THE TIMELINE

HE'S FROM, AND THEN PROBABLY FROM THE PART OF THE COUNTRY

HE'S FROM. SO YOU TAKE ALL OF THAT, AND YOU

HEAR FROM YOUR GRANDMOTHER AND GRANDFATHER THESE TYPE OF

KILLINGS, HANGINGS, WHATEVER

STORIES WAS TOLD THEN, YOU BRING IT ALL THE WAY WITH YOU TO

RIGHT NOW, AND YOU STILL SEE IT.

>> POLICE GOT A CHOKE HOLD THAT THEY USE OUT HERE THOUGH ON YOU

MAN, THEY CHOKE [ BLEEP ] TO DEATH.

YOU BE DEAD WHEN THEY THROUGH. DID YOU KNOW THAT?

WAIT A MINUTE [ BLEEP ] GOING, "YEAH WE KNOW."

WHITE FOLKS GOING, "OH NO, I HAD NO IDEA."

>> RICHARD WAS ARRESTED A FEW TIMES.

ONE TIME HE WAS ARRESTED IN PITTSBURGH 1963, AND ON THE

MUGSHOT IT SAYS "EYES, MAROON. HAIR, KINKY."

>> I KNOW THE FACTS OF LIFE MAN, I'M A BLACK MAN, BUT I'M A MAN.

AND IF YOU CAN SEE THE MAN IN

ME BEFORE YOU SEE THE BLACK, GOD BLESS YOU, BECAUSE THEN WE CAN

DEAL.

>> BACK THEN WE NEEDED TO SEE AGGRESSION, WE NEEDED TO SEE

RESISTANCE, WE NEEDED TO SEE A WARRIOR.

>> THERE WAS SUCH PRESSURE ON HIM AT THAT TIME TO BE THE NEW

BLACK VOICE. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS DEAD,

MALCOM X WAS DEAD, SO THEY WANTED RICHARD TO BE IT.

HE DIDN'T WANT THE JOB. THE DRUGS WERE JUST A PANACEA,

JUST A CURE FOR EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON, ALL OF IT THIS,

>> OUR FIRST REAL DATE, HE TOOK ME TO A DRUG DEALER IN SAN

FRANCISCO, AND TO BUY COCAINE. AND THEN WE WENT TO ‐‐ HE TOOK

ME TO A MOVIE. I'D NEVER EVEN SPOKEN TO A BLACK

MAN, LET ALONE KISSED ONE OR HAD SEX WITH ONE, AND IT WAS LIKE ‐‐

IT WAS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ME, AND I WAS JUST INFATUATED WITH

HIM. THAT'S HOW HE MET AND WHAT OUR

LIFE WAS LIKE.

>> LOOK, I LIKE DRUGS. I DO.

PEOPLE CALL THEM DRUGS, RIGHT? BUT I LIKE COCAINE EVERY NOW AND

>> DO STILL.

>> AND RICHARD HAD ENDLESS MONEY FOR IT.

RICHARD COULD GO AND BUY A POUND OF COCAINE, AND THEN HE WAS JUST

SNORTING IT AND SNORTING IT.

>> WE'D GO TO HIS HOUSE UP IN NORTHRIDGE, RIGHT?

AND HE'D HAVE A TABLE FULL OF COKE.

AND HE'D SAY, "HEY MAN, THIS TABLE HERE, THIS IS MORE THAN

YOU'LL EVER MAKE IN YOUR LIFETIME.

>> HIS HABIT WAS MAYBE 20 GRAND A MONTH.

WELL, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK HE COULD DO THAT?

>> EVERY TIME I GET IN TROUBLE IT'S BECAUSE I END UP DRINKING

TOO MUCH OR I END UP SNORTING TOO MUCH OR SMOKING TOO MUCH.

BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS ‐‐ LIKE, LOOK I LIKE DRUGS, I DO.

>> COCAINE'S A HELL OF A DRUG, YOU KNOW?

AND IT GIVES YOU 20 MINUTES OF EGO.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S MAYBE WHY SO MANY COMEDIANS WOULD TURN TO

IT, ESPECIALLY, AFTER A SHOW WHEN YOU'RE COMING DOWN FROM THE

HE HAD EARNED OR WHAT KIND OF SUCCESS HE HAD ATTAINED.

>> I THINK PROBABLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE, IN THIS CONTEXT, HE'D

BE ON ANTIDEPRESSANTS INSTEAD OF,EN WHY, VODKA, VODKA, VODKA.

>> AND AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO HIS CHILDHOOD.

THE WAY HE WAS RAISED.

>> WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HIM AS A CHILD WAS NEVER FIXED.

>> JUST WATCHING HIS MOTHER BE A WHORE HAD TO AFFECT HIM AS A

MATURE ADULT MAN.

>> IMAGINE BEING A BEAUTIFUL VASE THAT EVERYBODY LOVES,

BUT THERE'S A CRACK IN IT. SOMEBODY DROPPED IT.

AS LONG AS YOU BLACK, DON'T YOU RUN FROM ME.

>> THE GRANDMOTHER, REALLY, SHE WAS THE MATRIARCH OF THE FAMILY.

SHE RAN IT WITH AN IRON HAND, AND SHE DIDN'T SUFFER FOOLS.

INCLUDING HIM.

>> EVEN THOUGH SHE BEAT THE

[ BLEEP ] OUT OF HIM, SHE WAS

STILL THE ONLY ONE THAT HE FELT LOVED HIM.

>> A STAR WITH A BROKEN CHILDHOOD.

HE WAS WALKING AROUND WITH BLEW. WE WAS LAUGHING BUT HE WAS DYING

INSIDE.

>> YOU COULDN'T FILL THE HOLE, YOU COULDN'T, THERE'S NOTHING

YOU COULD DO. AND HE WOULDN'T LET YOU.

HE WOULDN'T EVEN LET YOU TRY. YOU'RE NOT COMING IN HERE AND

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SAVE ME AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RESCUE ME.

FORGET THAT.

>> IT'S SUCH A DOUBLE‐EDGED SWORD, BECAUSE A LOT OF HIS

HUMOR CAME FROM THAT FAMILY TOO.

>> BOY, WHAT'S THAT YOU'RE PUTTING UP YOUR NOSE?

TAKE MY NOW. GOD, SAVE MY LIFE. TAKE ME, TAKE

ME, TAKE ME.

>> RICHARD COMES ON AND GOES, WAIT A MINUTE. THAT'S ME.

THAT HAPPENED TO ME. THAT'S MY LIFE.

>> I SAID, MAMA DON'T DO IT.

$1,600 WORTH DOWN THE DRAIN.

>> THESE WERE VOICES AND ATTITUDES THAT WERE NEVER DONE

BEFORE.

>> HERE IS THE BROTHEL, DRUGS, PEOPLE GETTING SHOT, STABBED,

PROSTITUTES, HOMOSEXUALITY, WHATEVER.

>> THESE ARE FUNNY CHARACTERS HE'S DOING, BUT THEY'RE REAL.

THIS IS A FUNNY SITUATION THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT, BUT IT'S

REAL.

>> [ BLEEP ]. YOU DON'T COME DRIVING AROUND

THROW HERE LIKE YOU CRAZY. THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD MAN.

THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.

>> I RELATED TO HIM. I WASN'T A SMALL BLACK CHILD,

I WASN'T, I DIDN'T GROW UP NEAR PROSTITUTES, BUT SOMEHOW I GOT

HIM.

>> IMMA DO IT WITH YOU BOY, IMMA WALK WIT' YA, 'CAUSE I BELIEVE

YOU GOT POTENTIAL.

>> THEN HE'D SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT, "I WANNA WALK WIT' YOU

BOY, TALK WIT' YOU CAUSE I THINK YOU'VE GOT POTENTIAL."

I MEAN, HE SAID THINGS IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU JUST OPEN YOUR

HEART TO EVERYONE.

>> RICHARD PRYOR HAD SEVEN MARRIAGES TO FIVE WOMEN.

TWO OF THEM TWICE.

>>> I DEFINITELY FELT THAT RICHARD WAS MY SOUL MATE, LOVE

OF MY LIFE. THAT'S WHY I MARRIED HIM TWICE.

>> RICHARD PRYOR HAD SEVEN MARRIAGES TO FIVE WOMEN, TWO OF

THEM TWICE.

>> RICHARD PRYOR FIST WIFE WAS

PATRICIA PRICE.

>> AND THEN HE MARRIED SHELLEY, AFTER SHELLEY CAME DEBORAH,

AFTER DEBORAH, ME, AND THEN AFTER ME, FLYNN. AND THEN ME.

HOW MANY TIMES ITS THAT?

>> RICHARD PRYOR AND WOMEN. OH, MAN.

>> SO HE HAD A LOT OF WOMEN AND A LOT OF WIVES AND A LOT OF

CHILDREN. HE WAS NOT ALONE IN THAT

IN THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD. BUT HE TALKED ABOUT IT.

>> I REALLY AM TRYING. I REALLY AM TRYING.

I'M TELLING YOU, I'M [ BLEEP ] TRYING, OKAY?

BUT IT'S HARD TO WAKE UP AND SEE THE SAME PERSON ALL THE

WAS THE KIND OF BOREDOM OF DAY‐TO‐DAY LIVING.

RICHARD HAD A HARD TIME KNOWING THAT AND LIVING A KIND OF, YOU

KNOW, EXISTENCE THAT WASN'T A PARTY EVERY DAY.

>> THE NIGHT AFTER HE WAS MARRIED WITH JENNIFER, HE

KNOCKED AN HIS LAWYER'S DOOR AND SAID, I WANT A DIVORCE.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING.

>> THAT WAS BECAUSE RICHARD FELT THAT IT WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT

FOR HIM TO CONQUER YOU.

>> IT WAS A GAME WITH HIM. IT WAS A SPORT.

>> AND THEN ONCE YOU GAVE IN, WELL, NOW THE INTEREST WAS VERY

MUCH LESS.

>> IT'S A RESULT OF WHAT HE WAS EXPOSED TO IN PEORIA, WHERE YOU

GREW UP IN A WHORE HOUSE, AND THERE'S LIES, THERE'S CHEATING,

AND THERE'S ALL OF THOSE THINGS IN THAT WORLD.

WHAT HE SEEN THERE IMPRESSED ON HIS MIND HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT

WOMEN.

>> so IT'S COMPLEX FOR RICHARD BECAUSE HE NEVER HAD THE NORMAL

KIND OF UPBRINGING THAT ALL OF US NICE MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE HAD.

>> HOW DO YOU GROW UP LIKING WOMEN WHEN YOU'RE BORN AND

BROUGHT UP IN A HOUSE OF PROSTITUTION?

>> I WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD THINK THAT EVERY WOMAN WAS ON

THE MAKE OR ON THE TAKE.

>> I DID.

>> SOME OF THE MISTRUST HE MAY HAVE HAD WITH HIS WIVES OF WOMEN

HE WAS WITH WAS AS A RESULT OF WHAT HE IS EXPOSED TO

BUT WHEN HE WAS EXPOSED TO IT, IT WAS IN PEORIA.

>> HIS MOTHER ACTUALLY RAN AWAY FROM THE BROTHEL WHEN HE WAS

ONLY 5 OR 6. BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE

PART OF THAT LIFE.

>> WHAT DOES IT DO TO A KID WHEN HIS MOTHER LEAVES WHEN HE'S 6?

>> I HATED HER.

>> YOU HATED HER.

>> YEAH. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE'D

LEAVE ME WITH THEM.

>> RICHARD COULD NOT TRUST THAT BETRAYAL WASN'T RIGHT AROUND THE

CORNER. AS A RESULT, HE BETRAYED PEOPLE.

AS A RESULT, HE PUNISHED PEOPLE FOR REAL OR IMAGINED BETRAYAL.

>> PRYOR TELLS A STORY IN HIS LIVE IN CONCERT SPECIAL ABOUT

GETTING ARRESTED FOR KILLING A CAR, IS HOW HE PUTS IT.

>> HE WAS MAD WITH HIS LADY AND HE SHOT HER CAR ‐‐

[ LAUGHTER ]

‐‐ WITH A .357 MAGNUM.

>> AND IT SEEMED FAIR TO KILL MY CAR TO ME, RIGHT?

BECAUSE MY WIFE WAS GON' LEAVE MY ASS, AND I SAID NOT IN THIS

[ BLEEP ] YOU AIN'T.

AWAY, BUT THE FACT THAT SHE TRIED TO GET AWAY WITH THE

MERCEDES, WAIT A DAMN MINUTE.

>> THEN THE POLICE CAME, AND I WENT IN THE HOUSE, BECAUSE THEY

GOT MAGNUMS, TOO, AND THEY DON'T KILL CARS.

THEY KILL [ BLEEP ].

>> IT WAS SO FUNNY. THE TIMING OF IT, THE SOUNDS

THAT HE'S FIGURED OUT TO MAKE, AND NOW WATCHING THAT YOU'RE

THINKING, HIS WIFE MUST HAVE BEEN TERRIFIED.

>> BECAUSE HE HAD BEATEN HER, SO SHE WAS RUNNING AWAY, SO THE

ONLY CAR SHE HAD HER HANDS ON WAS THE MERCEDES.

>> IN TERMS OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WOMEN IN HIS LIFE,

I THINK THAT THE CLOSER THEY

CAME TO HIM, THE MORE UGLINESS THEY EXPERIENCED.

JUST AS HE HAD LIVED IN FEAR WHEN HE WAS GROWING UP.

>> RICHARD HAD A SIMMERING RAGE ALL THE TIME.

IT WAS JUST SOMETHING INNATE WITH HIM, LIKE A GENETIC DEFECT.

>> HE LEARNED FROM HIS CHILDHOOD THAT LOVE WAS TANGLED UP IN

VIOLENCE, AND HE NEVER COULD QUITE SEPARATE THOSE IN TERMS OF

HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH WOMEN.

>> THE MACK REALLY HIT HOME FOR RICHARD IN THE SENSE THAT IT WAS

ABOUT A PIMP.

>> SHE IS FINE.

>> I'M FENNISHED, BUT I'LL LET YOU HAVE HER.

>> HE FOUND HIMSELF IMMERSED BACK IN THAT LIFE, THAT PIMP

LIFE OF HIS FATHER AND HIS UNCLE.

>> YA' KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I'M TALKING ABOUT PLAYERS.

THEY AIN'T NO PLAYAS, I'M DRUNK. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

>> IT DIDN'T GO WELL.

WHEN WE CAME BACK TO HOTEL, WE HAD NO MONEY.

SO HE DECIDED THAT HE WANTED ME TO GO TO THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL

AND FIND A TRICK AND BRING HOME THE MONEY. I TRIED.

I MEAN, I GOT IN THE CAR AND I DROVE TO THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL.

AND FINALLY I DECIDED I COULDN'T DO IT.

AND WHEN I DROVE HOME, RICHARD WAS ENRAGED THAT HIS ATTEMPT AT

PIMPING ME DID NOT WORK. HE HAD BEEN DRINKING COURVOISIER.

HE ALREADY HAD PLENTY OF DRUGS IN HIS SYSTEM, AND HE STARTED

BEATING ME WITH THE COURVOISIER BOTTLE.

