Sunday, May 15, 2011

Standup: "The Picasso of our Profession", Richard Pryor

        Richard Pryor       

Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, social critic and writer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of his era:



Jerry Seinfeld called Pryor "The Picasso of our profession"; Bob Newhart has called Pryor "the seminal comedian of the last 50 years.". This legacy can be attributed, in part, to the unusual degree of intimacy Pryor brought to bear on his comedy. As Bill Cosby reportedly once said, "Richard Pryor drew the line between comedy and tragedy as thin as one could possibly paint it."

Pryor won an Emmy Award in 1973, and five Grammy Awards in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1981, and 1982. In 1974, he also won two American Academy of Humor awards and the Writers Guild of America Award.

Pryor is listed at number one on Comedy Central's list of all-time greatest stand-up comedians.

Richard Pryor doing one of his most famous characters "Mudbone"


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