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Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:21,439 The two most beautiful words in the world of comedy: 2 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:23,760 Richard Pryor. 3 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,114 (audience cheering) 4 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:34,997 Good evening. Wait for the people to get from the bathroom. 5 00:00:36,160 --> 00:00:38,834 People in there pissing are like, "Wait, the shit's done started." 6 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:43,117 Dave Chappelle: Richard Pryor, undisputed champion of the world. 7 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,957 The greatest of all times. Case closed. Period. Exclamation point. 8 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,440 This is the fun part for me when the white people come back 9 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,559 after intermission and find out niggers have stolen their seats. 10 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:55,553 (laughter) 11 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:57,801 (imitating) "We were sitting here, weren't we?" 12 00:00:57,880 --> 00:00:59,473 (imitating) "Yes, we were sitting right there." 13 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:01,120 (laughter) 14 00:01:02,016 --> 00:01:04,456 (imitating) "Well, you ain't sitting there now, motherfucker!" 15 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:06,199 It's amazing to see him live. 16 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,272 It's like saying that you saw Coltrane play. 17 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:10,878 What you taking my picture for? 18 00:01:12,320 --> 00:01:14,551 You know you ain't got no film in the camera. 19 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:15,990 (laughter) 20 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,471 Ain't nothing flashing. Sit your ugly ass down. 21 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:24,234 Most of us saw Richard and thought, he's free flying. 22 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:25,834 I want to free fly. 23 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,674 I love when white dudes get mad and cuss. 24 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,830 'Cause you're all some funny motherfuckers when you cuss. 25 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,398 They be saying shit like, "Yeah, come on, pecker-head!" 26 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,756 (laughter) 27 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,559 "Come on, you fucking jerk-off. Come on! 28 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,555 Yeah. You're fuckin'-A right, buddy." 29 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:49,512 Niggers be talkin' bout, "Buddy this." 30 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,190 Cecil: Always talked about making them brave enough to see themselves. 31 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,513 And the demons that he wanted to exorcise in the audience 32 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,509 became demons that he found hard to exorcise in himself. 33 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:03,961 (humming "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" theme tune) 34 00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:16,791 Reporter: Richard Pryor, the comedian and writer, 35 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:21,313 was badly burned in an accident at his home in California last night. 36 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,110 Authorities say Richard Pryor either walked or ran 37 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,875 nearly a mile and a half from his house to this location, 38 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,040 - where an ambulance rescued him. - (siren chirps) 39 00:02:30,656 --> 00:02:32,096 Interviewer: There was an indication 40 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,112 that a butane lighter exploded on Mr. Pryor. 41 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:35,555 What can you tell us about that? 42 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,918 Right now, I'm not going to say anything about cause or determination 43 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:40,360 until we know anything for sure. 44 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,119 Reporter: Is there any indication that there might have been 45 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:44,078 some manufacturing of drugs on the premises? 46 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,391 I can't say that either at this time. 47 00:02:46,640 --> 00:02:48,597 Reporter: Pryor's attorney talked with reporters 48 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:53,755 and disputed the LAPD theory that Pryor was using freebase cocaine. 49 00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:58,517 He had a glass of rum in his hand. 50 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,639 He was lighting a cigarette when-- Boom! 51 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,110 - No cocaine? - No cocaine. 52 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,034 If anyone is monitoring the intercom, let me inform you 53 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:11,080 that we have the right to check the premises for flammables. 54 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,039 We intend to make entry by force if necessary. 55 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,317 We have a verbal search warrant. 56 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:18,640 Reporter: Fire and police investigators 57 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:19,876 obtained a search warrant 58 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:23,317 and forcibly entered Pryor's home to look for clues this morning. 59 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,279 But police said someone had already cleaned up the scene of the fire 60 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,318 and they could find no evidence. 61 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,721 Sheila Frazier: Everybody had this sense that something was ultimately 62 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,269 going to happen and it finally did. 63 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,473 This is it. He's finally killed himself. 64 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,593 Presenter: For the first time on television, Richard Pryor. 65 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,271 - (applause) - (saxophone music plays) 66 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,071 Uh, I'm going to tell you a few things about myself, 67 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,039 because a lot of you probably don't know me. I'm not a New Yorker. 68 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,669 My home's in Peoria, Illinois. And, uh-- 69 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,036 - (laughter) - (clapping) 70 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:13,429 Thank you. 71 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,637 I'm from an average size family. Eleven kids. 72 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:16,876 (laughter) 73 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:18,758 No mother and father, just kids. 74 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:22,357 Sandy Gallin: I was roaming around Greenwich Village 75 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:27,032 and I wandered into the Cafe au Go Go. 76 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,513 And I saw this guy do a set 77 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:39,197 and I was completely mesmerized. 78 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,876 I thought this guy 79 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,750 is going to be a major star, 80 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,436 if I can get him to be able to put two sentences together 81 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,554 without "fuck, motherfucker, cunt". 82 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,881 The next party you go to, everybody'll be dancing away, 83 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:58,115 having a heck of a time. 84 00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:00,441 One guy in the corner by himself, checking himself out. 85 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:02,557 Everybody else will be dancing. One guy in the corner... 86 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:04,757 (humming) 87 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:10,393 Sandy: Richard and I would have to go through the material, 88 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,357 rehearsing and preparing. 89 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:18,553 And it was never to make it funny. It was to make it cleaner. 90 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:23,240 Budd Friedman: I went to the opening night 91 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:25,511 at his first legitimate gig 92 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,077 at The Living Room, which was a chic East Side boîte. 93 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:30,960 And it was very crowded. 94 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,589 The maître d' said, "Could Nipsey Russell join you?" 95 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:35,399 "Sure. Of course. Nipsey sit down." 96 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,799 And all during the show, Nipsey's going... (tutting) 97 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:40,275 I said, "What's wrong with you, Nipsey?" 98 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:41,755 At the end of the show. "What was wrong?" 99 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:43,513 He said, "He's doing Bill Cosby." 100 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,200 Paul Mooney: Bill Cosby did what they called the crossover. 101 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,636 You know, he'd gotten white people to like him. 102 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,111 I think Richard thought he had to imitate Bill 103 00:05:53,280 --> 00:05:57,752 to get over to become part of the circus or whatever it was. 104 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,520 - All the success came within a year? - Yes. 105 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:01,680 How is it up here? 106 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:03,439 - Oh, wow! - How does it come out? 107 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:05,432 - Oh, hostile. - Really? 108 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:07,956 Oh, yes. I go out. I don't know. I go crazy. 109 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,430 Tell us the big things that are going to happen to you. 110 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:11,790 Well, a big thing that's going to happen is, 111 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:13,076 I'm going to Las Vegas. 112 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:25,554 Scott Saul: He plays Vegas in 1966. He's a huge success. 113 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,633 That world that he so aspired to join, 114 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:30,473 wanted to impress everybody, 115 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,838 wanted to be a big star with his name in lights. 116 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,151 Suddenly, there's a hollowness to that price. 117 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:38,799 Presenter: Richard Pryor. 118 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:41,276 (applause) 119 00:06:41,656 --> 00:06:44,456 Richard Pryor: I want to really tell you, it's really "wow" being here. 120 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:46,995 My home's in Midwest, Illinois. Peoria. 121 00:06:47,496 --> 00:06:49,456 - Audience member: Peoria, where? - Richard: Yeah. 122 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,234 Peoria where? Peoria, Illinois. 123 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:54,437 Cecil Brown: When he was in Las Vegas performing, 124 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,519 he looked out in the audience and saw some white people. 125 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,354 Dean Martin was in the audience and he was looking at him. 126 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:05,351 And Richard said, "I looked at Dean Martin through his own eyes 127 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:08,877 and saw me looking like a damn fool." 128 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:11,280 Bob Newhart: It was like an epiphany. 129 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:13,193 I don't want to do it that way anymore. 130 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,195 I want to do it the way I hear it. 131 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:21,036 That was probably when Richard Pryor decided to become Richard Pryor. 132 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,511 Sandy: In the middle of the night, I got a call. 133 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:34,917 "You'd better get out here, because Richard Pryor has just gone nuts 134 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:40,109 and he's literally hanging from the chandeliers in the lobby. 135 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:45,753 I want him out of the hotel, and he is finished." 136 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,871 No "Nice talking to you." You know? 137 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:00,714 Bob: It was all over town: "You heard what happened last night?" 138 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,072 And I think he was fired the next day. 139 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:10,519 Ron: It was so public, he had a Vegas gig. That's what every comic wants. 140 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:11,955 And you blew it? 141 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:17,189 And I guess everybody thought, 142 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:18,999 "Well, that's the end of Richard Pryor." 143 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:25,311 Sandy: I did not hear from him. 144 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:28,956 I did not know where he was. 145 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,436 Richard was gone. 146 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,150 David Banks: Don't try to find no logic. 147 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:45,637 A lot of this in here, logic is omitted. 148 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:51,312 And sometimes, to understand Richard, you had to first omit logic. 149 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:53,834 And then you come close. 150 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:55,520 Because, what you think it ought to be, 151 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:57,200 it ain't going to be nothing like it. 152 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:01,434 ♪ Talking, talking to the people ♪ 153 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:18,836 Paul: Richard is a superstar all over again. 154 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:20,840 He had a new name. 155 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,710 It was... Edward or Edwin, or something stupid. 156 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:26,441 "This is what I'm going to call myself." 157 00:09:26,560 --> 00:09:28,233 He says, "I'm going to come and pretend 158 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:30,278 like I have nothing and see how-- 159 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,040 Get to know these people here, the hippies. 160 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:34,395 I'm going to be one of them." 161 00:09:38,696 --> 00:09:40,456 Patricia von Heitmann: He gave up everything. 162 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,871 He gave up his driver's license, his bank account. 163 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,680 He gave up any kind of ID. 164 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:50,517 He lived in this horrible little clapboard boarding house. 165 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:53,675 He invited me to go to an after party. 166 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:57,834 And, um, we weren't apart for like six years. 167 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:00,311 - I am. - Crowd: I am. 168 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:01,516 A revolutionary. 169 00:10:01,680 --> 00:10:03,717 Ishmael Reed: There was a lot of feverish things going on. 170 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:07,430 People asserting their rights. Demonstrations. 171 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:10,110 There was just a lot of ferment in the Bay Area. 172 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:15,040 Something different was happening with African-American culture. 173 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:17,078 It had come into its own. 174 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:21,029 Richard showed up. And gave it new life. 175 00:10:21,536 --> 00:10:23,176 There used to be some beautiful black man, 176 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:24,190 would come through the neighborhood, 177 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:26,875 dressed in African shit. Really nice shit, you know. 178 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,635 They'd be, "Peace, love, black is beautiful. 179 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,750 Remember the essence of life. We are people of the universe. 180 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:36,919 Life is beautiful." My parents go, "That nigger crazy." 181 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:38,150 (laughter) 182 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,592 No one had heard him using the N-word the way he does. 183 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,798 He was just starting to do that. He was tiptoeing into it. 184 00:10:45,560 --> 00:10:48,120 In comedy, you'd just never heard anything like this. 185 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:52,151 Cecil: So Richard would nudge this audience to some kind of feeling 186 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,916 about who they really were. So, he's telling the joke. 187 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,352 And, er, white guy in the back says, 188 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:02,957 "You ought to be glad I've got a sense of humor." 189 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:05,760 And Richard said, "Yeah, I am glad you've got a sense of humor, 190 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:08,071 because I know what you do to us niggers." 191 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:13,474 He was acutely aware of the dynamics of political, 192 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,791 - racial segregation. - I'd hate to be white... 193 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,794 David Steinberg: This audience that he was playing to was as hip 194 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:21,192 an audience as you could get. 195 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:24,799 And they weren't sure they were going to go along. 196 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:27,316 That's how radical Richie was. 197 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,275 (rapping and screaming) 198 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:32,750 Paul: I think he was very conscious of what he was doing. 199 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,191 Richard knew how to drop atomic bomb words. 200 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,113 He knew that words were powerful. 201 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,318 They accidentally shoot more niggers out here than any place in the world. 202 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:41,516 Every time you pick up a paper: 203 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:43,234 "Nigger accidentally shot in the ass." 204 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:44,400 (laughter) 205 00:11:44,560 --> 00:11:47,951 How do you accidentally shoot a nigger six times in the chest? 206 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:50,240 (imitating) "Well, my gun fell and just went crazy." 207 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,755 David: He was fully blown as Richie Pryor. 208 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:56,520 It was astonishing. 209 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:01,551 His point of view, his attack on the culture from every version. 210 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:05,509 No holds barred. Not thinking about a career. 211 00:12:05,680 --> 00:12:09,310 Not thinking about what you have to do to be right and wrong. 212 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:12,161 Walter Mosley: He wasn't a civil rights leader, 213 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:14,835 like you would say Huey Newton or Martin Luther King, 214 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:17,316 but he was somebody who 215 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:22,157 inculcated the spirit of the movement. 216 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:27,516 Cecil Brown: Richard, in Berkeley, was, 217 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:28,836 you know, a lovable person. 218 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:30,753 But Berkeley's not the world. 219 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:34,436 You had to meet the monster. You had to go through Hollywood. 220 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:56,952 Ron De Blasio: I met Richard Pryor in 1972. 221 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,672 At an upscale garden party in Beverly Hills. 222 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:05,272 I asked him what he was doing, and he said, "Nothing." 223 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:07,000 I said, "I know you're doing nothing, 224 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:08,634 but, I mean, what are you working at?" 225 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:10,961 He said, "I'm not working at anything. I'm unemployed." 226 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:12,394 I said, "How long have you been unemployed?" 227 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:13,875 He said, "A long time." 228 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:16,714 I said, "Really? Who's managing you?" "Nobody." 229 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:18,473 "Who is agenting you?" "Nobody." 230 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,200 He didn't really have any place to go at that time, 231 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:26,713 so he took a job, doing punch-up lines for Redd Foxx. 232 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:29,596 I thought, "This is not right." 233 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:31,911 So, I said to Richie, "Let's record an album." 234 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:36,710 Richard: Don't ever marry a white woman in California. 235 00:13:37,560 --> 00:13:39,074 A lot of you sisters are probably, 236 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,277 "Don't marry a white woman anyway, nigger." 237 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:43,397 (cheering) 238 00:13:43,560 --> 00:13:45,233 "Why should you be happy?" 239 00:13:45,560 --> 00:13:47,836 (laughter) 240 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:51,912 Sisters look at you like you killed your mama 241 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:53,833 when you're out with a white woman. 242 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:56,113 You can't laugh that shit off either. 243 00:13:57,440 --> 00:13:58,720 (imitating) "She's not with me." 244 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:00,912 (laughter) 245 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:05,951 Richard said, "Look, I know that you like it and I know that I like it. 246 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:08,639 Black people don't like this." 247 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,156 I said, "Richard, I can't answer that. I don't know." 248 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:15,116 He said, "Let's hope so. If not, we're both out of business." 249 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:17,795 I don't know how you feel about the title of your album, 250 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:19,832 - but I find it difficult to say. - You do. 251 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:22,350 Most white people, it's hard to say "crazy". 252 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:24,000 (laughter) 253 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:25,839 No, the title. You tell them the title of the album. 254 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:27,030 I can't say that. 255 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:29,800 The title of the album is "That Nigger's Crazy." 256 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:31,189 (laughter) 257 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:34,353 See now, you can just say that. If I said that, won't you get mad? 258 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:36,279 I'd punch you out. 259 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,318 (laughter and applause) 260 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,038 Michael Schultz: While I was in my college years, 261 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:51,832 we'd get together and play Richard Pryor LPs 262 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:53,798 and have listening parties. 263 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:55,680 My father when he ate was fun. 264 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:57,720 (imitating father) "Hey, bitch, where the food?" 265 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:01,836 "Goddamn mother, come on. Oh, you motherfucker!" 266 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:03,076 (laughter) 267 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:05,630 Budd: Saying "fuck" in those days was unheard of. 268 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:07,832 They had blue laws, for crying out loud. 269 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:09,280 Mike Epps: It was just a secret. 270 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:14,879 It was like learning how to say, "Motherfucker. Bitch, kiss my ass." 271 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:20,029 Ron: The people that had it first, I don't know why, 272 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,675 they were pimps and hoes. 273 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,992 Mike: This is the only guy really touching on some shit like, 274 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,392 Oh, taboo to other people. Like, "Don't go there." 275 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,516 He was the Messiah, the messenger, 276 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:34,672 for the real niggers in the streets 277 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:37,509 that wanted to express themselves but couldn't. 278 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:40,681 Ron: The album was a Grammy award winner. 279 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:45,232 Number one on the R&B charts in 1974 for five weeks, 280 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:48,677 which is unheard of for a comedy album in the R&B charts. 281 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:53,198 Thom Mount: This was a time when Richard was moving up very quickly. 282 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:55,477 It was rather like being fired out of a cannon. 283 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,793 Alan Farley: We hardly ever went to two gigs in sequence. 284 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:04,751 From LA, to Washington, back to LA, to New York, back to LA. 285 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:07,393 You use the term, "Nigger". 286 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,792 Now, does the black community get on you for using that on a show? 287 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:14,158 - How do you answer that? - I say, "Nigger, get out of my face!" 288 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:15,390 (laughter) 289 00:16:16,695 --> 00:16:19,336 Paul: People were fascinated with Richard, especially white people. 290 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,080 They never heard anybody talk like that. They were fascinated. 291 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:25,631 How could this young, black person have this kind of power? 292 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:27,394 That's power. 293 00:16:32,615 --> 00:16:35,376 George Lopez: When he would drive down and perform, word would spread. 294 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,154 Everybody got on the phone and said, "Richard's at The Comedy Store." 295 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:39,914 The word got out so quickly 296 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:41,753 that Richard was backstage at The Comedy Store, 297 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:46,073 but by the time he got on, there wasn't a comedian in town 298 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:47,754 who wasn't in the audience. 299 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:49,360 Richard: I took some acid once, too. 300 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:51,432 A white dude gave me some. At a party. 301 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:53,478 Dude said, "This is far out." 302 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:56,671 Get the fuck out of my face! 303 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:58,957 About 20 minutes later, I was at the party, you know, 304 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:01,117 "I can't breathe! 305 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,237 I don't remember how to breathe!" 306 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:07,077 (imitating) "I told you it was far out." 307 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:08,469 (laughter and applause) 308 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:13,840 Alan: When he performed, he would sometimes make a couple of notes 309 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,560 on the back of an envelope of some of the things he might do. 310 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:22,279 He never worked out in advance what his... It wasn't really a routine. 311 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:24,477 Skip Brittenham: Every night, you see something different 312 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:25,835 that you hadn't seen before. 