>> AND THESE ARE HORRIBLE MOMENTS.

VERY DAMAGING MOMENTS FOR THE WOMEN WHO ‐‐ WHO WANTED TO LOVE

HIM.

>> HE LEARNED IT FROM HIS FATHER.

HIS FATHER WAS NOT ONLY VIOLENT WITH WOMEN, BUT HIS FATHER WAS

VIOLENT WITH HIM.

>> MY FATHER WAS SCARY, BOY. I'D PISS ON MYSELF SOMETIMES

WHEN HE'D CALL MY ‐‐ RICHARD! HUH?

>> I THINK IT WAS VERY EASY FOR HIM TO ‐‐ TO STRIKE OUT WITHOUT

THINKING. AND THEN HE WAS ALWAYS CONTRITE

AND ALWAYS SORRY.

>> HE FELL TO THE FLOOR AND STARTED BEGGING ME, MAMA, HELP

ME. MAMA, I'M SICK, HELP ME. AND HE PASSED OUT.

>> BUT, YEAH, I FOUGHT BACK. I WAS ONE OF THE ONES WHO FIGHT

BACK. THEY SAY ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THAT THE WOMEN WHO

FIGHT BACK EITHER END UP LEAVING OR KILLING.

SO BASICALLY, I YOU KNOW, I HAD TO GET OUT OF DODGE.

BUT I UNDERSTOOD THAT ANGER. WHEN HE COULD CHANNEL IT WAS

WHEN HE WAS BRILLIANT.

>> AND I HAD A FIGHT WITH MY FATHER ONE TIME.

YOU KNOW, WASN'T EXACTLY A FIGHT, BUT I DID THE BEST I

COULD. AND HE HIT ME IN THE CHEST,

HE HIT ME SO HARD, MY CHEST JUST CAVED IN AND WRAPPED AROUND HIS

FIST. AND I HELD ON TO IT WITH MY

CHEST. I WOULD NOT LET IT GO SO HE

COULD HIT MY ASS AGAIN. AND EVERYWHERE HE MOVED HIS ARM,

I WAS HANGING ON. LIKE THIS.

>> YOU KNOW THAT THE PATH TO THAT JOKE WAS PAINFUL, AND THE

WORLD IS LAUGHING.

>> THE N‐WORD.

>> THE N‐WORD.

>> THAT N‐WORD.

>> WAIT A MINUTE.

>> I BEG YOUR PARDON.

>> YOU CAN'T USE IT, I CAN USE IT. THE END.

>>> GOOD EVENING, LANG LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND WELCOME TO

"THE RICHARD PRYOR SHOW."

>> THIS IS SOMETHING NOBODY HAD EVER SEEN BEFORE.

>> IT WAS REAL.

>> [ BLEEP ].

>> WHAT?

>> THAT LITTLE BOX COULDN'T HOLD RICHARD PRYOR.

>> WHEN HE STARTED TO DO MOVIES AND MAKE THESE BIG PAYCHECKS I

>> THAT'S BASICALLY WHEN ALL

HELL BROKE LOOSE.

>> HE SAID HE WAS GOING KILL HIMSELF.

>> WHEN THAT FIRE HITS YOUR ASS THAT WILL SOBER YOUR ASS UP

QUICK.

>> COULD HAVE HAD IT ALL, LIKE THAT SONG SAYS.

AND BECAUSE OF THE DRUGS, WE DIDN'T.

WE LOST IT.

>> WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY.

>> RICHARD WAS MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

>> AIN'T NOBODY MESSING WITH YOU. TURN YOUR HEAD AROUND.

>> BREAK INTO CHARACTER. THAT'S WHAT A REAL GOOD COMIC

DOES.

>> YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?

THE "MF" WORD, WITH THE "F" WORD, WITH EVERYTHING YOU COULD

HAVE. AND YOU KNOW, I EVEN HAD TO

THINK ABOUT IT I THOUGHT, "WELL, IS THIS OKAY? WHAT'S THIS?"

>> WELL, THE LANGUAGE, TO ME, WAS THE LANGUAGE OF THE STREET.

>> STUCK TO THE DIALOGUE, SAYING THE STUFF THAT, IT'S

TABOO.

>> AIN'T NO WAY TO GET AN AMBULANCE OUT IN THE GHETTO

UNLESS YOU CALL, THIS [ BLEEP ] IS KILLING A WHITE WOMAN,

WHERE'S THE BODY?

>> DURING THOSE DAYS, THE PREMIERE WAY OF AMASSING AN

AUDIENCE WAS TO PUT OUT A COMEDY RECORD.

>> I'M NOT ALLOWED TO SAY IT NOW BUT THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I

COULD EVEN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT MY FAVORITE ALBUM WAS?

AND IT WAS ‐‐

>> THAT'S HOW THE TITLE OF THAT N‐WORD IS CRAZY CAME INTO THE

LEXICON OF COMEDY.

>> ON TOWER RECORDS ON SUNSET BOULEVARD, THAT WAS THE

BILLBOARD WITH NO PIXILATION. HE CHANGED EVERYTHING.

>> THE RECORD CAME OUT AND WAS AN INSTANTANEOUS HIT.

>> SOME DUDES WOULD TALK TO YOU

WHILE THEY KICKED YOUR ‐‐ RIGHT? WHAT YOU WANT WITH ME, MAN?

>> SO HE'S ON DINAH SHORE. I MEAN, SHE IS THE EPITOME OF A

KIND OF LILY WHITE SENSIBILITY.

>> I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE TITLE OF YOUR ALBUM,

BUT I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SAY.

>> YOU DO? FOR MOST WHITE PEOPLE IT'S HARD

TO SAY CRAZY.

>> WELL, YOU TELL THEM THE TITLE OF THE ALBUM, I CAN'T SAY IT.

>> THE TITLE OF THE ALBUM IS "THAT [ BLEEP ] CRAZY", AND

DON'T THAT [ BLEEP ] LOOK CRAZY?

>> SEE NOW YOU CAN JUST SAY THAT AND TALK ‐‐

IF I SAID THAT WOULDN'T YOU GET MAD?

>> I'D PUNCH YOU OUT.

>> WHAT HE'S DOING IS HE'S WAVING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE

SAYING, I KNOW YOU SAY THIS WORD. YOU MAY NOT SAY IT ON

DINAH SHORE'S SHOW AND DINAH MIGHT NOT SAY IT, BUT THIS IS

A WORD THAT YOU USE. AND NOW I'M GOING TO USE IT AND

BY USING IT, I AM MAYBE OUTRAGING YOU SHOCKING YOU

ANNOYING YOU. BUT YOU CAN'T HELP BUT THINK

ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS WORD IS OUT THERE.

>> YOU EVER NOTICE HOW NICE WHITE PEOPLE GET WHEN THERE'S

A BUNCH OF [ BLEEP ] AROUND? RIGHT?

THEY GET OUTSIDE THEY TALK TO EVERYBODY. HI, HOW YOU DOING?

I DON'T KNOW YOU, BUT HERE'S MY WIFE. HELLO!

>> HE WAS ALWAYS SPEAKING FOR THE PEOPLE.

MAKE EVERYBODY LOOK AROUND. OH, DID YOU HEAR THAT?

I'M COMING BACK NEXT WEEK. I WANT TO HEAR THAT AGAIN.

>> I HATE THIS CONVERSATION. THE N WORD.

WHICH I'VE SAID ISN'T THAT JUST AS BAD AS THE ACTUAL WORD?

>> THAT WAS SOMETIMES HISTORICALLY THE LAST WORD THAT

YOU HEARD BEFORE YOU WAS KILLED.

