If I Stop, I'll Die: The Comedy and Tragedy of Richard Pryor [Paperback]

John A. Williams (Author), Dennis A. Wiliams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 21, 2006

Though it is hard to imagine what America will be like now that Richard Pryor has passed away, it would be harder to imagine life if there had never been a Pryor, teaching us to laugh, and by laughing, to see. In the 1960s, when many black performers were trying to open the color barrier, comedian Richard Pryor was slamming into it with a vengeance. Employing the language and attitude of the black ghetto, he assaulted racism in comic routines that were both outrageous and screamingly funny. If I Stop, I'll Die examines the comedian's life and humor which not only reveals details of Pryor's troubled but briliant career, but also places these events within the context that shaped Pryor's outlook, personality, and opportunities. It captures the irony that pervaded his life and career: how he could present brilliantly universal material from such a militantly black perspective; how the powers of Hollywood could force him to portray on film the very racial caricatures that he lampooned on stage; how he could publicly flaunt his private exploits, with embellished comedic versions of his drug use, sexual adventures and bursts of violence, while fiercely protecting the real facts behind such episodes.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

John Williams ( The Man Who Cried I Am ) and his son, Dennis, who teaches writing at Cornell University, here take a critical look at the life and art of one of show business's most troubled and troubling personalities. They discuss the sensational events that have brought Pryor notoriety--self-immolation, drug use, numerous marriages--but more significantly concentrate on his place in the entertainment world, where he has established himself as a comic genius. But in spite of his brilliant stage routines, Pryor has made consistently mediocre movies. Attempting to explain this problem, the authors examine the history of blacks in the entertainment industry and present penetrating insights into why black filmmakers in Hollywood have been unable to present a true picture of African American life in America. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Pryor, currently recovering from recent open-heart surgery, is known for both his comedic talents as well as his personal problems. John A. Williams ( Jacob's Ladder , LJ 12/87) and his son Dennis (a former Newsweek reporter) do not ignore his drug problems, failed marriages, or other conflicts. However, unlike most celebrity biographers, they look at Pryor in the context of the society that provided the background for his comedy, and in comparison with his comedic contemporaries. Not only is Pryor a gifted comic, he is a skilled writer who continues to support groups in his hometown of Peoria. The Williams's scholarly treatment of a celebrity life will nonetheless please all readers with its mixture of concise information and occasional trashy tidbit. A detailed filmography and discography are included. Photos not seen.
- Danna C. Bell-Russel, Marymount Univ. Lib., Arlington, Va.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; 2nd edition (December 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560259183
• ISBN-13: 978-1560259183
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,019,827 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What happens when the writer misses the joke?, July 30, 2008

By 

D. Junius "djunius2" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: If I Stop, I'll Die: The Comedy and Tragedy of Richard Pryor (Paperback)

This is a good look at Pryor's work and effect on culture that goes beyond the normal biography. A few areas where the book fails, beyond some typos, are in places where it misinterprets the comedy.

For example, calling Cleavon Little's character in "Blazing Saddles" "merely a sidekick and buffoon" is the authors' take on it, which is way off the mark. Bart is extremely cool (and complemented by Wilder's character, not overshadowed by it), and the times he looks foolish is in outlandish situations, as when he takes himself hostage.

Also, some lines from a Mudbone routine (not Mudbones, as he is constantly called in the book) are totally misheard. On page 103 of the 2006 paperback edition, the joke is that Mudbone is from Tupelo [where Elvis Presley was born] and, asked where that is, Mudbone replies "by One-pelo." Get it? Two, One? The authors have it as "Tougaloo" and "Woomaloo" which degrades the comedy into no joke at all, much less "There is no 'Woomaloo' but Pryor met the challenge, and the [audience's] roar is praise for his quick thinking."

Also, little things like saying that the 1975 Laff "Down and Dirty" LP was "artistically disappointing" is misleading for anyone not knowing the story behind Pryor's Laff recordings. He put out "Craps (After Hours)" with Laff, and then wanted to jump ship to Partee/Stax, a bigger label (which first issued "That Nigger's Crazy", which was then reissued by Warner Bros. when Stax was going under). To get out of the Laff contract, Pryor agreed to let them issue (and reissue, as in the case of the Redd Foxx/Pryor "Down and Dirty" which had only selected "Craps" material on it) work that they had recorded or had in their possession. Pryor later got the rights back to the Laff material, some of which he put out on "Evolution/Revolution", and included "Craps" in its entirety. Basically, the authors mention the reissuing of the Laff recordings, and Pryor's attitude about it, but then make a critical comment about an LP without remembering the context. Putting "Down and Dirty" and "Was It Something I Said?" next to each other as contemporary Pryor "products" is apples and oranges.

Two more big missed jokes: On the Richard Pryor TV show, the Star Wars Bar sketch includes an alien with very large nostrils. Pryor says "You look like a nigger from Detroit" -- very edgy for 70s TV -- but is relayed in the book as "neighbor from Detroit." With Pryor as President in a press conference, he is asked how long he will continue to date white woman. The book says the punch line is "As long as I can." The actual line is "As long as I can keep it up." See? These are the jokes, folks.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Richard Pryor, August 12, 2006

By 

Anthony Hampton - See all my reviews

This review is from: If I Stop I'll Die: The Comedy and Tragedy of Richard Pryor (Hardcover)

This is the first book I've read on Richard Pryor. I think it is a good book. It is very difficult to convey Richard Pryor's impact on the black community in the 70's and 80's. It is comparable to the impacts Muhammad Ali and James Brown had in the 60's and 70's. This book captures some if not most of the reasons for Pryor's great popularity.