Description
Book SynopsisAn anthology of essays that capture the spirit, zest, and cultural impact of Richard Pryor's complex artistry. It provides insight into his work to reveal how he simultaneously highlighted and embodied prominent narratives of race, gender, and social conditions in America in ways that enlighten and entertain.
Trade ReviewMcClusky's contributions and other essays, specifically those by David Felton and Keith Harris, invite discussion on the ways Pryor transformed American comic style. . . . Recommended.March 2009
* Choice *
McClusky's Life & Legacy Of . . . gathers together 20 essays and features on Pryor, ranging from retrospective cultural criticism, contemporary reviews and interviews and biographical features. Each tries to pinpoint exactly what made Pryor so important. . . March 2009
* Record Collector *
. . . presents a variety of new and historical perspectives from scholars, filmmakers, and writers that yield insight into the comedian's origins, how he negotiated the difficult straits of the entertainment business, and what his work ultimately signified. . . . February/March 2009
* Bloom *
Table of ContentsContents
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Richard Pryor: Comic Genius, Tortured Soul / Audrey Thomas McCluskey
Part 1. New Essays
1. "That Nigger's Crazy": Richard Pryor, Racial Performativity, Cultural Critique / Keith M. Harris
2. The Crisis of Black Masculinity in Jo Jo Dancer: Your Life Is Calling / Margo Natalie Crawford
3. Was It Something He Said? Censorship and the Richard Pryor Television Show, 1977 / Audrey Thomas McCluskey
4. Richard Pryor and the Poetics of Cursing / Kate E. Brown
5. Br'er Richard: Fascinatin' Storyteller / Maxine A. LeGall
6. ". . . And It's Deep Too": The Philosophical Comedy of Richard Pryor / Malik D. McCluskey
7. When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong: Pryor, Chappelle, and the Comedic Politics of the Post-Soul / Tyrone R. Simpson
Part 2. Biography
8. Jump Street!
From Richard Pryor: The Man behind the Laughter (1981) / Joseph Nazel
9. The Politics of Being Black
From If I Stop I'll Die: The Comedy and Tragedy of Richard Pryor (1991) / John A. Williams and Dennis A. Williams
10. "He Wasn't Afraid to Get Naked in Front of People": Michael Schultz Remembers Richard Pryor / Audrey Thomas McCluskey
Part 3. Reviews
11. Time Warp Movies: A Review of Superman III (1985) / Pauline Kael
12. Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip (1994) / Pauline Kael
13. Richard Pryor: The Real Slim Shady (2001) / Rob Sheffield
Part 4. Social and Cultural Criticism
14. The New Comic Style of Richard Pryor (1975) / James Alan McPherson
15. Jive Times: Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin, and the Theatre of the Routine (1974) / David Felton
16. Richard and Me (1994) / Nelson George
17. Hill Street Bullshit, Richard Pryor Routines, and the Real Deal (1997) / Bob Avakian
18. Now's the Time: The Richard Pryor Phenomenon and the Triumph of Black Culture (1998) / Siva Vaidhyanathan
19. A Pryor Love: The Life and Times of America's Comic Prophet of Race (1999) / Hilton Als
20. Conclusion: We Owe a Debt to Richard Pryor / Audrey Thomas McCluskey
Selected Chronology: The Life and Times of Richard Pryor
Additional Sources
Permissions and Credits
List of Contributors
Index