>> YOU CAN'T USE IT. I CAN USE IT. THE END.

>> THERE'S JUST RULES THAT ARE

WRITTEN IN THIS SOCIETY THAT ARE INVISIBLY WRITTEN, BUT WE ALL

KNOW THAT THEY'RE THERE. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SAY THAT

>> CAN YOU BRING [ BLEEP ] IN OKAY? LET'S CHECK THE MANUAL.

YEP, PAGE 8, YOU CAN BRING THEM RIGHT THERE, SEE?

LET'S DRAG 'EM DOWN TOWN, OKAY.

>> AT THE TIME THAT WAS ALL PART OF THE BLACK MAN BEING

REBELLIOUS. IT SHOWED THAT HE WAS A REBEL.

YOU DIDN'T CARE WHAT NOBODY SAID.

>> RICHARD HAD BRAVERY TO GO THE OTHER DIRECTION AND TO USE THE

N‐WORD. THAT WAS THE ANGER. AND A LOT OF COMEDY DOES COME

FROM ANGER. IT COMES FROM INJUSTICE.

IT COMES FROM HOW YOU'VE BEEN TREATED.

>> IT'S ALWAYS BEEN OKAY FOR BLACK PEOPLE TO SAY IT TO EACH

OTHER, BECAUSE IT'S JUST SORT OF A FUNNY SLANG.

BUT WHEN IT'S NOT OKAY IS WHEN A WHITE PERSON CALLS A BLACK

PERSON THAT, BECAUSE IT'S COMING FROM A DIFFERENT MINDSET.

>> WHEN YOU'RE ON STAGE WHY IS IT SO MUCH A PART OF YOUR

PERFORMANCE?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHY.

>> LORD KNOWS HE WAS COMPLICATED.

RICHARD PRYOR CAME OUT OF A VERY DARK PLACE.

AMERICA WAS COMING OUT OF A VERY DARK PLACE.

AND THEN THE TWO CROSSED PATHS, RICHARD PRYOR MADE A JOKE, AND

THEY WENT DOWN THE SAME ROAD TOGETHER.

>> "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" IS A REVELATION FOR ALL THE KIND OF

PEOPLE WHO WERE HOME SMOKING POT ON A SATURDAY NIGHT.

HIPSTERS AND STONERS. WHEN IT COMES TO COMEDY AND

NETWORK TELEVISION, IT IS THE FINAL AND BIGGEST BREAK FROM THE

OLD WORLD.

>> THAT'S THE MOMENT WHEN LORNE MICHAEL SAYS, I NEED TO GET THE

FUNNIEST PERSON ON THE PLANET TO BE THE GUEST HOST ON MY SHOW.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, RICHARD PRYOR.

>> HIS APPEARANCE ON "SNL" IN THE FIRST SEASON IS REFLECTIVE

OF EXACTLY HIS KIND OF ABOVE GROUND/UNDERGROUND APPEAL.

BLACK AUDIENCE, BUT ALSO HE BRINGS THE WHITE AUDIENCE WITH

HIM AS WELL.

>> SO PRYOR WAS ON ONE OF THE OPENING EPISODES OF THE FIRST

SEASON, AND THERE IS A SKIT IN THAT EPISODE WHERE HE IS

APPLYING FOR A JOB AND HE IS ACROSS A DESK FROM CHEVY CHASE.

>> DOG?

>> TREE.

>> FAST?

>> SLOW?

>> AFTER SOME BACK AND FORTH CHEVY CHASE STARTS TO USE

INCREASINGLY RACIST INSULTS AT PRYOR TO ASK HIM TO RESPOND.

>> COLORED?

>> REDNECK.

>> JUNGLEBUNNY.

>> PECKERWOOD.

>> IT REALLY GOT VERY, VERY TENSE AND VERY REAL.

BUT HE'S SHOWING HOW ANGER UNMAKES YOU.

>> I THINK EVEN CHEVY CHASE WAS STUNNED AT WHAT HAPPENED.

>> I THINK RICHARD ACTUALLY SCARED CHEVY CHASE DURING THAT

SCENE.

>> JUNGLEBUNNY.

>> HONKY!

>> SPADE.

>> HONKY HONKY!

>> [ BLEEP ]

>> DEAD HONKY.

>> THEY WOULD HAVE CUT IT TODAY. BUT IN THOSE DAYS, GOD,

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NOBODY HAD EVER SEEN BEFORE.

>> THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE ON TV THAT USED THOSE WORDS.

>>> WHAT A BUSINESS. COMEDY IS BIGGER THAN EVER.

THERE ARE NOW SOME 260 COMEDY CLUBS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

YET THE COMEDY STORE REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT.

>> MICHAEL DUKAKIS! SOUNDS LIKE SOME KIND OF DAMN

DISEASE, DOESN'T IT?

>> IN THE '70s, COMEDY BECAME THE ROCK 'N' ROLL OF THAT ERA.

>> IMPROV WAS BEGINNING TO BLOW UP. PLACES LIKE THE COMEDY STORE

WERE BECOMING GO‐TO PLACES IN THE CULTURAL PANTHEON.

>> YOU STAND IN THAT BACK HALLWAY THERE, AND THEN THE NEXT

COMIC GOES ON, AND THEY ROAR.

>> YOU GOT RICHARD PRYOR.

>> IT WAS JIMMIE WALKER.

>> YOU HAD STEVE MARTIN, ROBIN WILLIAMS.

[ LAUGHTER ]

THEN YOU GO LET ME. NO, THEY'RE FOR THE BABY.

>> AND ALL THESE PEOPLE WERE JUST BLASTING OUT OF THE COMEDY

STORE, AND THEY WERE GETTING, LIKE, SITCOMS.

AND THEY WERE BECOMING BIG STARS OF THEIR TIME.

IT FELT IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, IT FELT LIKE THIS WAS

THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.

>> AMERICA WAS CHANGING, BECOMING MORE DIVERSE, SO THE

NETWORKS WANTED TO REACH OUT AND GRAB ON TO THIS NEW THING THAT

WAS RICHARD PRYOR. BECAUSE HIS STAR WAS SO BIG AND

GROWING.

>> SO I ALWAYS HUNG OUT AT THE COMEDY STORE, AND I FOLLOWED HIM

OUT THE PARKING LOT, AND HE TURNS AROUND AND SAYS, WHAT DO

YOU WANT? I SAID, WILL YOU DO A TV SPECIAL?

HE SAID, SELL IT. AND HE WALKED AWAY. THAT WAS IT.

>> UP TO NOW WE'VE PAINTED A PICTURE OF PRYOR BEING VERY IN

TUNE WITH THE CULTURE, RIGHT, AND PUSHING THE ENVELOPE JUST

ENOUGH THAT NETWORKS ARE RESPONDING TO HIM.

LIKE ANY ENTERTAINER, HE'S GOING TO GET AHEAD OF BECAUSE HE'S

RUNNING FASTER THAN THE NETWORK IS READY TO RUN BEHIND

HIM.

>> NONE OF US WOULD BELIEVE AT THAT TIME THAT RICHARD PRYOR

IT WAS A VARIETY SHOW.

>> IT WAS A STELLAR CAST OF COMEDIANS.

YOU HAD SANDRA BERNHARD. YOU HAD ROBIN WILLIAMS.

>> YOU GOT JOHN WITHERSPOON. YOU GOT ME.

YOU GOT MARSHA WARFIELD. IT WAS COMEDY GLADIATOR SCHOOL.

DIVERSE, AND SO WHAT YOU SEE ON TV IS A REFLECTION OF THAT, NOT

JUST IN THE CAST, BUT IN THE KINDS OF STORIES THAT THEY'RE

>> THEY WANTED FULL AUTONOMY. NETWORKS DO NOT GIVE FULL

AUTONOMY. DOES NOT HAPPEN.

