Full Description
Richard Pryor is an American icon whose name evokes irreverent humour, social critique, and a perplexing degree of self-agonized genius. This anthology captures in one volume the spirit, zest, and cultural impact of Pryor's complex artistry. Audrey Thomas McCluskey has assembled insightful essays from a broad range of scholars, social critics, writers, filmmakers, and other established and emerging commentators on American culture. Although a celebration of Pryor's genius, the book approaches the subject with a critical sensibility that provides insight into Richard Pryor's work to reveal how he simultaneously highlighted and embodied prominent narratives of race, gender, and social conditions in America in ways that continue to enlighten and entertain.
Contents
Acknowledgments Introduction/ Audrey Thomas McCluskey I. 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? Richard Pryor and Television Censorship / Audrey Thomas McCluskey; 4. Richard Pryor and the Poetics of Cursing / Kate E. Brown; 5. Br'er Richard: Fascinatin' Storyteller / Maxine A. Legall; 6. " E 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 II. Biography 8. Jump Street! From The Man behind the Laughter (1981) / Joseph Nazel; 9. From If I Stop I'll Die (1991) / John A .Williams and Dennis A Williams; 10. "He Wasn't Afraid to Get Naked": Michael Schultz Remembers Richard Pryor / Audrey Thomas McCluskey III. 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 IV. 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 RP Phenomenon and the Triumph of Black Culture (1998) / Siva Vaidhyanathan; 19. A Pryor Love (1999) / Hilton Als; 20. Conclusion: We Owe a Debt to Richard Pryor / Audrey Thomas McCluskey; Selected Chronology: The Life and Times of Richard Pryor Contributors; Additional Sources; Permissions and Credits; Index