313 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:29,630 He would do a riff here and a riff there. Just spontaneously. 314 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:31,519 What kind of shit are you handing me? 315 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:35,475 What the fuck is it? I don't know what you're handing me to sign. 316 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:37,199 What the fuck does it say on it? 317 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:41,111 Champagne! Listen, I ain't signing for no goddamn champagne. 318 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:42,841 Alan: He was always doing something new. 319 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,714 All of a sudden, "Oh, my God, look what he's doing now!" 320 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:48,315 He wasn't just telling jokes, he was telling stories. 321 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:54,236 And stories that were so vivid and so funny 322 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:56,153 that you had to stay with him. 323 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,677 And you think, "OK, that's amazing." 324 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:02,594 Lily Tomlin: I mean, he just had that laser-like wit. 325 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:07,277 Bringing so much tenderness to it. And do the wino on the street. 326 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:10,992 I'm going to help you, boy, because I think you've got potential. 327 00:18:11,815 --> 00:18:13,976 That's right. You can be somebody because you're sharp. 328 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,356 You know what I mean? Try some of that. 329 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,196 Don't you drop it, nigger. Put it safe. 330 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:21,759 Bob: You're watching a world that, 331 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,834 at least in my case, I would never have known but for Richard Pryor. 332 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:30,353 What a colorful world it is that he paints. 333 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:34,032 Thom: He'd go out and he'd do two minutes, three minutes, sometimes, 334 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,920 if the wind was right, he'd do four or five minutes. 335 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,551 Eventually, there'd be about 40 minutes of material. 336 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:42,917 And when there was 40 minutes of material, 337 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:46,956 he knew then he could get from there to a concert. 338 00:18:47,360 --> 00:18:50,876 I discovered masturbating by accident. 339 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:54,879 I'm not lying. I was about ten. I was in the tub. 340 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:59,395 And that's when you used to hold your dick with two fingers. 341 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:00,914 (laughter) 342 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:02,760 Hey! 343 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:08,118 I'm on to something here. 344 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:12,269 I bet Dad don't know about this. 345 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,797 He understood how to excavate the human soul on stage 346 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:18,919 in front of 600 people, without blinking. 347 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:22,232 First time I came to ejaculate, it scared the fuck out of me. 348 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:25,072 I thought something was wrong. 349 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,358 I was with this woman. I said, "Look, what the fuck you done did!" 350 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,757 About an hour later, I was back. "Can you do it again?" 351 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,594 Dave: I think if comedy was a woman I'm in love with, 352 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,992 I know Richard Pryor would just fuck the shit out of her. 353 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:43,920 He'd fuck her in every orifice of her body. 354 00:19:44,120 --> 00:19:48,319 Can I...? Is there anywhere this guy didn't fucking put his prints on? 355 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:54,431 Lonette McKee: Richard had become big in the live concert, 356 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,513 doing his brand of risqué humor. 357 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,195 These large audiences were fascinated with Richard. 358 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:03,431 He had not crossed into film. 359 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,313 Patricia: Somehow, Berry Gordy tracked him down 360 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,959 and wanted him to audition for the role of Piano Man 361 00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:16,954 in the film he was about to do of Billie Holiday, 362 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:19,316 which was going to star Diana Ross. 363 00:20:20,120 --> 00:20:22,635 Paul: Lady Sings The Blues, when Richard auditioned, 364 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:24,154 they let him do improv. 365 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:26,880 You can't let Richard to improv, he'll steal the show. 366 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:29,560 Which he did. The rest is history. 367 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:31,791 Everybody got a room full of girls at home. 368 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:33,440 You're just going to be another one. 369 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:35,000 Billie, you've got too much going. 370 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,040 Come on. You don't need this gutter-pusher shit. 371 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:39,152 Stan Shaw: He was huge in Lady Sings The Blues. 372 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,915 It sealed it for him in terms of his performance 373 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:44,311 and having the audience crave to see more of him. 374 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:47,877 - (knocking) - We're coming. 375 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:51,676 Paul: That part got bigger and bigger and bigger. 376 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:53,911 By the time they finished cutting that movie, 377 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:55,912 Richard was co-star in that movie. 378 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:04,196 Mel Brooks: I met him in '72. 379 00:21:04,360 --> 00:21:08,240 He wasn't that famous, but the word was out. 380 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,954 I said to him, "Why don't you meet me for breakfast?" 381 00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:18,273 He said, "Breakfast. OK. I'll meet you at four." I said, "Four?" 382 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,911 I told him about a black sheriff in 1874. 383 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:25,754 He loved the idea. He just loved it. 384 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:29,516 I said, "I'm going to fight for you to be the lead in Blazing Saddles." 385 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,320 I said, "Look, I'm going to write it like a gang comedy. 386 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:35,319 Anybody got a good idea, it's in. We're all going to be equal. 387 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,240 I will be a little more equal than anybody else, 388 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,316 but we're all going to be equal and we're all going to have fun. 389 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,319 I want you to be one of the writers." 390 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:48,674 Ron: He called me up. 391 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,912 And said, "Listen, I would like to be the star of that film, 392 00:21:52,120 --> 00:21:53,998 Blazing Saddles. That would be terrific." 393 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:55,640 This is going to be something big. 394 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:58,074 Mel: I wrote most of the black jokes, 395 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:00,118 and Richard wrote most of the Mongo jokes. 396 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,079 He was like this big, tough baby. 397 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:07,314 Richard wrote lines like, "Mongo only pawn in game of life." 398 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:08,550 ...game of life. 399 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:11,229 He wrote these meshuggener, wacky lines. 400 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,916 The next day, he showed up in my apartment with cigars 401 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:19,757 and a very expensive Dunhill lighter, and I said, "What's this?" 402 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:22,230 He said, "We're going to be signing a lot of contracts." 403 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:29,789 Mel: Somebody higher up at Warner Brothers had heard 404 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:33,840 that Richard was doing drugs and Richard was unreliable 405 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:35,076 and I was fighting. 406 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:37,635 He said, "We appreciate his contribution as a writer. 407 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:38,836 We know how funny he is. 408 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:41,555 It's the starring role. We won't star him in the picture." 409 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:45,596 It got to the fucking board of Warner Brothers, 410 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:49,591 where he lost on some vote, and that was it. You know. 411 00:22:53,120 --> 00:22:54,961 Scott: He wished that he got the starring role. 412 00:22:55,120 --> 00:22:58,955 That was a disappointment, a major disappointment. 413 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,835 Patricia: Just put him over the edge when they said that. 414 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,880 And he became high, so high and out of control. 415 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:10,760 So he decided to shoot up the house. 416 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:16,194 We had a huge saltwater fish tank, it was like 150 gallons. 417 00:23:16,360 --> 00:23:17,510 I mean it was huge. 418 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:22,800 And, of course, it killed all the fish and buckled the floor 419 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:27,313 and shot the Charlie Parker painting that was hanging above the fireplace. 420 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,597 A huge Charlie Parker painting. 421 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:31,029 He shot him in the heart. 422 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:38,995 Cecil: It's really hard to live in Hollywood. 423 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:41,198 It's so controlled by white men. 424 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:46,432 Very hard to do anything, because they're so greedy and so insecure. 425 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:51,193 Patricia: He decided he was going to fire everyone and start all over. 426 00:23:51,360 --> 00:23:55,354 New lawyers, new agent, new manager. 427 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:59,230 He called Ron and just said it was over. 428 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:03,440 I mean, it was a pretty harsh, cold moment. 429 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:06,636 Ron: "So, what became of the change of heart?" 430 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:09,232 He said, "I don't know, man. Just did." 431 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:13,879 I puzzled over that for many, many years. 432 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:17,358 Richard: I don't like movies when they don't have no niggers in them. 433 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:19,671 (laughter) 434 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:25,870 I went to see Logan's Run, right. 435 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:28,390 They had a movie of the future called Logan's Run, 436 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:30,074 and there ain't no niggers in it. 437 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:33,273 I said, "Well, white folks ain't planning for us to be here." 438 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:38,759 That's why we've got to make movies. 439 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:49,871 Lonette: David was a very powerful black manager, based out of Atlanta. 440 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,555 Very militant. Very pro-black. 441 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:54,560 Very, very smart. 442 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:58,393 A gift for making huge deals and huge money. 443 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,197 And Hollywood loved David. 444 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:07,798 Cecil: David Franklin was a pudgy, brilliant, black man, who stuttered. 445 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:09,920 And Richard loved that. 446 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:15,280 He said, "Because he st-st-utters, he can ge-get sympathy." 447 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:17,592 So, David went on to manage Richard, 448 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,912 be his agent and act as his lawyer. 449 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,550 Lonette: Other than Richard's pure talent, 450 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:28,351 David was absolutely responsible for Richard becoming really big in film. 451 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:32,591 Thom: We did nine or ten pictures together. 452 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:36,111 The first of them, The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings, 453 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:37,953 about the Negro National Leagues. 454 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:40,080 Richard: Like batting averages. 455 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:42,675 See, you take the number of times a man been in bat 456 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:45,833 and you divide that by the number of times a man got a hit. 457 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:50,199 Like me, I've been in bat 100 times. I've got 25 hits. That's simple. 458 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:52,198 Twenty-five goes into 100 four times. 459 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:53,959 It gives me a batting average of four. 460 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:57,318 That's wrong. That ain't no way to do that. 461 00:25:57,480 --> 00:25:59,312 Thom: The second film was Car Wash. 462 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:01,720 I wasn't going to make that movie without Richard. 463 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:07,194 Believe in the Lord and, most of all, believe in that federal green. 