Did Chris Rock ever mention this on the show?

**whatsit** · 02-19-2013, 03:57 PM

A planned biopic entitled Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? is being produced by Chris Rock and Adam Sandler. The film will star Marlon Wayans as the young Pryor. Other actors previously attached include Mike Epps and Eddie Murphy. The film will be directed by Bill Condon and is still in development with no release date, as of February, 2013.

Pretty cool huh?

I'd forgotten this ^ one. So great! Howard is nuts if he thinks Rock or Murphy hold a candle to Richard Pryor.

**KillVampires** · 02-19-2013, 04:09 PM

I wonder if they'll show the part where Pryor said that Sam Kinison was the greatest comedian of all time. Where Pryor tracked down Sam in person to tell him that he was the true heir to Lenny Bruce and the one who was pushing comedy forward the most. I'm sure this piece will be a total fluff piece. Glossing over Pryor's really dark moments like trying to shoot his wife (they don't shoot cars...they shoot...nig-cars). Or his suicide which is always covered up as a drug fueled accident. And Uncle Tom Chris Rock producing this? Adam Sandler? Only Paul Mooney should be allowed to touch this project.

**schnauzer** · 02-19-2013, 04:23 PM

If i remember correctly, Chris Rock fucked up his chances when he came out supporting Michael Vick on Leno. Richard Pryor's widow is a bigtime dog lover & was so incenced, she put the kibosh on his casting.

**whatsit** · 02-19-2013, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by KillVampires

I wonder if they'll show the part where Pryor said that Sam Kinison was the greatest comedian of all time. Where Pryor tracked down Sam in person to tell him that he was the true heir to Lenny Bruce and the one who was pushing comedy forward the most. I'm sure this piece will be a total fluff piece. Glossing over Pryor's really dark moments like trying to shoot his wife (they don't shoot cars...they shoot...nig-cars). Or his suicide which is always covered up as a drug fueled accident. And Uncle Tom Chris Rock producing this? Adam Sandler? Only Paul Mooney should be allowed to touch this project.

Why do you think it will be a fluff piece? Those comedians worship Pryor. I have high hopes. I think they have too much respect to make some bs bio. I hope they do him justice.

**whatsit** · 02-19-2013, 04:29 PM

That's a flawless show ^

**whatsit** · 02-19-2013, 04:33 PM

sex bit at the end is great.

**KillVampires** · 02-19-2013, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by whatsit

Why do you think it will be a fluff piece? Those comedians worship Pryor. I have high hopes. I think they have too much respect to make some bs bio. I hope they do him justice.

Worshiping is the not the same as understanding. I've met Paul Mooney and read his book about him and Pryor. Most people don't really get Pryor or Carlin or Lenny Bruce. I work for HBO doing lots of comedy related projects. People will just puppet those names as the 'best of all time' because everyone else in the establishment does as well. Patrice O'Neal used to talk about this on O&A all of the time. How everyone says "Carlin and Pryor are the greatest" then you ask "why?" and they don't have an answer. Patrice was maybe the best comic of his generation and he had incredible insightful articulate arguments about why guys like Carlin and Pryor are still relevant despite being dead.

Pryor thought that Kinison was the best. Not just the best but the last person since Lenny Bruce to elevate comedy to a new level of artistic achievement on stage. And Carlin and Kinison thought that Bill Hicks was the best. Lenny Bruce's manager once went to a Hicks show and told Hicks that he was the next Lenny Bruce. Pryor also had a long talk with Dave Chappelle about comedy that was probably far more honest than anything you'll see in this piece. And he passed Dave the 'comedy torch' before he died from MS. Mooney and Chappelle should be the ones on this biopic. Not Chris Rock. They need guys who worked with Pryor and knew him.

Chris Rock is insanely politically correct now. He's appearing in anti-gun rights videos. And talking about how President Obama is "our father" and he "needs to be obeyed". I have zero faith in him to make an authentic look at Pryor. And what would Adam Sandler know about Pryor's comedic ability? Or any comedy for that matter....

I work for HBO so I've seen a few aborted comedy biopics. There was one that Howard owned the rights to about Kinison that was aborted. Brother Sam. There are clips online of the guy who was hired to play Sam acting as Sam at a club...oh man. Douche chills don't even begin to describe it. They made Sam Kinison look like a fucking bore with no stage presence. I expect this Pryor piece to be truly awful. I hope Paul Mooney likes it.

**Night Ape** · 02-19-2013, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by KillVampires

Patrice O'Neal used to talk about this on O&A all of the time. How everyone says "Carlin and Pryor are the greatest" then you ask "why?" and they don't have an answer.

Yup.

A friend of mine once told me his two favorite comedians were David Cross and George Carlin. I thought that might be the dumbest thing ever. Though talented, Cross' stand-up has always felt like he's just another opinionated lefty hipster douche screaming at the crowd about how much smarter he is than them.

Conversely, Carlin actually was a very bright guy who was informing and educating his crowd with his art instead of lecturing them. I have to assume that my friend doesn't really like Carlin, he just likes to tell people he does.

Also, saying Carlin is your favorite comic isn't that terribly profound. It's like saying you prefer life to death.

**ohmicah** · 02-19-2013, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by KillVampires

. There was one that Howard owned the rights to about Kinison that was aborted. Brother Sam. There are clips online of the guy who was hired to play Sam acting as Sam at a club...oh man. Douche chills don't even begin to describe it. They made Sam Kinison look like a fucking bore with no stage presence.

Holy shit. That is even worse than you described. I had to watch a clip of Sam afterwards to settle my hash.
Is this a Howard Stern production?

**whatsit** · 02-19-2013, 07:01 PM

I have always admired Carlin but was never a true fan. I loved Kinison but I don't think his routines hold up now necessarily. Pryor had an amazing ear and a sweetness about his comedy. I hope someone does a serious and honest bio of him someday if not this time.

**Chimney Portions** · 02-19-2013, 07:03 PM

Marlon fucking Wayans???

**pontius pilot** · 02-19-2013, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by KillVampires

Worshiping is the not the same as understanding. I've met Paul Mooney and read his book about him and Pryor. Most people don't really get Pryor or Carlin or Lenny Bruce. I work for HBO doing lots of comedy related projects. People will just puppet those names as the 'best of all time' because everyone else in the establishment does as well. Patrice O'Neal used to talk about this on O&A all of the time. How everyone says "Carlin and Pryor are the greatest" then you ask "why?" and they don't have an answer. Patrice was maybe the best comic of his generation and he had incredible insightful articulate arguments about why guys like Carlin and Pryor are still relevant despite being dead.

Pryor thought that Kinison was the best. Not just the best but the last person since Lenny Bruce to elevate comedy to a new level of artistic achievement on stage. And Carlin and Kinison thought that Bill Hicks was the best. Lenny Bruce's manager once went to a Hicks show and told Hicks that he was the next Lenny Bruce. Pryor also had a long talk with Dave Chappelle about comedy that was probably far more honest than anything you'll see in this piece. And he passed Dave the 'comedy torch' before he died from MS. Mooney and Chappelle should be the ones on this biopic. Not Chris Rock. They need guys who worked with Pryor and knew him.

Chris Rock is insanely politically correct now. He's appearing in anti-gun rights videos. And talking about how President Obama is "our father" and he "needs to be obeyed". I have zero faith in him to make an authentic look at Pryor. And what would Adam Sandler know about Pryor's comedic ability? Or any comedy for that matter....

I work for HBO so I've seen a few aborted comedy biopics. There was one that Howard owned the rights to about Kinison that was aborted. Brother Sam. There are clips online of the guy who was hired to play Sam acting as Sam at a club...oh man. Douche chills don't even begin to describe it. They made Sam Kinison look like a fucking bore with no stage presence. I expect this Pryor piece to be truly awful. I hope Paul Mooney likes it.

great post. very insightful.

**whatsit** · 02-19-2013, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by Chimney Portions

Marlon fucking Wayans???

crap what movie is that from...High Fidelity!

**Thedomina** · 02-19-2013, 09:54 PM

Do you work for HBO?

Originally Posted by KillVampires

Worshiping is the not the same as understanding. I've met Paul Mooney and read his book about him and Pryor. Most people don't really get Pryor or Carlin or Lenny Bruce. I work for HBO doing lots of comedy related projects. People will just puppet those names as the 'best of all time' because everyone else in the establishment does as well. Patrice O'Neal used to talk about this on O&A all of the time. How everyone says "Carlin and Pryor are the greatest" then you ask "why?" and they don't have an answer. Patrice was maybe the best comic of his generation and he had incredible insightful articulate arguments about why guys like Carlin and Pryor are still relevant despite being dead.

