Richard Pryor would become be the single most influential performer of the second half of the Twentieth Century, and certainly he was the most successful black comedian ever. Controversial always and enigmatic throughout his lifetime, Pryor’s performances opened up a new world of possibilities, merging fantasy with angry reality in a way that wasn’t just new—it was heretofore unthinkable.
David and Joe Henry have captured the essence of Pryor in their new book Furious Cool: Richard Pryor and the World That Made Him
My conversation with Joe and David Henry:
