Day 124: "Ladies & gentlemen, the two most beautiful words in the world of comedy: Richard Pryor."

Eddie Murphy is a thief.  Granted, a self-admitted thief, but a thief nonetheless.  In a world before the advent of the monster smash hit concert films, Richard Pryor: Here and Now stands as one of the best.  Back to my original statement. Eddie Murphy: Raw may be the biggest concert movie ever made, but three-quarters of his material was cribbed directly from Here and Now.  What is truly ironic (or coincidental, I never can tell) is that less than six months earlier, Bill Cosby: Himself was released.  For the better part of their careers, Cosby and Pryor were at odds with each others' comedic stylings: one wholesome, the other profane, but the material in both of these concert films is very similar.  Filmed three years after his infamous self-immolation and seven months into sobriety from drugs and alcohol, Pryor has a new outlook on his life and comedy, but his wit is still as sharp as a new razor.  Nowhere near as manic or frantic as his delivery was in the past, he showed he was still one of the funniest men on the planet.  The Comedic Trinity will forever consist of: The Father (Lenny Bruce), The Son (George Carlin), and the Holy Ghost (Richard Pryor [again, I love irony!!]).  These three men had THE biggest influence on modern comedy, PERIOD.  I digress, back to the topic at hand.

Unfortunately, Lenny Bruce died in 1966, Pryor in 2005, and Carlin in 2008, robbing the world of the greatest trio of comedians, satirists, and observers of humanity's idiosyncrasies EVER.  I will hear no arguments on this, because after having heard their bodies of work, all arguments against are rendered invalid.  Enough of my gushing,  Richard Pryor: Here and Now is well worth the time.

As good as Here and Now is, it is not without its flaws.  The audience's incessant, unnecessary, and disrespectful heckling was a constant distraction.  Editing, Richard, editing.  I also must admit to being slightly uncomfortable watching him relive his drug use days, as tragically funny as the situations may have been.  Other than these minor quibbles, this is hysterical and at times, touching.  You may also want to check out Live on the Sunset Strip, filmed in 1982.  I recommend Here and Now to any Pryor fan, or fan of stand-up comedy who would like a look at one of the grandmasters of the art. 8/10.

See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!