464 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:10,035 Lonette: I remember the day 465 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,840 that David came back from a meeting with Richard, 466 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,595 driving a brand-new Rolls-Royce. 467 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,998 He must have been doing something that was making Richard pretty happy 468 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:21,720 for Richard to give him a brand-new Rolls-Royce as a gift. 469 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:25,317 Right at that moment, the notion that he could hold 470 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:29,719 the lead in a picture was a totally unproven notion. 471 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:32,230 Richard: Take this radio. 472 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:35,359 When you step out, you got to step out of here like king shit. 473 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:37,432 Right, you bad. Put that radio to your ear. 474 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:38,875 That's going to help cover your face, all right. 475 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:40,872 - Move with the rhythm of the music. - (music plays through radio) 476 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:42,235 Move your body with the rhythm of the music. 477 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:45,074 That's all you've got to remember. Let me see you try. 478 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:47,197 Step to the music. Step to the music. Yeah. 479 00:26:47,360 --> 00:26:49,511 Step to the music. 480 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:50,750 Stop. 481 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:54,199 How come you whities got such a tight ass, man? Do it. 482 00:26:54,360 --> 00:26:55,794 Can't you feel it? The tempo... 483 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:04,837 Scott: He basically launched a new genre of comedy: 484 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:06,714 Interracial buddy comedy. 485 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,716 This was a new kind of formula for comedy in Hollywood. 486 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,031 He broke the glass ceiling. 487 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:17,150 Lonette: He made earning a certain amount of money for black people 488 00:27:17,360 --> 00:27:19,875 that was not possible at that time, possible. 489 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:22,874 One of the films I did with him, called Which Way Is Up?, 490 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:27,034 I designed the film around his stand-up routine. 491 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,396 Come on, Pop, get your old ass out here. 492 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:31,398 Michael: Richard played himself. 493 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:33,552 He played his father. 494 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:36,070 Fuck you! 495 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:38,880 I heard that. Fuck you too, boy! 496 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,032 And he played a bootleg preacher. 497 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:45,752 What kind of lowlife dog, scoundrel, snake in the grass... 498 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:50,073 Michael: I think it was the first black film that ever did multiple characters. 499 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:53,913 Cecil: Richard would come and say, "Hey, Cecil, come to watch this." 500 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:56,756 I come upstairs and he said, "Look!" 501 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:01,071 I look out the window, and by the swimming pool, 502 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:06,674 would be sitting famous white people, famous producers, 503 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:10,432 dying to be allowed to come up the stairs, 504 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:12,398 up to the place where we were. 505 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:14,233 - Do you ever go home? - Yes, I do. 506 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:16,756 - I'm not allowed in Peoria any more. - I didn't know that. 507 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,794 When you make some money, niggers don't want you in town no more. 508 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:24,796 Paul Schrader: He desired to be the biggest star in entertainment. 509 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:27,635 As big as Cosby, as big as Poitier. 510 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:31,551 He also wanted to be the blackest star. 511 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:34,076 You know. As black as Malcolm X. 512 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:36,632 - Bird head. - Cracker. 513 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:42,673 - Spear chucker. - White trash. 514 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:44,911 - Jungle bunny. - Honky. 515 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,159 Bob: His appearances on Saturday Night Live were 516 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,996 very instrumental in walking the very thin line between 517 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:55,437 what was acceptable on television and his mind. 518 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,117 - Nigger. - Dead honky. 519 00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:02,793 My grandmother would walk by the living room and she'd say, 520 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:04,400 "Are you watching that Negro again?" 521 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:06,870 It was the only black person my grandmother would allow in the house 522 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:08,360 was Richard Pryor. 523 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:12,830 The audiences absolutely loved it. The network loved it. 524 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:15,151 That's why the network went after him 525 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:19,360 and said, "We want you to do a television show." 526 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:25,551 Rocco Urbisci: We had the best time. 527 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:30,476 When you have the support of someone who carries that much weight, 528 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:34,156 it trickles down to everybody to be courageous and crazy. 529 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:36,033 - Mr. President, Mr. President. - Yes. 530 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:38,795 Mr. President, since you've become President, 531 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:41,196 you've been courting an awful lot of white women. 532 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:43,033 Will this continue? 533 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:45,557 (laughter) 534 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:50,311 As long as I can keep it up. 535 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,071 Rocco: I actually hired a court stenographer, 536 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:54,879 - because the ideas were... - (clicking) 537 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:56,720 One day he walked into the conference room, 538 00:29:56,880 --> 00:30:00,191 he jumped on the table and said, "Let Bojaws handle it." 539 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,033 We didn't know who Bojaws was. 540 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:03,670 What do you say? 541 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:04,876 (shouting) 542 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:06,040 Are you crippled? 543 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:09,032 Let Bojaws handle it. 544 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:13,879 Bojaws was this weird medicine man that lived in the Louisiana bayou. 545 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:15,240 Healing people. 546 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:19,719 Mr. Bojaws, I've got a bad arm. I can't move it. 547 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:24,073 He's got a bad arm and he can't move it. 548 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:27,392 - (crowd gasping) - (crunching) 549 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:30,357 Let Bojaws handle it. 550 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:34,036 It was ground-breaking within the rules 551 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:36,954 of how mundane television was at the time. 552 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:38,918 There's a lot of things written about me. 553 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:40,958 People wondering if I'm going to have a show, 554 00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:44,238 if I'm not going to have a show. Well, I'm having a show. 555 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:48,600 People say, "How can you have a show? You've got to compromise. 556 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:51,434 You've got to give up everything." 557 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:53,114 Is that a joke or what? 558 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:56,439 Well, look at me! I'm standing here naked. 559 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:02,151 I've given up absolutely nothing. 560 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:05,679 (laughing and cheering) 561 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:09,680 So, enjoy the show. 562 00:31:11,016 --> 00:31:13,136 Robin Williams: It was pretty crazy. It was wonderful. 563 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:16,790 He was always pushing the envelope. That's when I went, wow! 564 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:20,438 That was the best thing, the start of the season. It was like, wow! 565 00:31:20,695 --> 00:31:22,496 Lily Tomlin: He was always between two worlds. 566 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:26,639 He was between that acceptable, sort of mainstream white world, 567 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:31,113 and, of course, a much stronger, harder, knowing street place. 568 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:35,355 But the networks were so leery of him, so scared of him. 569 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:38,437 Rocco: The show was supposed to air that night. 570 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:41,320 NBC censored the opening. 571 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:43,671 I called Richard at home and said, 572 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:46,349 "You know we're going to edit out the naked opening." 573 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:49,638 It caused a shit storm. He quit. 574 00:31:53,695 --> 00:31:55,496 Robin: The first thing is you start off going, 575 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:57,477 "This is my attempt to make a statement. 576 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:00,514 If they don't air that, that really sets the rules. OK. 577 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:03,080 You're not going to let me do what I'm going to do." 578 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:10,553 John Moffitt: Richard came back and, after pleasantries, Richard said, 579 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,509 "Television chews you up and spits you out, and I don't want that 580 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:18,310 to happen to me, so I've decided not to do the series." 581 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:23,914 He went to NBC and, of course, they said Richard had to do the show. 582 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:25,878 They weren't going to let him off the hook. 583 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:28,839 From the looks of things, I'll be seeing you next time. 584 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:32,994 NBC made sure of that. I'm not going anywhere. 585 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:38,671 They kept saying, you've got to be more mainstream. 586 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:40,832 He was going: "No, fuck you. No, we can't." 587 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:42,719 If it wasn't real, fuck it. 588 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:45,600 You know what I mean? He wasn't compromising. 589 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:49,073 Rocco is the token white person on the show. 590 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:50,720 John: He wanted a lot of changes made. 591 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:53,714 He wanted more black people involved in the production staff. 592 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,351 He only wanted three "whities" to come back. 593 00:32:57,520 --> 00:32:59,557 Rocco: We're in a rehearsal hall one day, 594 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:01,359 and a guy walks in 595 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:06,037 with an African cap, a dashiki and a stick. 596 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:09,436 I said, "Richard, who is that guy?" 597 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:11,758 He said, "His name is Prophet Jennings. 598 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:13,036 He's a nigger expert." 599 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:16,080 John: He was the one to judge whether Richard was black enough. 600 00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:20,553 Richard looked at him, and he'd either go like this or like that. 601 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:24,555 I love American people. I want to say, I had two for lunch. 602 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:26,951 (laughing) 603 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:30,194 In the end, they demanded that he do stand-up, 604 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:32,960 which didn't sit well with him, anybody making demands on him. 605 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:35,555 So they recorded 45 minutes of him doing stand-up. 606 00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:37,279 They had ten seconds they could use. 607 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:39,432 A lot of people here might be offended. 608 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:42,593 So you should leave, because I'm going to say fuck and suck. 609 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:46,274 And shit and doo-doo. 610 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:50,316 It's amazing that he got things on that he got on, 611 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:53,393 but it's only because 90 percent of what he wanted to get on 612 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:56,439 he didn't get on, that ten percent of it actually got through them, 613 00:33:56,600 --> 00:33:59,752 because they couldn't fight with him that much. 614 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:01,240 Those bells again! 615 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:04,111 That was it. He went out swinging. 616 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:10,116 Well, good night. See you next week. 617 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:14,398 (laughter) 618 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:23,952 And we're delighted to have with us two of the very best friends I have 619 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:27,836 who dropped by: Miss Pam Grier and Mr. Richard Pryor. 