RichardPryor.com Forums

I have little memories of my childhood mainly because of all the things/drugs I have done in the past several years, but the ones I've held onto are few and vivid. I remember one Saturday evening my father and mother had rented a few of Mr. Pryor's movies. I'm not sure why they, who were at the time(come to think of it they still are), two white southern people who'd rather say the word nigger than refer to people as simply as what we are, people. While playing in my room with my brother, both of us overheard laughter in the living room down the hall, we both crept over to the end of the hall and sat to listen why our parent's were laughing so hard. We sat up to give knowledge to our presence to our parents, and we tried to get up on the couch with them so that we could laugh together. But about that time, instead of having what I thought would be a good laugh with my bro, mom, and dad, my Dad sat up and told us to get our asses back to our room, me always the inquiring one, wanted to know why me and Morgan couldn't watch along with them. He told me that Richard Pryor was a "foul-mouthed, obscenity spewing ______, and that I shouldn't ever watch him or listen to his shit." Well, of course, with such an introduction as that, I thought, 'Richard Pryor must be really great if grown-ups don't want me to see or hear him.' So, before the tapes were supposed to be taken back up the street to the video place, the following afternoon I sat around and watched "Hear No Evil, See No Evil," and absolutely loved it, and even though looking back, there was no way that I could have fully understood or comprehended what ideas were really being pushed out into the open. But, about three-quarters the way through the movie, my Dad came in from cutting the grass outside, and found me in front of the TV watching (and laughing ) at precisely what he told me not to. I got my ass beat that day, and not a small beating, all because my words to my dad was "What's the big goddamn deal about this." (not realizing that even though he could laugh at it on one hand, he could become inflamed by it on the other,we were supposed to be fine, upstanding Christians, after all.)

But that's my reason why Richard Pryor will always be #1, cuz I got my ass beat to realize that even though it can upset, and even though it can hurt, the truth is a funny motherfucker sometimes. You make me happy Richard, your work, your ideas, your messages, and your life. You'll live on forever as soon as you're gone, but I'm happy that you ain't dead yet, motherfucker! :p

Universal_Vagabond,
Awwshit Timmonsville in the house!!!I have family from the Florence area man,Right on!!! Dig your memories man and welcome to this site!!