Richard Pryor... Here and Now

Richard Pryor

Comedian Richard Pryor performs at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans, Louisiana. After talking to the crew backstage, he comes out on the stage of the large theater and informs the audience that he is in his fifth month of sobriety from alcohol and drugs, and that he is likely to urinate into some of the front-row seats when he runs out of jokes.Commenting on the culture of New Orleans, he discusses the local accent, the mixed-race "Creole" population, the frequent parades, and the region's history of slavery and lynching. Pryor recalls incidents from his years of drunkenness, such as regaining consciousness while driving at high speed, trying to speak coherently to police officers, being unable to sleep, episodes of nausea, and the inevitable hangovers.Segueing to the topic of the women in his life, Pryor talks about his four marriages, his divorces, and several affairs in between. He then speaks critically about his country's foreign policy, including its intervention in El Salvador's civil war and its belligerence toward Libya. Pryor describes his recent visit to Africa, where his skin color was not an issue, unless he was in the company of white tourists, and how the natives perceived the U.S. as a land of infinite wealth.The comedian recounts his unpleasant meeting with President Ronald Reagan, and suggests that Reagan's affinity for nuclear missiles is compensation for his resemblance to a flaccid penis. Pryor considers the consequences of a nuclear war, including the panicked citizenry, the high death toll, and the opportunity to have one final, ecstatic sexual encounter. He assumes the character of "Mudbone," an elderly African American who reminisces about his friends "Bob T" and "Sweet Chocolate Brown," the four women in his life, his brief residency in California, and his crab lice infestation.Pryor returns to the subject of his drug and alcohol abuse, and admits that he is not used to facing an audience while sober, and that he is embarrassed when others remind him of his behavior while intoxicated. A member of the audience hands Pryor a tiny "racing crab," and the comedian converses with it, providing the crab's voice along with his own. He then recalls how he once admired adults who used illegal drugs, unaware that their "cool" demeanor was the result of brain damage. Pryor assumes the character of a heroin addict and thief, unable to find employment because he is considered unreliable, even though, the addict argues, he maintains a $200-per-day habit. Stepping out of character, Pryor remarks on the epidemic of illegal drug use, noting that it is only considered epidemic when white people participate. He is also amazed by the changes in self-perception he has experienced since achieving sobriety, especially where his virility is concerned. Pryor closes the show by describing how men behave in public restrooms.