>> YOU BOUGHT A CONTROVERSIAL ENTERTAINER WITH A VOICE.

I THINK NBC WOULD NATURALLY BE

A LITTLE NERVOUS THEY WERE GOING TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES IN

PRIMETIME.

>> THERE'S A REASON THEY'RE CALLED THE SUITS AND EVERYBODY

WEARS A SUIT. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE.

WE KNOW THAT'S WHY WE'RE ON. AND RICHARD SAID, "YOU DON'T

KNOW ME, OKAY?"

>> EVEN BEFORE THE SHOW CAME OUT, THERE WAS A MEDIA BUZZ

ABOUT WHAT "THE RICHARD PRYOR SHOW" WAS GOING TO BE.

WERE YOU GOING TO GET THE REAL UNCENSORED RICHARD PRYOR?

>> THEY WERE AFRAID OF HIM. THEY REALLY WERE.

I DIDN'T REALIZE AT THE TIME, BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO

HANDLE HIM.

>> THAT BECAME A BIG PART OF THE DRAMA OF THE SHOW, WAS RICHARD'S

WAR WITH THE NETWORK.

>> THE MOST FAMOUS SKIT IN THAT SHOW NEVER EVEN AIRED.

>> SO, HERE'S THE OPENING.

>> GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND WELCOME TO

"THE RICHARD PRYOR SHOW."

>> THE SCENE WHEN HE WAS GOING TO OPEN THE SHOW WAS LIKE

THROWING A HAND GRENADE INTO A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE.

>> YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WRITTEN ABOUT ME.

PEOPLE WONDERING IF I'M GONNA HAVE A SHOW.

>> HE GOES, "IF YOU DO TELEVISION, YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP

EVERYTHING."

>> WELL, LOOK AT ME. I'M STANDING HERE NAKED.

I'VE GIVEN UP ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

>> HEAD TO TOE, NO GENITALIA.

>> SO, ENJOY THE SHOW.

>> YOU KNOW, IN THE '70s? I MEAN, THAT'S A SLAP THAT THEY

JUST HAD A HARD TIME ACCEPTING.

>> BUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS HAVE A POINT OF VIEW.

AND ANYBODY'S POINT OF VIEW IS OBSCENE UNLESS SOMEBODY CAN

CENSOR IT. YOU ASK ANY ONE OF THESE HUMAN

BEINGS HERE. YOURSELF. YOU SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY.

YOU CAN'T CENSOR PEOPLE'S STUFF, MAN. YOU CAN'T CENSOR THE TRUTH.

>> DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, WE CANNOT CONTINUE

TO BRING YOU THE AUDIO PORTION OF "THE RICHARD PRYOR SHOW."

HOWEVER, I'M AN NBC SPOKESMAN, AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO TELL YOU

WHAT MR. PRYOR IS SAYING. "I'M JUST PLEASED AS PUNCH TO BE

CONTINUING ON AS PART OF THE NBC FAMILY."

>> YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING TO COME AT YOU.

>> ONE OF THE FIRST SKITS WE DID WAS RICHARD PRYOR BEING THE

FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT.

>> THEN, JUST HAVING HIM STAND THERE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE

UNITED STATES WAS ALREADY THE JOKE.

>> MR. PRESIDENT, SINCE YOU'VE BECOME PRESIDENT, YOU'VE BEEN

SEEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED ON THE ARMS OF WHITE WOMEN.

>> OOH! WHOO!

>> WILL THIS CONTINUE?

>> MM.

>> AS LONG AS I CAN KEEP IT UP.

>> HE'S SO GOOD AT VOICES THAT HE CAN IMMEDIATELY MAKE WHATEVER

THIS OBJECT IS FEEL LIKE A LIVING CHARACTER.

>> TOUCH ME, I'LL BLOW ALL YOUR FINGERS OFF.

>> THOSE GUNS TALKING TO HIM, WHEN WE DID IT, IT WAS 1977.

INSANE. THAT WAS HIS IDEA.

>> PEOPLE ENJOY KILLING EACH OTHER.

>> YOU PUT THAT ON TV TODAY, NRA WOULD GO NUTS.

I DON'T THINK YOU'D GET ON TV.

>> WELL, GOOD NIGHT, AND SEE YOU

NEXT WEEK.

>> THE FREEDOM OF US BEING IN THAT SETTING AND GOING THERE

WITH THESE KINDS OF THINGS, THAT PROBABLY WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN

IN THE HISTORY OF TELEVISION.

>> SO, THE SHOW LASTS FOR FOUR EPISODES.

>> THE RATINGS WERE NOT GOOD. AND WE WERE AGAINST "LAVERNE AND

SHIRLEY" AND "HAPPY DAYS."

>> THOSE ARE THE SHOWS THAT NETWORK TV COULD MARRY.

BUT THEY WANTED TO DATE RICHARD PRYOR.

>> I DON'T KNOW HOW OR WHY IT ENDED, AND RICHARD TOLD ME, YOU

EN WHY, [ BLEEP ] I WALKED.

>> YES, I'M VERY ANGRY. I'M ANGRY BECAUSE I HAVE TO ASK

PEOPLE, MAY I DO THIS? MAY I DO THIS KIND OF SCRIPT?

MAY I SAY THIS KIND OF JOKE?

>> BUT DON'T WE ALL, TO A DEGREE IN LIFE, HAVE TO DO THAT?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, AND THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM.

AND I WILL NEVER GET THE RECOGNITION FOR WHAT I DO.

>> HE WAS TORN, TORN ABOUT STUFF, I GUESS. TORN IN SOME WAY.

HE WANTED TO BE EMBRACED BY HIS CULTURE.

HE WAS A HUGE TALENT THAT COULD JUST GO ANYWHERE, AND YET THAT

VULNERABLE SELF.

>> RICHARD CARRIED AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF TAMPED DOWN PERSONAL

RAGE.

>> HE FREEBASED EVERY DAY.

>> THE APEX OF SHOW BUSINESS IS BEING A MOVIE STAR, WHICH IS ON

THE OTHER END OF SHOW BUSINESS WHERE HE'S A COMEDIAN.

YOU KNOW, MOVIE STAR, COMEDIAN.

>> HIS GREATEST FAME PEAKS IN THE 1970s. HE BECOMES HUGE.

>> BEING SUCCESSFUL AS A BLACK PERSON IN THE EARLY '70s IN

HOLLYWOOD, THERE WERE VERY FEW.

>> YOU HAD SIDNEY POITIER AND YOU HAD, UM ‐‐

SIDNEY POITIER.

>> THE STUDIOS ARE CRUMBLING AND THE ENTERTAINMENT HIERARCHY IS

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO.

>> I STARTED AT UNIVERSAL. I'D JUST TURNED 23.

THEY WERE MAKING SIX MOVIES A YEAR AND YOU WOULDN'T GO SEE ANY

OF THEM. THEY HAD MOVIE STARS THAT I

THOUGHT WERE DEAD.

>> I THINK THEY WERE BEGINNING TO SEE THAT THERE WAS A YOUNG

AUDIENCE OUT THERE, AND THEY WANTED THAT YOUNG

AUDIENCE. COMEDY IS A STAPLE AND RICHARD

WAS THE FUNNEST GUY AT THAT TIME.

>> I'M CRAZY ABOUT YOU BABY, I'M‐A MAKE LOVE TO YOU TONIGHT,

BABY. YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT.

>> HE WAS DEEP INTO THE MAINSTREAM.

HE WAS KNOWN TO EVERYBODY.

>> HE WANTED TO BE A STAR. HE WANTED TO BE BIG.

