Richard Pryor: The Anthology

The late Richard Pryor is widely regarded as a groundbreaking comic for his takes on important, if uncomfortable, social issues. This audio collection of pieces from 1968 through 1992 showcases that irreverence that made Pryor one of the great comedians. The bits cover racism, Pryor’s own highly publicized drug abuse (he once set himself on fire freebasing cocaine) and the multiple sclerosis that cut his career short. For Pryor, nothing was off-limits, and it was that sincerity among Pryor’s generation of comics that brought comedy to social relevance. The jokes aren’t just funny because they’re true, as the cliche goes. In this case, the commentary is made more true because it’s funny.