Part Two of our episode on the Richard Pryor comedy origin story. We cover his time underground in Berkeley, CA and discovering his true comedic voice.
We also talk about the time that Richard Pryor guest starred on The Partridge Family.
History of Richard Pryor, The Black Panthers, and Berkeley
In the early 60s, Richard Pryor was a clean cut, mainstream comedian who appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. Then he had a meltdown in Las Vegas. Retreating from showbiz, he moved to Berkeley, California and began hanging out with The Black Panthers, the counterculture movement, and African American intellectuals. The experience changed the face of Richard Pryor's comedy.
History of Freddie Prinze
Showtime has a new series on the History of the Comedy Store. Comedian Freddie Prinze was the first big breakout star of The Store. At 19, he appeared on The Tonight Show - and shortly after he got his own sitcom, Chico and the Man.
Prinze seemed to have everything in the world. But it was all too much, too fast for Freddie Prinze...