"Steve Martin theory" - better in movies than in stand-up. I find Pryor talented and funny- but some of his work in movies (even the really dated ones) overshadows some of the stand-up stuff.

A brilliant guy who like so many others of the last 25 years ended on a sad note of drug abuse and self-destruction. He was outstanding before the coke and crack fried his brain. After the fire which nearly killed him, he was never as good. And to all who dislike his language he could be very funny without using bad language. See his appearances on Saturday Night Live or his short-lived t.v. show.

Dirty mouth. Alot of people loved him but I didn't like his language.

The world could not handle another Richard Pryor

flipping funny man...we miss ya dude!

Why oh WHY did he team up with Gene Wilder?  Okay, it was the money (but I wonder how much those flicks really grossed).

No one else even comes close. Had the most natural talent of any comedian ever, and could ad-lib an entire comedy show. Brilliant. There will never be another like him

Pryor is one of the funniest comedians ever. His shows are still funny today and you simply cannot get tired of them. From his vocal parodies to the stinging truths about American society, Pryor reigns supreme. What made is great is the fact that he was multidimensional. I take my hat off to this genius.

Basketball had Michael Jordan. Boxing had Muhammed Ali and Football had Pele. Stand-Up had Richard Pryor.

I'll give him the fifth star. numbah cares not if somebody has filthy language thanks to military service. We jarheads like the curse words.

One of the funniest guys that ever lived. I must take off a star Richard, for the horrible language.

the only comedian that could so 2 hours of standup comedy and be funny as hell 90% of the time!! At the end of the show, your ribs hurt and your jaw was sore from smiling and laughing.

Pryor was a comic genius. He paved the way for comedians like Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy. He was vulgar but he spoke his mind and struck your funny bone with his approach of human's flaws and shortcomings.

If you are easily offended or don't like profanity, then you're not going to like Richard Pryor. To truly appreciate his comic genius, you would have had to have grown up in the era when he was in his prime. He will reamin on my list of all time greats.

He wasn't afraid to speak his mind and shake things up. He was an inspiration to many young comics out there. He will definitely be missed. RIP

I am very sad to hear of his passing, though I know he has been in poor health for some time. He was incisive and unique, and one of my favorite comedians.

A trail-blazer and pioneer in the field of comedy. His stand-up routine was groundbreaking and set the mold for funny-men and women for years to come.... Just found out that he past away today...Rest in peace.

I saw Silver Streak as a kid and laughed my ass off. I have also enjoyed Pryor's stand-up comedy. I think it's interesting that most reviews in here are either 5-star, or 1-star (with most of those taking offense to the "foul language.") From all of the famous comedians who honor him, I understand that his contribution to comedy has been great. However, Lenny Bruce also was a great influence in comedy (especially darker, social commentary). He came before Pryor and unfortunately was not allowed to pursue his career by the government's emphatic persecution under its censorship laws. Pryor is definitely an original, and he completely stood out among the rest during his time. However, now there are other comedians that make me laugh harder.

The man is iconic and a true comedic genius. At his peak he was the best.

Pryor was the best and the most original.

a vulgar genius turning a keen eye toward himself and society.

When he was on, which was most of the time he was simply the best. Also a great performance in a little known and overlooked drama Blue Collar, where he matched up well with Yaphet Kotto and Harvey Keitel. A versatile and talented performer, it mystifies me that some would be intimidated or afraid of him. Hard edged urban humor yes, anti white or dangerous no. In the end, it is sad that his personal demons and bad luck with physical health have brought him down.

The best. Still.

His comedy hours are probably the best of all time. He wasn't a racist, he was making jokes. I am white and I laughed my ass off at some of the stuff he said. Get over the racist thing, its a non-point.

Not at all funny, one of the worst in USA...............

After seeing him on comedy central saturday at 1am, I cant believe anyone would give him under a 4. His comedy is still heard even 30 years after it was spoken. One of the greatest comics ever.

Wasn't the first black racist comic (That goes to the likes of godfrey cambridge,dick gregory,moms mably,and others,all equally unfunny as well),but,probably because of the timing ,of all the cultural destruction,and other similar, anti-White-isms, brought about by the evil '60's libertines , he was the first to popularize it,opening the flood gates of the anti-White , black comic ; badly done set-ups to the punch lines ,leaving out of lots necessary details , all delivered with a nearly total impatience to do that,leading to a rushed hurrying to the punch line - mostly, style-over-substance.But don't tell that to them,because they all have the attitude that other blacks don't need to hear all the details, so that makes them hipper than White comics/audiences. And, of course,call you racist , and most likely ,try to kill you. And, most importantly, being racist,racist and racist, against Whitey,with the horriblly innaccurate imitations/mockery,of Whites;how we walk,sing,dance and of course,how we talk(Like we all have kazoos up our noses) - there might as well be a class ,called black racist stand-up 101, because those are the bread-and-butter, of black racist stand-up, and we have the likes of pryor , to thank for it. So,thanks for nothing, and you deserve to have MS.

