The King is dead. Long live the King.
Richard Pryor, legend, died yesterday at the age of 65. He had been ill with multiple sclerosis.
No Pryor and there's no Eddie Murphy, Dave Chappelle or Chris Rock. No Pryor and there's no Harlem Nights, The Toy, The Wiz, Carwash or See No Evil, Hear no Evil.
He was the first host of Saturday Night Live that frightened network censors to the point of them airing the show on a tape delay. That episode had two of my favorite sketches, Samurai Hotel and Racist Word Association Interview.
I used to sneak listens to my dad's records when I was a kid. Later, I'd stay up late at my grandparents to catch bits of Live on Sunset Strip or Here and Now on HBO.
If there's a heaven for dead comedians, I hope Hicks, Pryor, Belushi and Foxx are laughing their collective fool heads off this afternoon.
And if a boy is real, real lucky - they'll be rooting for the Buccaneers.
We already miss you, Rich.
- David J.
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