>> HE THOUGHT THAT "LADY SINGS THE BLUES" WOULD BE THE

BEGINNING OF A NEW RICHARD.

>> THIS IS A FRIEND OF MINE. YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE IT.

>> HE'S ASKED TO PLAY PIANO MAN. IT'S NOT EVEN A ROLE WITH A

NAME.

>> HE WAS HIRED FOR ONLY $500 FOR THE FIRST DAY.

AND THAT WAS IT. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A ONE‐OFF.

AND EVERY DAY THEY HIRED HIM BACK AND THEY REWROTE STUFF.

>> IT WAS A TINY LITTLE ROLE AND HE EXPANDED IT TO WHAT IT WAS.

>> RICHARD LOVED HIS ROLE AS THE PIANO MAN, BUT WHEN IT WASN'T

RECEIVED WELL, THAT BOTHERED RICHARD A LOT.

>> WHAT I WANT TO DO IS, UH, DO A MOVIE THAT'S SO TERRIFIC

THAT I WIN 13 ACADEMY AWARDS FOR IT.

>> AND WHAT WOULD THAT SAY TO YOU, IF YOU WON ALL THOSE

>> YEAH. I WAS EXCELLENT ENOUGH THAT YOU

HAD TO ACCEPT ME. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO EXPLAIN WHY

NO BLACK PEOPLE WILL EVER BE NOMINATED FOR ANYTHING.

>> RICHARD PRYOR, FOR BETTER OR WORSE, WAS A MOVIE STAR.

>> RICHARD WAS ALWAYS MY ACE CARD.

IF RICHARD WOULD DO IT, IT WAS AUTOMATICALLY HIP, DESIRABLE,

COOL.

>> IF RICHARD PRYOR WAS IN A MOVIE, IT WAS A HIT.

>> WE DID "CAR WASH."

>> BECAUSE MONEY WALKS AND

[ BLEEP ] TALKS.

>> "WHICH WAY IS UP." THAT MOVIE WAS DROP DEAD, FALL

ON THE FLOOR, DIE LAUGHING.

>> RICHARD DID ALL THREE CHARACTERS.

>> YOU KNOW THAT CHICKEN I PUT IN THE REFRIGERATOR LAST NIGHT?

WELL, I EXPECT TO FIND IT WHEN I GET HOME.

>> HE'S IN THE WIZ. HE'S IN SILVER STREAK, WHICH IS

HIS BUDDY MOVIE WITH GENE WILDER.

>> THE COMBINATION OF THEM BUMBLING AROUND AND RIFFING OFF

EACH OTHER WAS REALLY, REALLY FUNNY.

>> HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET ON THE TRAIN?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

>> I STILL GOT THE GUN. MAYBE I COULD START A DIVERSION.

>> YEAH, BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT.

>> WHEN HE STARTED TO DO MOVIES AND MAKE THESE BIG PAYCHECKS,

I THINK HE DID FEEL AS IF HE WERE COMPROMISING.

>> THEY'RE PAYING ME $2 MILLION TO DO THIS MOVIE.

DO YOU BELIEVE IT? MY GRANDMOTHER DIDN'T MAKE THAT

ALL HER LIFE, AND SHE'S A BETTER WOMAN THAN YOU ARE A MAN.

>> YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS MOVIE IS THIS.

>> YEAH, SURE, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME ‐‐

>> "STIR CRAZY."

>> IT SUCKS.

>> HE WANTED MANY THINGS. LIKE ALL OF US, HE WANTED TO BE

LOVED. HE ALSO WANTED TO BE FAMOUS.

SO WAS IT A COMPROMISE? OKAY. BUT THE CHECKS CLEARED, AND AS

BEST I CAN TELL, HE CASHED EVERY ONE OF THEM.

>> I THINK HE WANTS TO DO HIS TYPE OF FILM, BUT THE PROBLEM IS

WE NEVER KNEW WHAT HIS TYPE OF FILM WAS.

>> SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A PERSON RICHARD PRYOR, AND HE

DOES ALL THIS COMEDY AND STUFF, AND THEN THERE'S ME, AND I

WONDER WHAT I HAVE TO DO WITH RICHARD.

I FEEL LIKE I LIVE HIS HOUSE, AND I DRY HIS CAR AND SPEND HIS

MONEY, BUT IT AIN'T ME, YOU KNOW? IT'S NOT ME.

>> HE STARTED FEELING GUILTY ABOUT HIS BIG SUCCESS.

IT MADE HIM FEEL LIKE HE WAS BEING ACCEPTED BY WHITE SOCIETY,

WHICH CONFUSED HIM, IRRITATED HIM, ANGERED HIM.

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S EASY TO BE A CELEBRITY.

THAT KIND OF FAME, IT'S HUGE. IT'S A BURDEN.

AND I THINK AT SOME POINT HE LOST HIS WAY.

AND THEN HIS DRUG DEALER INTRODUCED HIM TO FREEBASE,

WHICH WAS THE PIPE.

THIS IS ‐‐ OH. WHOO. WONDERFUL. LET ME HAVE ANOTHER HIT OF THAT.

>> THE PIPE HAD AHOLD OF HIM. COULDN'T LET GO.

>> THIS PIPE IS TO TELL ME WHEN TO GO TO BED.

THE PIPE WOULD SAY, TIME TO GET UP. TIME FOR SOME SMOKE, RICH.

COME ON, NOW. WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING

TODAY.

[ BLEEP ] ALL YOUR APPOINTMENTS.

ME AND YOU WE'RE JUST GONNA HANG OUT IN THIS ROOM TOGETHER.

>> HE STARTS MISSING SHOWS MISSING DATES, MISSING WORK.

>> THEY BOUGHT HIM DRUGS TO GET HIM IN FILMS, THEY BOUGHT DRUGS

TO KEEP HIM ON A FILM. I'M TALKING TWO POUNDS OF STUFF.

>> I DON'T KNOW NOTHING. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?

I DON'T KNOW.

HE TALKED ABOUT HAVING OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCES, SEEING ALIENS

LOOKING IN THE WINDOW.

>> THAT WAS THE DRUG. HAD AHOLD OF HIM.

>> WE COULD HAVE HAD IT ALL,

LIKE THAT SONG SAYS.

AND BECAUSE OF THE DRUGS, WE DIDN'T. WE LOST IT.

GIVEN LESS THAN A 50% CHANCE OF SURVIVING AFTER SUFFERING THIRDS

OWN OVER HALF OF HIS BODY.

>>> ONE NIGHT, WE'RE HEADING OVER THE CANYON TO GO HOME, AND

HE DOES A U‐TURN. A FEW MINUTES LATER, WE PULL

INTO THE COMEDY STORE PARKING LOT.

>> THIS WAS THE PLACE THAT HE CAME WHEN HE WANTED TO DO HIS

STUFF FROM SCRATCH. EVERY TIME HE CAME IN, IT WAS

LIKE JESUS CHRIST WAS SHOWING UP.

>> HE SITS ME DOWN AT A TABLE, AND HE WALKS ON STAGE.

>> THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS A FILMED COMEDY SPECIAL BEFORE

"LIVE IN CONCERT."

>> THERE ARE POINTS IN RICHARD PRYOR'S CAREER YOU CAN POINT AND

SAY, THAT WAS BIG. "LIVE IN CONCERT", RICHARD

PRYOR, WAS HUGE.

>> IT SHAPES EVERYTHING ABOUT WHAT STANDUP IS FOR THE NEXT

SEVERAL DECADES, BECAUSE EVERY STANDUP COMEDIAN LEARNS FROM

THAT PERFORMANCE.

>> IT IS RICHARD PRYOR IN FULL FLOWER, IN FULL POWER.