How could this guy not be #1? He just holds your attention better than anybody else.

One of the funniest standups ever.Brilliant!Not quite as good in films,but that could be the fault of the scripts.

One of the best of all time. Cursed too much. This man could make swearing work. One of the funniest men you will ever hear.

Trashy and unfunny, Pryor's drug-addled antics shouldn't be held in such high regard.

he was good in his time, but the drugs really messed him up, sad to say!

A has been racist.

I think that Richard Pryor is one of the greatest comedians of all time.

Richard Pryor, what can I say about him that hasn't already been said. He was extremely funny, the cursing didn't bother me, sh*t we all curse. I enjoyed almost all of his movies except The Wiz which was really was no good. If his part had been bigger, the movie might have gone some place. He cracked me up in Hear No Evil, See No Evil where he played the blind guy. If anyone has that one watch the part where he trips over Dave (the deaf one) while running looking for him. Also in Stir Crazy, the scene where him and Gene Wilder first go to prison and walk real tough to keep off the other prisoners. Classic! He did physical comedy too which was underrated. Man I love Richard...

I never really got his poor wounded black man the-world-is-against-me act, but everyone says he's the greatest so I'll give him 5 stars

Wow, I'm surprised Richard barely makes the top TEN. I think you've got to put Richard into the context of the 60's & 70's, coming out of a time period when in certain areas it wasn't really a big deal to kill one of African - American descent, and also out of the civil rights era of the 50's & 60's. For someone to be able to take these hot topics of race, reality & culture and make them not only funny but acceptable is PURE GENIUS. He is the originator of this lasting comedy genre, I think it gets on somes nerves b/c their is always a bitter truth there. I think it continues to prosper b/c that bitter truth is still a reality to many. If it were not marketable it would not sell. The fact that so many mimic his style (and often tell the same/similar jokes -- directly from his stacks) and get away with it is only further testament to his lasting GENIUS. The REAL #1!

Maybe Richard Pryor was great in his day, but let's face it, he opened the flood gates on the worst comedy ever (i.e. Black Guy/White Guy comedy If nobody else did his material after him he'd have been better, but nearly every black comic that comes down the pike now parrots what Richard Pryor did 30+ years ago. Pryor should march on D.C. and stop black comics from ripping him off.

Hey southernmisstate63 if you think he has a dirty mouth why not visit a high school. Suck it up, if my 4 year old nephew can stand hearing cuss words then so can you. Richard Pryor is one of the greatest comedians. Same goes to you southernpatriot. Listen to the joke, the words just spice it up. So unless you are a old sob or don't know comedy you will like Richard Pryor.

Hands down the greatest standup comedian of all time. He took comedy to a different level than anyone before him. His ability to incorporate personal triumph and failure in his act is unmatched before or since. No comedian has delved as deeply into himself as Pryor has. As for the fretting over profanity and vulgarity, I say, do you want truth or watered down inanities such as those spewed by so many other so-called comedians.

a pioneer.

Richard Pryor is the BEST! He is a comical genius! He and George Carlin rate #1 with me! Shooting the car story is the funniest thing ever...if you never heard it..it's on Pryor live 1979....

Flat out..the best stand up comedian of all time...if you don't believe that..ask the guys that do it for a living who the best was!

I am a true Richard Pryor fan. The man was a comedian. His job was to make you laugh. He did it better than any other comic then, or since. He was the best at what he did. No other has come close. profanaty was part of his act. But he still got his point across. True icon of the game. He wrote the book.

Richard Pryor truly is an enigma. I am all to often offended by his constant use of foul language, but before I even get a chance to complain, he manages to make me laugh once again. I thought that his show on Sunset Strip was one of his best, and his commentary on sex, drugs, violence, crime, religion and politics were all right on target and funny as hell. I loved his closing joke on his Sunset Strip show: he lit a match and then shook it around and said: "What's this? It's Richard Pryor running down the street on fire". I loved how he was never afraid to make fun of himself. A good comedian.

Pretty funny guy, with a script or not. A little too dependent on filthy language, but not as bad as others. I'd really like to see someone come along who can make you laugh without using four-letter words or referring to bodily functions.

My favorite pryor line : Get a coke, smile and shut the BEEP up

A comedic genius. Richard Pryor could make jokes about anything no matter how ridiculous and it would be funny, and so what if he swears in his comedy. Over half the people in this country swear, who cares, it's a part of his comedic charm and it's hilarious! My father has every Richard Pryor record he ever mad and I never get tired of them. Politics, Sex, Race, Religion, it was open season on everything with Richard Pryor.

one of the best at making an ordinary situation seem unbelievably funny....

Great. But the cursing and vulgarity is forgettable. Deer in the woods is classic.