Richard Pryor

Audrey Thomas McCluskey is a professor of African American and African diaspora studies and former director of the Black Film Center/Archive at Indiana University, Bloomington. She lives in Bloomington, Indiana.

"Pryor (1940-2005) was arguably one of the most influential American comedians of the 20th century. This collection attempts to give him his due by considering the ways in which he influenced not only comedy but also US television and entertainment as political statement. Divided into four sections—"New Essays,"Biography,"Reviews," and "Social and Cultural Criticism"—the essays vary in length and quality. McCluskey (Indiana Univ.) is the most significant contributor. Her analysis of Pryor as both comic genius and tortured soul, description of the censorship of his influential 1977 television series, and interview with frequent Pryor director Michael Schultz illustrate her fine writing and understanding of the importance of this seminal figure. But Pauline Kael's reviews of Pryor's films are a misstep and make one question her place in the pantheon of film criticism. This reviewer also wishes McClusky had provided a more in-depth analysis of Pryor's movies, particularly the blockbusters he made with Gene Wilder. These shortcomings aside, McClusky's contributions and other essays, specifically those by David Felton and Keith Harris, invite discussion on the ways Pryor transformed American comic style. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. —Choice"—G. R. Butters Jr., Aurora University, March 2009"McClusky's contributions and other essays, specifically those by David Felton and Keith Harris, invite discussion on the ways Pryor transformed American comic style. . . . Recommended.March 2009"—Choice"McClusky's Life & Legacy Of . . . gathers together 20 essays and features on Pryor, ranging from retrospective cultural criticism, contemporary reviews and interviews and biographical features. Each tries to pinpoint exactly what made Pryor so important. . . March 2009"—Record Collector". . . presents a variety of new and historical perspectives from scholars, filmmakers, and writers that yield insight into the comedian's origins, how he negotiated the difficult straits of the entertainment business, and what his work ultimately signified. . . . February/March 2009"—Bloom"[Like] Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, [and] Muhammad Ali . . . Richard Pryor contributed the combination of brilliance and tragedy at the core of what it means to be a Black man in America. Like the best jazz improvisers on the bandstand, [Pryor] turned life's mundane moments into intellectual property of the highest order and made life's most difficult situations seem like the proverbial drop in the bucket."—Todd Boyd, author of Am I Black Enough for You?

• ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Richard Pryor: Comic Genius, Tortured Soul / Audrey Thomas McCluskeyPart 1. New Essays1. "That Nigger's Crazy": Richard Pryor, Racial Performativity, Cultural Critique / Keith M. Harris2. The Crisis of Black Masculinity in Jo Jo Dancer: Your Life Is Calling / Margo Natalie Crawford3. Was It Something He Said? Censorship and the Richard Pryor Television Show, 1977 / Audrey Thomas McCluskey4. Richard Pryor and the Poetics of Cursing / Kate E. Brown5. Br'er Richard: Fascinatin' Storyteller / Maxine A. LeGall6. ". . . And It's Deep Too": The Philosophical Comedy of Richard Pryor / Malik D. McCluskey7. When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong: Pryor, Chappelle, and the Comedic Politics of the Post-Soul / Tyrone R. SimpsonPart 2. Biography8. Jump Street!From Richard Pryor: The Man behind the Laughter (1981) / Joseph Nazel9. The Politics of Being BlackFrom If I Stop I'll Die: The Comedy and Tragedy of Richard Pryor (1991) / John A. Williams and Dennis A. Williams10. "He Wasn't Afraid to Get Naked in Front of People": Michael Schultz Remembers Richard Pryor / Audrey Thomas McCluskeyPart 3. Reviews11. Time Warp Movies: A Review of Superman III (1985) / Pauline Kael12. Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip (1994) / Pauline Kael13. Richard Pryor: The Real Slim Shady (2001) / Rob SheffieldPart 4. Social and Cultural Criticism14. The New Comic Style of Richard Pryor (1975) / James Alan McPherson15. Jive Times: Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin, and the Theatre of the Routine (1974) / David Felton16. Richard and Me (1994) / Nelson George17. Hill Street Bullshit, Richard Pryor Routines, and the Real Deal (1997) / Bob Avakian18. Now's the Time: The Richard Pryor Phenomenon and the Triumph of Black Culture (1998) / Siva Vaidhyanathan19. A Pryor Love: The Life and Times of America's Comic Prophet of Race (1999) / Hilton Als20. Conclusion: We Owe a Debt to Richard Pryor / Audrey Thomas McCluskeySelected Chronology: The Life and Times of Richard PryorAdditional SourcesPermissions and CreditsList of ContributorsIndex