>> WHAT YOU TAKING MY PICTURE FOR?

WHO YOU GON SHOW IT TO I GOT A PICTURE OF RICHARD PRYOR!

WHO GIVES A [ BLEEP ]?

>> IT'S A MOMENT WHEN HE HAS A KIND OF A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO

CHARACTER, IN WHICH THE MAIN CHARACTER IS HIMSELF.

>> ANYONE HERE EVER HAVE A HEART ATTACK? THEM [ BLEEP ] HURT

I'M NOT [ BLEEP ] MAN. I WAS WALKING IN THE FRONT YARD.

>> NOW YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT DYING, AREN'T YOU?

YEAH, I'M THINKING ABOUT DYING. I'M THINKING ABOUT DYING.

YOU DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT WHEN YOU WERE EATING ALL THAT PORK!

>> THEM STORIES WAS LONG, THEY WAS DRAWN OUT.

AND THEY WAS COLORFUL AND IMAGINATIVE.

YOU COULD SEE IT ALL. IT WAS GOOD.

>> ONE ROUTINE RICHARD DID, WHICH REALLY EMBODIES SO MUCH,

IS THE WHITE MAN'S VOICE.

>> HE ALWAYS HAD A WHITE GUY VOICE. IT JUST MADE ME LAUGH.

>> WEREN'T WE SITTING HERE? WE WERE SITTING HERE, WEREN'T WE?

YES, WE WERE SITTING HERE.

>> WHITE PEOPLE WENT CRAZY FOR "LIVE IN CONCERT."

>> IN A WORLD THAT WAS STILL SOMEWHAT SEGREGATED, HE WAS THIS

FANTASTIC BRIDGE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BETWEEN THESE TWO

COMMUNITIES.

>>U NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING FUNNY, ARE YOU?

>> RICHARD HELD UP A MIRROR TO THEM "THIS IS WHO YOU ARE.

LAUGH AT YOURSELVES, YOU CAN LAUGH, BUT KNOW YOURSELF."

>> LIVE IN CONCERT DID MUCH BETTER THAN ANYBODY THOUGHT.

IT MADE A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY.

>> BY THE END OF THE 1970s, RICHARD PRYOR IS ON THE TOP OF

THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD. BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM LURKING IN

THE BACKGROUND. HE KNOWS ABOUT IT, THE PUBLIC

DOESN'T.

>> PRYOR IS IN THE THROES OF THIS ADDICTION TO COKE AND TO

FREEBASE.

AND HE ENDS UP BURNING HIMSELF

TERRIBLY WHILE FREEBASING, AND IT BECOMES A HUGE, HUGE STORY.

>> I SAW RICHARD JUST ONLY A FEW HOURS BEFORE HE BURNT UP.

HE WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF HIS MIND.

>> HIS AUNT WAS THERE, AUNT DEE, AND I SAID, "HE'S GOING TO HURT

HIMSELF." AND THEY BASICALLY POOH‐POOHED

ME AND SAID, GET OUT OF HERE. I WALKED OUT.

I KNEW HE WAS GOING HURT HIMSELF. HE SAID, I MADE MY MIND UP.

>> HE CALLED ME IN HAWAII. HE WANTED MANY A TO COME TO

I MEAN, I HAVEN'T SLEPT FOR FOUR OR FIVE NIGHTS.

AND I SAID I WASN'T GOING TO DO THAT, I COULDN'T DO THAT.

>> THERE WAS NO REALITY AT ALL. NONE.

ZERO, GONE.

>> HE SAID THAT HE WAS JUST GOING KILL HIMSELF.

>> HE HAD THE PIPE IN ONE HAND AND THE TORCH IN THE OTHER HAND.

HE WAS DUNKING THE TORCH INTO THE RUM BOTTLE.

AND HE WAS SO ADDICTED AT THIS POINT, HE COULDN'T PUT THE PIPE

DOWN. HE COULDN'T PUT THE TORCH DOWN

EITHER, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO MISS A HIT.

IF THE TORCH WAS STILL LIT IN ANY WAY, HOT EVEN, INTO A

AND I SAID TO RICHARD, "LOOK AT THIS MAN'S COMMITMENT."

AND IN RICHARD PRYOR FASHION, HE SAID, "AND HE DIDN'T EVEN

FLINCH," WHICH MADE US LAUGH.

>> A FEW HOURS LATER, HE CAUGHT ON FIRE.

♪♪

DOWN THIS LONG DRIVEWAY IN A FLAME.

>> DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU WERE RUNNING?

>> I WAS RUNNING BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO DIE SITTING DOWN.

I JUST WANTED TO RUN OUT.

>> LATER ON WE FOUND OUT THAT THE REASON IT DIDN'T KILL HIM ON

THE SPOT IS BECAUSE HE HAD LIKE 23 GRAMS OF COCAINE IN EVERY

PART OF HIS BODY. SO HE DIDN'T FEEL THE PAIN OF IT.

>> COMEDIAN RICHARD PRYOR IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION TONIGHT AND

GIVEN LESS THAN A 50/50 CHANCE OF SURVIVING AFTER SUFFERING

THIRD‐DEGREE BURNS OVER HALF OF HIS BODY.

>> POLICE SAID PRYOR WAS BURNED BECAUSE SOME ETHER AND COCAINE

HE WAS USING IN HIS BEDROOM CAUGHT FIRE.

>> I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND I SAID, HE'S FULL OF DRUGS AND

VODKA. HE COULD OVERDOSE IF THEY GIVE

HIM A SHOT OF MORPHINE.

>> HE WAS SEVERELY BURNED.

I THINK OVER 50%, 60% OF HIS BODY.

>> WE DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GOING TO LIVE OR DIE.

IT'S A MOMENT BY MOMENT THING. MY PHONE RINGS.

I SAID, HELLO, HELLO. "THOM, THOM." I SAID, "RICHARD?"

HE SAID, "THOM, HELP ME."

>> WE SWEPT THE HOUSE AND GOT ALL THAT JUNK OUT OF THERE

BEFORE WE LET IN THE LAPD.

WE HAD MAYBE 10 OR 12 GUNS. WE HAD EVERY CONCEIVABLE KIND OF

>> I KNEW I WASN'T GOING TO DIE. THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND.

BUT YOU CAN'T MOVE. YOU CAN'T MOVE.

IT HUMBLES YOU AND MAKES REALIZE THE GREATER THINGS IN LIFE.

FRIENDSHIP.

>> I WENT TO SEE HIM, AND I WALKED IN AND I REMEMBER

THINKING, "AH, THIS IS A CHANGED MAN."

I THINK THAT HE BECAME MUCH MORE AFRAID IN SOME WAYS OF HOW

FRAGILE IT ALL WAS, INCLUDING HIS OWN PSYCHE, BECAUSE HE DID

THAT TO HIMSELF.

>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, THAT RICHARD

WAS HIGH AS A KITE.

>> I TRIED TO COMMIT SUICIDE.

>> INTENTIONALLY?

>> THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY.

>>> WE WERE LIVING IN HAWAII AT THE TIME.

WE HAD JUST GOTTEN MARRIED, AUGUST 16, 1981.

THE LAWYER CAME DOWN AND SAID, IT'S YOUR TIME, RICHARD.

AND I SAID, NO, YOU HAVE TO CHILL.

WE NEED TO STAY HERE, RICHARD, AND NOT GET BACK ON THE BAND

WAGON.

>> I CHECKED INTO THIS HOTEL, AND I KNOCKED ON THE DOOR.

AND I COULD SEE ALL THE SCARRING ON HIS LEGS, ON HIS CHEST, ON

HIS ARMS. FIRST WORDS OUT OF HIS MOUTH

MOVIE."