620 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:30,032 (applause) 621 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:35,552 Rocco: Richard was dating Pam Grier. 622 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:38,597 You know, she was crazy about that guy. 623 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,872 We bumped into each other on the set of Greased Lightning, in which 624 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:46,193 we were both starring in, which will be released sometime in April. 625 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:49,114 - You say you bumped into each other. - Yes, we bumped. 626 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:51,272 That must have been quite a collision. 627 00:34:53,496 --> 00:34:55,576 Jennifer Lee Pryor: I know that Richard's grandmother 628 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:57,671 wanted Richard to marry Pam. 629 00:34:57,840 --> 00:34:59,991 She thought she was certainly an accomplished actress. 630 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:02,795 She was black and she was a healthy girl. 631 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:04,189 She wasn't a party girl. 632 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,511 I'll be jogging in the morning, police. 633 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:09,514 Me and Rashon, two black men, will be jogging. 634 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:11,512 We're not robbing anything. 635 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:14,352 John: Richard was completely sober. 636 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:17,394 He played tennis every morning at seven o'clock. 637 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:19,916 It was a Richard that I had not seen. 638 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:22,752 Rocco: Richard came into my office and said, 639 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:25,674 "I'm getting married tomorrow. I'll be late." 640 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:30,879 I said, "Wow! Congratulations! That's fucking great." 641 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:41,078 I had a cake this big. 642 00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:44,719 "Congratulations, Richard and Pam." 643 00:35:50,240 --> 00:35:52,516 My phone rings and Pam says: 644 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,320 "You tell the son of a bitch I'm coming down I'm gonna kill him." 645 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:01,078 Richard Pryor had married a girl... 646 00:36:02,240 --> 00:36:05,039 ...that he got pregnant. And he walks in. 647 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:07,033 I start moving the cake out. 648 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:09,920 He looks at the cake and realizes that it's Pam on there 649 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:11,720 and there's Richard with this other woman. 650 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:14,594 There was a prop cart, and it had plastic flowers on. 651 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:17,431 I shoved it in the middle of the cake, 652 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:20,592 to blur out "Pam and Richard". 653 00:36:22,215 --> 00:36:23,776 Jennifer: A lot of people were surprised 654 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:24,960 that Richard married Deborah, 655 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:27,760 because it did come out of, sort of come out of nowhere. 656 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:30,669 There were many women in Richard's life. 657 00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:33,397 I recognized and he told me this, 658 00:36:33,720 --> 00:36:35,393 that they wouldn't be around that long. 659 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:38,000 Richard: This is about the... time I'd been married, 660 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:42,433 and it was really exciting because I really am trying, 661 00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:44,910 I really am trying. 662 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:48,795 I'm telling you I'm fucking trying, OK? 663 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:54,637 But it's hard to wake up and see the same person all the fucking time. 664 00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:57,956 David: Richard had-- I done forgotten now. 665 00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:00,954 Eight, nine, 12 wives. I don't know. 666 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:06,593 But I know that all of them was what they was to him when they was. 667 00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:09,954 Was once was. 668 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:12,757 Paul: Richard had a pimp's mentality. 669 00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:16,152 He pretends like he's controllable. He's like a spider. 670 00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:19,154 That's to lure you in till you get caught in the web. 671 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:22,358 Richard had a compulsion to be married, 672 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:24,039 because he didn't want to be alone. 673 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:27,836 But once he would marry, the magic would be off. 674 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:31,113 It would be gone because he won. 675 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:34,154 If he wanted you, you had that power. 676 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:38,950 And usually that would just about last until he got you. 677 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:41,396 And then it would be time to go after another woman. 678 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:42,994 And that was the game with Richard. 679 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:44,560 Then the whole fun of the game was, 680 00:37:44,720 --> 00:37:46,439 "How do I get this bitch out of my house?" 681 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:51,870 Skip: I was the best man at a wedding with Jennifer in Hana, Maui. 682 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:55,391 And the next morning after the wedding, I was in my room, 683 00:37:55,560 --> 00:37:58,553 and about seven in the morning, there is a knock on the door. 684 00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:01,350 I go and open the door, and there's Richard Pryor. 685 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:05,993 I said, "Richard, what are you doing here at seven in the morning?" 686 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:09,115 And he says, "I want a divorce." 687 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:12,239 No, I'd like to die like my father died. 688 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:14,358 Right, my father died fucking. 689 00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:20,356 He did. My father was 57 when he died, right. The woman was 18. 690 00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:24,958 My father came and went at the same time. 691 00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:27,112 (laughter) 692 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:31,040 Would you like to introduce our next guest? 693 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:32,759 - Yes, who? - Your grandmother. 694 00:38:32,920 --> 00:38:34,195 Oh, man, don't do that. 695 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:36,358 (applause) 696 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:41,553 (cheering) 697 00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:45,879 - I'm told that you run a pool hall. - Yes, I do. 698 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:48,111 Did Richard spend much time in the pool hall? 699 00:38:48,280 --> 00:38:50,920 Yes, he used to come down there and shoot pool after school. 700 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:53,590 They used to cuss in the pool room before she took over. 701 00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:56,036 Now the language is, "Why you..." 702 00:38:57,040 --> 00:38:58,440 I keep them in their place. 703 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:01,115 See, I'm an old lady and I stay in old ladies' place 704 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:03,112 and I respect them young men, 705 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:05,078 and they must respect me, isn't that right? 706 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:06,280 That's exactly right. 707 00:39:06,440 --> 00:39:07,635 (applause) 708 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:11,952 Rashon Khan: I remember meeting Marie Carter. 709 00:39:12,240 --> 00:39:14,960 She's a grandmother that you see in books. 710 00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:19,395 She had the long white hair and she was dressed very smart. 711 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:25,952 I bow to her. And this old bitch hit me in my chest so hard. 712 00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:27,315 Boom! 713 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:32,796 And I felt the breath leave out and before I let her hit me again, 714 00:39:32,960 --> 00:39:34,679 I rushed and started choking her. 715 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:36,911 And she started laughing at me. 716 00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:39,993 She'd laugh like it was the funniest shit she had seen. 717 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:43,637 And Richard stood to the left and he said, "That's my grandmother, man." 718 00:39:47,680 --> 00:39:51,435 Richard: I was born Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Ill. 719 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:55,754 I got names from pimps and gangsters. 720 00:39:55,920 --> 00:40:01,632 Grew up seeing my mother go into rooms with men 721 00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:03,996 and my aunties go into rooms with men. 722 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:06,152 I remember tricks used to come through our neighborhood. 723 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:07,834 That's where I first met white people. 724 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:10,640 They come down through our neighborhood to help the economy. 725 00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:13,360 Man, but I met nice white men. 726 00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:14,874 (imitating) "Hello, little boy, is your mother home? 727 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:16,156 I'd like a blowjob." 728 00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:21,789 When he told us about it, we laughed. "Get the fuck out of here." 729 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:26,398 "Your mother sucked dick?" We didn't really grasp it. 730 00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:30,110 And when you realize it really happened. It wasn't jokes. 731 00:40:30,720 --> 00:40:34,680 It makes us, if you didn't have that experience go, "What is that like?" 732 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:36,559 And how do you maintain love? 733 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:39,312 His uncle and his daddy were pimps. 734 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:45,032 I'm talking about not no play pimps, real pimps. 735 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:48,193 Them guys would pimp a Barbie doll. 736 00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:50,352 "Bitch, go out and get the money." 737 00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:54,151 Scott: The grandmother was the madam in chief of the whole operation. 738 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:57,912 Basically, keep the girls in line. Keep the Johns in line. 739 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:00,877 Rashon: That's when I realized who she was. 740 00:41:01,040 --> 00:41:04,511 In terms of this is the whole house, she runs everything. 741 00:41:05,015 --> 00:41:06,856 You know, she lived in the south side in Peoria 742 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:09,156 and she could sleep with the door unlocked. 743 00:41:09,600 --> 00:41:13,071 People knew you're not coming up in this house. 744 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:15,397 You know if you do come up in the house, 745 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:17,233 you know what's going to happen. 746 00:41:18,120 --> 00:41:22,034 Jennifer: The grandmother was the matriarch of the family, 747 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:25,113 upon whom everybody else's survival depended. 748 00:41:25,280 --> 00:41:29,035 She was Richard's nurturer, 749 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:31,396 the punisher, the disciplinarian. 750 00:41:31,560 --> 00:41:32,960 Everything rolled into one. 751 00:41:33,120 --> 00:41:35,077 My grandmother would wake my ass up, you know. 752 00:41:35,240 --> 00:41:38,312 (imitating grandmother) "Get your ass, put your hand-- 753 00:41:38,480 --> 00:41:40,119 "Get your ass, put your hand-- Don't you run from me." 754 00:41:40,360 --> 00:41:42,920 "Don't you run... from... me." 755 00:41:44,080 --> 00:41:47,437 You were 15 years old when your first child was born? 756 00:41:47,600 --> 00:41:49,557 Yeah. Yeah. 757 00:41:52,080 --> 00:41:53,799 - How could you...? - It was fun. 758 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:55,280 And then after she was born? 759 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:57,750 I didn't know my father was making love to her too. 760 00:41:57,920 --> 00:42:00,594 And I was standing in the dining room, and I was crying. 761 00:42:00,760 --> 00:42:02,956 My mother said, "What's wrong with the boy, Bucky?" 762 00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:04,480 My father said, "Ain't nothing wrong with him. 763 00:42:04,640 --> 00:42:06,233 "He got some girl pregnant." 764 00:42:08,240 --> 00:42:11,836 Michael: I think, when you grow up around a bordello, 765 00:42:12,000 --> 00:42:16,791 you see people at their very core, in a way. 766 00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:21,477 There's no facade, there's no masks on. 767 00:42:23,120 --> 00:42:26,636 Richard: I don't know what it was that made me that way, 768 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:29,792 that could laugh at anything. 769 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:36,677 Nothing was too sad, some humor could not be found in it. 770 00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:43,153 Michael: His sensitivity made him so brilliant as a comedian. 771 00:42:43,320 --> 00:42:48,793 But some things were so painful that he wanted to be somewhere else. 772 00:42:49,120 --> 00:42:54,036 I think if you are a sensitive type that it... 773 00:42:55,200 --> 00:42:56,793 That you self-medicate. 774 00:42:57,280 --> 00:42:59,033 It's easier to self-medicate. 775 00:43:02,480 --> 00:43:04,711 Richard: I snorted cocaine for about 15 years. 776 00:43:05,280 --> 00:43:06,953 I must have snorted up Peru. 777 00:43:09,800 --> 00:43:13,157 He'd do a line and drink some Courvoisier. That's lunch. 778 00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:16,159 I'm going to have some lunch, get high. Go back to work. 779 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:20,195 Watching Dad doing drugs, you know, snorting some lines or smoking... 780 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:23,194 those were things that you didn't really question. 781 00:43:23,640 --> 00:43:27,680 Richard: Listen, I was doing so much, I embarrassed cocaine dealers. 782 00:43:28,640 --> 00:43:31,235 They would say, "Richard, man, God damn." 783 00:43:33,200 --> 00:43:35,351 "Well, how much do you want?" "Kilo... 784 00:43:37,520 --> 00:43:39,000 Just for the weekend." 785 00:43:40,720 --> 00:43:43,918 Patricia: A lot of people came to the house to play cards, hang out. 786 00:43:44,080 --> 00:43:47,391 For the drugs, of course, because he bought coke by the key. 787 00:43:47,600 --> 00:43:51,833 Low-lifes, drug dealers, card people, hookers. 788 00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:53,719 I don't like cocaine, I love it. 789 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:55,553 That's why I have to stay away from it. 790 00:43:55,920 --> 00:43:57,559 I enjoyed it for a long time. 791 00:43:57,720 --> 00:43:59,518 Maybe you want to change your whole life 792 00:43:59,680 --> 00:44:02,400 and you swear tomorrow I'll never do this again. 793 00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:03,755 Stan Shaw: Success doesn't change you. 794 00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:06,754 It only magnifies who you've been all your life. 795 00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:10,231 And success magnified the kid from Peoria with Richard. 796 00:44:10,400 --> 00:44:14,713 But now he had endless money, endless fame. 797 00:44:14,920 --> 00:44:18,516 Thom: When he would betray himself, which he did with some frequency, 798 00:44:18,680 --> 00:44:23,038 he thought that that betrayal belonged to everyone else. 799 00:44:23,200 --> 00:44:25,078 If he was in a particularly good mood 800 00:44:25,240 --> 00:44:27,391 and he was being nice to everybody, he could charm 801 00:44:27,600 --> 00:44:31,116 anyone on the set and then he would go home that night and stew 802 00:44:31,280 --> 00:44:35,433 and say, "What kind of Tom am I? I'm everybody's black pal." 803 00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:38,036 And the next day, he would be mean. 804 00:44:38,200 --> 00:44:42,592 David: Richard was about 13 different personalities. 805 00:44:42,760 --> 00:44:45,753 Nine of them you could deal with. 806 00:44:45,920 --> 00:44:48,913 But the other four could be a motherfucker now. 807 00:44:49,120 --> 00:44:52,591 Richard was very intense... 808 00:44:53,960 --> 00:44:58,113 about his personal pride. And he didn't care where it took him. 809 00:44:59,240 --> 00:45:01,960 Michael: There was a huge benefit 810 00:45:02,120 --> 00:45:05,909 for gay pride at the Hollywood Bowl. 811 00:45:06,640 --> 00:45:10,998 A lot of performers were at the Hollywood Bowl 812 00:45:11,160 --> 00:45:12,640 to lend their support, 813 00:45:12,920 --> 00:45:14,115 Richard being one of them. 814 00:45:14,640 --> 00:45:18,634 David: Richie came on, and the audience was waiting for him. 815 00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:19,950 Great applause, and he said, 816 00:45:20,120 --> 00:45:23,670 "You know, I've sucked some cock myself." 817 00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:26,071 That was the first thing that he said. 818 00:45:26,280 --> 00:45:30,354 I thought, "Uh-oh. Here we go." But the audience, of course, cheered. 819 00:45:30,520 --> 00:45:34,116 And then he went on to just really go a little nuts. 820 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:36,160 (Richard speaking) 821 00:45:52,160 --> 00:45:54,197 They wanted to shock, because it was the truth. 822 00:45:54,360 --> 00:45:57,319 And the truth defends itself. And it was quiet. 823 00:45:57,680 --> 00:46:00,673 It was quiet. You could hear a rat pissing on cotton in Georgia. 824 00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:02,354 I mean, it was real quiet. 825 00:46:02,840 --> 00:46:04,797 (Richard speaking) 826 00:46:15,640 --> 00:46:19,429 Michael: "You all can just kiss my rich, black ass." 827 00:46:19,800 --> 00:46:23,999 And walked off. So... 828 00:46:24,160 --> 00:46:26,595 Center stage. Hello, everybody. 829 00:46:26,880 --> 00:46:27,880 I'm terribly embarrassed 830 00:46:28,040 --> 00:46:30,760 and I don't know what to say about what just happened. 831 00:46:30,920 --> 00:46:32,832 But I do think... 832 00:46:33,000 --> 00:46:34,070 (audience chattering) 833 00:46:34,240 --> 00:46:36,880 May I please finish talking? 834 00:46:37,040 --> 00:46:38,190 David: They stood up. 835 00:46:38,360 --> 00:46:42,400 Booing, hissing, throwing some chairs. 836 00:46:42,560 --> 00:46:46,873 It was the scariest event that I've ever been at. 837 00:46:47,880 --> 00:46:49,997 Everyone in show business was there. 838 00:46:50,200 --> 00:46:52,669 I thought, "We're never going to hear from him again." 839 00:46:56,080 --> 00:46:57,594 I got a call from David Franklin, 840 00:46:57,760 --> 00:47:01,231 and he said, "Ce-Ce-Cecil," 'cause he stuttered. 841 00:47:01,440 --> 00:47:04,911 He said, "R-Richard fucked up I-last night." 842 00:47:05,600 --> 00:47:08,399 So I drove over to Richard's house, and nobody was in the house. 843 00:47:08,560 --> 00:47:11,029 I went out, and he was sitting by a swimming pool. 844 00:47:11,200 --> 00:47:13,874 He was smoking a cigarette, and he had a scotch 845 00:47:14,040 --> 00:47:16,396 and an orange juice and vodka was his drink. 846 00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:20,230 And I said, "Man, what happened?" He said, "Man, fuck it, man." 847 00:47:20,440 --> 00:47:23,911 He said, "I just told them to kiss my ass." "Man, but why?" 848 00:47:24,080 --> 00:47:26,436 He said, "If that's the way they want me, 849 00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:28,910 I don't have a career any damn way." 850 00:47:31,640 --> 00:47:34,917 David: It wasn't Hollywood that beat him in any way. 851 00:47:35,120 --> 00:47:38,716 He defeated himself with what his bad habits were. 852 00:47:41,936 --> 00:47:43,096 Reporter: Pryor went to court 853 00:47:43,120 --> 00:47:45,316 because of an incident at home on New Year's Day. 854 00:47:45,600 --> 00:47:49,071 He's been charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon 855 00:47:49,240 --> 00:47:52,233 and one count of felony malicious mischief. 856 00:47:52,400 --> 00:47:56,110 I don't want to never see no more police in my life. 857 00:47:56,280 --> 00:47:57,430 (laughter) 858 00:47:57,640 --> 00:47:58,960 At my house. 859 00:48:00,240 --> 00:48:02,118 Taking my ass to jail. 860 00:48:04,440 --> 00:48:05,635 For killing my car. 861 00:48:07,320 --> 00:48:09,960 I shot the motor. The motor fell out of the motherfucker. 862 00:48:10,120 --> 00:48:11,679 The motor say, "Fuck it." 863 00:48:13,440 --> 00:48:14,954 Then the police came. 864 00:48:15,200 --> 00:48:17,317 I went into the house. 865 00:48:17,760 --> 00:48:19,513 'Cause they got Magnums too. 866 00:48:21,320 --> 00:48:25,519 And they don't kill cars... they kill nigg-ah. 867 00:48:25,840 --> 00:48:27,160 (cheering and applause) 868 00:48:27,360 --> 00:48:29,317 Walter: You know, Richard Pryor was always in the news. 869 00:48:29,480 --> 00:48:31,597 Richard Pryor shoots his car. 870 00:48:31,880 --> 00:48:34,349 Richard Pryor has a heart attack. 871 00:48:34,680 --> 00:48:37,434 He ran into these tragedies one after another. 872 00:48:37,640 --> 00:48:40,314 But you also knew that three months would go by 873 00:48:40,520 --> 00:48:42,830 or six months or a year would go by, and then 874 00:48:43,000 --> 00:48:45,674 he was going to bring this experience back to you. 875 00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:49,038 Anyone here ever had a heart attack? Them motherfuckers hurt. 876 00:48:50,040 --> 00:48:53,192 I'm not bullshitting, man. I was walking in the front yard. 877 00:48:53,360 --> 00:48:56,478 I was just walking along, and something said, "Don't breathe." 878 00:48:58,680 --> 00:49:00,512 I said, "Huh?" "You heard me, motherfucker." 879 00:49:00,680 --> 00:49:02,353 I said, 'Don't breathe.' " 880 00:49:02,520 --> 00:49:05,718 "OK, I won't breathe." "Then shut the fuck up, then." 881 00:49:05,920 --> 00:49:07,354 "OK. 882 00:49:07,520 --> 00:49:09,034 "Don't kill me." 883 00:49:09,200 --> 00:49:12,318 "Get on one knee and prove it." "I'm on one knee." 884 00:49:12,480 --> 00:49:14,392 "Thinking about dying now, ain't you?" 885 00:49:14,560 --> 00:49:16,517 "Yeah, I'm thinking about dying." 886 00:49:16,720 --> 00:49:19,758 "You didn't think about it when you was eating all that pork." 887 00:49:19,920 --> 00:49:21,320 (laughter) 888 00:49:39,280 --> 00:49:42,876 Rashon: We was on the road and seen Marie Carter 889 00:49:43,080 --> 00:49:45,231 every day while she was dying. 890 00:49:45,400 --> 00:49:48,074 We'd do the shows, go check on his grandmother. 891 00:49:48,680 --> 00:49:51,070 She said, "You watch out for my boy." 892 00:49:51,240 --> 00:49:53,118 Jennifer: She was dying, and basically, 893 00:49:53,280 --> 00:49:54,760 they said, "You have to get here now." 894 00:49:54,880 --> 00:49:56,439 So we rushed there. 895 00:49:56,600 --> 00:49:58,557 We went into her hospital room. 896 00:49:58,760 --> 00:50:02,390 I remember she touched his camel-hair coat. 897 00:50:02,600 --> 00:50:05,035 And said, "That's blue azure. 898 00:50:05,920 --> 00:50:07,559 Is it warm enough?" 899 00:50:08,400 --> 00:50:11,074 And he said, "Yes, Mom, it's warm enough." 900 00:50:12,240 --> 00:50:16,757 We went back to the hotel, and she died a few hours later. 901 00:50:35,840 --> 00:50:38,799 Richard: My grandmother Marie used to say: 902 00:50:39,280 --> 00:50:41,431 "They can kill you, but they can't eat you." 903 00:50:43,440 --> 00:50:44,794 I love you, Grandmother. 904 00:50:45,000 --> 00:50:46,275 Wherever you are. 905 00:50:47,640 --> 00:50:52,112 Jennifer: She was his conduit to reality, to the world. 906 00:50:52,760 --> 00:50:56,993 To everything that tethered him to Earth. 907 00:50:57,160 --> 00:51:01,120 And I really think that that's when he started to come apart. 908 00:51:05,920 --> 00:51:09,038 Rashon: Dr. Al Canning came and told Richard, he said, 909 00:51:09,200 --> 00:51:10,998 "When you finish going through this... 910 00:51:12,520 --> 00:51:15,479 ...go to Africa. You need to find out something about yourself." 911 00:51:33,840 --> 00:51:35,433 Richard: I went home to the motherland. 912 00:51:35,600 --> 00:51:37,398 I was going to find my roots. 913 00:51:37,640 --> 00:51:39,996 700 million black people. 914 00:51:40,280 --> 00:51:42,272 Not one of them motherfuckers knew me. 915 00:51:42,440 --> 00:51:43,590 (laughter) 916 00:51:43,720 --> 00:51:46,394 I looked in every phone book in Africa. 917 00:51:46,960 --> 00:51:49,475 I didn't find one goddamn Pryor. 918 00:51:50,320 --> 00:51:51,959 Jennifer: What he saw was black people 919 00:51:52,120 --> 00:51:53,190 who were walking around. 920 00:51:53,360 --> 00:51:57,354 Everybody was professional, everybody had their own lives and purpose. 921 00:51:57,520 --> 00:52:00,194 And he felt really at home on that land. 922 00:52:01,200 --> 00:52:04,193 Richard: I was sitting in the hotel, and a voice said to me, he said, 923 00:52:04,360 --> 00:52:08,036 "Look around," he said, "Do you see any niggers?" 924 00:52:09,200 --> 00:52:13,080 I said, "No." "You know why? 'Cause there aren't any." 925 00:52:13,760 --> 00:52:16,832 And it made me think, "Oh, my God. I've been wrong." 926 00:52:17,000 --> 00:52:21,074 I said, "I ain't going to never call another black man 'nigger'." 927 00:52:21,400 --> 00:52:23,710 (applause) 928 00:52:24,680 --> 00:52:27,275 He really had this epiphany that 929 00:52:27,440 --> 00:52:29,477 he was never going to use the word again. 930 00:52:30,720 --> 00:52:35,078 Walter: When he came back, he said, "I'm not going to use that no more." 931 00:52:35,240 --> 00:52:37,357 And he stuck with it. 932 00:52:37,520 --> 00:52:41,230 When he went to Africa, the word had no meaning. 933 00:52:42,800 --> 00:52:46,430 But on the streets of Detroit, it might be something else. 934 00:52:46,800 --> 00:52:49,440 He'd tell the same joke, just take "nigger" out. 935 00:52:49,640 --> 00:52:51,597 "Oh, he's not funny no more." 936 00:52:52,240 --> 00:52:55,278 So, the punch line was "nigger" for you all? 937 00:52:56,240 --> 00:52:59,199 And that bothered him that some people just wouldn't elevate. 938 00:53:00,600 --> 00:53:03,069 Jennifer: He was at such a point of a growth spurt. 939 00:53:04,440 --> 00:53:06,113 And he didn't want the job. 940 00:53:06,920 --> 00:53:11,199 You know: "I'm a fucking artist. I do what I do. Leave me the fuck alone." 941 00:53:11,600 --> 00:53:14,593 And shortly thereafter freebase was introduced. 942 00:53:18,000 --> 00:53:20,390 Kathy: At the time, everybody was doing cocaine. 943 00:53:20,800 --> 00:53:22,280 We were snorting cocaine. 944 00:53:23,080 --> 00:53:27,757 A lot changed when everybody switched from snorting cocaine 945 00:53:27,920 --> 00:53:29,639 to freebasing cocaine. 946 00:53:30,640 --> 00:53:34,634 Somehow, everybody knew that this was a really bad thing, 947 00:53:34,800 --> 00:53:36,519 that turned dark. 948 00:53:36,960 --> 00:53:38,679 Jennifer: And he found freebase. 949 00:53:39,000 --> 00:53:43,950 And after two weeks of watching him really get addicted to this stuff, 950 00:53:44,120 --> 00:53:46,589 I moved out, because it was clear 951 00:53:46,760 --> 00:53:51,437 the drug had moved in and it had become his lover, his everything. 952 00:53:52,200 --> 00:53:56,319 And I didn't exist anymore. 953 00:53:56,640 --> 00:54:00,759 Patricia: Richard wasn't an addict. He was a flat-out, full-blown junkie. 954 00:54:00,960 --> 00:54:05,000 I mean, he might be clean for four days but be drinking booze. 955 00:54:05,480 --> 00:54:09,440 Be clean for a week but just snorting a little coke. 956 00:54:09,840 --> 00:54:12,560 So he was not honest with himself. 957 00:54:15,520 --> 00:54:17,989 Patricia: June 9th, 1980. 958 00:54:18,560 --> 00:54:22,839 Richard had walked off the set of Stir Crazy a few days earlier. 959 00:54:23,840 --> 00:54:25,797 The freebase had been escalating. 960 00:54:26,680 --> 00:54:28,353 He was not able to stop. 961 00:54:28,840 --> 00:54:32,197 Richard was so coked out that he began 962 00:54:32,360 --> 00:54:35,512 withdrawing large sums of money out of the bank. 963 00:54:35,680 --> 00:54:41,039 And I'm talking like $500,000, $100,000, another $250,000. 964 00:54:41,320 --> 00:54:43,039 He was hiding it at his house. 965 00:54:44,040 --> 00:54:45,520 Kathy: Rashon had called. 966 00:54:45,680 --> 00:54:48,718 He was calling and recruiting several people that he felt were close 967 00:54:48,880 --> 00:54:51,031 enough to Richard to come to the house. 968 00:54:51,320 --> 00:54:55,075 To rescue Richard, to try to get Richard to stop. 969 00:54:55,360 --> 00:54:58,000 Richard was in a very scary place. 970 00:54:58,160 --> 00:55:00,834 Richard didn't just have a couple of ounces of cocaine. 971 00:55:01,000 --> 00:55:05,438 I'm talking about a mound of cocaine on his bed. 972 00:55:05,600 --> 00:55:06,875 On the bed. 973 00:55:07,040 --> 00:55:11,671 And he had the pipe and the torch, and he wasn't going to put it down. 974 00:55:11,840 --> 00:55:15,516 You could see that he was absolutely manic. 975 00:55:15,920 --> 00:55:18,754 When I saw him, I didn't know him anymore. 976 00:55:18,960 --> 00:55:23,193 He looked like something had been taken from him. 977 00:55:23,920 --> 00:55:27,596 You know, some spirit had been ripped out of him. 978 00:55:30,040 --> 00:55:32,157 Rashon: He was high. 979 00:55:32,800 --> 00:55:35,918 We were watching the Vietnam special. 980 00:55:36,240 --> 00:55:41,440 Where they were showing the monks' protest to the war. 981 00:55:41,600 --> 00:55:43,910 And this particular monk took gasoline 982 00:55:44,080 --> 00:55:46,311 and poured it on himself and he lit it. 983 00:55:46,480 --> 00:55:49,791 I said to Richard, "Look at this man's commitment." 984 00:55:49,960 --> 00:55:52,555 And Richard looked at me and said, 985 00:55:53,320 --> 00:55:56,279 "Fuck his commitment, he didn't even flinch." 986 00:55:57,480 --> 00:56:00,598 He laughed. And I went up to go to the kitchen. 987 00:56:01,440 --> 00:56:06,560 On my way back to the room, a ball of fire is running towards me. 988 00:56:07,600 --> 00:56:09,432 And I just jumped out of the way. 989 00:56:09,600 --> 00:56:12,434 I see it run past me, and I got up against the wall, 990 00:56:12,600 --> 00:56:14,159 and it run down this long hallway 991 00:56:14,320 --> 00:56:16,994 and then outside, and then I see it outside, running. 