Richard Pryor is the single most reason I got into standup. The first time I ever heard him was back in the 70's, at my job at ADT alarm company... on East 23rd street in New York. We had about 7 employees working the evening shift on a summer night, I was the youngest at 17 years old, with the average age being about 35. I still remember as one of my coworkers, Bob Love (his real name) played a cassette of Richard Pryor's
greatest hits.

The entire office was roaring with laughter. I had never heard a voice as funny as that of this man who spoke of such things as Black Dracula, cocaine, "When Your Woman Leaves You" and the classic "Mudbone'. I took notice and went out and bought a few Richard Pryor albums the following payday.

The defining moment was watching the movie Richard Pryor Live (filmed at Long Beach, circa 1977). Quite simply the best live standup performance I have ever seen. A few years later I actually got to see Richard live at Radio City Music hall , and while he shined that night , it was never as bright as the moments captured on his first live concert movie.

I read both books you mentioned, and Rain Pryor does a compelling job of sharing her life with her father in her memoir. The one negative I will say about,
"Jokes My Father Never Told Me". Is a picture of an ailing Richard , looking disoriented, with mittens on his hands and obviously in the later stages of the MS that would take his life. I cried when I saw that picture. I did not want to remember him that way.

Besides having the same first name, both of us had cocaine addictions , we both had dysfunctional childhoods where our grandmothers were mother figures. .. we both loved our children but wished we could have been around more, and while I could never match him in talent, both torn apart.
 

Richard Pryor is the single most reason I got into standup. The first time I ever heard him was back in the 70's, at my job at ADT alarm company... on East 23rd street in New York. We had about 7 employees working the evening shift on a summer night, I was the youngest at 17 years old, with the average age being about 35. I still remember as one of my coworkers, Bob Love (his real name) played a cassette of Richard Pryor's
greatest hits.

The entire office was roaring with laughter. I had never heard a voice as funny as that of this man who spoke of such things as Black Dracula, cocaine, "When Your Woman Leaves You" and the classic "Mudbone'. I took notice and went out and bought a few Richard Pryor albums the following payday.

The defining moment was watching the movie Richard Pryor Live (filmed at Long Beach, circa 1977). Quite simply the best live standup performance I have ever seen. A few years later I actually got to see Richard live at Radio City Music hall , and while he shined that night , it was never as bright as the moments captured on his first live concert movie.

I read both books you mentioned, and Rain Pryor does a compelling job of sharing her life with her father in her memoir. The one negative I will say about,
"Jokes My Father Never Told Me". Is a picture of an ailing Richard , looking disoriented, with mittens on his hands and obviously in the later stages of the MS that would take his life. I cried when I saw that picture. I did not want to remember him that way.

Besides having the same first name, both of us had cocaine addictions , we both had dysfunctional childhoods where our grandmothers were mother figures. .. we both loved our children but wished we could have been around more, and while I could never match him in talent, both of us could make people laugh , while deep insdie we were torn apart.