Easily the foremost comedian of his generation, Richard Pryor brought a distinctively ribald tradition in African-American comedy to mainstream audiences. Often cited as a major inspiration by a roster of younger black comedy writer-performers (including Eddie Murphy, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Robert Townsend and Martin Lawrence), Pryor's influence has transformed American comedy by expanding our notions of what may be perceived as funny. Long before the vogue for "performance art", Pryor's material was profane, socially astute and confessional, provoking thought and anger as well as laughter.