992 00:56:17,160 --> 00:56:18,640 Ball of fire. 993 00:56:23,080 --> 00:56:28,155 In Richard's room before I leave, there was a fifth of 151 rum. 994 00:56:28,800 --> 00:56:30,792 Three fourths of the bottle was gone. 995 00:56:32,280 --> 00:56:34,670 Thom: I got a call saying that Richard was 996 00:56:34,840 --> 00:56:37,912 in an ambulance on the way to the Grossman Burn Center. 997 00:56:38,920 --> 00:56:44,040 I called Dr. Grossman, who I knew. I said, "This guy is my friend. 998 00:56:44,800 --> 00:56:46,314 Make sure he lives." 999 00:56:56,280 --> 00:57:00,638 Richard: This is my impression of a heart talking to a brain. 1000 00:57:01,520 --> 00:57:05,150 (heart beating) 1001 00:57:06,000 --> 00:57:07,673 (as heart) Brain. 1002 00:57:08,200 --> 00:57:09,919 (laughter) 1003 00:57:10,640 --> 00:57:12,393 Brain. 1004 00:57:15,560 --> 00:57:17,153 (as brain) What do you want? 1005 00:57:19,640 --> 00:57:21,836 - (heart beating) - (as heart) You've been naughty. 1006 00:57:22,080 --> 00:57:23,434 (laughter) 1007 00:57:23,680 --> 00:57:24,909 (brain) Go to hell. 1008 00:57:27,640 --> 00:57:30,519 (as heart) Don't make me angry, brain. 1009 00:57:33,160 --> 00:57:34,514 (as brain) Drop dead. 1010 00:57:37,760 --> 00:57:40,355 (laughter) 1011 00:57:55,880 --> 00:57:58,440 The police had just brought in a burn victim 1012 00:57:58,600 --> 00:58:00,432 who had been running down the street. 1013 00:58:00,880 --> 00:58:02,439 And he was awake. 1014 00:58:02,920 --> 00:58:08,712 He had burns of his face, neck, chest, abdomen, back and arms. 1015 00:58:08,920 --> 00:58:11,276 That was like 35-40 percent of his body burnt. 1016 00:58:11,960 --> 00:58:16,034 Thom: Dr. Grossman told me that based on the severe extent of those burns, 1017 00:58:16,200 --> 00:58:18,510 there was almost no chance he would live. 1018 00:58:19,920 --> 00:58:24,437 Patricia: I flew back to Los Angeles and went the Sherman Oaks Burn Center 1019 00:58:24,640 --> 00:58:29,112 where everyone else was having a vigil about Richard. 1020 00:58:29,280 --> 00:58:30,760 Kathy: The word kept coming out. 1021 00:58:30,920 --> 00:58:32,957 Everybody kept saying that Richard had died. 1022 00:58:33,120 --> 00:58:36,272 David: When he got burned, all of them showed up at the hospital. 1023 00:58:36,480 --> 00:58:39,040 And I had to turn to a security guard. 1024 00:58:39,600 --> 00:58:42,434 I said, "Them bitches was about to kill people 1025 00:58:42,600 --> 00:58:45,115 if you couldn't let them go to the burn center." 1026 00:58:48,080 --> 00:58:49,434 Jennifer: I told the doctors, 1027 00:58:49,600 --> 00:58:53,992 "He's on Courvoisier, he's on vodka, he's on cocaine." 1028 00:58:54,160 --> 00:58:58,279 'Cause I knew, you give him morphine, you could overdose him. 1029 00:58:58,440 --> 00:59:00,238 (monitor bleeping) 1030 00:59:01,280 --> 00:59:03,112 Thom: On my desk at the studio, 1031 00:59:03,280 --> 00:59:05,954 I had a phone that Mr. Wasserman, the chairman of the company, 1032 00:59:06,120 --> 00:59:08,589 used to call me on, and nobody else used that phone. 1033 00:59:08,760 --> 00:59:10,956 - (soft beeping) - It rang at ten o'clock one morning. 1034 00:59:11,920 --> 00:59:15,596 And I said, "Hello," and I heard a voice say... 1035 00:59:16,480 --> 00:59:18,472 (in a hoarse whispering voice) Thom. 1036 00:59:19,320 --> 00:59:20,754 And I said, "Who's this?" 1037 00:59:20,920 --> 00:59:22,798 (in a hoarse whispering voice) Thom. 1038 00:59:23,520 --> 00:59:25,273 And I realized it's Richard. 1039 00:59:26,360 --> 00:59:27,589 And he said... 1040 00:59:28,640 --> 00:59:30,677 "Am I going to die?" 1041 00:59:31,720 --> 00:59:33,951 And I said, "No, Richard, you're not going to die." 1042 00:59:34,120 --> 00:59:35,440 And then he hung up. 1043 00:59:35,600 --> 00:59:37,114 And I called Dr. Grossman and said, 1044 00:59:37,280 --> 00:59:41,115 "There's a fucking phone in Richard's room next to his bed." 1045 00:59:41,720 --> 00:59:42,720 And he said, "What?" 1046 00:59:42,880 --> 00:59:46,112 Comedian Richard Pryor, critically burned Monday night, 1047 00:59:46,280 --> 00:59:48,636 was sitting up in his hospital bed today 1048 00:59:48,800 --> 00:59:50,996 and eating Cream of Wheat and talking to his doctors. 1049 00:59:51,160 --> 00:59:54,995 They said his chance of recovery was still only about one in three, 1050 00:59:55,160 --> 00:59:58,119 but they were more optimistic than they were yesterday. 1051 00:59:58,560 --> 01:00:01,314 Interviewer: All day long, I've been hearing that he's improving. 1052 01:00:01,480 --> 01:00:03,039 Is there still a chance he would die? 1053 01:00:03,240 --> 01:00:05,960 I want you to understand that you have a man who still has 1054 01:00:06,160 --> 01:00:08,231 a 50 percent burns of third-degree nature... 1055 01:00:09,360 --> 01:00:10,840 ...who's very, very sick. 1056 01:00:11,480 --> 01:00:14,871 And until all of that burn tissue is taken off of his body... 1057 01:00:15,840 --> 01:00:19,038 ...and covered with grafts, which will require a number of operations, 1058 01:00:19,200 --> 01:00:20,520 he's going to be that sick. 1059 01:00:21,520 --> 01:00:22,715 David: A burn, you know, 1060 01:00:22,880 --> 01:00:26,715 you got to let it form a scab first before, 1061 01:00:26,880 --> 01:00:28,872 then you got to brush that out. 1062 01:00:29,320 --> 01:00:31,880 He was crying like a baby, rightly so. 1063 01:00:32,160 --> 01:00:36,518 And when that guy hit that brush and did all this here, 1064 01:00:36,680 --> 01:00:41,755 I could see not the pain at that time but the pain in his life. 1065 01:00:42,400 --> 01:00:43,550 That come back. 1066 01:00:43,720 --> 01:00:45,518 'Cause he starts talking. 1067 01:00:45,680 --> 01:00:47,353 "Mom, I didn't mean to do it. 1068 01:00:47,520 --> 01:00:49,751 Mama, I didn't want to do it." 1069 01:00:53,240 --> 01:00:55,709 Skip: Everybody had said it was freebase. It was an accident. 1070 01:00:55,920 --> 01:00:58,230 He said, "No, no, I did it on purpose. 1071 01:00:58,400 --> 01:01:02,713 I poured the rum on myself and lit myself on fire." 1072 01:01:03,080 --> 01:01:07,632 Now, keep in mind he was high, so whether it was... 1073 01:01:08,640 --> 01:01:10,438 ...an unconscious suicide attempt 1074 01:01:10,640 --> 01:01:12,472 or a conscious suicide attempt, who knows? 1075 01:01:12,640 --> 01:01:14,871 But he definitely deliberately set himself on fire. 1076 01:01:15,440 --> 01:01:18,638 I just think he was in a pain at that moment. 1077 01:01:20,600 --> 01:01:22,080 And like this monk... 1078 01:01:22,720 --> 01:01:25,474 Committed. But to what, he don't know. 1079 01:01:26,080 --> 01:01:28,311 Whoopi: Junkies are just dumb. 1080 01:01:28,760 --> 01:01:29,910 They do dumb shit. 1081 01:01:30,120 --> 01:01:32,271 They set themselves on fire. 1082 01:01:32,440 --> 01:01:37,435 But then I'm sure he went, "What's that smell? Hey, I think that's me. 1083 01:01:37,920 --> 01:01:40,480 "Aargh!" And that's what he basically says he did. 1084 01:01:40,840 --> 01:01:43,400 It's almost like jumping off a building. 1085 01:01:44,440 --> 01:01:45,669 And then you lived. 1086 01:01:45,840 --> 01:01:47,274 You fucked up. 1087 01:01:47,440 --> 01:01:48,794 But you lived. 1088 01:01:48,960 --> 01:01:50,792 I tried to commit suicide. 1089 01:01:56,000 --> 01:01:57,275 Interviewer: Intentionally? 1090 01:01:57,800 --> 01:01:59,439 That's all I want to say. 1091 01:02:03,760 --> 01:02:05,911 - Next question. - (interviewer chuckles) 1092 01:02:07,080 --> 01:02:08,275 Interviewer: It didn't work. 1093 01:02:09,200 --> 01:02:10,350 Yes, it did. 1094 01:02:11,000 --> 01:02:13,037 Interviewer: You killed the old Richard Pryor? 1095 01:02:13,600 --> 01:02:14,829 Yeah, that person's dead. 1096 01:02:19,000 --> 01:02:20,480 He was a horrible man. 1097 01:02:26,960 --> 01:02:29,680 Skip: An executive from one of the studios called me 1098 01:02:29,840 --> 01:02:32,674 and asked me to go see him, because he needed help. 1099 01:02:32,840 --> 01:02:37,835 So I flew over to Hana, Maui, and he came out to greet me. 1100 01:02:38,120 --> 01:02:41,477 I could see the burns all over him. 1101 01:02:42,040 --> 01:02:43,679 And I was kind of taken aback. 1102 01:02:44,120 --> 01:02:48,558 And I remember he looked down, he said, "Don't worry, my junk is OK. 1103 01:02:48,720 --> 01:02:49,995 I still got my junk." 1104 01:02:50,200 --> 01:02:54,513 I thought, "OK!" And I shook his hand, and we started talking. 1105 01:02:55,200 --> 01:02:58,193 And I learned that he was dead broke, owed money to the IRS. 1106 01:02:58,360 --> 01:02:59,794 And he thought his career was over. 1107 01:03:00,000 --> 01:03:03,630 What we discovered was there were a lot of inconsistencies, 1108 01:03:04,000 --> 01:03:05,559 financial inconsistencies. 1109 01:03:06,000 --> 01:03:08,993 Richard suspected that David Franklin 1110 01:03:09,160 --> 01:03:10,674 and his lawyers were cheating him. 1111 01:03:11,680 --> 01:03:13,114 Jennifer: People came in 1112 01:03:13,280 --> 01:03:15,715 and they uncovered a lot of these business dealings 1113 01:03:15,880 --> 01:03:17,314 that were crooked. 1114 01:03:17,760 --> 01:03:19,877 Richard sued David Franklin. 1115 01:03:20,560 --> 01:03:23,917 And got a million dollars back, but the most important thing 1116 01:03:24,080 --> 01:03:27,710 to Richard was getting David to apologize to him. 1117 01:03:27,880 --> 01:03:31,430 That was more important to Richard than the million dollars. 1118 01:03:32,880 --> 01:03:35,270 Skip: I had to figure out where he was financially, 1119 01:03:35,440 --> 01:03:37,750 he owed a lot of money to a lot of people, 1120 01:03:37,920 --> 01:03:41,436 and I came up with an idea for him to do a concert movie. 1121 01:03:43,240 --> 01:03:45,232 Jennifer: He was really needing to heal. 1122 01:03:45,400 --> 01:03:49,360 And the lawyer said to him, "You got to get back on that horse now, 1123 01:03:49,520 --> 01:03:51,796 it's your time. If you don't do it now, you're never going to do it. 1124 01:03:51,960 --> 01:03:53,713 They're going to forget you." 1125 01:03:54,520 --> 01:03:57,354 The worst thing Richard could have done was come back. 1126 01:03:57,560 --> 01:03:59,995 He wanted to go back to work. 1127 01:04:00,480 --> 01:04:02,233 You got to understand something, 1128 01:04:02,440 --> 01:04:04,909 you don't make Richard Pryor do anything. 1129 01:04:05,080 --> 01:04:08,039 Richard Pryor has to want to do whatever he's doing. 1130 01:04:09,320 --> 01:04:11,437 I'm going to see Richard Pryor! 1131 01:04:14,280 --> 01:04:15,280 Yeah! 1132 01:04:15,440 --> 01:04:17,272 He better be funny! 1133 01:04:17,920 --> 01:04:19,434 Tell Richard he better be funny. 1134 01:04:22,960 --> 01:04:24,553 Rashon: The who's who of Hollywood, 1135 01:04:24,720 --> 01:04:27,554 they filled the theatre up at the Palladium. 1136 01:04:29,800 --> 01:04:31,951 Then Richard got on stage. 1137 01:04:33,120 --> 01:04:35,760 And it was the worst show I've ever seen him do. 1138 01:04:37,120 --> 01:04:38,793 Where was I? 1139 01:04:39,280 --> 01:04:41,317 I was here - what's the date? 1140 01:04:43,480 --> 01:04:44,834 This camera's looking at me. 1141 01:04:45,000 --> 01:04:46,400 Audience member: You're doing fine! 1142 01:04:46,560 --> 01:04:47,789 Thank you, brother, I needed to hear that. 1143 01:04:47,960 --> 01:04:49,360 (applause) 1144 01:04:49,520 --> 01:04:51,955 He started doing his act backwards. 1145 01:04:52,840 --> 01:04:54,513 And he got confused. 1146 01:04:57,960 --> 01:05:02,352 It was rough, and you just knew it wasn't going to be OK. 1147 01:05:06,160 --> 01:05:07,355 (laughter) 1148 01:05:13,600 --> 01:05:15,034 That mother... 1149 01:05:15,880 --> 01:05:17,837 The Lord doesn't want me to smoke it. 1150 01:05:19,480 --> 01:05:21,949 - Audience member: Burn it up. - Burn it up. 1151 01:05:25,520 --> 01:05:26,715 Tough group. 1152 01:05:27,800 --> 01:05:30,360 Richard didn't feel it was a perfect fit. 1153 01:05:31,160 --> 01:05:33,038 The audience didn't think it was. 1154 01:05:33,240 --> 01:05:36,551 Let me say this to you, this is honest, this shit didn't work. 1155 01:05:37,200 --> 01:05:38,200 For me, I mean... 1156 01:05:38,360 --> 01:05:41,034 I know y'all laugh at something... I feel... 1157 01:05:41,200 --> 01:05:44,876 I wanted it to be something else that it's not, it's just not there. 1158 01:05:45,080 --> 01:05:48,073 It's just there right at this moment in time and space, for me. 1159 01:05:48,880 --> 01:05:52,476 And I hope that nobody feels cheated or nothing, 'cause at least 1160 01:05:52,640 --> 01:05:55,075 you're getting to see a motherfucker crucify himself. 1161 01:05:55,720 --> 01:05:58,872 He was supposed to do 90 minutes, he did about an hour. 1162 01:05:59,040 --> 01:06:00,360 And walked out. 1163 01:06:00,560 --> 01:06:02,392 (audience murmurs) 1164 01:06:02,600 --> 01:06:03,750 (scattered applause) 1165 01:06:03,920 --> 01:06:05,440 I thought there was going to be a riot. 1166 01:06:06,200 --> 01:06:07,554 (audience murmurs) 1167 01:06:11,520 --> 01:06:13,000 He disappeared. 1168 01:06:14,400 --> 01:06:17,359 Of course I was concerned, but I also know Richard. 1169 01:06:17,520 --> 01:06:20,831 And I knew how resilient he was. 1170 01:06:21,600 --> 01:06:23,751 And I knew that he'd come back. 1171 01:06:27,040 --> 01:06:30,431 The next day, same show, same place. 1172 01:06:30,600 --> 01:06:32,592 (cheering and applause) 1173 01:06:33,920 --> 01:06:36,799 He was so upset and he told all the people that, 1174 01:06:36,960 --> 01:06:38,838 "I'm going to do it all over for you again, 1175 01:06:39,000 --> 01:06:40,321 cause I messed the first one up." 1176 01:06:42,760 --> 01:06:45,070 Rev. Jesse Jackson: He was going back on stage again. 1177 01:06:45,360 --> 01:06:47,591 He would be accepted or rejected. 1178 01:06:47,880 --> 01:06:49,280 Embraced or pushed aside. 1179 01:06:50,600 --> 01:06:54,116 There was something within him that said, "Go forward." 1180 01:06:55,080 --> 01:06:56,594 The show was flawless. 1181 01:06:56,760 --> 01:06:59,798 All my friends know this to be true, 'cause everybody knows me, 1182 01:06:59,960 --> 01:07:04,079 I usually, before I go to bed, I have milk and cookies. 1183 01:07:07,480 --> 01:07:10,279 And one night, I had some low-fat milk... 1184 01:07:11,280 --> 01:07:14,910 ...and some pasteurized, and I mixed them together... 1185 01:07:15,240 --> 01:07:17,914 and I dipped my cookie, and the shit blew up. 1186 01:07:18,160 --> 01:07:20,072 (laughter) 1187 01:07:21,800 --> 01:07:23,234 Paul: The audience went nuts. 1188 01:07:24,120 --> 01:07:28,831 I mean, I think the laughter was at least 15 minutes. 1189 01:07:29,480 --> 01:07:32,473 I'll tell you one thing, when that fire hits your ass... 1190 01:07:33,240 --> 01:07:35,800 that will sober your ass up quick. 1191 01:07:36,080 --> 01:07:37,799 (laughter) 1192 01:07:38,440 --> 01:07:41,638 I mean, I was standing there on fire and someone said, 1193 01:07:41,800 --> 01:07:44,315 "Why that's a pretty blue. 1194 01:07:46,160 --> 01:07:50,279 You know what? That looks like...Fire!" 1195 01:07:51,480 --> 01:07:53,278 And you know something I found out? 1196 01:07:53,440 --> 01:07:56,592 When you're on fire and running down the street, 1197 01:07:56,800 --> 01:07:59,474 people will get out of your way. 1198 01:08:01,800 --> 01:08:04,190 Except for one old drunk who's going, 1199 01:08:04,360 --> 01:08:06,317 "Hey, buddy, can I get a light?" 1200 01:08:07,496 --> 01:08:08,976 Johnny Carson: His latest performance, 1201 01:08:09,000 --> 01:08:10,150 Live On The Sunset Strip, 1202 01:08:10,320 --> 01:08:12,880 it had runaway with the top box office spot. 1203 01:08:13,040 --> 01:08:14,713 Made eight million dollars in three days. 1204 01:08:14,880 --> 01:08:16,553 Would you welcome Richard Pryor? 1205 01:08:16,720 --> 01:08:17,949 (applause) 1206 01:08:27,040 --> 01:08:29,680 Reporter: Pryor's firm, headed by long-time friend Jim Brown, 1207 01:08:29,840 --> 01:08:31,559 entered into a 40 million dollar 1208 01:08:31,720 --> 01:08:33,871 five-year deal with Columbia Pictures. 1209 01:08:34,040 --> 01:08:36,600 Thom: Richard wanted very badly 1210 01:08:37,040 --> 01:08:40,317 to elevate the status of African-Americans. 