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The Riot
Volume: 2 Issue: 4
"The Legend: Richard Pryor" - 12/10/05
By Michael Lemme
If I had to pick my three favorite comedians of all time in no particular order I would pick Richard Pryor, Mitch Hedberg, and Chris Rock. There are two comedians who will never ever make that list, Dat Phan and Carrot Top. Oddly enough a minute ago, Larry The Cable Guy was killed by all the red necks who have respect for themselves. Yes, all two of them killed him.
It saddens me to say that the great Richard Pryor passed away this morning. He was 65 years old. He apparently died from a reported heart attack.
I was completely taken back to hear that he died. I knew that he was sick with MS (multiple sclerosis), but I could never imagine him actually dieing. I'm in the same shock as I was when Mitch Hedberg died.
I went online after hearing the news and told some of my friends. Only three of my friends actually knew who he was. It is very sad that not too many people my age know who Richard Pryor is and was. He was an icon. He was the greatest comedian of all time. Yet, if you ask any teenager if they know who Ashlee Simpson is, you'll receive a one sentence answer. Ashlee Simpson is the epiphany of the word ugly and can not sing to save her life. Oh yeah, I went there.
My generation sucks. We do not know how amazing Richard Pryor was, but we know everyone in the top 8 of American Idol. I was talking to a younger friend of mine the other day. We were discussing music, and I brought up the subject of Jimi Hendrix. She quickly responded with "who?" I then asked her who her favorite artist was. She said, "Ashlee Simpson is my idol." I then pretended to say the words "you're a complete moron and should get hit by a massive truck." She then said, "I can't understand what you're saying." I said, "I am singing an Ashlee Simpson song."
Richard Pryor was not only a very funny comedian, he was also an actor. He starred in a few movies with actor Gene Wilder. The two starred in an excellent movie called Stir Crazy. After Stir Crazy came out it changed both of their lives. Richard Pryor gained more fame. Gene Wilder went and starred in a movie called Hanky Panky, which is shockingly not a porn movie.
In all seriousness, Richard Pryor was one of the greatest comedians of all time. He will be missed greatly. Him and Mitch Hedberg are probably performing together somewhere in heaven. Even though Pryor and Hedberg did a lot of wrong in their lives involving drugs and other problems, they still deserve to be up in heaven making people laugh. If there is internet access in heaven and Richard Pryor or Mitch Hedberg is reading this please punch God in the face, because he is quite the prick for taking you guys away from us.