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> I THINK THAT FOR RICHARD, HIS TALK THERAPY WAS ON STAGE.

YOU KNOW, THAT WASN'T ALWAYS A SAFE PLACE, EITHER.

AFTER THE FIRE, I THINK IT BECAME MORE OF A SCARY PLACE

FOR HIM.

>> HE COULDN'T FIND HIMSELF.

>> I WAS STILL AFFLICTED WITH THE SAME OLD PROBLEMS.

THE SCARS I NOW HAD ON THE OUTSIDE ONLY MIRRORED THE ONES

I'D HAD ON THE INSIDE MY ENTIRE LIFE.

>> THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE IN THE COMEBACK, BECAUSE THIS

WAS A PATHWAY TO BOTH GET HIM OUT OF THE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS HE

WAS IN AS WELL AS GETTING BACK INTO THE MOVIE BUSINESS.

>> HE WAS VERY NERVOUS ABOUT IT.

>> THIS IS A GUY WHO NEARLY KILLED HIMSELF.

AND SO THIS WAS GREAT CURIOSITY.

>> PEOPLE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE.

>> WHAT VERSION OF RICHARD PRYOR WILL WE SEE THIS TIME?

>> THE FIRST NIGHT HE CRACKED UP.

>> IT WAS THE WORST PERFORMANCE EVER. EVERYTHING WAS OFF.

THE PUNCHLINES WASN'T THERE.

>> HE WALKED OUT ON STAGE AND SAID, "I CAN'T DO IT.

>> I WANT IT TO BE SOMETHING ELSE. IT'S JUST NOT THERE.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M HERE, PEOPLE. I'M NOT DOING IT.

AND HE WALKED OFF.

>> AND HE CAME BACK THE NEXT NIGHT, AND HE KILLED IT.

>> I REMEMBER HIM COMING ON STAGE.

HE STILL HAD THE SCARS, AND THEY WERE ‐‐ THIS WERE VERY APPARENT

AND VERY FRESH.

>> HE LIGHTS A MATCH AND SAYS, WHAT'S THIS?

RICHARD PRYOR RUNNING DOWN THE STREET.

AND ONE NIGHT, I HAD SOME LOW‐FAT MILK AND SOME

[ BLEEP ] BLEW UP.

>> HE TOLD A JOKE, HE DIDN'T TELL THE TRUTH.

>> HE MADE IT SEEM LIKE AN ACCIDENT, WHEN WE KNOW LATER IT

WASN'T AN ACCIDENT.

>> YOU'RE THE CELEBRITY, PEOPLE TEND TO THINK IF YOU MAKE ALL OF

THIS MONEY, NOTHING HURTS YOU OR THAT YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF IT.

>> I TRIED TO COMMIT SUICIDE.

>> IT DIDN'T WORK.

>> YES, IT DID.

>> YOU KILLED THE OLD RICHARD PRYOR?

HE WAS A HORRIBLE MAN.

>> I THINK RICHARD PRYOR'S EXPERIENCE, THAT MOMENT WHERE HE

NEARLY DIED CHANGED HIM. HE TALKS ABOUT HIS TRIP TO

AFRICA AND HOW HE HAD A REVELATION ABOUT THE USE OF THE

N WORD.

>> I WAS SITTING AROUND AND A VOICE SAID TO ME,

"LOOK AROUND, WHAT DO YOU SEE?" I SAID, "I SEE ALL COLORS OF

PEOPLE DOING EVERYTHING." AND THE VOICE SAID, "DO YOU SEE

ANY [ BLEEP ]?" I SAID, "NO." AND IT SAY, "YOU KNOW WHY?

BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ANY."

>> WHEN WE CAME BACK TO AMERICA, HE SAID, I'M NOT USING THAT WORD

ANYMORE. A LOFT PEOPLE HAD A HARD TIME

WITH IT. OH, YOU'RE FORGETTING WHERE YOU

HE WANTED TO BE THIS OR HIS WHO IS ON THEIR OWN JOURNEY.

>> NOW WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, RICHARD?

>> THERE'S A WHOLE PERIOD OF YEARS WHERE HE BECOMES

INCREDIBLY THIN.

>> I THINK I WAS THE FIRST PERSON HE TOLD AFTER THAT HE WAS

DIAGNOSED. HE SAID, I HAVE M. S.

HE CONTINUED TO WORK FOR ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR YEARS.

HE'D SHAKE A LITTLE, HE HAD TROUBLE WALKING.

AND THAT'S WHEN BASICALLY HIS MOTION PICTURE CAREER ENDED.

>> RICHARD.

>> HEY, RICHARD! HOW ARE YOU?

>> THE PARTY WAS OVER. THE BIG CHECKS WERE NOT COMING

THE COMEDY STORE.

>> THERE WAS STILL THE SPIRIT OF RICHARD PRYOR INSIDE OF THERE.

>> ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

>> LIKE GILLS ON A FISH, BEING ON THAT STAGE WAS WHAT MATTERED

TO RICHARD.

>> RICHARD PRYOR DIED THIS AFTERNOON OF A HEART ATTACK AT

HIS HOME IN CALIFORNIA. HE WAS 65.

>> I KNOW I'M HARD TO GET ALONG WITH.

I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I MIGHT WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND GO, HEY,

WAKE UP. WHAT WAS THAT [ BLEEP ] YOU SAID

LAST FEBRUARY?

>> I LOVE WATCHING RICHARD PRYOR.

HE SEEMED LIKE SOMEBODY WHO WOULD BE WALKING AROUND HERE NOW.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? HE WAS THAT AHEAD OF HIS TIME.

>> IF YOU SEE THE COMEDY OF CHRIS ROCK OR DAVE CHAPPELLE OR

EDDIE MURPHY, HE SET THE STAGE FOR MODERN COMEDY.

>> THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR. WE GOT TO BE SERIOUS.

EVERY ABLE‐BODIED AFRICAN‐AMERICAN MUST REGISTER

FOR A LEGAL FIREARM.

>> AS I WATCHED YOUNG COMICS COME UP AND RISE, EVERYBODY HAS

A LITTLE TWINKLE OF THAT RICHARD PRYOR.

HE KIND OF INSPIRED ME TO LOOK FOR THE FUNNY IN THE LEAST

FUNNIEST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE.

>> LAUGHTER IS GREAT MEDICINE, RIGHT? AND SO IN THAT WAY,

RICHARD PRYOR WAS A GREAT DOCTOR.

>> IF I CAN TURN MY PAIN INTO JOY ‐‐

[ LAUGHS ]

THAT'S WHAT I WANT. THAT'S THE ART OF HUMOR.

>> TO LAUGH IS GREAT. IT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS

LAUGH ALL THE TIME.

♪♪

>> TODAY, I WONDER WHAT RICHARD PRYOR WOULD BE DOING

TODAY. YOU CAN'T JOKE. YOU CAN'T SAY ‐‐

>> POLITICALLY CORRECT. PBHT.

>> I THINK A PC BE DAMNED, PRYOR IN THIS TIME WOULD HAVE

BEEN ABLE TO SAY ANYTHING HE WANTED TO SAY BECAUSE THERE WAS

TRUTH BEHIND IT. I DON'T THINK HE WOULD HAVE HAD

TO CHANGE A DAMN THING.

>> THE LEGACY OF RICHARD PRYOR IS ‐‐ I HOPE IT'S THE COURAGE TO

SEARCH FOR TRUTH IN COMEDY, AND THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE WHO

ARE WILLING TO MAKE THAT JOURNEY.

>> WHATEVER YOU FEEL ABOUT ME WHEN YOU SEE ME RIGHT NOW IS THE