Like ‘Daddy Rich,’ Pryor was a true king

One of my first memories of Richard Pryor was watching him in a brief role as the hilariously conniving Daddy Rich in “Car Wash.” That was hardly his introduction to American audiences. He had been well-established on the standup circuit for some time by then, becoming a role model for young comics looking to explore terrain few had the nerve to tiptoe into.

And he had already graced the silver screen in such high-profile studio projects as “Lady Sings the Blues” and “Uptown Saturday Night.” He missed out on the starring role in Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles” because the ribald nature of his nightclub act had precluded him in the eyes of studio executives, although he did contribute to the screenplay. He had also written for “The Flip Wilson Show” and “Sanford and Son.”

But the Daddy Rich role serves as an ideal case study in the life of Richard Pryor because it typifies his exalted place in the world of comedy. And because Daddy Rich was so excessively deceptive, it juxtaposes perfectly with the real Pryor, whose greatest attribute was his in-your-face honesty.

“Car Wash” was a minor comedic classic. Released in 1976, it features a predominantly African-American ensemble cast in the episodic tale of a bunch of people whose lives interconnect at one Los Angeles car wash. It includes some of the finest talent working at the time, including George Carlin, Bill Duke, Ivan Dixon, Franklyn Ajaye and the Pointer Sisters, who accompany Daddy Rich on his visit.

Fit for a throne

NBC VIDEO No Pryor restraint Dec. 12: The "Today" show presents some of comedian Richard Pryor's most famous stand-up routines. Today show

Daddy Rich was a charlatan who preached the gospel of money. Although Duke’s character Duane/Abdullah saw through his act, nobody else did. When Daddy Rich arrived at the car wash in his long white fur coat, he immediately was put on a throne — a shoeshine stand — and serenaded by the Pointer Sisters as the rest of the workers marveled at him.

“Car Wash” and the Daddy Rich role did not represent quintessential Pryor. If he had expressed himself without restriction, it would have gotten the picture an “X” rating at the time because of racy language. It also probably would have been even funnier than it was.

Slide show   King of comedy Click to see pictures from the life of comedy great Richard Pryor.

Regardless, Pryor turned a sizable cameo into a perfect showcase, albeit a sanitized one, of his considerable talents. Just one simple line from Daddy Rich — “The best place for money … is right here in my pocket” — combined with his lascivious grin was enough to put me on the floor.

That was not the first time Pryor played the role of king. He would do it daily, especially throughout the ‘70s when his comedic gifts were raging at their peak. He was the black Lenny Bruce, although without the long and tedious digressions into his legal problems. Pryor would go after whatever social taboos existed regarding sex, race and drugs, and do so with enthusiasm and without trepidation. He was a brave funnyman, because he would tread on any forbidden ground for a laugh, often straddling the thin line between tragedy and comedy.

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