Pryor thought that Kinison was the best. Not just the best but the last person since Lenny Bruce to elevate comedy to a new level of artistic achievement on stage. And Carlin and Kinison thought that Bill Hicks was the best. Lenny Bruce's manager once went to a Hicks show and told Hicks that he was the next Lenny Bruce. Pryor also had a long talk with Dave Chappelle about comedy that was probably far more honest than anything you'll see in this piece. And he passed Dave the 'comedy torch' before he died from MS. Mooney and Chappelle should be the ones on this biopic. Not Chris Rock. They need guys who worked with Pryor and knew him.

Chris Rock is insanely politically correct now. He's appearing in anti-gun rights videos. And talking about how President Obama is "our father" and he "needs to be obeyed". I have zero faith in him to make an authentic look at Pryor. And what would Adam Sandler know about Pryor's comedic ability? Or any comedy for that matter....

I work for HBO so I've seen a few aborted comedy biopics. There was one that Howard owned the rights to about Kinison that was aborted. Brother Sam. There are clips online of the guy who was hired to play Sam acting as Sam at a club...oh man. Douche chills don't even begin to describe it. They made Sam Kinison look like a fucking bore with no stage presence. I expect this Pryor piece to be truly awful. I hope Paul Mooney likes it.

**KillVampires** · 02-19-2013, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by Thedomina

Do you work for HBO?

Yes. In the middle of some Game of Thrones work right now.

**Thedomina** · 02-20-2013, 02:27 AM

Originally Posted by KillVampires

Yes. In the middle of some Game of Thrones work right now.

Not the sharpest tool in the shed

**pheelios** · 02-20-2013, 02:56 AM

**Phillip** · 02-20-2013, 04:55 AM

Just checking, does someone work for HBO in this thread? Thanks.

**Greekfreak** · 02-20-2013, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by KillVampires

Worshiping is the not the same as understanding. I've met Paul Mooney and read his book about him and Pryor. Most people don't really get Pryor or Carlin or Lenny Bruce. I work for HBO doing lots of comedy related projects. People will just puppet those names as the 'best of all time' because everyone else in the establishment does as well. Patrice O'Neal used to talk about this on O&A all of the time. How everyone says "Carlin and Pryor are the greatest" then you ask "why?" and they don't have an answer. Patrice was maybe the best comic of his generation and he had incredible insightful articulate arguments about why guys like Carlin and Pryor are still relevant despite being dead.

Pryor thought that Kinison was the best. Not just the best but the last person since Lenny Bruce to elevate comedy to a new level of artistic achievement on stage. And Carlin and Kinison thought that Bill Hicks was the best. Lenny Bruce's manager once went to a Hicks show and told Hicks that he was the next Lenny Bruce. Pryor also had a long talk with Dave Chappelle about comedy that was probably far more honest than anything you'll see in this piece. And he passed Dave the 'comedy torch' before he died from MS. Mooney and Chappelle should be the ones on this biopic. Not Chris Rock. They need guys who worked with Pryor and knew him.

Chris Rock is insanely politically correct now. He's appearing in anti-gun rights videos. And talking about how President Obama is "our father" and he "needs to be obeyed". I have zero faith in him to make an authentic look at Pryor. And what would Adam Sandler know about Pryor's comedic ability? Or any comedy for that matter....

I work for HBO so I've seen a few aborted comedy biopics. There was one that Howard owned the rights to about Kinison that was aborted. Brother Sam. There are clips online of the guy who was hired to play Sam acting as Sam at a club...oh man. Douche chills don't even begin to describe it. They made Sam Kinison look like a fucking bore with no stage presence. I expect this Pryor piece to be truly awful. I hope Paul Mooney likes it.

Pryor himself stated that Mooney took (and takes) too much credit for bits he claimed he wrote for Richard, none of which is provable. I've read every Pryor book that's ever been in print, and most of them all say the same thing: Mooney could write but had no delivery whatsoever, whereas Pryor could and did do both to great effect. Some of his best bits were from that aborted TV show he did.

There's no money in making a Kinison biopic. As big as he was briefly, and as influential as he still is, it would have to be direct to video or cable. Nobody cares about the story of his life. I would love for Spike Lee to simply do a proper Pryor documentary instead of a biopic.

BTW, can you confirm that HBO are cheap bastards and not get fired?