1211 01:08:40,760 --> 01:08:44,674 Shelia: Indigo was going to be the first time that a black person 1212 01:08:44,840 --> 01:08:49,517 had a 40 million deal with a major studio. 1213 01:08:49,880 --> 01:08:53,191 And so we were going to do films, we were going to do this, 1214 01:08:53,360 --> 01:08:55,192 we were going to change the industry. 1215 01:08:55,400 --> 01:08:56,754 This was going to be it. 1216 01:08:58,040 --> 01:09:00,760 Rocco: The phone rang, and he said, "Rocco, it's Richard. 1217 01:09:01,440 --> 01:09:02,715 What are you doing?" 1218 01:09:02,920 --> 01:09:05,037 I said, "I'm about to go to the bathroom." 1219 01:09:05,600 --> 01:09:07,956 He said, "After you take a shit, come over to Columbia." 1220 01:09:08,160 --> 01:09:10,160 Reporter: Richard Pryor is getting ready to prepare 1221 01:09:10,320 --> 01:09:12,039 for his role in Jo Jo Dancer. 1222 01:09:12,200 --> 01:09:13,839 It's a movie written by himself, 1223 01:09:14,040 --> 01:09:16,953 based loosely on incidents from his own life. 1224 01:09:17,120 --> 01:09:21,512 He was an actor and a producer, and a director, 1225 01:09:21,680 --> 01:09:24,115 so Richard became a role model. 1226 01:09:25,640 --> 01:09:30,760 Michael: He hired Jim Brown to run the company for him. 1227 01:09:31,240 --> 01:09:34,074 I think he made a decision to have somebody tough, 1228 01:09:34,600 --> 01:09:40,392 but not somebody who really knew the film business side of it. 1229 01:09:41,080 --> 01:09:43,640 Skip: I brought him the Prince movie, Purple Rain. 1230 01:09:43,960 --> 01:09:49,274 And he said, "Great." And then Jim Brown didn't want to do the movie, 1231 01:09:49,440 --> 01:09:53,753 because there wasn't an all-black crew. 1232 01:09:54,160 --> 01:09:58,677 They kind of let a lot of mistakes happen. 1233 01:09:58,960 --> 01:10:01,600 Think that was part of the reason why that company 1234 01:10:01,800 --> 01:10:02,995 didn't take off. 1235 01:10:03,320 --> 01:10:06,279 It was a huge disappointment for black filmmakers. 1236 01:10:07,440 --> 01:10:10,797 He really wanted to be who he was. He wanted to be an artist. 1237 01:10:12,280 --> 01:10:14,112 And it was too much pressure. 1238 01:10:21,520 --> 01:10:26,197 Cecil: Richard began this tragic role where whites came in 1239 01:10:26,360 --> 01:10:28,317 and just gave him white scripts. 1240 01:10:28,480 --> 01:10:29,880 And that's what did him in. 1241 01:10:32,640 --> 01:10:35,474 Ishmael: I think he appeared in a movie where he was this kid's toy. 1242 01:10:35,640 --> 01:10:38,792 His career, as far as we were concerned, went downhill. 1243 01:10:41,160 --> 01:10:43,595 Richard: I'm doing a film called Moving for Warner Brothers. 1244 01:10:44,000 --> 01:10:46,959 - Interviewer: What's it about? - About two hours too long. 1245 01:10:49,240 --> 01:10:52,870 Skip: Eddie wrote, produced, was directing Harlem Nights. 1246 01:10:53,360 --> 01:10:57,320 But Richard thought he should have first credit, not Eddie, 1247 01:10:57,520 --> 01:11:00,354 and Eddie was a much bigger star at that time than Richard. 1248 01:11:02,480 --> 01:11:03,834 It was finished then. 1249 01:11:04,000 --> 01:11:09,678 The whole thing had been untethered so long and it never got back. 1250 01:11:15,640 --> 01:11:18,314 Stan: Went to The Comedy Store. Richard wasn't there. 1251 01:11:18,920 --> 01:11:21,196 So I looked at everybody and said, "Where's Richard?" 1252 01:11:21,360 --> 01:11:22,760 I ran upstairs. 1253 01:11:23,000 --> 01:11:24,673 And this comedian... 1254 01:11:25,160 --> 01:11:29,234 had Richard against a wall with the cocaine... 1255 01:11:30,880 --> 01:11:33,349 ...spoon, holding it to Richard's nose. 1256 01:11:33,840 --> 01:11:37,231 I went fucking berserk. 1257 01:11:37,560 --> 01:11:40,871 And I put him up against the wall, and his feet were off the floor. 1258 01:11:41,400 --> 01:11:43,869 And I'm choking him and yelling at Richard, 1259 01:11:45,040 --> 01:11:47,157 "Da fuck is wrong with you?!" 1260 01:11:47,680 --> 01:11:49,911 I went to see him, and he was back on drugs. 1261 01:11:50,080 --> 01:11:51,753 And I could see he was high. 1262 01:11:52,040 --> 01:11:53,679 And I said, "Richard... 1263 01:11:54,760 --> 01:11:55,881 ...this doesn't work for me. 1264 01:11:55,920 --> 01:11:59,516 I'm not going to stand by like everybody did with John Belushi, 1265 01:11:59,680 --> 01:12:00,830 let you do drugs." 1266 01:12:01,040 --> 01:12:05,398 So I said, "You and I are done unless you go into rehab." 1267 01:12:05,920 --> 01:12:09,800 Then he sent me a letter firing me and accusing me of this and this, 1268 01:12:09,960 --> 01:12:11,758 saying I hadn't done this, hadn't done that, 1269 01:12:11,920 --> 01:12:13,752 all which was a bunch of nonsense. 1270 01:12:16,440 --> 01:12:18,113 And he was going back... 1271 01:12:19,120 --> 01:12:23,239 ...to a dark place that he couldn't-- I didn't think would come back from. 1272 01:12:23,480 --> 01:12:26,314 He kind of tried drying out for a while and he said... 1273 01:12:26,480 --> 01:12:29,917 He said he was too afraid to go on stage, he was too vulnerable. 1274 01:12:30,080 --> 01:12:31,080 He was really raw. 1275 01:12:32,280 --> 01:12:33,680 Rashon: It looked like... 1276 01:12:33,840 --> 01:12:36,753 unlike the fire, this time he gave up. 1277 01:12:37,400 --> 01:12:40,438 You just watched him begin to deteriorate in front of you. 1278 01:12:44,440 --> 01:12:45,760 I felt really bad... 1279 01:12:46,760 --> 01:12:48,752 that, uh... 1280 01:12:49,800 --> 01:12:51,314 That he was going down 1281 01:12:51,480 --> 01:12:55,679 to where I basically tried to help take him out of. I mean... 1282 01:12:56,800 --> 01:12:58,792 I wanted him to have a good life. 1283 01:12:59,000 --> 01:13:02,755 I felt...I felt bad for him. Not for me. 1284 01:13:04,800 --> 01:13:06,961 I think it was very self-destructive on Richard's part. 1285 01:13:07,000 --> 01:13:09,151 I think that was a real meaningful relationship. 1286 01:13:09,360 --> 01:13:11,955 A relationship of substance, I should say. 1287 01:13:13,280 --> 01:13:17,593 That had real connection and real affection. 1288 01:13:18,360 --> 01:13:20,272 And somebody really was watching out for him. 1289 01:13:20,440 --> 01:13:21,880 There weren't a lot of those people. 1290 01:13:22,200 --> 01:13:23,759 And sometimes... 1291 01:13:23,960 --> 01:13:25,440 your best isn't good enough. 1292 01:13:27,000 --> 01:13:28,354 And you can't... 1293 01:13:29,200 --> 01:13:32,079 save them from themselves. 1294 01:13:40,160 --> 01:13:42,629 Paul: I remember I hadn't seen him for a while. 1295 01:13:44,160 --> 01:13:46,516 And I went to some premiere of something. 1296 01:13:46,680 --> 01:13:48,512 And he walked up on me 1297 01:13:48,680 --> 01:13:52,117 and he had lost so much weight that I really didn't recognize him. 1298 01:13:52,320 --> 01:13:54,789 And then it hit me. I said, "My God, that's Richard." 1299 01:13:55,000 --> 01:13:58,710 I lost 20 pounds to do a film and I kept losing, 1300 01:13:58,880 --> 01:14:00,519 I couldn't get it back, you know? 1301 01:14:00,680 --> 01:14:03,200 I got real scared, Johnny, you know, 'cause I was losing weight, 1302 01:14:03,360 --> 01:14:07,673 and my pants were falling down, and I said, "Something's wrong." 1303 01:14:08,200 --> 01:14:11,511 I said, "All these diseases around, Richard, 1304 01:14:11,680 --> 01:14:13,239 finally it's caught up with you. 1305 01:14:13,400 --> 01:14:16,472 And you have one of them. 1306 01:14:16,680 --> 01:14:18,911 And you're going to die." 1307 01:14:19,080 --> 01:14:22,232 So I was very calm about it, you know, but I'm going to die. 1308 01:14:22,600 --> 01:14:24,751 Richard: A few months ago, I was on The Tonight Show 1309 01:14:24,920 --> 01:14:25,920 talking to Johnny Carson. 1310 01:14:26,080 --> 01:14:29,198 And then the next day, this lady from the newspaper 1311 01:14:29,400 --> 01:14:31,073 called one of my ex-wives and said, 1312 01:14:31,240 --> 01:14:32,390 "What do you think's wrong with Richard?" 1313 01:14:32,560 --> 01:14:34,756 - She said, "I think he has AIDS." - (laughter) 1314 01:14:35,760 --> 01:14:39,913 Guaranteeing that I would not get no pussy until the year 2025. 1315 01:14:40,360 --> 01:14:41,555 (laughter) 1316 01:14:43,080 --> 01:14:45,879 Dr. Grossman: One day, he called. I said, "What's the matter?" 1317 01:14:46,200 --> 01:14:49,079 He said, "I got something wrong with my eyes, I can't see straight." 1318 01:14:49,240 --> 01:14:52,392 I said, "Come over to the hospital, I'll get my ophthalmologist." 1319 01:14:52,560 --> 01:14:53,880 They look at him. 1320 01:14:54,240 --> 01:14:56,709 The intensivist doctor, neurologist. 1321 01:14:56,880 --> 01:14:59,236 And both of them said, "He may have MS." 1322 01:15:06,480 --> 01:15:08,041 Rashon: When we was doing Harlem Nights, 1323 01:15:08,120 --> 01:15:09,440 I remember saying to Richie, 1324 01:15:09,600 --> 01:15:11,478 he was getting ready to go do a scene, 1325 01:15:11,640 --> 01:15:14,838 he had a Bic lighter in his hand. And I said to him, 1326 01:15:15,000 --> 01:15:18,437 "This is a period piece, they didn't have Bics back then." 1327 01:15:19,960 --> 01:15:23,590 Said he keeps a lighter in his hand to disguise his fist balling up 1328 01:15:23,760 --> 01:15:25,433 and what was going on with him. 1329 01:15:25,600 --> 01:15:27,512 And that's when he let me know he had the MS. 1330 01:15:32,320 --> 01:15:37,111 Yeah, back in those days, we never thought it would turn out like that. 1331 01:15:46,440 --> 01:15:48,636 Richard: People that have it know what I mean. 1332 01:15:48,800 --> 01:15:51,110 The shit fucks with your nervous system. 1333 01:15:51,440 --> 01:15:54,797 When the doctor tells you you've got it, and then you go, "Oh, I got it? 1334 01:15:54,960 --> 01:15:56,314 "What is it?" 1335 01:15:56,480 --> 01:15:57,630 "Uh..." 1336 01:15:58,160 --> 01:16:01,153 I'd never heard a doctor say "Uh," before. 1337 01:16:02,440 --> 01:16:04,318 Richard: It's a blessing, though. 1338 01:16:05,280 --> 01:16:06,794 When you can't walk 1339 01:16:07,040 --> 01:16:10,795 and then you have to depend on others to help you... 1340 01:16:12,000 --> 01:16:14,310 ...you have to learn to trust them. 1341 01:16:15,480 --> 01:16:17,676 Which is very hard for me. 1342 01:16:18,640 --> 01:16:19,869 Very hard. 1343 01:16:28,000 --> 01:16:31,232 Patricia: Jennifer came out to handle his affairs 1344 01:16:31,440 --> 01:16:34,831 when he was unable, with the MS, 1345 01:16:35,000 --> 01:16:37,674 to do that much for himself. 1346 01:16:39,000 --> 01:16:42,038 I came back in '94. The party was over. 1347 01:16:42,800 --> 01:16:46,680 No more piles of cocaine. That craziness was all gone. 1348 01:16:47,840 --> 01:16:52,357 Let's put it behind us and make some lemonade out of the lemons. 1349 01:16:54,680 --> 01:16:58,515 Rashon: The drug part of it was over. He was clean from that point on. 1350 01:16:58,680 --> 01:17:03,232 He had really learned whatever it was to be learned from the MS. 1351 01:17:04,680 --> 01:17:09,550 Sandy: It was difficult to visit Richard when he was sick, 1352 01:17:10,080 --> 01:17:15,997 after knowing him as such a wiry, vital, 1353 01:17:16,840 --> 01:17:22,552 athletic type, you know, moving around and never being, 1354 01:17:22,720 --> 01:17:26,760 you know, to all of a sudden seeing him in a wheelchair. 1355 01:17:28,080 --> 01:17:29,434 My dick is dead. 1356 01:17:30,840 --> 01:17:33,230 No, it died in my hand. 1357 01:17:34,920 --> 01:17:37,435 I had it in my hand, would beat it... 1358 01:17:37,720 --> 01:17:40,235 and the dick looked at me like I was crazy. 1359 01:17:40,400 --> 01:17:42,551 (laughter) 1360 01:17:45,120 --> 01:17:46,918 (as penis) "What the fuck's wrong with you?" 1361 01:17:48,080 --> 01:17:50,914 "It's not me, it's you, motherfucker." 1362 01:17:51,080 --> 01:17:52,912 Jennifer: Even when he got sick, 1363 01:17:53,080 --> 01:17:56,198 I mean, him wanting to be on stage 1364 01:17:56,440 --> 01:18:00,116 in his declining years, was, 1365 01:18:00,720 --> 01:18:02,120 to me, so heroic. 1366 01:18:02,400 --> 01:18:05,040 Warren Beatty's limousine would show up. 1367 01:18:05,760 --> 01:18:07,717 This make me cry thinking about it. 1368 01:18:07,880 --> 01:18:10,270 And he'd be sitting there looking out at Richard 1369 01:18:10,440 --> 01:18:12,716 and he'd be crying, because... 1370 01:18:12,880 --> 01:18:16,476 because he knew what a great genius Richard was. 1371 01:18:18,120 --> 01:18:20,316 (applause) 1372 01:18:23,840 --> 01:18:28,119 Richard Pryor defined the game of stand-up comedy and comedy itself. 1373 01:18:28,280 --> 01:18:30,431 (applause) 1374 01:18:32,920 --> 01:18:35,116 And if you haven't stole from Richard, 1375 01:18:35,280 --> 01:18:36,953 then you're probably not that funny. 1376 01:18:38,120 --> 01:18:41,113 And I wanted to tell him that I wanted to be just like him, 1377 01:18:41,320 --> 01:18:43,471 except for the drug habit and failed marriages 1378 01:18:43,640 --> 01:18:45,472 and the temper and the guns. 1379 01:18:45,760 --> 01:18:48,195 (applause) 1380 01:18:48,640 --> 01:18:51,314 Mike: As much as people felt bad for him, 1381 01:18:51,480 --> 01:18:54,996 that man probably had some nights and some days... 1382 01:18:55,160 --> 01:18:58,790 I mean, it'd take a lifetime to top that motherfucker's week. 1383 01:19:01,680 --> 01:19:04,275 Alan: The last time I saw him, he was... 1384 01:19:04,440 --> 01:19:09,674 wheelchair-bound and unable to speak. Jennifer took me to see him. 1385 01:19:10,360 --> 01:19:12,158 He couldn't talk. All I could do was, 1386 01:19:12,320 --> 01:19:14,198 you know, give him a kiss and tell him: 1387 01:19:14,360 --> 01:19:16,113 "I still love you, Richard." 1388 01:19:19,520 --> 01:19:21,830 Richard Pryor died this afternoon of a heart attack 1389 01:19:22,000 --> 01:19:24,720 at his home in California. He was 65. 1390 01:19:27,000 --> 01:19:28,832 (applause) 1391 01:19:29,000 --> 01:19:33,631 So... what I'm saying, what the point I'm trying to make is, 1392 01:19:33,800 --> 01:19:36,031 that there is no point to be made. 1393 01:19:37,360 --> 01:19:38,635 That's all there is. 1394 01:19:38,800 --> 01:19:42,032 There ain't no point to it, 'cause you didn't ask to come to this, 1395 01:19:42,200 --> 01:19:45,477 motherfucker, and you sure can't choose how to leave. 1396 01:19:45,840 --> 01:19:47,911 'Cause you don't know when you're going to go. 1397 01:19:48,080 --> 01:19:49,992 Don't take this shit serious. 1398 01:19:50,560 --> 01:19:52,870 You better have some fun and plenty of it. 1399 01:19:53,760 --> 01:19:57,310 'Cause when the shit over and you ask for a recharge, it's too late. 1400 01:19:59,200 --> 01:20:01,920 So all I can say is keep some sunshine on your face. 1401 01:20:02,560 --> 01:20:04,153 (applause) 1402 01:20:15,400 --> 01:20:19,076 David: Even till the end, Richard never did know how good he was. 1403 01:20:19,240 --> 01:20:21,391 Most people did not understand that. 1404 01:20:22,360 --> 01:20:25,558 I never heard him said, "I knocked them off their ass tonight." 1405 01:20:25,720 --> 01:20:27,598 He always said, "I'll get them tomorrow." 1406 01:20:29,920 --> 01:20:34,597 Jesse: As the song says, we get back up again because of boundless mercy. 1407 01:20:34,760 --> 01:20:37,070 And that you are a champion, Richard, you are a champion. 1408 01:20:37,240 --> 01:20:38,879 And the ground's no place for a champion. 1409 01:20:39,040 --> 01:20:42,238 So we rise, get up, go back and do your work. 1410 01:20:43,120 --> 01:20:44,918 They've always been there for Richard. 1411 01:20:45,560 --> 01:20:47,119 He's always there for them. 1412 01:20:47,960 --> 01:20:49,713 Richard belongs to us. 1413 01:20:51,600 --> 01:20:54,069 What do you want to be remembered for? 1414 01:20:56,480 --> 01:20:58,153 I'd like for people... 1415 01:20:58,320 --> 01:21:00,960 to see my picture and laugh. 1416 01:21:01,960 --> 01:21:04,111 - Just see your picture? - Yeah. 1417 01:21:04,600 --> 01:21:07,593 And laugh and have stories and tell... 1418 01:21:07,840 --> 01:21:09,433 tell some lies on me. 1419 01:21:10,000 --> 01:21:12,390 "He made me laugh." "I was there, you know?" 1420 01:21:12,560 --> 01:21:15,917 "I was there Wednesday when he drove up in the..." You know, whatever. 1421 01:21:16,400 --> 01:21:18,790 Like that. Like... bring joy. 1422 01:21:19,960 --> 01:21:21,952 That's how I'd like to be remembered. 118006

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